Customer Reviews

Pinned

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Wrestling isn't just a sport to Bobby Zane and Ivan Korske. It's a way of life. From the midnight runs to the cutting weight to plotting maneuvers in their sleep, wrestling is all they think about during the winter sports season. Both compete in the 129-pound weight class, and both refuse to let anything stand in the way of the state championship title.

Beyond their mutual love of wrestling, however, Bobby and Ivan couldn't be more different. Bobby's school wrestling team is known throughout New Jersey for its winning record. His family, though rich, is troubled by his mother's long working hours and his father's infidelity, and news that Bobby's girlfriend might be pregnant leaves Bobby wondering exactly where his life is headed.

Meanwhile, Ivan and his small-town farming father are grieving his mother, who was a strong influence in both their lives, and Ivan's anger and loss are felt by everyone except for his neighbor Shelley, who encourages Ivan's talents. Ivan's only hope of leaving his backwater town of Lemmings is a scholarship to Western Arizona University, but his father wants him to attend college close to home.

Each chapter alternates a point of view, taking the reader through both Bobby's and Ivan's journeys to the state championship. Alfred C. Martino, a wrestling fan, brings the excitement of their matches into the story. Both characters have depth and devotion to the people they love, even though their commitment to wrestling sometimes eats away at their relationships. Reading this book will make you think twice about the dumb jock stereotype.

   --- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

Pinned is the brilliant conquest of two wrestlers determined to be state champions. Alfred Martino captures the hardships, and triumphs that a true wrestler faces, when he archives the wrestling season of the two best 129 pound wrestlers in New Jersey. Bobby Zane, and Ivan Korske. Both wrestlers have made wrestling their primary focus, and everything else just revolves around it.

Alfred Martino tells the stories of both wrestlers' wrestling season, with great lucidity. Chapter one begins Ivan Korke's story, and chapter two begins bobby Zane's. The chapters alternate between characters. The reader learns that Bobby and Ivan come from completely different backgrounds, and situations, and the only likeness they share is their fixation on the state title.

Ivan Korske lives in a more rural farming town with his father. They are still in the grieving process since the passing of Ivan's mother who was a big part of the family. Still, Ivan focuses on his goal, but the byproduct of his loss, is anger, which he unleashes on everyone besides his neighbor, Shelly. They have a friendly relationship, which really helps Ivan, but with the stress of winning state, for everyone in the community, he begins to make the relationship complicated. Is he better off without her?

Bobby Zane on the other hand, comes from a rich family, although he also has mother troubles. His mother is bound to her demanding job by long hours away from home. His high school is known through out the state for winning nearly every meet. Bobby spends a lot of time with his girlfriend, Carmelina. Just when he thinks it's time to dump her, so he can focus on wrestling, their relationship (and lives for that matter,) take a HUGE turn.

In the final stages of the book, as everyone expected, the state finalists are Bobby Zane, and Ivan Korske. As the reader now loves both wrestlers, this is a gut wrenching moment for the reader, because they know one must lose.

I read this book during my wrestling season, and I was so impressed by the true wrestler's experience that went into making a book. It is impossible to replicate the emotion of a wrestling season, unless you have been through them yourself. Alfred Martino and I know, we're wrestlers. We put our bodies and souls through so much, it hurts. But nothing compares, in any other worldly happening, to winning a wrestling match, and having the ref raise your hand. Pinned does a stellar job at capturing this feeling, and sharing the experience.

Mark Shanahan kept me interested in Pinned (six CDs, seven Hours, unabridged Fiction, Listen & Live Audio). I remember the movie in the 1980's called Vision Quest which was about wrestling. This audio book sounded similar to that. This Young Adult Book kept me enthraled with the concept of two diverse boys and their ideals, I knew nothing of Wrestling since my High School days, I called my local High School and asked when the next match was, after hearing this. Great piece of audio work-Bravo for the writer and the narrator--Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD

I snapped this book up after I saw it mentioned in Amateur Wrestling News.I read it over three nights and really enjoyed it.My older brothers wrestled and one was 4th at the states years ago,losing to the eventual champion in a close match.It's amazing how the matches stay with wrestlers after many years.
This was a great read and I couldn't wait to resume reading after work each night.The 2 wrestlers,Ivan & Bobby are very interesting characters.You find yourself rooting for both but knowing only one can win.Besides wrestling, each boy is dealing with other stressful situations in their life.Personally I liked Ivan better and found myself rooting for him to prevail.
I also liked how the book showed the weight cutting and sacrifices wrestlers endure.I consider it the toughest sport there is.I recommend you pick this one up.I was thankful I did.

Pinned, a novel by Alfred C. Martino tells the story of two wrestlers and the challenges they must overcome to become a champion. The first of the two teens introduced is Ivan Korske. Ivan comes from a poverty stricken town whose only hope it to earn a scholarship to leave his current life behind. Second is Bobby Zane who is facing family and relationship problems unlike any he has faced before. The story peeks into the life of a wrestler. You learn about cutting weight, long tiring practices and the pressures to succeed.
Throughout the novel, it's apparent that Alfred Martino has a true natural writing ability and knowledge of wrestling. But through all the talent and knowledge the novel still lacks many things, including and appropriate ending. Most of the book is spent building up to one match, the state finals, yet the story ends with no outcome. If there was a sequel then the current ending would have been perfect, leaving the reader wanting more, but since there was no other book the ending was a let down.
Even though the ending was a disappointment, overall the book was pleasing. I was able to relate the book and the struggles of both characters faced. I come from a wrestling background of 11 years and have struggled to make weight and deal with the pressure just like those in the book.

SPOILER: I'm a woman who has absolutely no interest in wrestling, but this book held my attention due to some interesting character development. That being said...what was up with that ending??? The entire book builds up to the final wrestling match and we don't get to find out who wins?? I was in shock and yelling %$#@(*&^%$#. By the time you reach the end of the book, you have picked your favorite (Bobby was mine), but the reality is that one of the two kids HAD to win. SO WHICH ONE IS IT!

BTW..I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a decent job.

Afred's direct story telling style and the sincerity of his voice take me back to my High School years. Anyone who played H.S. sports, had friends who played sports or witnessed families disintigrating will find this book very accurate. I read it in a few days and though cliched, did have a hard time putting it down. It most definitely took me back to some of my H.S experiences. His portrayal of a young man with a family in crisis is a poignant story within a story.

I wrote this novel with two primary objectives in mind: To offer wrestlers (current and former) and sports fans something fresh and interesting to read, and to put the sport of amateur wrestling in a positive light. I believe I have done both. I hope you enjoy "Pinned." Thanks, Alfred C. Martino e-mail: ACM7673@msn.com

All I can say is wow! Very seldom are there books about wrestling that catch almost every aspect of a wrestler's season, but this book does it with stark realism that draws the reader in and makes it feel like actually going through the process of making it to the state championship match.

Every detail is what it is really like as a wrestler. I am truly impressed with this novel. I will recommend this to my wrestling team as required reading from now on. Oustanding job!

That being said, the last line was like a punch in the gut, but I still love this book! It is a true feet to back takedown!

The book traveled the lives of two boys, Ivan Korkse and Bobby Zane. They're both trememendous wrestlers whose lives are all wrestling. Both have dreams of being state champion but only one could be able to say they're state champ. Ivan had a devastating loss the previous year of the states finishing third. Ivan's school(Lennings) is not really known as a winning school while Bobby's(Millburn) is. Both cruise into the state tournament with Bobby losing one match to Rampart while Ivan is undefeated. In their bracket Ivan is placed first, while Bobby is third. The book really satisfies the reader and really gives great detail and description in every chapter. There are some great twists and turns you could say, with Bobby getting his former girlfriend pregnant and Bobby's parents splitting up. The book really explains the components of life and how to deal with them. Ivan, on the other hand, has been tormented by his mother's passing his senior year. It really affects him drastically. To make matters worse, Ivan now has to win the state title to get accepted into the college of Western Arizona. This really brings some drama and excitement into the book. Now, onto the ending. I'm not going to try to spoil the ending but you can say it's a dissapointment. The book just ends abruptly and there is no sequal. If not for the ending, I would've definitely gave this book 5 stars. Well, there you have it. A great book that is an exciting read.