 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Crusader
- By Edward Bloor
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Racism, mystery, murder, and politics ... at the mall.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book involves Roberta, who is haunted by her mother's murder seven years ago, and ultimately discovers some devastating truths about her death. A major theme here is racism and prejudice, and the many ways, some obvious but most not, that they play out. Of special topical interest is the discussion between Roberta and Sam about Western and Arab views of the Crusades and the Gulf War.
What's the story?
Roberta cruises passively and seemingly without emotion through her lousy life. Her mother was killed seven years ago, her father is rarely home, and she works after school and weekends for no pay at the family's failing arcade in a dying mall frequented by skinheads. During the course of the novel two more people to whom she is close die, one a gruesome suicide right in front of her. The only person who seems to care about her is the old lady who runs the Hallmark store in the mall. But when she meets an undercover detective investigating hate crimes at the mall she begins to emerge from her passive shell to stand up to her school, a local lying politician, and finally her father, as she finds clues that lead her to a series of devastating revelations about her mother's death.
Is it any good?
No one will ever accuse Edward Bloor of a lack of originality. His rich and complex novels, though in need of tighter editing, have characters, settings, and situation far from the usual YA literature. Roberta's story ping-pongs all over the place, between uncaring adults and burned-out teens whose lives are unprobed mysteries to their self-involved parents. Among the multitude of characters, only a very few are decent, caring people, though even they hide their hearts under masks of cynicism.
Though the story meanders, it holds the reader's interest throughout, though at times it's the fascination of an accident, making one want to turn away as much as look. It's a not very appealing look at aspects of our culture most of us would rather not see, dark, gritty, and very real. Teens will love it.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the book's title. Why do you think Bloor chose to call it Crusader?
This book involves a murder -- and also deals with some heavy topics like racism. What was it that drew you to this book? Were you interested in the mystery -- or the issues? Or maybe both?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Took them awhile to review this too...
Okay, here's the deal: I read this book in seventh grade (I was about 12) and I didn't have that many problems with the content. What is described above is accurate, although, some teens might not like the book just because it is a little slow at times. I can see how some can relate to this story and all that, but if your looking for a good book and thats it, then this would be a fair choice.
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AGE
Crusader; thrilling, emotional, andenjoyable all at once.
This book was very well written. I would not recomend it for younger children (probably not for someone under 10). The characters are very realistic. Anyone could realt to at least one of the many characters. I applaude this book. It's one of my favourits.
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AGE
I loved the book; even though it was sad at times.
Edward Bloor really knows what the real world is like. It's not all about the good times, where everyone has a happy ending. Roberta's life, I'll admit, does suck at many times. But, at the end, I was proud that she stood up to her could-care-less father, how Stephen Cross came out and told her the truth, and that her cousins' mom was coming down to be with them. I could never figure out if they lived in Florida or Arkansas.
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AGE
good book
truthfully this book was difficult to read because of its serious nature. But this is a very good book that I highly recemend for teens over 15 and young adults.
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AGE
Good for people that are mature enough to handle things.
I found this book to be very intriguing. I seen the book was written in 1991, before I was born. But stuff like this still happens these days. Drugs are used, kids get into games a lot more, prejudice is still here whether we want to admit it or not, and many people are still committing suicide. I do recommend this book to anyone.
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| Author: | Edward Bloor |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Publisher: | Harcourt Brace |
| Publication date: | August 15, 2004 |
| Number of pages: | 390 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 17 |
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