Twelve
by Nick McDonell
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Book Summary Information
Author: Nick McDonellEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-05
ISBN: 0802140122
Number of pages: 244
Publisher: Grove Press
Book Reviews of Twelve
Book Review: A Captivating Read
Summary: 3 Stars
The book Twelve was a pleasure to read. It is hard to believe that Nick McDonell was merely seventeen when he wrote this novel. When I read this novel, it held my attention so intensely that I was basically unable to put it down until I reached the conclusion of it. The novel Twelve outlined basic problems that contemporary society faces. It outlined alcoholism, drug addiction, and the strong focus on materialism that adolescents have today. I was able to relate to the different things this book conveyed because of the kind of environment in which I am repeatedly exposed to. A kind of environment where kids have more money than they need and they spend it on shallow things to escape the misery and emptiness of their lives.
One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book is how it was made up of several different stories with characters that where all related in some way or another. It was well organized and smoothly connected, when all the characters ended up at the same place at a New Year's eve party.
Another peculiar and unique trait this book held was that it was set over a period of two weeks. Two weeks that were spent in Manhattan over Christmas break. Two weeks were there was a winter setting, dark and cold, traumatic and sad. This winter setting helped underline the dark tone the author was trying to get across. He wrote about the dangers of city life, and repeatedly referenced how characters suffered from the cold.
McDonell is an amazing author; for his young age, he writes extraordinarily well. His sentences are simplistic, short and choppy. He does not use many adjectives to describe scenes, but describes them by the actions of characters.
I was pleased with most of the novel but I was not completely satisfied with the ending of it. I felt it was a remake of the Columbine shooting, and that it did not exude creativity. McDonell did a good job in the rising action of the story but once the climax was reached, it unraveled too quickly and it left the book unresolved.
While I feel that McDonell was trying to end his book traumatically and with a sad effect, I think he ended it too quickly and with no real resolution. Aside from the ending, I was very happy with the book and overall I thought it was a pleasure to read. I look forward to McDonell's upcoming works and I will for sure buy his next novel as soon as it comes out.
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