Defect (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: ugly boy, little dude, New Guy, Earl Trotwood, Margaret Trotwood (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

David's odd appearance makes him a target for bullies, but what sets him apart most is his secret: he can fly. After persistent hazing, he is moved to an alternative school, where he meets Cheetah, a girl with epilepsy. David and Cheetah, both medical anomalies and social outcasts, begin a strong friendship and, eventually, a romance. When David's flying is observed in public, everyone wants a piece of him—doctors, religious fanatics, the press. With the steadfast support of Cheetah and his compassionate and loving foster parents, David must decide whether to undergo corrective surgeries to remove his collapsible wings, giving him a more "handsome" appearance. The eerie cover and enticing premise will draw readers in for a big payoff. David struggles with his ability: Is it a gift or a curse? Will he be different if he looks different? Does God have a plan for him? Teens struggling with social stigmatization and medical issues will find a champion in David. Booth, Heather

Review

"Artful melding of fantastical elements in a realistic setting...Moreover, David and Cheetah are such empathetic characters and their relationship so palatable that the larger message about tolerance and self-acceptance will not be missed." —School Library Journal

 

“The eerie cover and enticing premise will draw readers in for a big payoff.”—Booklist

 

"Told with sensitivity and insight, this exploraiton of a young man's journety to self-acceptance seems particularly compelling in a world of extreme makeovers."--Kirkus Reviews

 

"Weaver . . . skillfully interweaves the improbable with twenty-first-century realities in this provocative novel."—VOYA

 

“Weaver’s message of acceptance of differences comes through loud and clear.”—The Horn Book

 

"A touching story that has a lot to say about whether we wear our bodies or they wear us."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

 

"Readers will have much to ponder." —IRA

 

"This book should prompt interesting and productive discussions about differences, identitity and tolerance with high school students."— The ALAN Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1St Edition edition (July 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374317259
• ISBN-13: 978-0374317256
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #764,874 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 22, 2007

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

David is more than just odd, or strange, or different. David is kind of a genetic anomaly, truly a freak of nature. His "hearing aids" actually minimize sound, under his hat are bat-like ears, and under his sweatshirt, well, that's the craziest part of all. David actually has wings. Not big feathery things, but a thin layer of tissue that allows him to coast through the air if he jumps from a high point.

Anybody in high school knows that being different isn't usually a good thing. Even the wrong haircut can lead to months of torture. For David, his differences could be life threatening. He's already been shipped from foster home to foster home, from school to school. When he gets in trouble at his most recent school, he prepares to start all over, again, somewhere else. This time though, the only thing that changes is the school. Amazingly, this time he might actually be okay. Sure, he's still not telling anybody about the hearing and the wings, but he's not getting beat up, either. And, he might actually have a girlfriend!

David accompanies his maybe girlfriend, Cheetah, to the Mayo clinic, and finds out some surprising information about himself. Along with a few creepy flashbacks. With this new information, David is going to have some very tough choices to make, and some harder lessons to learn.

I was expecting something completely different from this story, but I couldn't have been happier to be completely wrong! This story is incredibly touching and powerful, and honest. All of the characters are amazing and strong and realistic. The choices David makes may not be the ones you would make, but you feel the weight of them right along with him. And the lessons he learns are the simple but huge kind that everyone needs to be reminded of from time to time. It's a beautiful, simple, incredible thing.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

4.0 out of 5 stars Fitting in, October 28, 2009

By	M. E. Fritzler (Houston Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

DOn't Fit in? Wish you could fix it? what if you could? would you rather change yourself forever or be the miracle people need to see? this book is a real heart warmer!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your time, January 25, 2009

By	Tricia (Tampa Bay, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This wasn't an awful book, but there was nothing good about it either. David's character is not well developed or explained. He is bullied at the beginning of the book and gets transferred to a special school, where he meets his girlfriend Cheetah. The bullies come back into the story, but their storyline is never finished. Nor does the author ever explain why David eats bugs. Overall I was very disappointed with this book