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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Poor Rich was not my style, August 8, 2010
This review is from: Poor Rich (Paperback)
Final Grade: 80/C
REVIEW: Puberty comes to Rich (don't call me Richie) Cameron and "cures" him of his asthma and allergies. Suddenly he's able to play basketball, join the swim team, and even participate in PE, all without the need to use his rescue inhaler constantly. But he still feels like an outcast, like no one likes him or understands him. The thing is, he really connects with people and understands them far better than he believes. He has a distinct lack of self-confidence.
As much as I wanted to connect with Rich, I just couldn't. He is so self-absorbed, trapped in his asthmatic-induced world, he can't see the impact he has on those around him. And, because the book is written in first person, his is the only voice, leaving no chance to connect with any of the other characters. In addition to that, the other characters move in and out of the scenes so quickly, it's hard to know much about them at all. The way the story is written, I felt like I was reading scenes that never seemed to connect or tell the whole story.
The part one of the book tells Rich's story of what he did after learning he wasn't as sick as he'd been before. While the dialogue is easy to read, there are some expressions and turns of phrases that just aren't current. For example, the basketball coach is trying to get the new kid, Edward, to play but Edward says he can't, he has to work after school. "Things change," he [the coach] says, Cagney to Edward G. Robinson. Um, huh? I thought of Cagney & Lacey at first (though that's still way outdated). But, no, this is a reference to James Cagney, who made a movie with Edward G. Robinson back in 1931 (yeah, I totally googled that one.).
The second half of the book is a collection of Rich's essays that he wrote while in therapy. That's when I decided this book was probably way too "literary" for me (plus, I felt like I was reading my students' essays. Uhg. Not ready for that yet.). Without a connection to any of the characters and a flat plot, this book was just not my style.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent set of short stories that are "written" by an unusual boy, August 3, 2010
This review is from: Poor Rich (Paperback)
Rich Cameron is an unusual child, he suffers from such intense and varied allergies that he is extremely sheltered and heavily medicated. For example, even with the medication he cannot set foot inside a gymnasium without experiencing a severe reaction. He has never participated in anything in the area of physical activity but he is an extremely talented writer. His English teacher is taking advantage of his talents to have Rich tutor some of the other students in his creative writing class. Despite the workload, it is an advantage for Rich because it is his only productive social interaction and it includes helping girls.
Suddenly and completely unexpectedly, when Rich must walk across the gym floor he is astounded when he is able to do so without having to puff desperately on his inhaler. Furthermore, all of his other allergies have also vanished. This newfound freedom has disadvantages; he now is playing sports where he has absolutely no clue what he should do and he must come out of what was a predictable and comfortable shell.
The first segment of the book is Rich describing his life to date, even setting aside the allergies it has been most unusual. His father discovered that he was gay and divorced his mother to create a domestic partnership with another man that is a good friend to Rich. Rich's mother has remarried to a very homophobic man and his mother is a bit on the overprotective side. Rich is seeing an intelligent psychiatrist and there is a former nanny named Gia that provides the sex interest. Gia is only a few years older than Rich and is the one that explained the sexual world to him.
Without a doubt the best part of the book is the second section that is a set of short stories written by Rich. They cover some very sensitive themes, for example the first one is "The Pedophile Next Door", where the man that moved in next door largely kept to himself and all was peaceful until it was discovered that he was a registered sex offender. An appropriate title could have been "The Loneliness of the Sex Offender." It is a simple and sensitive story about someone trying to re-integrate into society and just be a person with a life. Another of these excellent stories is about Rich's near sexual encounter with Gia and has a great deal of understated sexual tension. If there is such a category as gentle erotica for teenage boys, then this story is in it. It seems that nearly every young boy, myself included, knew a girl a few years older that they regularly fantasized about being the opposite in their first sexual experience.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Summer Read, August 2, 2010
This review is from: Poor Rich (Paperback)
I was sent this book for an honest review. I must say I loved the book! The author Jean Blasiar certainly has a way with words. Details rang true, descriptions that did not bog down the wording. Dialogue that sounded genuine and a few embedded letters adding to the story.
With a hint of humor, and an interesting main character who is a recluse genius, he must venture off in the real world when his allergies clear up. Very interesting and page turning adventure. If you enjoyed stories like Rainman, crazy love, and such, you may like this kind of story. I certainty was entertained while educated and would read more of this author.
A tale really about all people, anyone can relate to the prose.
Recommended and reviewed by Ami Blackwelder, author of The Hunted of 2060
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