The Man Without a Face

This award-winning novel tells the story of a teenage misogynist and compulsive underachiever, Charles Norstadt (Chuck), who strains to pass his boarding school entrance exams the second time around and thereby escape the constraints of his much-married mother (castrating even in her desire to alter the cat which Chuck sees as ""just part of (her) wholesale plan for the taming and domesticating of the male species"") and nymphet sister. He finds a mentor in the horribly scarred and romantic recluse Justin McLeod who proves a demanding tutor (smashing some straw-man defenses of "progressive education"). This relationship between two emotional cripples leads to a once-only homosexual encounter (though the episode is handled very subtly). show more Chuck's bitterness is painfully real and the recognition of his sexual feelings commendably frank, but in return for this measure of honesty, the whole story is slanted to justify the daring subject matter -- the psychological underpinnings are intrusive (talk of Oedipus complexes and sibling rivalry), the twin mysteries in the pasts of Chuck's dead father and Justin unlikely, the decadence and nastiness of Chuck's family is somewhat over stressed. In spite of these flaws the novel works well, especially as a morality tale for young adults who, at least in 1971, may not be very sophisticated. show less

3.5 stars - I really liked this book up until the end. The very end almost made me give it two stars. Before the last chapter or so, I was tempted to give it 4.5 or even 5. Love the author's writing style and can't wait to seek out more of her stuff. The movie was actually better, which I figured because this book was so short and the movie so brilliant and indepth. There are some differences, but the main things remain the same. A beautiful and psychologically rich story, wonderful characterization, although McLeod seemed a bit more wooden in written form than he was on screen played well by Mel Gibson. Charles is convincing, and his dysfunctional family dynamic intriguing. Worth reading if you enjoyed the movie (or haven't seen it, show more whichever), although the end is souring. Sexuality is more focused on with the book rather than the film, with an almost confusing bend. What really bugged me during the last pages is what happened to a main character. It's like an uplifting surge of the heart through growth and recovery from the past, through friendship and understanding, to unfairness and being sold short.

As to the very end, no, I don't think he was molested. I think the writer was saying he was ashamed as he had an...err, normal teenage boy reaction that embarrassed him after the trauma and then having close contact. Homophobia is a major theme in the book, starting with the mother wanting her son to avoid boarding school because the previous stepfather insists it turns boys into homosexuals. Charles later worrying about that and asking his teacher. Charles at the end of book was ashamed and didn't want to speak about what his body did, the writer delicately putting it in the only way she could as the character begins to realize he's gay. McLeod admits he is also gay but I don't see any sign they did anything. McLeod was telling him it was a natural reaction and not to worry about it "for years", which is why he wanted to talk about it then and not avoid the conversation. show less

Eleven year-old Charles Norstadt is the only male in a house of women: his Mother, who has just finished with her fourth husband and is on the lookout for Number Five; his hateful older sister Gloria; and his wise younger sister Meg. While at their summer cottage, Charles must study to pass the entrance exam at St. Matthew's, a boarding school he wants to attend to be away from Gloria. Unfortunately, he hasn't inherited his sisters' scholastic abilities, so Meg suggests that he ask Justin McLeod to coach him. Justin is the town recluse, mostly due to a horribly disfigured face. Charles manages to convince him to help, and a wonderful friendship ensues. Charles learns a lot about Justin, and a lot about himself.

My only negative about show more the book is that I found the ending rushed. It was a good ending, but I felt like the author was on a deadline and just wanted to finish it, so it wasn't as fleshed out as I wish it would have been. I would have enjoyed reading more. show less

Fourteen year old Charles is desperate to pass the entrance exam to St Matthews; he failed it once but at the time it did not matter and he was unconcerned, but changes to his self-centred older sister's plans mean he was now desperate to go away to school, desperate enough to sacrifice his summer holiday to study. But can he do it on his own; rumour has it that the man who lives alone up on the cliff was once a teacher, the Man Without a Face, McLeod, disfigured by various causes according to rumour, Charles is willing to grasp at any straw.
Unwillingly McLeod takes Charles on, on strict conditions. Over the course of the summer an uneasy relationship between the boy and man grows into something beyond the ordinary, and over the course show more of the summer Charles, who one might initially call something of a smart-Alec with (despite his claims) a ready answer for most situations, matures into a thoughtful and caring young man.
This is a charming book, beautifully written and the with appealing main characters. These is pervading the novel an uneasy sense of pending doom, but what transpires is unexpected; I found it a most rewarding, relatively short read. show less

The writing is good, and the story is only a little dated, but I thought it was rushed, and some things were not well explained. A couple of names were introduced to the story near the end, but their introduction was fuzzy. Who was Evans? How did the new stepfather, Barry, come to be a "staunch" friend of Justin McLeod's? Was it meant to be a story about homosexuality, or just a boy's need for a father figure? Ultimately, a little unsatisfying. Charles' family are very one-dimensional; is his Mom really so shallow and self-absorbed? His older sister really such an equally shallow narcissist?

I read this years ago as a teenager & recall it was pretty good, but there was some pretty creepy subtext, especially at the end, that ruined it for me. I've never had the urge to re-read it & skipped the movie starring Mel Gibson even though I heard it was pretty good.

A boy becomes friends with an outcast man who's been badly burned in a drunk driving accident. A good story but it didn't really hold my interest very well.