Joaquin Dorfman

How do I put this book into words?
I'm not going to give my typical review of 2 pros & 2 cons because it wouldn't even be worth it. I finished this book in a day and a half , probably the only great thing it had going for it was Ariel & Joaquin Dorfman's writing style. I really enjoyed the way things were described and when the main character is riding his bike, things around him are being told in almost a poetic way.
While the outline of the book had the potential of being developed into a great story, I found it very pieced together. For me, it basically jumped from one issue to the next then back to the original issue. There was not a good transition between scenes and the book lacked balance within the characters. I, also found the relationship between Heller and Salim a bit odd at times. Salim runs his hand on 15 year old Heller's arm, face, & hair, therefore making the obvious decision to go to a bar with this creepy man and sling back a few drinks the smart one?
I love mystery books but I felt like this book had an unintentional mysterious element to it and it never was solved. I believe that if this book was better thought out and more developed then it could potentially be better than it was. If you wanna read it, by all means do so because it was a quick read but if you have another book you wanna read then read that one first!… (mais)

As I perused the YA shelves at my local library recently, I wondered if perhaps I'd lost my taste for young adult fiction. I haven't read any in a long time, and whenever I look at the new YA fiction at the library, I feel less than inspired to check anything out. But this book, and its author, looked intriguing. So I gave it a shot, and was pleasantly surprised. It's sort of a quirky story, which I think is what I needed. I've perhaps ingested too much straightforward pure teen angst for one lifetime. But this book reminded me that every once in a while it's still worth it for me to wander over to the YA section and see what there is to see.… (mais)

"Cool's" protagonist, Sebastian, has the skills of a man twice his age (his competence at 18 years old reminds me of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's tough-talking Brendan in the movie "Brick.") He calls in favors and performs them for others, and never asks anything for himself. When Sebastian trades identities with his friend Jeremy, to souse out the character of Jeremy's biological father, he finds himself in over his head. Despite the Shakespearean elements (mistaken identities! Relatives in disguise!) the plotline of this book feels more "real" than others aimed at young adults. Nothing is tied up in a neat little bow, and our hero's slick exterior corrodes as his artifices pile up. Sebastian's Robin Hood ethos is somewhat hard to believe, but it's a tempting thing to believe in. Grades 10 and up. No sexual content or language.… (mais)