Open Ice

Reader Response to Open Ice by Pat Hughes

Inside cover reads:
"Hockey fans have been cheering for Nick Taglio since he was a little kid. Nick was born to skate. He's only a sophomore, but he rules the ice, because Nicky Tag's a fighter. Which means he has to take some hits; concussions come with the territory. when he suffers yet another head injury, his doctor and his parents tell him he can never play again. Too dangerous, they say. He can't risk his future. But they don't understand that without hockey, Nick has no future. It's not a game. It's his life. Open Ice makes readers feel what it's like to love a game so much that you'll play no matter what the cost."

My Rxn:
What a disappointment! I thought that chris might like this book because it's about hockey, as if i'd let him read it.  There's an f-bomb on almost every page! It's appropriate for sophomores or juniors, but not 7th graders. Ack! It was an ok story, however, it was a bit too whiny for my taste. It definitely does not win the word nerd seal of approval. Why?
"Profanity makes ignorance audible." -Irish proverb. enough said.

I do, however, think that his nicknames for his parents are hilarious, if not exactly PC.

Quotes:

"Blakeman gave his I-am-God-on-a-stick smile" (12).

"His mother just stood there with her pinched little faith-and-begorra face, looking woebegone" (28).

"Griff made a show of tugging at the gearshift, grunting dramatically. 'Oh, I forgot. This car won't move till everybody's called their mom'" (103).

"Gallant always carries in the groceries. Goofus shouts rudely: 'I have a brain injury!'" (121).

"Stalking the house like a caged tiger, savagely biting the heads off little elf guys" (175).

"Nick picked up hockey-player Jesus and noticed for the first time that Our Savior's right hand was low on His stick. What kind of wrist shot did J.C. have?" (175).

"He waved a hand. 'Get the hell outta here!'" (194). -mickey blue eyes LOL

"To ignore each other entirely-- that would be acting like girls" (235).

"Maybe they were both sorry, but neither one would tell the other for fear of looking like a woman" (235). WTH?

"... his mom asked with her sad little elfin face. [...] The elf morphed into a devil with eyes that shot fire" (249).