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Battle Dress
Based on the authorÕs own experiences as a cadet at the exclusive United States Military Academy at West Point, Battle Dress is the brutally honest tale of seventeen-year-old Andi Davis, who views her acceptance at West Point as a chance to escape her dysfunctional family and prove to herself that she has what it takes to survive ÒThe Beast,Ó insider terminology for Basic Training. But nothing could have prepared Andi for the rigors that followÑor for the inner strength that she will need to succeed as a woman in a nearly all-male society. Compelling and powerful, but never militaristic, this is a tale of triumph that wonÕt fail to move readers.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
September 3, 2014
I can't remember everything in this book but I remember that I really liked the girl. She is strong and not only physically. But she is real and I can really understand how she is. The author describes the environment of west point well too and the end is good.
June 14, 2011
I almost gave this one back to the library, but I'm so glad I hadn't. This book is wonderful, the best book I've ever read about a modern day girl that wants nothing more than to be part of something, one of the guys. I've always liked it when girls were tough, but this sets a whole new bar.
Andi Davis has spark, personality, wonderful character, and she's so real. Unlike a lot of books, Andi isn't perfect, and she makes mistakes like normal people. I hate it when some characters do everything right, but we know that Andi is good at running, but not so great at push-ups.
This book may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but don't get jogged by the somewhat boring beginning because it is worthwhile.
Battle Dress is a yes, the best I've read in a long time. The supporting characters like Kit, McGill, Gab, and even Hickman give a special spark to the story. The older cadets like Cadet Daily or Cadet Black "no pun intended" really just add to the lovely story.
READ IT!
Andi Davis has spark, personality, wonderful character, and she's so real. Unlike a lot of books, Andi isn't perfect, and she makes mistakes like normal people. I hate it when some characters do everything right, but we know that Andi is good at running, but not so great at push-ups.
This book may be a bit confusing in the beginning, but don't get jogged by the somewhat boring beginning because it is worthwhile.
Battle Dress is a yes, the best I've read in a long time. The supporting characters like Kit, McGill, Gab, and even Hickman give a special spark to the story. The older cadets like Cadet Daily or Cadet Black "no pun intended" really just add to the lovely story.
READ IT!
June 12, 2018
For some reason I was in the mood to read a military book. Particularly girls in the military. This book was exactly what I wanted to read. It gives such a realistic depiction of basic training. I thought the first eighty pages very funny. I kept picturing major Pain you know from that movie. If I were in that situation I would have been terrified. The shouting, the rules, the physical training... I am amazed at the mental strength these men and women have, to endure all that! it's awe inspiring! No matter what branch they serve in its hard work. And it makes me have an even greater appreciation for our men and women in arms. If you need a book that will inspire you, this is it.
May 19, 2011
If you had ever dreamt of attending The United States Military Academy at West Point, you ought to read Amy Efaw’s novel – Battle Dress. It is more than just a great novel that will pass the time. It is a novel that will not only inspire you, but will also challenge you to ask questions about your own character. Throughout the reading, I had asked myself questions, concerning whether or not I could have endured all the hazing, yelling, physical training, and other demands placed upon the new cadets. Of course, I’d like to think I could have successfully completed and conquered the BEAST, although, I shall never know, since I had not attended West Point. Thus, when Andi Davis, a seventeen-year old girl, leaves the bosom of her family – albeit, a dysfunctional family– to attend West Point, where military men rule, where there are statues of Eisenhower and MacArthur, where there is constant hazing, and pressure to perform at peek levels of endurance, Andi, as well as all the other, male and female, New Cadets – also know as SMACKS – Soldiers Minus Ability, Coordination, and Knowledge – are challenged from the moment they enter West Point and participate in the summer Beast Barracks program.
Efaw’s description of West Point, the castle-like buildings, including Washington Hall, MacArthur Barracks, and Eisenhower Hall, and Michie Stadium, Cadet Chapel, and The Plain – are concise and wonderful, just like everything else in Efaw’s book. For instance, the dialogue is crisp, sharp, and commanding. In fact, almost all of the upperclassmen – Cadet Daily, Cadet Black, Cadet First Sergeant Stockel, Cadet Haywood, the company commander, Cadet Barrington – will shout their commands and instructions, and Efaw presents them in bold print. They are short and poignant: “DON’T SAY HI TO ME, MISS!” “FALL IN DIRECTLY BEHIND THE MAGGOT IN FRONT OF YOU!” “YOU WILL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES, DIRTBAG”, “NO SANDWICH SIRS!” “YOU ARE NO LONGER IN KINDERGARTEN, MORON! YOU HAVE FOUR RESPONSES, AND FOUR RESPONSES ONLY: ‘YES, SIR’; ‘NO, SIR’; ‘NO EXCUSE, SIR’; AND ‘SIR, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.’”
On their first day at West Point, they are physically transformed into cadets, while their parents are given tours of the facilities and wait for the reappearance of their children at the end of the day. In the meantime, Andi is assigned a room, given cadet clothing and a haircut. However, the real transformation of Andi, as well as New Cadets Gabrielle Bryen, George Ping, Frank Bonanno, Christopher Scott Boguslavsky, Phil Cero, Jason McGill, and Tommy Hickman is internal. The only thing that will keep you at West Point or get you thrown out is you. You have to want to be there. Cadet Daily makes this perfectly clear in a speech to Andi when she is feeling low and considers quitting. He said,” You have the raw materials – brains, talent, drive. But that’s not enough to make it through this place,” and “It takes more than a high SAT score and a varsity letter. It takes self-discipline. Not the rules that West Point put on you, but the rules you put on yourself. That’s what character is all about.” In my opinion, this is certainly a fine and inspiring statement, and I certainly believe that this is how young adults, starting out in life, might build character, honor, integrity, and pride. And then, as Cadet Daily walks away, she yells out Company Hardcore’s motto: “NEVER SURRENDER, SIR!”
Efaw’s Battle Dress is a great read, and, thus, I highly recommend this book to all readers, especially young adult readers, who are considering attending a military academy or just wishing to build character through self-discipline.
Efaw’s description of West Point, the castle-like buildings, including Washington Hall, MacArthur Barracks, and Eisenhower Hall, and Michie Stadium, Cadet Chapel, and The Plain – are concise and wonderful, just like everything else in Efaw’s book. For instance, the dialogue is crisp, sharp, and commanding. In fact, almost all of the upperclassmen – Cadet Daily, Cadet Black, Cadet First Sergeant Stockel, Cadet Haywood, the company commander, Cadet Barrington – will shout their commands and instructions, and Efaw presents them in bold print. They are short and poignant: “DON’T SAY HI TO ME, MISS!” “FALL IN DIRECTLY BEHIND THE MAGGOT IN FRONT OF YOU!” “YOU WILL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES, DIRTBAG”, “NO SANDWICH SIRS!” “YOU ARE NO LONGER IN KINDERGARTEN, MORON! YOU HAVE FOUR RESPONSES, AND FOUR RESPONSES ONLY: ‘YES, SIR’; ‘NO, SIR’; ‘NO EXCUSE, SIR’; AND ‘SIR, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.’”
On their first day at West Point, they are physically transformed into cadets, while their parents are given tours of the facilities and wait for the reappearance of their children at the end of the day. In the meantime, Andi is assigned a room, given cadet clothing and a haircut. However, the real transformation of Andi, as well as New Cadets Gabrielle Bryen, George Ping, Frank Bonanno, Christopher Scott Boguslavsky, Phil Cero, Jason McGill, and Tommy Hickman is internal. The only thing that will keep you at West Point or get you thrown out is you. You have to want to be there. Cadet Daily makes this perfectly clear in a speech to Andi when she is feeling low and considers quitting. He said,” You have the raw materials – brains, talent, drive. But that’s not enough to make it through this place,” and “It takes more than a high SAT score and a varsity letter. It takes self-discipline. Not the rules that West Point put on you, but the rules you put on yourself. That’s what character is all about.” In my opinion, this is certainly a fine and inspiring statement, and I certainly believe that this is how young adults, starting out in life, might build character, honor, integrity, and pride. And then, as Cadet Daily walks away, she yells out Company Hardcore’s motto: “NEVER SURRENDER, SIR!”
Efaw’s Battle Dress is a great read, and, thus, I highly recommend this book to all readers, especially young adult readers, who are considering attending a military academy or just wishing to build character through self-discipline.
Read
October 23, 2018After spending many decades trying to imagine what life in the military would be like for females, I have seen times change enough that women are not only in the military, they write about it. Efaw has fictionalized her summer of the Beast, Basic Training at West Point, when she was seventeen.
Efaw sticks to a tight structure: we open with 17 year old Andi Davis being driven by her family to West Point. The first chapter is their trip, establishing her dysfunctional family (though her sister is struggling to be sane; brief as her appearance is, I kept wishing for a novel about that sister) which in turn gives the reader a grounding in Andi's conflicted self-image, her world view, and eventually, her resolution.
Efaw's presentation of "the Beast" (Basic Training) is vivid, even visceral. According to her notes, she simplified certain aspects, a wise decision, as a reader unfamiliar with the world of military acronym (which changes as rapidly as technology) will be struggling to comprehend in parallel to Andi's struggle as she is shaken loose from civilian life and scolded, threatened, berated, and run into melding with her squad into a cohesive unit that may have to depend on that cohesion for their lives. Efaw has a deft hand with creating instantly identifiable and believable characters, and evoking the sensory experience of hardcore training.
A side pleasure was examining, even at a fictional distance, the evolution of West Point's teaching approaches from the West Point of earlier days, as evoked not only in autobiography (which can turn so easily into hagiography or self-justification) but in the difficulties discussed by, say, Manchester in his bio of MacArthur. West Point has an interesting history as an institution, going clear back to the days when the somewhat piratical Benedict Arnold offered to sell the place to the British via Major Andre.
Efaw sticks to a tight structure: we open with 17 year old Andi Davis being driven by her family to West Point. The first chapter is their trip, establishing her dysfunctional family (though her sister is struggling to be sane; brief as her appearance is, I kept wishing for a novel about that sister) which in turn gives the reader a grounding in Andi's conflicted self-image, her world view, and eventually, her resolution.
Efaw's presentation of "the Beast" (Basic Training) is vivid, even visceral. According to her notes, she simplified certain aspects, a wise decision, as a reader unfamiliar with the world of military acronym (which changes as rapidly as technology) will be struggling to comprehend in parallel to Andi's struggle as she is shaken loose from civilian life and scolded, threatened, berated, and run into melding with her squad into a cohesive unit that may have to depend on that cohesion for their lives. Efaw has a deft hand with creating instantly identifiable and believable characters, and evoking the sensory experience of hardcore training.
A side pleasure was examining, even at a fictional distance, the evolution of West Point's teaching approaches from the West Point of earlier days, as evoked not only in autobiography (which can turn so easily into hagiography or self-justification) but in the difficulties discussed by, say, Manchester in his bio of MacArthur. West Point has an interesting history as an institution, going clear back to the days when the somewhat piratical Benedict Arnold offered to sell the place to the British via Major Andre.
August 13, 2012
A semi-autobiographical YA novel based on Efaw’s own experience attending West Point. For teenage runner Andi Davis, military academy is an escape from the unrelenting brutality of her family’s emotional abuse. There she faces institutional sexism and her own tendency to judge women more harshly than men, and, like any cadet, struggles to survive in a deliberately harsh environment. But she also finds, for the first time in her life, a sense of belonging and people who value her strength.
The novel covers only basic training (“the Beast,”) and so is catnip to anyone who enjoys training sequence – except for the very first chapter, the entire thing is a training sequence. It’s very well-written, well-characterized, and realistic.
Though it’s much more about the day-to-day experience of military training than rah-rah patriotism, don’t expect any critique of war, America, America’s military policies, the military-industrial complex, because you will not find it here. It’s an intense, in-the-moment book about a young woman taking the first steps toward becoming a soldier, and how that changes her. I liked it a lot.
The novel covers only basic training (“the Beast,”) and so is catnip to anyone who enjoys training sequence – except for the very first chapter, the entire thing is a training sequence. It’s very well-written, well-characterized, and realistic.
Though it’s much more about the day-to-day experience of military training than rah-rah patriotism, don’t expect any critique of war, America, America’s military policies, the military-industrial complex, because you will not find it here. It’s an intense, in-the-moment book about a young woman taking the first steps toward becoming a soldier, and how that changes her. I liked it a lot.
September 26, 2012
This was a great read for so many reasons. It's an intriguing look into life at West Point, what the cadets go through their first six weeks, the beat down they receive before they are built back up as new, stronger people. It seems just like a lot of yelling and degradation at first, but by the end, it made sense to me.
Andi comes from a very dysfunctional family. At first, she feels like she's stepped from the frying pan into the fire, but soon in the middle of being called a knucklehead and learning how to be a team with her squadron, she sees the light...and most important of all, she goes from being a follower to a leader. It was in her all along, she just didn't have the confidence to assert herself.
The book contained many LOL moments, but the strongest theme of all, at least to me, was becoming a leader and building confidence. In the beginning, Andi felt her family held her back. By the end, Andi realized she was holding herself back.
Full review on Book Babe: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...
Andi comes from a very dysfunctional family. At first, she feels like she's stepped from the frying pan into the fire, but soon in the middle of being called a knucklehead and learning how to be a team with her squadron, she sees the light...and most important of all, she goes from being a follower to a leader. It was in her all along, she just didn't have the confidence to assert herself.
The book contained many LOL moments, but the strongest theme of all, at least to me, was becoming a leader and building confidence. In the beginning, Andi felt her family held her back. By the end, Andi realized she was holding herself back.
Full review on Book Babe: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...
August 5, 2011
Andi is a very realistic heroine who has accepted an appointment to West Point. Her acceptance was driven by the need to escape a loud and abusive mom and a silent Dad. She is really not prepared for the upcoming experience. She has no idea what some of the terms she is ordered to do mean. Her successes and failures are both poignant and funny. She learns to be part of a team and she has found a home. This story is based on the author's own experiences at West Point. Great recreational read.
January 18, 2011
A YA about the first 6 weeks a teen spends at West Point. I thought it was great fun and really interesting. I'm hoping there will be more books--continuing the journey.
It would be great for tweens who want to read up, I would guess, as well as teens. No bad language or sex. Some of the scenes are a little intense, though, with how the newest cadets are treated. Might be an interesting springboard for discussion.
Big thumbs up from me.
It would be great for tweens who want to read up, I would guess, as well as teens. No bad language or sex. Some of the scenes are a little intense, though, with how the newest cadets are treated. Might be an interesting springboard for discussion.
Big thumbs up from me.
August 23, 2023
I knew this book would not be my cup of tea. It's about a young woman who is accepted to West Point Military Academy in New York to escape her emotionally abusive parents. They aren't super supportive and don't believe that she can make it through basic training. The whole story is her going through basic training as a woman and nothing really happened. That's the whole plot, she goes through basic training. Yeah, some people doubt her because she's a woman and she proves them wrong in some scenarios but that's it.
February 5, 2017
This book was way better than I expected. I picked it up out of bin of books at a local thrift store, shrugged, and told myself, "hmm, this might be an interesting read, plus, it might be good research for writing." I purchased it for 50 cents and told myself if it was terrible, I didn't have to finish it. But it was great! The story was very intriguing and the ins and outs of West Point life quite fascinating. It was actually very clean and I found it an enjoyable read. And while it wasn't this super mystery or anything, I found myself turning page after page and not wanting to put it down. I read it in a record two days, so that says a lot! This book was just great!
Recommended to 18 and up for some more mature things a teenager might not get.
Contains: one or two instances of minor language, including the original
Recommended to 18 and up for some more mature things a teenager might not get.
Contains: one or two instances of minor language, including the original
May 30, 2012
Pipes, Dawn
P.6, English 4
Mr. Clark
05.30.12
Review
In Amy Efaw’s Battle Dress Andi Davis, a young lady in a bad family structure heads off on a whirlwind adventure to “Beast” or a military boot camp for the army. “Beast” is one of the hardest training camps the army has to offer, the best of the best, and Andi decided to go there. She left to get away from her family and while she is there, she runs into a whole new lifestyle. This lifestyle forces her to have everything in an orderly manner and to listen to every single detail. She is told throughout the day what she must do, where she must go, what she must wear, and when she must eat. This structured lifestyle surely takes some getting used to but no matter what obstacle they throw at her Andi seems to be tough enough to handle her own. However. Not everybody can handle everything so the question becomes, can Andi truly handle everything they throw at her? Will she be one of the last few to make it through “Beast”? Will she earn the respect of the older cadets?
Personal Response
Battle Dress was a very inspiring story of a young lady who escaped from a bad home life and took on a huge challenge instead. This story really speaks to me because my boyfriend is leaving on June 18th to go to boot camp for the USMC. It also speaks to me because I have thought about joining The Marines as well; however, I haven’t made my decision on that yet. Anyway, since this book speaks to me so much it is definitely one of my favorites. I loved how the author used a lot of dialogue especially because it makes it seem more realistic. This book just isn’t for those who have a military fetish its also for those who like adventure because this book sure does take u on one hell of one. I give this book five out of five stars for its excellent storyline and wonderful entertainment value as well.
Information
Battle Dress has a number of two hundred and eighty five pages and has an amazing amount of fun to fit in with them. I recommend this book to anyone who loves stories from any branch of military, anyone who loves to hear stories of triumph, or anyone who would just love to read an outstanding book. James Hatfield says, “Efaw tells a realistic story about Andi Davis, a young girl that leaves an unstructured, dysfunctional home for the structured, dysfunctional system of West Point.” He has it absolutely right, Efaw truly does make this book come to life and show the realistic side of West Point. Efaw writes, “I closed my eyes. I can tolerate anything for a few days, I kept telling myself. Anything.” I love this quote from the book because it shows the determination of Andi and also the strength of mind over matter. The book does not have any awards that I can tell, however I definitely think it deserved many of them. Amy Efaw has written Battle Dress along with After.
P.6, English 4
Mr. Clark
05.30.12
Review
In Amy Efaw’s Battle Dress Andi Davis, a young lady in a bad family structure heads off on a whirlwind adventure to “Beast” or a military boot camp for the army. “Beast” is one of the hardest training camps the army has to offer, the best of the best, and Andi decided to go there. She left to get away from her family and while she is there, she runs into a whole new lifestyle. This lifestyle forces her to have everything in an orderly manner and to listen to every single detail. She is told throughout the day what she must do, where she must go, what she must wear, and when she must eat. This structured lifestyle surely takes some getting used to but no matter what obstacle they throw at her Andi seems to be tough enough to handle her own. However. Not everybody can handle everything so the question becomes, can Andi truly handle everything they throw at her? Will she be one of the last few to make it through “Beast”? Will she earn the respect of the older cadets?
Personal Response
Battle Dress was a very inspiring story of a young lady who escaped from a bad home life and took on a huge challenge instead. This story really speaks to me because my boyfriend is leaving on June 18th to go to boot camp for the USMC. It also speaks to me because I have thought about joining The Marines as well; however, I haven’t made my decision on that yet. Anyway, since this book speaks to me so much it is definitely one of my favorites. I loved how the author used a lot of dialogue especially because it makes it seem more realistic. This book just isn’t for those who have a military fetish its also for those who like adventure because this book sure does take u on one hell of one. I give this book five out of five stars for its excellent storyline and wonderful entertainment value as well.
Information
Battle Dress has a number of two hundred and eighty five pages and has an amazing amount of fun to fit in with them. I recommend this book to anyone who loves stories from any branch of military, anyone who loves to hear stories of triumph, or anyone who would just love to read an outstanding book. James Hatfield says, “Efaw tells a realistic story about Andi Davis, a young girl that leaves an unstructured, dysfunctional home for the structured, dysfunctional system of West Point.” He has it absolutely right, Efaw truly does make this book come to life and show the realistic side of West Point. Efaw writes, “I closed my eyes. I can tolerate anything for a few days, I kept telling myself. Anything.” I love this quote from the book because it shows the determination of Andi and also the strength of mind over matter. The book does not have any awards that I can tell, however I definitely think it deserved many of them. Amy Efaw has written Battle Dress along with After.
December 30, 2010
Most of you do not know this about me, but I have always been fascinated by military protocol. For a nation that champions individuality and creativity, its military seems to be one of the last bastions of enforced conformity and groupthink. Coming from both a collectivist and individualistic culture, I can see the pros and cons of this military protocol. BATTLE DRESS was a solid glimpse into the mysterious world of West Point, although Andi’s internal conflicts were a little roughly drawn.
Creative insults and capital letters flood the pages of BATTLE DRESS, appropriate for the strict discipline surrounding West Point. I enjoyed how the book so thoroughly created the terrifyingly intimidating environment of the Beast: small details such as the different uniforms required for different activities, the time (these cadets have to get up unbelievably early), and the language really contribute to making you feel as if you were experiencing Beast too—without the ridiculously early wake-up calls and five-mile runs, that is.
So I appreciated the details that made Beast come to life for me, but felt much less connected to all the characters, including Andi. There is a sort of running conflict between Andi and her unsupportive, mentally abusive family, and Andi’s feminist side. What exactly a kind of space does a female occupy in the still male-dominated military world? Andi’s feminine roommate, Gabrielle, and a handful of stereotypical sexist squad members contribute to the theme of women’s rights in the military, but in a way that always felt very glossed over and underdeveloped.
Interestingly enough, I think this book might’ve worked better for me if it had just stuck with a straightforward presentation of Beast and not tried so hard to make Andi have complicated emotional issues. I felt like Andi’s struggles to overcome her family’s disappointment, contributing to and combined with her obsession with proving herself in Beast, lent a forced feel to the story. No, I’m not questioning the fact that she has family issues—but issues as delicate as that one need to be carefully and thoroughly developed, and I think that BATTLE DRESS may have relied a bit too much on Andi’s family’s inarguable meanness to carry that part of the plot along.
Overall, however, BATTLE DRESS will make a great read for anyone interested in West Point or the military training culture. Amy Efaw’s personal experience translates well onto the page, and the book does not disappoint in that aspect.
Creative insults and capital letters flood the pages of BATTLE DRESS, appropriate for the strict discipline surrounding West Point. I enjoyed how the book so thoroughly created the terrifyingly intimidating environment of the Beast: small details such as the different uniforms required for different activities, the time (these cadets have to get up unbelievably early), and the language really contribute to making you feel as if you were experiencing Beast too—without the ridiculously early wake-up calls and five-mile runs, that is.
So I appreciated the details that made Beast come to life for me, but felt much less connected to all the characters, including Andi. There is a sort of running conflict between Andi and her unsupportive, mentally abusive family, and Andi’s feminist side. What exactly a kind of space does a female occupy in the still male-dominated military world? Andi’s feminine roommate, Gabrielle, and a handful of stereotypical sexist squad members contribute to the theme of women’s rights in the military, but in a way that always felt very glossed over and underdeveloped.
Interestingly enough, I think this book might’ve worked better for me if it had just stuck with a straightforward presentation of Beast and not tried so hard to make Andi have complicated emotional issues. I felt like Andi’s struggles to overcome her family’s disappointment, contributing to and combined with her obsession with proving herself in Beast, lent a forced feel to the story. No, I’m not questioning the fact that she has family issues—but issues as delicate as that one need to be carefully and thoroughly developed, and I think that BATTLE DRESS may have relied a bit too much on Andi’s family’s inarguable meanness to carry that part of the plot along.
Overall, however, BATTLE DRESS will make a great read for anyone interested in West Point or the military training culture. Amy Efaw’s personal experience translates well onto the page, and the book does not disappoint in that aspect.
March 13, 2013
I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up. I'd just finished reading Richelle Mead's The Indigo Spell last night when I decided I'd give this book a try. I read the first few pages before school and right away my interest was captured. So when I sat down to read after school, imagine my surprise when eight o'clock rolled around. Then ten o'clock snuck in through the window as I turned the last page. Battle Dress is a fast read, relatively easy to follow, and it utterly captivated me.
For one, the book isn't about some teenage girl falling in love with some hot soldier. I mean, those stories are nice, but when the plot don't revolve around a love life, it makes the story seem more intelligent. Andi wasn't a damsel in distress. She wasn't forced to go. She wasn't fooling around with any upperclassman. She was trying to find her place in the world. The whole story is really about Andi deciding to live her life for her, to have faith in herself, and feeling like a part of something great. I feel this is a theme everyone can relate to personally. We all feel out of place sometimes and we all need to find ourselves. Andi was so stuck on what her family thought of her and what people thought of her family that she wasn't able to have confidence in herself. Going to conquer the Beast was her was of discovering who she was and who she could be.
Battle Dress is a captivating story and anyone could find some way to relate to it. We all need to do a little soul searching to know what to do with our lives. But one thing is always true: you have to keep trying.
For one, the book isn't about some teenage girl falling in love with some hot soldier. I mean, those stories are nice, but when the plot don't revolve around a love life, it makes the story seem more intelligent. Andi wasn't a damsel in distress. She wasn't forced to go. She wasn't fooling around with any upperclassman. She was trying to find her place in the world. The whole story is really about Andi deciding to live her life for her, to have faith in herself, and feeling like a part of something great. I feel this is a theme everyone can relate to personally. We all feel out of place sometimes and we all need to find ourselves. Andi was so stuck on what her family thought of her and what people thought of her family that she wasn't able to have confidence in herself. Going to conquer the Beast was her was of discovering who she was and who she could be.
Battle Dress is a captivating story and anyone could find some way to relate to it. We all need to do a little soul searching to know what to do with our lives. But one thing is always true: you have to keep trying.
November 26, 2013
Rebecca Rotolo
Mrs. Vestal
American Literature
November 23, 2013
The book Battle Dress by Amy Efaw is not only a truly inspiring story, but it is also true. The main character Andrea “Andi” Davis is a tough, well-built character throughout the novel. In the beginning of this novel “Andi” and her dysfunctional family take a road trip from Indiana to West Point, Virginia. This trip does not only start with drama from her mom and dad, but her siblings Randy and Amanda fight with each other when she is sitting in the middle of them. As soon as they get to West Point Academy, her mom doubts her, but tells her to “get a cute hunk.” This frustrates “Andi,” but it also gives her the motivation to get away from her family, and prove them wrong by succeeding through “Beast.”
During her first week there, she experienced hazing, hard agility courses, and activities like the PT Test, Iron Man Competition, and a twelve mile hike. The PT Test (AKA CPFT) consisted of three events of two minutes of pushups, a two mile run, and two minutes of sit-ups. These events were not really hard for the main character, but her best event was the two mile run. The only reason that was easy for her was because she was in cross-country at her high school and was one of the best female runners.
Throughout her experience she learned some valuable lessons. For example, crying doesn’t help or get you anywhere in life, you have to be tough and confident. At the end of this book it doesn’t have the greatest ending, but it does satisfy the book and does it justice.
Mrs. Vestal
American Literature
November 23, 2013
The book Battle Dress by Amy Efaw is not only a truly inspiring story, but it is also true. The main character Andrea “Andi” Davis is a tough, well-built character throughout the novel. In the beginning of this novel “Andi” and her dysfunctional family take a road trip from Indiana to West Point, Virginia. This trip does not only start with drama from her mom and dad, but her siblings Randy and Amanda fight with each other when she is sitting in the middle of them. As soon as they get to West Point Academy, her mom doubts her, but tells her to “get a cute hunk.” This frustrates “Andi,” but it also gives her the motivation to get away from her family, and prove them wrong by succeeding through “Beast.”
During her first week there, she experienced hazing, hard agility courses, and activities like the PT Test, Iron Man Competition, and a twelve mile hike. The PT Test (AKA CPFT) consisted of three events of two minutes of pushups, a two mile run, and two minutes of sit-ups. These events were not really hard for the main character, but her best event was the two mile run. The only reason that was easy for her was because she was in cross-country at her high school and was one of the best female runners.
Throughout her experience she learned some valuable lessons. For example, crying doesn’t help or get you anywhere in life, you have to be tough and confident. At the end of this book it doesn’t have the greatest ending, but it does satisfy the book and does it justice.
September 13, 2014
I thought this book was really good! It kept you on your toes, made you want to dash out of bed in the morning and rush through things to keep the upperclassmen happy! lol. The only thing I wanted was to see her family again at the end. I was hoping I would. Even if they didn't change their tune towards her, I still wanted that, wanted to see her stand up to them as a changed woman. Even without that at the end, it was still a very satisfying ending though. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Army tales, or is thinking of going to West Point. The fact that the author went there herself cements the book even further as something credible. She states in the beginning that she did simplify the chain of command to make it easier to follow, and having her put that in, made it easier to swallow. It means I won't blindly follow what she writes and believe it's all true to form just because she went there. The rest of it, yeah, totally believable, and an awesome story to boot. Read it.
October 7, 2011
OK I LOVE this book. I had already read it 2 time's but this will be the 3rd time. and trust me when I read something more then ones then you know it hast to be good. I love it because i love the ARMY and this book gives you good detail and shows not tell. It give's it shows the start of how you should train and when you whould get done training. but you need to READ it if you like the ARMY also if you like to hear about running, and boy's for you girls. But i LOVE this book. :) :)
April 10, 2019
Really enjoyable. I liked getting to see a bit into how the military works even if its not exactly how it works. Getting to see girls in the military is really inspiring and at times frustrating with how they are in a way just differentiated and at times seen weaker than the men just because of their gender. But in all it was good.
August 27, 2009
REALLY. GOOD. STORY. ABOUT. SURVIVAL. AND. HARDSHIP.
Read
October 2, 2017really good
July 20, 2022
It was really good! made me really motivated after reading it!
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March 11, 2025
Ordinarily the chances of me picking up a YA book with zero romance are roughly equivalent to the chances of me deciding I want to become an astronaut (especially now that I've read Mike Mullane's memoir), but I've somehow been bitten hard by the military-training bug. So far I've consumed a couple of documentaries on Sandhurst, innumerable YouTube clips about various US military boot camps, and now this book, which is one of the only two fiction books I've been able to find featuring a heroine going through a realistic or real military academy (i.e. not fantasy).
The book is a quick read and covers only the first couple of summer months of 17-year-old Andi Davies's time at West Point, between officially taking the oath of allegiance and the time when her first official year as a cadet actually begins. Chiefly, it's interesting for two reasons: firstly the detailed description of how civilian teenagers are whipped into shape as first-year cadets, and secondly the characterisation of Andi as one of a very small number of female cadets at West Point.
The author was at West Point herself, so one can't help but feel that there are some autobiographical elements in the intense personal conflict Andi feels over her status as a girl. On the one hand, she wants nothing more than to be one of the guys and is contemptuous of her roommate every time the other girl does anything to make herself look slightly prettier, or comments on a male cadet's attractiveness. Andi refuses to accept that there are any physical differences at all between men and women, to the point that she's disappointed she doesn't beat every male in a fitness competition.
On the other hand, she recognises that she needs to show some sympathy to her roommate and that not all the male cadets want her here. Frustratingly, while you can see her start to evolve towards some more interesting and mature conclusions than 'I just need to pretend I'm a boy and it'll be fine', the book ends too abruptly for us to get anywhere. And a romance? Obviously, forget it. Which is the right thing for this book, but sadly it doesn't seem like there are any romances actually set at a real-life West Point or somewhere comparable, to scratch this niche itch for me...
The book is a quick read and covers only the first couple of summer months of 17-year-old Andi Davies's time at West Point, between officially taking the oath of allegiance and the time when her first official year as a cadet actually begins. Chiefly, it's interesting for two reasons: firstly the detailed description of how civilian teenagers are whipped into shape as first-year cadets, and secondly the characterisation of Andi as one of a very small number of female cadets at West Point.
The author was at West Point herself, so one can't help but feel that there are some autobiographical elements in the intense personal conflict Andi feels over her status as a girl. On the one hand, she wants nothing more than to be one of the guys and is contemptuous of her roommate every time the other girl does anything to make herself look slightly prettier, or comments on a male cadet's attractiveness. Andi refuses to accept that there are any physical differences at all between men and women, to the point that she's disappointed she doesn't beat every male in a fitness competition.
On the other hand, she recognises that she needs to show some sympathy to her roommate and that not all the male cadets want her here. Frustratingly, while you can see her start to evolve towards some more interesting and mature conclusions than 'I just need to pretend I'm a boy and it'll be fine', the book ends too abruptly for us to get anywhere. And a romance? Obviously, forget it. Which is the right thing for this book, but sadly it doesn't seem like there are any romances actually set at a real-life West Point or somewhere comparable, to scratch this niche itch for me...
May 18, 2017
The book Battle Dress is about a girl named Andi Davis, who is going to West Point so she can escape her crazy dysfunctional home life. Andi thinks that these six weeks in cadet training will be a breeze, considering what she had to deal with at home. Little did Andi know that these six weeks weren’t going to be very easy and that she was going to have to push herself hard to get where she wants. Andi will have to tolerate fast yelling from soldiers, being one of the two girls in her platoon, learn to lead her group, be a great runner, and many other things. In the end though Andi pushing herself harder made her a better soldier and leader. I really liked the book because it shows that even if you do have a rough beginning before you start something and may have a lot of problems along the journey, that you can still be able to push yourself past your limits and come out a better person/leader. This booked affected me because I saw that Andi came from a crazy dysfunctional family and came there to escape the yelling and anger, but just ended up getting more of it. She even still had more problems to deal with there, but over came them like a champ which kind of inspired me to kind of push myself harder too.
November 21, 2018
I remember really liking this book when I first read it in high school. At the time I didn't read much. Although I was an avid reader in middle school, depression and general teenage angst left me with little love for reading. I don't remember why I ended up reading this book, but I'm glad I did.
Battle Dress reminded me of the joys of reading during a period of time where enjoyment was sparse in my life. For that, I'm eternally grateful.
September 4, 2020
3.75. This was a quick read. Very in your face American style military, but it does give a good account of one person's experience going through West Point. The thing I liked about it the most was Amy Efaw does not pull any punches, nor does she shy away from the internal dialogue of self doubt and inadequacy many cadets must feel. As this is based on her own experiences, I'd say this is a good read for someone who wanted to get an insider's view of the Academy.
August 8, 2023
Kind of a mediocre book about going through Beast at West Point. A bit interesting. I liked most of the characters. Not much of a plot though. A lot of scenarios about our MC being “not like the other girls”. 😂
If you want a more interesting military fiction from a female perspective, I recommend Rites of Passage instead.
If you want a more interesting military fiction from a female perspective, I recommend Rites of Passage instead.
June 4, 2017
It's nice to read a YA novel about a young woman who has a goal that is unconventional. Battle Dress is beautifully written, and Andi is no Mary-Sue - she makes mistakes, and has very real challenges to overcome.
This book actually made me cry at the end - which is not something I have to say about a fictional story very often.
This book actually made me cry at the end - which is not something I have to say about a fictional story very often.
December 13, 2022
Travel guide for the initial West Point experience
Davis’s journey through the introductory phase to West Point would work well as prologue to a follow-on series about becoming a ring-knocker. The arc, though, needs more story to it rather than reading like a fictional after-action report for Beast. Still, an entertaining read.
Davis’s journey through the introductory phase to West Point would work well as prologue to a follow-on series about becoming a ring-knocker. The arc, though, needs more story to it rather than reading like a fictional after-action report for Beast. Still, an entertaining read.
August 5, 2019
The one star isn't so much a rating on the story or writing, just my interest in it. I read 50 pages and was terribly bored. Someone interested in reading about life at West Point might think it's great, but I am not that person.
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