A Spotlight on Hopelessness

Holly said sometimes you need a spotlight on hopelessness and that's why she voted for We'll Fly Away. It's also why I hated that book so much. I wanted there to be some hope, I wanted to believe in the bedrock of Luke and Toby's friendship and the mere weeks they had to hold out for their dream. Holly also said it could be a book in a reading ladder with Free Lunch and The Benefits of Being an Octopus. Of course when you get to the top of this ladder it will be pitch dark. Bliss made me care, then he made me really, really mad (just not bar fight mad).

Tammy agrees with me but voted the opposite - which is why I love the Smackdown:

I am voting for I'll Fly Away.  Both books provided new characters as well as story lines that were fresh, thoughtful, and, to say the least, deeply disturbing.  I didn't like the way either book made me feel but I applaud the willingness of both authors to explore these uncomfortable and ugly topics. 

Patron Saints of Nothing had plausibility issues.  Specifically, the timeline of 1-2 weeks to solve such an incredibly complex disappearance\murder seemed wrong. I questioned why strangers (the professor) would put themselves in danger for someone they really didn't know; particularly when the penalty may be death.  The story line was good but it felt like it needed at least a year to develop the relationships and trust needed to make the events happen.

I'll Fly Away was expertly crafted. I was compelled to keep reading because of the letters. I needed to find out what the seemingly 'more promising' of the two boys had done. I felt that the boy with the stolen car and loser\career criminal father was destined for jail. But the second boy, who had a scholarship (and hence a chance at success) was the one in prison, and then I learned Death row. Wow! What could have happened? I was hooked and that's why it gets my vote.   

I don't want to read either book again and I'm not sure I would recommend either book to a student.  I still want a story that will inspire and enlighten me. I, too, would like some unicorns and rainbows and for that I will not apologize.

Our remote ABM'er Annabel had this to say:

I kept thinking how delighted Lisa would be at the depth of sadness I felt through reading both these books.  Both tackled timely and sensitive topics with grace and thought.  The characters all came alive for me and at no time did I feel the situations or actions of the characters were particularly unrealistic.  Although I love my books to end up with unicorns and rainbows I knew from the get go with these two novels that an outcome like that would not be in the cards and nor would it be realistic to the plot.  Both novels made me think and hopefully would be windows to many students reading them.  Hopefully these novels grow compassion and advocacy in equal parts.  Ultimately I am voting for Patron Saints of Nothing.  Why?  Probably because of just how timely this book is; this is a 'right now' book.  

Andrew, Ben, Lil, Arlene and I had a great discussion. Ben described how much Patron Saints of Nothing was a mirror into his life and worried if that made his judgement skewed but our preferences always come into our reading experiences and mirrors are for looking into. Andrew found this book to be a window but he enjoyed learning about the political history (social teacher - duh). Lil has been to the Philippines but has also worked with kids whose home lives made We'll Fly Away completely plausible to her. However she found both books to have parts that seemed contrived to her. 

In the end we vote: 7 Patron Saints, 2 Fly and Andrea and Angie who can put their thoughts down on a later post.

For anyone doing a deep dive on Smackdown history - yes Andrew and I agreed! Maybe that spotlight is an eclipse!!