The Boxer Rebellion by Genta Sebastian

Title: The Boxer Rebellion

Author: Genta Sebastian

Genre: Coming of Age

Length: Novel (334 pages)

Publisher: Genta Sebastian (April 24^th 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Cat

Blurb:  DISCLAIMER – WARNING:

* People who have experienced teenage bullying first hand report being triggered by this book.

Although The Boxer Rebellion is about teenagers, the subject matter is frankly mature and the language used by the bullies utilizes crude colloquialisms.

Sixteen-year-old Nick is relentlessly pursued and bullied. No one cares until one of his bullies becomes a psychotic killer, sucking everyone around into the nightmare.

The bullies of Tranquility High dominate a school of sheeple where cyber bullying and physical attacks are resulting in one gut wrenching suicide after another. When the violence turns to murder Nick and his only friend, Penny, begin The Boxer Rebellion in a bold attempt to save
other young lives, and just maybe their own.

Teenage cruelty puts a lie to Minnesota Nice in this dark coming of age novel set in suburban Minneapolis. Both viciously brutal and poignantly wistful, The Boxer Rebellion is a merciless account of teen suicide and murder, told in multiple points of view by troubling characters who give voice to those affected by the thousands of students bullied to death in America
every year.

The Boxer Rebellion evokes the works of Carson McCullers and S.E. Hinton, a thrilling novel of teen bullying that will keep you turning pages long into the night. If you’ve ever been bullied, or
stood by helplessly watching it happen, this novel is your next must read. If you were once a bully, or helped someone else to bully, this book offers redemption. If you’ve ever wondered if you could make a difference, The Boxer Rebellion offers inspiration.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Boxer-Rebellion-ebook/dp/B007WZHCH0/ref=la_B00821NJM0_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381177465&sr=1-1

Review: I want to start out saying this is some very tough subject matter to write and read.  Kudos to the author for having the gumption to tell this story. This subject is like a bad accident. You know what you see is going to be frightening, hard to take and perhaps life changing, but you have to look anyhow. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I literally read last night until the Kindle said battery was too low to charge and saw it was 3:30 am. I was devastated to not be able to finish.

A quick rundown. Nick moves to a new school. He is so happy. He is going to get to start new, no one knowing him here. He has new designer clothes, new gear and the first thing happens he sets off the weapons check with his new boots and a second time with his necklace.  He gets over that, then at his locker, he hears the voice of his tormentor from the old school and gets beat up. To make it worse, he fights back and the teacher sees him, not the bully and he gets suspended and labelled troublemaker on the first day. To make matters worse for him, Julian, his tormentor from the old school is living with his cousin, Brent who has his own demons. Brent finds himself looking too hard at boys, not really finding girls attractive and keeps telling himself he isn’t gay. When he sees Julian bullying the new boy, he steps in and eggs it on spreading it all over school and most of the school joins in.

There are lots of characters in this story, though it’s mostly about Nick. Penny, his one true friend, Julian the bully, Brent the in denial gay boy who bully’s to deflect the attention, and Angela the other new girl with a past of her own, that is overweight and trying to start new and gets in with Brent and Julian. All are featured and we get into their minds as well as Nick’s.

In addition, we get into the thoughts of Nick’s parents, a couple of teachers and the principle.

The story is dark and at times sad and tragic. I think we can all relate to each of these characters at one time or the other and the message is clear… we should join in or sit back and do nothing. My heart went out to both Nick and Penny and I’d love to strangle that principle.

I highly recommend this to everyone, both teens and adults. It should be a mandatory read in high school, for both students and teachers. If you like dark tragic stories with great messages this is a must.