Wonder by R.J. PalacioMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I had to read this book! It's been five years of everyone raving about how wonderful this story is. When I borrowed the audiobook from the public library, the librarian said, I'm so glad you're reading this story. It's a wonderful story. But I had tried reading it before and just could not get into it. And though the April release date of the movie has been pushed off until November, I wanted to be ahead of the game.
I'm really glad I read the book, even though I was not wowed. Auggie is a beautiful character. He might not look like anyone else, but he's brave and strong and is surrounded by love. The story, I guess, was about his courage, but in trying to figure out why I wasn't wowed like the throngs of readers over the last 5 years, I think what bothered me is that others reaction is marginalized.
In a perfect world, we would be blind to everyone's differences. But we are not. So for people to notice the difference and yet buck the bias of the masses, shows tremendous strength. Sure, Auggies courage in starting a new school is wonderful, but what about Jack Will's courage to befriend Auggie even though it cost him other friends? At the age of 10 that's huge and big.
The other reason I wasn't wowed... I felt like it was anticlimactic. There was the big fight at the end with the boys from the other school, but then the story winds up with the end of the year...It left me wanting more and didn't quite satisfy my need.
Still, read this book! It demonstrates kindness and courage, two traits that together will have any one person ruling the world.
View all my reviews
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories by R.J. Palacio
365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Brown's Book of Precepts by R.J. Palacio
We're all Wonders (A Picture Book) by R.J. Palacio (Not yet in the library)
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