Customer Reviews

Order of the Poison Oak

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Brent Hartinger is funny and tender and real. Although this book (and his others) feature a gay teen, ALL teents and adults who like to read young adult books should read him. No matter your sexual prefernce, you will appreciate his messages of acceptance and understanding and his great writing.

I am a huge fan of Geography Club, the previous book by Brent Hartinger involving gay teen Russell, so when I heard there was going to be a sequel I was really worried(especially since it had the title Order of The Poison Oak, sorry Brent sounded a lil corny), however as I read my copy which I purchased from amazon.com wink wink, I soon realized it was even better than Geography Club. The characters and events just draw you in, and the part when Russell finally has someone look at him in the way that Peppermint Patty looked at the red haired girl, brought tears to my eyes. But this book, even if you are not gay, you will relate to how hard it is growing up and you will be smiling when you finish the book.

P.S. To Brent: Thanks for not including Kevin in this book!

I loved "The Geography Club," so I had trepidations when I eagerly snatched up the sequel. But they were quickly short-lived as I quickly got involved in the machinations of Russel, Min and Gunnar at a summer camp.

This sequel is a rarity in that the main character actually grows in a new direction from the previous book. Usually, the character just seems to go through the exact same journey. But we see Russel grapple with the whys and hows of expanding his romantic horizons and himself into the outside world from the confines of high school. His relationship with a caddish counselor is very compelling as is Gunnar's journey towards FINALLY getting a girlfriend.

It's a real story well-told. Fast, funny and touching.

Russel Middlebrook, a high school student readers last met in the novel GEOGRAPHY CLUB, is near the end of a very traumatic sophomore year. He was outed in the previous book, and he faced up to the ramifications of that, some of which continue on in the form of low-level verbal abuse from other students. "I'd put up with this kind of crap ever since we'd gone public with our Gay-Straight-Bisexual Alliance, and frankly I was getting pretty tired of it. Yeah, yeah, sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me. First of all, anyone who thinks that words can't hurt you has obviously never taken sophomore P.E. And second, did it ever occur to whoever wrote that stupid adage that hurtful words might be a pretty good indication that sticks and stones are on the way?" (p. 2).

From the start, it's clear that Russel has a good sense of humor and that he is strong enough to weather the ups and downs of his newly admitted gay status. But that doesn't mean it's easy, so he is glad that summer arrives, and he is heading off to be a camp counselor with his best friends Min and Gunnar. He figures they'll goof off, swim, play games with kids, and generally have a great time. No one need ever know he's gay. What a surprise to find out how wrong he is!

For the first two-week camp session, Russel is assigned a cabin of ten-year-old boys, all of whom are burn survivors. They go on the rampage almost immediately. At first Russel is inclined to cut them far too much slack because he pities them, but he quickly loses control. Some of the early laughs in the book come from his internal musings about what brats they all are and how helpless he feels trying to keep them in line. Pity doesn't help; he has to learn to treat them the same as other kids and hold them to the same standards.

Meanwhile, he doesn't see that much of Min and Gunnar, but he does meet one of the other counselors, Web Bastian, who is a real looker. Unfortunately, Min is also enamored with Web, and Russel's friendship with Min could be at risk. In fact, his friendship with Gunnar suffers some slings and arrows, too, and Russel is at wit's end. Only Otto, another counselor who attended the camp when he was younger and is also a burn survivor, is a steadying force for Russel.

The story reads very much like a teenager is narrating it. At the same time, Russel has an intuitive side to him that is a delight. His strong heart shines through every chapter of the book as he learns that scars-both internal and external-as well as secrets can bring people together and tear them apart as well. Hartinger shares the weaknesses in his well-written teenage character as well as his strengths. By showing the discrimination toward both gay youth and toward the scarred burn victims, the author makes it clear that any kind of unfairness, any kind of pain is hard on kids, and only by banding together for support can it be transcended.

This is a funny, touching novel about the continued growth and self-awareness that one young man attains during what should be ordinary summer camp events, but are really quite extraordinary experiences. Russel is the kind of character you wished you knew in real life, and this is a book that stays with you long after you've finished it. With this third novel from Brent Hartinger, I can see that he is an author who is only becoming more accomplished in his writing style, and I look forward to many years of reading his work. This book is highly recommended for all youth, ages 13 to 113. ~Lori L. Lake, independent reviewer, Midwest Book Review

This is a masterfully written novel. Unlike a lot of books that sort of read like the author just started writing and then one day just stopped, the whole construction of this novel seems very carefully thought out. Everything ties together! I especially loved the Rainbow Crow story, and the way the author weaves its themes throughout the whole novel. Bravo, Brent, bravo!

Or at least one of them. I've read a lot of YA gay fiction lately--Boy Meets Boy, stuff by Alex Sanchez--and they're good, but Hartinger is the stand out of all them. Geography CLub was great, and this one is even better. Great plots, likable characters, terrific writing. Check it out yourself.

first I should say I LOVED THE GEOGRAPHY CLUB. I'm out, so I felt some of the pressures that rus' felt. this novel I do not want to put it in the gay-teen novel section in my mind or on my bookshelf just because the main caricature(Russell middlebrook, remember) is gay. that's like saying that director: David Cronenberg only makes science fiction films. I would like to put it in the classic, life shaping novels area. this is for all teenager and most adults (ones below their 60`s). this novel deals with some great adult (okay, not really adult, but things which teen should know) subjects such as such as anti-shallow material, acceptance of all kind of people and friendship and other's which I cant name at the moment. I most briefly I remember was a condom usage (didn't get at all in depth with sex, which is great for a teen novel) as well as a talk between Russell and web about relationship which followed. At times I found my self crying and others I found my self at the edge of my seat, and some other laughing. The writing seams the same as THE GERORAPHY CLUB, which did I mention I loved, and a lot of ( )'s , which aren't bad, I like them and they are fitting in this novel on the account that its in a way, a memoir told as Russell -first person narrative characterization. Over all, this is a treasury to me. The mood in the novel is almost in adventure characterization. See, I told you cant just classified it under "gay-teen novel". see!

The narrator is so likeable and honest and easygoing, reading about his summer camp adventures is almost like being there with your very best friend.

I liked the fast pacing of this book, too. As in the first book, Geography Club, the plot twisted and turned and compelled me to keep turning the pages.

I'd recommend Order of the Poison Oak to anyone.

I just finished The Order of the Poison Oak. I read and fell in love with Geography Club last summer, and was eagerly awaiting the 2nd installment of the story. (Brent's also planning another 2 books, but it looks like we'll have to wait 2 more years for those).

The action in the book moves along at a pretty fast pace. It's good to see the characters in a different setting then we left them in Geography Club, and to see them dealing with new issues.

"The Order of the Poison Oak," the sequel to Brent Hartinger's brilliant teen Gay Straight Alliance novel "Geography Club," explores multiple themes of fire: from the easily fanned flames of jealousy, stubbornness and passion to and life as an outsider not just for its newly out sixteen-year-old protagonist, but deep scars forged both emotionally and physically. Hartinger perfectly captures the neuroses of youth in a modern yet completely timeless story perhaps aimed at grades 7-10 but certain to be quoted by a growing fanbase of all ages.