Skip to main content

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

"A genuine and touching story about how the true power of friendship can change your life and yourself as a person overall."

3 Stars

Pros: Freak (Kevin) and Max make an endearing and heartwarming team/The novel strives to prove that everyone has a story worthy to tell. 

Cons: It was never really explained what Freak (Kevin's) condition was/The parts with Max's father seemed rushed. 

Full Review: 

Maxwell Kane, the son of a notorious murderer who has spent most of his childhood as either violent or mute, starts to learn about himself and about friendship when a small boy with a physical disability but an incredible brain moves in next door. Freak (Kevin) is astonishingly intelligent, while Max is gigantic and strong and together, they form a symbiotic friendship. As Max says, he didn't have a brain until Freak came around and let him borrow his for awhile. 

It's a heart warming story about the power of true friendship but also with a darker side regarding Maxwell's Father and what happened during his childhood. At times the narrative felt rushed or glossed over, but overall, it was a genuinely heart warming story about how the power of true friendship can really change your life, for the better. And though I don't often say this, the movie, "The Mighty" may have actually been a little bit better. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

“Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter who's on the trail of six "Andys" (Androids) who have come to Earth illegally. His job is to track them down and "retire" them. Something he found easy to do until he met her, Rachael Rosen. The Android that does the impossible, passes the "Voight-Kampff" test. The story quickly devolves into a slow, drawn out and frankly boring mystery that was putting me to sleep by the end."    ⭐⭐ Pros: I was more interested in comparing it to the film, "Bladerunner."/At first I kind of liked the drab, dreary atmostphere but it soon became soporific.  Cons: I had no real idea what was going on with Mercerism/The end there had me blinking in bewilderment, like with Herbert's 29th Dune Book/There was a lot of idle chit-chat while they were in murderous/intense situations, it just seemed odd.  Full Review:  Rick Deckard, a Bounty Hunter, contracted with the San Francisco Police Department hunts down and retires rogue ...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars.  Pros:  Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place.  Cons:  The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact.  Full Review:  When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore

"Though dark, disturbing and at times, truly disgusting, Blakemore has created an unforgettable character in Tarare and his sad, sordid tale. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time for many different reasons and to me, that's a sign of a great read."  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ Pros: Tarare wasn't a monster, it just seemed that the world was against him/I liked Lozeau and his strange band of misfits/Dr. Dupuis seemed like a genuinely good person, or at least, he had his moments.  Cons: Some of the timeline/people of the French Revolution were just white noise to me/Courville was a despicable man.  Full Review:  The Bottomless man, the Glutton of Lyon, Tarare the Terrible. The man who has many titles but who's name is simply, Tarare, is dying in a hospital in Versailles. Citizen Doctor Tissier has written to his friend, Dupuis, in hopes that he'll be able to cure this mysterious illness that plagues Tarare. For now though, he lays, chained to his bed and waits for...