Wonder

Wonder
R.J. Palacio
310 Pages, 6 hours reading time

Inside cover reads:  August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial difference that prevented him from going to a mainstream school--until now.  He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be.  The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face.  But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
  R.J. Palacio has written a modern classic--a funny, uplifiting, and incredibly moving novel to read in one sitting, pass on to tohers, and remember long after the final page.









Initial Reaction:  I really detest fads.  And I've heard nothing but "you should really read this" since September.  I picked it up around 930pm, went to bed at around 1230, and then got up the next morning and finished it in about 2 hours.  I can definitely see the reason this book is popular- it's got mysterious shock value about a kid who has Treacher Collins Syndrome, starts 5th grade at a new middle school, gets bullied, shows great strength of character, and winds up being a role model for his whole class.

However, when I discover craptastic writing like this only 27 pages in,

"I had so many lines, and I had all these songs to sing.  It was so, so, so, so hard!", 

I tend to get a little frustrated and have little hope for the rest of the book.  This kind of repetition (using either so, very, or really) was a tad bit overused in the book.  Having come fresh off the Trenton Lee Stewart boat, I want a challenging lexicon and snappy dialogue (even for 5th graders), not crap description and an abuse of redundant adverbs.  I doubt some of these characters even know what an adverb is.  Anyways.  The book wasn't bad, but it wasn't good, either.  It has moral fiber and it is a good story, but the writing is mediocre at best.  One of the redeeming qualities is that it was a short read.  The characters were, for the most part, compelling, and there is a "sequel" set of stories that I'd like to also tackle.

Promote Virtue?  I think Palacio does a great job at painting the struggles of a in imperfect family who love and want what's best for each other.  The redemption near the end of the story, where most of the school kids realize that Julian has been a massive jerk, is heartwarming but somewhat unrealistic.  Do these things really happen, or is this just a suburban fairy tale?  This book does push kids to be kind to others and rethink any prejudices they may have because they know how it feels to be bullied.  There are consequences for actions, which is always a plus.  I also like the fact that Palacio shows that bullying doesn't really stop when you get out of school.  Julian's parents are bullies, too.

Transcendentals?  I think Cinderella's mother would approve of Auggie and most of the good kids.  The theme of kindness is an overwhelming one in this novel, which is a good.  However, some of the "kindness" of the kids (like Jack, at first) isn't honest.  I'd definitely say that this book is uplifting, but the transcendentals aren't very apparent.

Overcome human condition?  Auggie is a great kid who is really self-conscious about his looks.  He's been home schooled up to the 5th grade and is now trying to battle the early years of middle school.  We see a TON of his internal struggle, but he is the type of kid who is kind, courteous, and pleasant to the people around him.  He doesn't even really mistreat the kids who torment him, he just ignores them.  The other characters in the story are going through Auggie's transition as well as their own.  I think, overall, Palacio does a great job of showing us the different perspectives.

Paganry?  There are a few parts in it that deal with sky-fairy, reincarnation, hippie crap, which really leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  A few of the kids start talking about what happens after you die (which is totally natural for 5th graders), and we're presented with this eschatological anomaly:

"I think when people die, their souls go to heaven but just for a little while.  Like that's where they see their old friends and stuff, and kind of catch up on old times.  But then I actually think the souls start thinking about their lives on earth, like if they were good or bad or whatever.  And then they get born again as brand-new babies in the world" (128).

Ugh.  Someone needs to catechize that kid.  There's also a bit about dogs going to Heaven, and you all know how I feel about that.

Attitude toward Catholicism?  NA, but there are some hints at seeing the face of God in others and that God is love.  Even though one kid is off in namby-pamby land about Heaven (see above), Auggie's mom kind of gets it right:  "You don't need your eyes to love, right?  You just feel it inside you.  That's how it is in heaven.  It's just love, and no one forgets who they love" (227).  Heaven isn't love, God is love, and God is what/who you experience fully in Heaven.  Heavenly love (who is God) can't really hold a candle to earthly love (between humans).  Also, love is an act of the will, not a feeling.  Ugh.  The wishy-washiness.  I could just barf.  At the end of the book, while Mr. Tushman is giving a speech, he (I don't have the book in front of me anymore, so I can't directly quote) he talks about the importance of seeing the face of God in others... and then a few lines later says something akin to "or whatever spiritualistic deity of religion that you hold dear!"  And all the parents chuckle.

Please stop disappointing Ryan Gosling.  He's had enough.

Swearing?  None, but there is bullying and verbal abuse from the other kids.  It seemed to me that Palacio was afraid to broach this issue; she tread a little too lightly.  The way that the kids bully Auggie in the story is awful, but it wasn't the kind of awful that really goes on in schools.  She could have done much more in this regard.  However, I think the accounts that she did portray were very realistic and heart-wrenching.  Anyone who has been bullied for any reason could relate to Auggie's struggles.

Violence?  A few fist fights.

Appropriate age?  5th grade plus.  There's nothing inappropriate in it.

Writing Style:   Palacio has divided this novel into 8 parts, with each part narrated by a different character (Auggie or his classmates/family) and introduced with a quotation of some sort.  It was intriguing to read each person's perspective of the big picture and their interactions with Auggie.  Palacio writes short, vingette like chapters (usually 1-4 pages long) in each of the main sections.  I polished the entire book off in about 6 hours, which kind of surprised me. The vocabulary is limited and simple, and it's a fast read.  I'd have to say that she does keep the plot moving, there are a few interesting twists and turns, and I never lost interest or wanted to stop reading.  However, I wasn't absolutely ecstatic about the entire experience either.

Also, this:

Final Summation:  I can definitely see why this is a popular book, it was a fast and interesting read, and it is a good story that kids can relate to.  It's good, but not great.  I'm not turning backflips over it.  Therefore....