LitPick Review
Joey Kinkaid is the princess of Baker Street, and Eric Sinclair is the prince. They have been close friends since they were little, and now the terrors and troubles of middle school are tearing them apart. Joey does not make an easy friend; he comes to school dressed in the fashion of most girls with leggings, lip gloss, and a pink silk scarf. Eric, troubled by his lack of parenting and guidance at home, forces himself under the radar despite his wishes to help Joey so that no one finds out he lives alone. The bullying gets to be too much for Joey and he attempts to stop the suffering he calls a life. Eric, wreaked by this. has trouble finding his inner peace. Will they mend the bond of friendship against the seemingly vast abyss of darkness we call junior high? How does Eric solve his family troubles when they aren't even around?
Opinion:
Overall, this is a great book. The plot is realistic and shows the downfalls and potholes of society. It shows our lack of tolerance and sometimes inability to help those who are poor or young mothers raising their children. It is reality mixed with a dose of the fantastic. The kindness and wishes of the characters are imaginative and hopeful. The hero is one who is forced into the position by his past and his conscience, and the bullies are by-products of unoriginality and lack of respect bred in their households and in this world nowadays. In general, it shows the need for better parenting and values integrated into our society as well as the lack of respect and tolerance for others. But the hope and love portrayed, despite overwhelming doses of darkness, are beautiful, courageous, and quite touching.
