In Lane Three, Alex Archer [Paperback]

Tessa Duder (Author)

Book Description

'I have always known that in another life I  was-or will be-a dolphin. I am a pink human, caught in  a net of ambition and years of hard work. In a few  minutes I will dive into artificially turquoise  water waiting at my feet. A minute later I'll  either be ecstatic or a  failure.'

Fifteen-year-old swimming champ Alex Archer has her  mind set on one goal-competing in the Olympic Games  in Rome. Alex has been training hard for six  years--but so has her archrival, Maggie  Benton.

Maggie isn't the only obstacle Alex must  overcome. She's spread herself too thin at school,  and at home she's worried about her grandmother's  failing health. She needs complete concentration  for the competition, but it's becoming harder to  give her all. Then, her handsome boyfriend, Andy is  in a terrible accident. Even if Alex can deal  with all these unforeseen problems, can she beat  Maggie to make it to the Olympic Games?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Readers will not fail to be uplifted by this talented writer's thoughtful novel," said PW about this story of a 15-year-old swimmer who faces several personal crises while struggling to compete in the Olympics. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Well-developed, realistic, three-dimensional characters flesh  out this novel about competitive swimming and adolescence...  Duder's fresh writing style hooks readers from the outset."--  School Library Journal.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Starfire (May 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553290207
• ISBN-13: 978-0553290202
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,811,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Olympic Contender, August 12, 2007

By 

A. Luciano (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Lane Three, Alex Archer (Hardcover)

At twelve years old, Alex begins thinking that she might be a good enough swimmer to represent New Zealand in the Olympics in 1960, when she is sixteen. Juggling high school, other extracurricular activities, and competitive swimming is tough, though. It becomes especially tough when Maggie, who has been competing since she was two, moves nearby and begins training at Alex's pool. Maggie has an overbearing mother and an absolute dedication to swimming that means she mostly wins her events against Alex. Alex remains certain that she will be able to come out on top at the Olympic trials, though.

As that time comes closer, Alex becomes less and less certain of herself, and she finds herself getting more and more overwhelmed by the events in her life. Will she be able to set everything aside in order to focus on what may be the most important swim of her life?

This was a decent story about swimming and about the pressures of high school, which haven't really changed all that much in the last forty years. However, I was disappointed by the predictability of the storyline with Andy. On the second page of the prologue, before we had even officially met him, I already knew exactly what happened. It was a letdown when my suspicions ended up being true.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have a new favorite book!, June 23, 1999

By 

Sarah Pinson ([e-mail]) (Bamberg, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Lane Three, Alex Archer (Paperback)

Unlike many of the customers reviewing this book, I am not a swimmer. As far as I can tell, this book can and should be read by anyone no matter what you are interested in! It has everything you could want in a book; drama, comedy, and most importantly, an intrigueing story! Like another reviewer, this is the first book I have ever read that made me cry. I could, and probably will, read this book many times through without tiring of it. I encourage EVERYONE, not only swimmers, to read this wonderful, exciting, and beautifully written book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was an outstanding and very well written book., March 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: In Lane Three, Alex Archer (Paperback)

I am 12 years old and I chose theis book to read after reading the back cover in library and reconizing that it was a movie I had seen recently on T.V.. I enjoyed reading even after I had seen the movie. I would highly recommend this to any person any age.