I have not read this book. It was recommended by D.Gomes.

“Purple Heart” By Patricia McCormick is about a man named Matt Duffy who is 18 in the US army. He is on a mission and then an RPG struck where he was and sent him into the air and hit his head. When he awoke he didn’t remember what happened or anything. He couldn’t move at all and if he moved an inch, unbearable pain would come to his neck and lay him back down. His team comes and supports him and is happy that he isn’t completely mangled. Then through the whole book he tries to remember what happened, who did it, and why. It is a great book and is hard to put down, I definitally recommend reading this book. This book is 208 pages and is great. ( )

If you like to learn somewhat about the military then this book is decent. It was about the military. AHS/CD

In Purple Heart, Patricia McCormick has tackled another serious issue: the trauma of war. Private Matt Duffy, an American soldier in Iraq, wakes up to find himself in a military hospital. He’s not quite sure how he got there or why. Dr. Kwong tells him he’s got a possible TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury, but Matt has no clue what caused it. He later learns from Justin, his squad mate and buddy, that he was “on the business end of an RPG [rocket propelled grenade]”. Matt has no memory of the incident.

Matt is awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. The officer who gives him the medal says “Your mission now, son, is to get better. Get better---and get back out there.” (Reviewer’s note: While, as a non-soldier, I find this sentiment unfeeling, apparently many soldiers do want to go back to their squad as soon as possible.)

Purple Heart takes you through Matt’s experiences in the hospital, his attempts to remember what happened and his experiences back out in the field. It probes his mind regarding his changing attitudes towards the Iraqi people, his fellow soldiers and even life back home. Readers will live in Matt’s head and feel his emotions and uncertainty.

McCormick has a reputation for her insightful, gritty books. If you haven’t read Cut or Sold, you must. Her language is not flowery. It is down to earth. Her stories are compelling and riveting. She invites you into the heads of the characters. The action is realistic and you envision yourself in the story as a bystander. Her books are powerful.

You’ve heard me say that there are certain authors whose books must be read. Patricia McCormick is one. Read Purple Heart. That’s all there is to it. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Going to war wasn't a first choice for Matt Duffy, but it seemed like the most sensible. He hadn't done that great in school, so college for him didn't really make sense. On the other hand, his little sister was a good student, and joining the Army would provide the necessary funds to send her to college when the time came.

Whatever his reason for joining up, Matt found himself in the middle of Iraq doing the patriotic thing for his country. Even though they warned the young soldiers during basic training, he was surprised by the heat, the noise, and the people. There were slow days with routine missions; welcome days after some of the scary attacks Matt had witnessed. Recently, they'd lost their squad leader, a fellow named Benson.

Amazing that this fact is one of the few things Matt can remember as he wakes up and finds himself in a hospital, answering questions from a man in scrubs standing at the foot of his bed.

When Matt begins to ask questions of his own, he learns that when he and his partner, Justin, followed an insurgent into a dead-end alley, there was an explosion and he suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury). With the exception of a weakened right leg, everything else seems to be in working order. Doctors are prescribing rest and saying he'll be back with his unit in no time.

With time to think, Matt is trying to remember just exactly what happened. As events of the attack begin to come back to him, he realizes he may have been responsible for something terrible. How can he bring back the memories - and does he really want to remember?

Patricia McCormick shares the life of an American soldier in Iraq. YA novels dealing with the Iraq War are beginning to appear on bookstore shelves, and PURPLE HEART offers readers a chance to experience the war through the eyes of a young soldier trying to make sense of why he is fighting and whose lives he is effecting in this controversial war.

McCormick reveals not only the point-of-view and mindset of American troops, but also a glimpse of the life of the regular Iraqi citizen trying to cope in a country at war. Teens thinking about military service, teens that have family and friends stationed in Iraq, or teens just curious about the distant place they hear about on the news will all benefit from and appreciate the service and story of Matt Duffy. ( )