One of the first novels I ever read. It still brings pleasant memories. ( )

I bought this book years back, after discovering that it was Jack Bangerter's favorite book. I never got around to reading it though, until just after I graduated, right before we went to Europe. My copy had water spilled all over it, and never really dried in the humidity, so as I read it, each page disintegrated and came unattached as I turned it. It's a really nice story of two school friends around WWII, Gene and Phineas, and while my recollection is slightly fuzzy about each, I would probably characterize this book as a less Jewish The Chosen. Monumental (and highly surprising) ending, also. ( )

An interesting book. I might have liked it better if the prof in Adolescent Lit hadn't beat me over the head with all the symbolism. ( )

A coming-of-age story set in an English boarding school at the start of WWII. Gene and Phineas, though very different, form a deep friendship that is tested one summer. The boys' actions show that the line between good and evil is perhaps not so clear-cut as we would like to believe. ( )

There is a lot of lovely language in this book, but I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. The whole mood of the book feels slightly overdramatic to me, and even though I understand that this was most likely an intended stylization, I got impatient with it. I'm sure that I would have enjoyed and appreciated it much more if I'd had some interest and/or connection with the characters. ( )