Boarding school roommates Finny and Gene couldn't be more opposite. Finny is friendly, outgoing and quite the athlete, whereas Gene is the quiet studious type. During the summer term of 1942, Finny is injured and Gene is tormented by feelings of friendship, loyalty and jealousy while Finny is oblivious to it all. I just reread this book last summer and again realized its classic status. A must read for all teens.

This book would be difficult for a student younger than high school age to understand. Can be slow at times, but very descriptive.

This is a beautifully written story with complex characters. All the necessary connections are made to give dimension to the actions of the characters. The war even becomes a character in its own right. The rite of passage storyline is enhanced by the first person telling and the suddenness of events. Reality doesn't generally foreshadow itself, but it does reveal itself in hindsight. This book could spark endless discussions of metaphorical significance. It should never be confined to adolescent readers and it should never be read just once.

What I found most interesting about this book was the theme of male friendship and its deep reflection on rivalry, jealousy, betrayal, love and forgiveness. It made think quite a bit about the the relationship between Amir and Hassan from the Kite Runner and the similar themes of friendship and betrayal. I found it a lovely reflective book. ( )

1045 A Separate Peace A Novel, by John Knowles (read 14 Mar 1970) I have just finished reading this. What does it all mean? A story of life at a New England prep school, Devon, [modeled on Phillips Exeter] in 1942 and 1943. "I"--Forrester--shakes a tree limb and causes Phineas to fall, and, later, to die. I will have to read interpretive material. Excellently written. ( )