The Watcher

The Watcher may be one of the thinnest books on my bookshelf, but it's one of the deepest at the same time. You'll race through it, but the end lingers with you for quite awhile. As sad as the ending is, there's something satisfying about how all the character arcs in the story wrap up.

I actually liked this book and its not something I would regularly like. It reminds me of a Ellen Hopkins book, touching intense topics and writing them in prose. The book leaves you guessing but half way through the book, I guessed the ending, which is a favorable hobby of mine. Though, it makes the rest of the book draining.

The topic touched, parent abuse, is a great topic for students to be able to read. This book was great in terms, a couple of children saw something wrong and decided to do something about it. I would keep this in a high school library.

Excellent young adult book. It is moving and thoughtful in a rather intense way, touching on several different relevant issues through the eyes of three protagonists centered around one girl. It is about family and growing up and connecting and is all-around appealing.

A teen book about a couple of kinds of family chaos which can beset a teen. I was engaged by the characters and liked the writing very much. I didn't find the big reveal at the end was at all surprising and felt that Margaret's parents were cookie cutter as opposed to Evan's mother. Important subject matter handled well.

Margaret goes to the beach everyday with her notebook and writes herself into the life of what she sees as a perfect family. At the same time, the children in that “perfect” family are worried that their parents are going to divorce. The lifeguard, who Margaret sees as an angel who might be her salvation is very concerned about how his family is coping with the death of his brother. In the mean time, Margaret goes home each day to a father who physically abuses her. In the end, Chris and Evan are her salvation. This book is appropriate for middle school readers and above.

The stories of three troubled teens at a vacation spot weave together. Chris, a lifeguard, tries to shake the feeling that he'll always be second best in his father's eyes. Evan struggles to support his young sister while his parents seem to drift apart. Margaret, "The Watcher" studies these people while writing in her notebook. Their stories come together in the end.

I've read this story a number of times, and always enjoyed it. It's a short, easy read (maybe 2 hours?) which makes it a go- to when I need a quick break.

A little slow at first and a bit too young for me to relate to, but an OK read. Quick, yet sad to say not very impressive.
5/10