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Claws by Will Weaver
"It's not the big, tragic things in life that do you in-" For Jed Berg, life is He's landed a major girlfriend, made number one singles in varsity tennis, and his father lets him drive his 1969 Camaro. Sweet. Then a punk chick with pink hair enters Jed's life. She calls herself Gertrude, but something about that doesn't sound quite right. She begins to tell Jed things -- things about himself, about his father -- that make him very uneasy. He tries to ignore her, but she won't go away. Neither will the thoughts she's put into his head. As Jed searches for the truth about Gertrude, he begins to question the reality of his own life. The truth just might drive him mad.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Will Weaver
46 books100 followersI grew up in the Midwest, and had no idea I'd become a writer one day. However I gradually felt a need to tell my own stories. To explain, in writing, how I saw the world.
Today I'm a full time writer with 13 novels, many short stories, and two movie adaptations. I enjoy visiting schools and libraries, and sharing what I've learned about writing.
My newest novel POWER & LIGHT (Sept 2023) is now out. The first of a two book adult saga, it follows the arc of a Norwegian emigrant family to the Midwest–their hardships and ultimate triumph.
Today I'm a full time writer with 13 novels, many short stories, and two movie adaptations. I enjoy visiting schools and libraries, and sharing what I've learned about writing.
My newest novel POWER & LIGHT (Sept 2023) is now out. The first of a two book adult saga, it follows the arc of a Norwegian emigrant family to the Midwest–their hardships and ultimate triumph.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 22, 2008
This book had a horrible ending...
September 27, 2012
Warning: This book was so awful that I need to include spoilers, in order to walk you through the horribleness. Trust me, you don't want to read the book anyway.
At the beginning of this story, Jed's life is going well. He's got a girlfriend (who apparently has a lot of qualities Jed doesn't like, but whose body makes up for it; yes, sadly, I'm serious), he made the tennis team, and his dad's letting him drive the fancy car. Yay. But then, a "punk chick" with pink hair comes along! She tells Jed that his dad is sleeping with her mom, and he'd better stop it or she'll go public with the knowledge!
By this point, I already hated the book, but decided to finish it because it was really short so I wouldn't be wasting too much time. Plus, finishing it would give me more material for my scathing review! So, by this point in the book, Jed has already established himself as all the bad qualities of teenage boys without any of the good ones. He's demonstrated that he doesn't know the difference between punk and goth (he refers to Gertrude as both). And overall I just don't like him at all.
Moving on. Jed and Gertrude email back and forth a bit, and she sends him increasingly scandalous pictures of his dad and her mom together. Then, suddenly, she uses a semicolon. Jed thinks to himself, wait! Punk chicks don't know stuff about punctuation!
So, the next time they meet up, he follows her. And while she's driving, she takes off her wig! Jed keeps following her to a nearby small town, where he sees her get out of her car, and she's not a punk chick at all; she's just a normal girl! (He knew, of course, because of the semicolon.)
So, continuing on, Jed confronts his father about the cheating, and his parents break up. Jed grows closer with Laura (Gertrude was just her punk name), due to their shared sadness. They start to get the feels for each other.
Then, Laura's little sister runs away, via kayak, to Canada. Jed and Laura go after her, catch up to her, and the three of them camp out on the riverbank to wait out a big storm. During the night, the storm gets bad, and trees start falling down. While trying to rescue her sister, Laura gets crushed by a tree. Now, if you're going to kill of a character, this would be an ok time to do it. But Laura doesn't die; her legs are crushed, but they call a rescue helicopter and it comes and they get her out and take her away. But then, suddenly all is silent! The helicopter has stopped working! The doctor that's with them says something along the lines of "oh no, god no!", which had me giggling inappropriately. The helicopter falls into the river, and Laura is dead.
I'm sorry, but what? What a weird way to kill of a character. How often do helicopters fall out of the sky?
The rest of the book is basically Jed being all sad, and playing a game that's like the SIMS. The family he's created is not doing so well, but gradually he starts to improve their lives; this seems to be some kind of metaphor for his own life, I guess? Anyway, then he cries some more and finally says that he loved Laura, and cries a bit more, and the end.
1 star. (And that's on the Goodreads scale, which doesn't even have a 0 star option.) This book was at times actually painful to read.
At the beginning of this story, Jed's life is going well. He's got a girlfriend (who apparently has a lot of qualities Jed doesn't like, but whose body makes up for it; yes, sadly, I'm serious), he made the tennis team, and his dad's letting him drive the fancy car. Yay. But then, a "punk chick" with pink hair comes along! She tells Jed that his dad is sleeping with her mom, and he'd better stop it or she'll go public with the knowledge!
By this point, I already hated the book, but decided to finish it because it was really short so I wouldn't be wasting too much time. Plus, finishing it would give me more material for my scathing review! So, by this point in the book, Jed has already established himself as all the bad qualities of teenage boys without any of the good ones. He's demonstrated that he doesn't know the difference between punk and goth (he refers to Gertrude as both). And overall I just don't like him at all.
Moving on. Jed and Gertrude email back and forth a bit, and she sends him increasingly scandalous pictures of his dad and her mom together. Then, suddenly, she uses a semicolon. Jed thinks to himself, wait! Punk chicks don't know stuff about punctuation!
So, the next time they meet up, he follows her. And while she's driving, she takes off her wig! Jed keeps following her to a nearby small town, where he sees her get out of her car, and she's not a punk chick at all; she's just a normal girl! (He knew, of course, because of the semicolon.)
So, continuing on, Jed confronts his father about the cheating, and his parents break up. Jed grows closer with Laura (Gertrude was just her punk name), due to their shared sadness. They start to get the feels for each other.
Then, Laura's little sister runs away, via kayak, to Canada. Jed and Laura go after her, catch up to her, and the three of them camp out on the riverbank to wait out a big storm. During the night, the storm gets bad, and trees start falling down. While trying to rescue her sister, Laura gets crushed by a tree. Now, if you're going to kill of a character, this would be an ok time to do it. But Laura doesn't die; her legs are crushed, but they call a rescue helicopter and it comes and they get her out and take her away. But then, suddenly all is silent! The helicopter has stopped working! The doctor that's with them says something along the lines of "oh no, god no!", which had me giggling inappropriately. The helicopter falls into the river, and Laura is dead.
I'm sorry, but what? What a weird way to kill of a character. How often do helicopters fall out of the sky?
The rest of the book is basically Jed being all sad, and playing a game that's like the SIMS. The family he's created is not doing so well, but gradually he starts to improve their lives; this seems to be some kind of metaphor for his own life, I guess? Anyway, then he cries some more and finally says that he loved Laura, and cries a bit more, and the end.
1 star. (And that's on the Goodreads scale, which doesn't even have a 0 star option.) This book was at times actually painful to read.
October 2, 2007
The twists and turns in the plot keep the reader guessing, concluding with an ending no one can predict. A very well written book, Weaver shows the complexities of family and the effects of deceit. The roller coaster of emotion comes to a immensely harsh conclusion that will haunt the reader for days.
May 21, 2010
Very very catchy, i can't put it down. The storyline is nothing but amazing.
There are not much diversities between the characters tho, they are all act the same and speak in a same way, otherwise it will be a 5.
There are not much diversities between the characters tho, they are all act the same and speak in a same way, otherwise it will be a 5.
August 22, 2025
I can't tell if I like this book or not. While the ending was realistic to the events that happened before, it still frustrated me because there are so clear indications of character development from jed.
April 10, 2018
this book was very good. highly highly recommend it but it was really sad. really sad when Laura died. i don't understand why Will killed her.
March 16, 2021
I love love this book!! First read it in middle school. It Is definitely a good read 📚
November 27, 2023
a decent book with twists and turns. Don’t hold your breath on a hallmark moment ending, you will suffocate
February 1, 2017
4 Stars
Why do I keep reading this? It makes me feel things.
This is probably the third time I have read this book and it is still one of my favorites. Every few years, I see it on my bookshelf and think ‘Why did I enjoy that book so much? It wasn’t that great.’ The story itself, doesn’t seem to exciting. It is about a high school boy, Jed, who meets a punk girl with pink hair, Gertrude, who tells him his dad is sleeping with her mom. Prior to this, Jed had a “perfect” life… perfect in the eyes of a teenage guy that is.
When I first read this book, I was probably 14. I was extremely jealous of Jed’s life. He had “landed a major girlfriend” with a “hot body,” he got to drive his dad’s Camaro, he had a big group of “friends,” he had a great relationship with his parents who let him watch porn, he is a good athlete, it was everything a teenage guy could want. The second time I read this, I was probably 16 and still had the same idiotic view. Five years later, it is amazing how much my view of Jed changed. I hated him. He is an arrogant asshole. He thinks the world revolves around him. He is ‘friends’ with Bobby but thinks that Bobby is a huge loser and Jed “doesn’t know why he (Jed) is so nice to him(Bobby).” Bobby is loyal to Jed, but Jed treats Bobby like shit. Jed thinks he is the smartest kid in school and constantly comments about how smart he is and how dumb everyone else is. He knows Cassie (his gf) is only with him because of his car, but continues to stay with her because she has a body. When she gets a pimple, it bothers him. The list goes on. Now this book is written for a teenage audience, so I feel Mr. Weaver does a nice job of capturing how a teenage guy thinks. That being said, I still think people beyond teenage years, can still enjoy it for different reasons.
There are a few flaws that I found in the book. Some things seem unlikely to actually happen (noticing a semicolon) or Jed does things for no reason other than to progress the story later on (picking up the marijuana). These things do not take away from the story much though and you can still enjoy it.
At the end, Jed’s “perfect” life is now shattered, but he can work on building a better life than before and be a better person even knowing that unexpected events in life happen. As a teenager reading this book, I read it at face value. Being slightly older, I think it has a lot more meaning than I used to and it makes it that much sadder. This could be me just reading into it too much, but that is why books are great, there are many different interpretations for each reader.
Don’t let the fact that this is a teenage book turn you away. It makes you feel. Anger, lust (younger), jealousy, hope, happiness, sadness. It’s a very short book that you can read in a couple of hours, so the fact that it makes you feel all that makes it a very good book. It has a lot of meaning and a huge unexpected ending and is overall just a great book.
For a complete review, please check out my new website miketsbookblog.weebly.com
Thanks
Why do I keep reading this? It makes me feel things.
This is probably the third time I have read this book and it is still one of my favorites. Every few years, I see it on my bookshelf and think ‘Why did I enjoy that book so much? It wasn’t that great.’ The story itself, doesn’t seem to exciting. It is about a high school boy, Jed, who meets a punk girl with pink hair, Gertrude, who tells him his dad is sleeping with her mom. Prior to this, Jed had a “perfect” life… perfect in the eyes of a teenage guy that is.
When I first read this book, I was probably 14. I was extremely jealous of Jed’s life. He had “landed a major girlfriend” with a “hot body,” he got to drive his dad’s Camaro, he had a big group of “friends,” he had a great relationship with his parents who let him watch porn, he is a good athlete, it was everything a teenage guy could want. The second time I read this, I was probably 16 and still had the same idiotic view. Five years later, it is amazing how much my view of Jed changed. I hated him. He is an arrogant asshole. He thinks the world revolves around him. He is ‘friends’ with Bobby but thinks that Bobby is a huge loser and Jed “doesn’t know why he (Jed) is so nice to him(Bobby).” Bobby is loyal to Jed, but Jed treats Bobby like shit. Jed thinks he is the smartest kid in school and constantly comments about how smart he is and how dumb everyone else is. He knows Cassie (his gf) is only with him because of his car, but continues to stay with her because she has a body. When she gets a pimple, it bothers him. The list goes on. Now this book is written for a teenage audience, so I feel Mr. Weaver does a nice job of capturing how a teenage guy thinks. That being said, I still think people beyond teenage years, can still enjoy it for different reasons.
There are a few flaws that I found in the book. Some things seem unlikely to actually happen (noticing a semicolon) or Jed does things for no reason other than to progress the story later on (picking up the marijuana). These things do not take away from the story much though and you can still enjoy it.
At the end, Jed’s “perfect” life is now shattered, but he can work on building a better life than before and be a better person even knowing that unexpected events in life happen. As a teenager reading this book, I read it at face value. Being slightly older, I think it has a lot more meaning than I used to and it makes it that much sadder. This could be me just reading into it too much, but that is why books are great, there are many different interpretations for each reader.
Don’t let the fact that this is a teenage book turn you away. It makes you feel. Anger, lust (younger), jealousy, hope, happiness, sadness. It’s a very short book that you can read in a couple of hours, so the fact that it makes you feel all that makes it a very good book. It has a lot of meaning and a huge unexpected ending and is overall just a great book.
For a complete review, please check out my new website miketsbookblog.weebly.com
Thanks
July 23, 2013
30 January 2003 CLAWS by Will Weaver, Harper Tempest, March 2003, ISBN:0-06-009473-7
"When life looks like Easy Street, there is danger at your door."
--Grateful Dead
"Life will sooner or later show its claws."
--Anton Chekhov
Jed Berg is feeling pretty good about life:
"Say you're finally sixteen and things are coming together. In the space of six months you got your driver's license, grew sideburns, landed a major girlfriend, made number one singles in varsity tennis. Like pieces of a puzzle--a bird, a cloud, blue sky, yellow sun--things are falling into place."
Jed even feels good about his parents, who have successful careers and who--unlike many other kids he knows--are actually together.
"In fact, your friends admire both your parents. They don't mind hanging out at your house because your father (an architect) jokes with them, which means he takes them seriously, and your mother (an attorney) bakes them ginger cookies and chocolate bars. Even [your girlfriend] Cassie says, 'You've got the coolest parents.' "
But then there arrives the mysterious note for Jed requesting a meeting at a restaurant--a busy teen hangout:
"She stared at me. Bright-pink hair above heavy black eye shadow plus enough metal in her nose to make airport detectors beep at fifty yards. Dark, gothy clothes."
This young stranger's message for Jed:
"Your father is sleeping with my mother."
"All your children are poor unfortunate victims of lies you believe A plague upon your ignorance that keeps the young from the truth they deserve..."
--Frank Zappa
CLAWS is a harrowing tale of what can happen to children because of their parents' behavior. What occurs as a result of this revelation is a story of two families caught in a downward spiral with the kids in the middle. My fascination with what will happen next to Jed and the pink-haired punk chick kept me white-knuckled and up late until the story reached its conclusion. Set near Duluth, Minnesota, the book's cover photo of a canoe cutting through a time-lapse blur of trees, water, and sky provides a perfect complement to the out-of-control events that lie within.
" 'Well, back to work,' my father said to me. His voice sounded odd, but maybe it was my ears shutting down. Like the rest of me. I pretended to yawn.
" 'Maybe I will take a little paddle in the canoe,' I said. 'I'm getting the drift of things here.'
" 'Sure, Jeddy, fine,' he said quickly. 'Go ahead. And take your time, son.'
"Son. God I hated this day.
"I headed down to the canoe. He didn't even remind me to wear a life jacket."
CLAWS rips apart Jed Berg's notion of his perfect life. And CLAWS sure as heck grabbed me.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"When life looks like Easy Street, there is danger at your door."
--Grateful Dead
"Life will sooner or later show its claws."
--Anton Chekhov
Jed Berg is feeling pretty good about life:
"Say you're finally sixteen and things are coming together. In the space of six months you got your driver's license, grew sideburns, landed a major girlfriend, made number one singles in varsity tennis. Like pieces of a puzzle--a bird, a cloud, blue sky, yellow sun--things are falling into place."
Jed even feels good about his parents, who have successful careers and who--unlike many other kids he knows--are actually together.
"In fact, your friends admire both your parents. They don't mind hanging out at your house because your father (an architect) jokes with them, which means he takes them seriously, and your mother (an attorney) bakes them ginger cookies and chocolate bars. Even [your girlfriend] Cassie says, 'You've got the coolest parents.' "
But then there arrives the mysterious note for Jed requesting a meeting at a restaurant--a busy teen hangout:
"She stared at me. Bright-pink hair above heavy black eye shadow plus enough metal in her nose to make airport detectors beep at fifty yards. Dark, gothy clothes."
This young stranger's message for Jed:
"Your father is sleeping with my mother."
"All your children are poor unfortunate victims of lies you believe A plague upon your ignorance that keeps the young from the truth they deserve..."
--Frank Zappa
CLAWS is a harrowing tale of what can happen to children because of their parents' behavior. What occurs as a result of this revelation is a story of two families caught in a downward spiral with the kids in the middle. My fascination with what will happen next to Jed and the pink-haired punk chick kept me white-knuckled and up late until the story reached its conclusion. Set near Duluth, Minnesota, the book's cover photo of a canoe cutting through a time-lapse blur of trees, water, and sky provides a perfect complement to the out-of-control events that lie within.
" 'Well, back to work,' my father said to me. His voice sounded odd, but maybe it was my ears shutting down. Like the rest of me. I pretended to yawn.
" 'Maybe I will take a little paddle in the canoe,' I said. 'I'm getting the drift of things here.'
" 'Sure, Jeddy, fine,' he said quickly. 'Go ahead. And take your time, son.'
"Son. God I hated this day.
"I headed down to the canoe. He didn't even remind me to wear a life jacket."
CLAWS rips apart Jed Berg's notion of his perfect life. And CLAWS sure as heck grabbed me.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
March 7, 2013
There’s something for everyone in Will Weaver’s YA novel, Claws, but that might have been part of the reason I didn’t love this book. Is Claws a family drama, a suspense thriller, an adventure novel?
Jed Berg is sixteen. He lives with his parents, Gary and Andrea, who are successful (a freelance house designer and lawyer respectively) and according to Jed, “the most successful couple [he] can think of.” Sometimes Gary even lets Jed drive his mint 1969 Camaro. Jed is a good student, a better- than – average tennis player and goes out with Cassie, a popular and pretty senior. Life is good. Until it’s not.
Weaver admits that he “set out to write an unremittingly sad novel.” Partial to a quote by Chekhov which states that “life will sooner or later show its claws,” Weaver endeavors to unravel Jed’s surprisingly uncomplicated teenage life. He says: “I essentially wrote the novel around that idea (of life tipping upside-down).” (from the author’s website)
And Weaver isn’t lying. Crap starts heading towards Jed at a rapid rate starting with Gertrude, a surly pink-haired girl who has evidence that Jed’s father is having an affair with her mother. Unsure of how to handle this new information, Jed tries to figure out whether or not he has a clear picture of his parent’s marriage. But then, Weaver throws the reader another twist: Gertrude isn’t being exactly honest about her identity. And then when all the infidelity cards have been played, Jed finds his own life going off the rails in ways that are both realistic and, perhaps, slightly melodramatic.
I have to give Weaver props; I kept turning the pages. Jed was likeable and intelligent. His parents and older sisters were sketched in, though, and so it wasn’t easy to see things from a perspective other than his, but I suppose that’s the point. When you’re a kid, you want to believe that your parents will always be together. I still remember sitting at the top of the stairs with my brother, Tom, listening to my parents talk about divorce. I was twelve. That’s 40 years ago and I have the clearest memory of it.
I wish Weaver had found another way to show his claws at the end of the book, though. It felt slightly contrived to me, but I suspect that the climax will elicit the desired result from teenage readers. It’s certainly well-written and deserving of its place in my classroom library.
Jed Berg is sixteen. He lives with his parents, Gary and Andrea, who are successful (a freelance house designer and lawyer respectively) and according to Jed, “the most successful couple [he] can think of.” Sometimes Gary even lets Jed drive his mint 1969 Camaro. Jed is a good student, a better- than – average tennis player and goes out with Cassie, a popular and pretty senior. Life is good. Until it’s not.
Weaver admits that he “set out to write an unremittingly sad novel.” Partial to a quote by Chekhov which states that “life will sooner or later show its claws,” Weaver endeavors to unravel Jed’s surprisingly uncomplicated teenage life. He says: “I essentially wrote the novel around that idea (of life tipping upside-down).” (from the author’s website)
And Weaver isn’t lying. Crap starts heading towards Jed at a rapid rate starting with Gertrude, a surly pink-haired girl who has evidence that Jed’s father is having an affair with her mother. Unsure of how to handle this new information, Jed tries to figure out whether or not he has a clear picture of his parent’s marriage. But then, Weaver throws the reader another twist: Gertrude isn’t being exactly honest about her identity. And then when all the infidelity cards have been played, Jed finds his own life going off the rails in ways that are both realistic and, perhaps, slightly melodramatic.
I have to give Weaver props; I kept turning the pages. Jed was likeable and intelligent. His parents and older sisters were sketched in, though, and so it wasn’t easy to see things from a perspective other than his, but I suppose that’s the point. When you’re a kid, you want to believe that your parents will always be together. I still remember sitting at the top of the stairs with my brother, Tom, listening to my parents talk about divorce. I was twelve. That’s 40 years ago and I have the clearest memory of it.
I wish Weaver had found another way to show his claws at the end of the book, though. It felt slightly contrived to me, but I suspect that the climax will elicit the desired result from teenage readers. It’s certainly well-written and deserving of its place in my classroom library.
June 18, 2012
I read this a couple years ago, so I don't remember a lot of it. But I loved the last chapter (I reread it not too long ago. It was heartbreakingly sad that he realized he loved after she died. (Her death was kinda bizarre if I remember correctly.) You have to feel bad for the main character though, 'cuz everything was good until his dad went and had an affair. January 2009
Update: June 2012.
I'm not exactly sure what possessed me to pick this up from the shelf last night, but I was bored and didn't want to go to bed even though my grandma made me before 11. Come on, it's not like I have to do anything today, and I'm up right now, right! I'll crash later. Or not. I won't. So, anyway, I picked up Claws for the first time in years, and it definitely gets to keep its five star rating (most books I read completely by the light of my reading lamp that has a light bulb the size of my pinky do). Weaver's style is enviable, except at the end where he starts doing weird stuff with fragments and the 'enter' key, but it only happens two or three times, so I can forgive him. He leaves a bit of the mood and characterization up to the reader, mostly likely unintentionally, by the way some of his characters go from being fine one moment and a sobbing wreck the next, but that's okay, and just adds to his style. It was weird to reread this one because I actually read the whole thing (not skimming the first few chapters because I got scared as a little seventh grader when Jed started talking about his rules for porn). I remember giving this to Yasmin and saying something like, "Gabrielle shouldn't read this." In the end, nothing bad happens, and while this may get a PG-13 rating, it's not unwholesome. Rated PG-13 for sexual themes, language (that also scared me as a seventh-grader because none of my friends were swearing like that as far as I can remember), and drug use.
Update: June 2012.
I'm not exactly sure what possessed me to pick this up from the shelf last night, but I was bored and didn't want to go to bed even though my grandma made me before 11. Come on, it's not like I have to do anything today, and I'm up right now, right! I'll crash later. Or not. I won't. So, anyway, I picked up Claws for the first time in years, and it definitely gets to keep its five star rating (most books I read completely by the light of my reading lamp that has a light bulb the size of my pinky do). Weaver's style is enviable, except at the end where he starts doing weird stuff with fragments and the 'enter' key, but it only happens two or three times, so I can forgive him. He leaves a bit of the mood and characterization up to the reader, mostly likely unintentionally, by the way some of his characters go from being fine one moment and a sobbing wreck the next, but that's okay, and just adds to his style. It was weird to reread this one because I actually read the whole thing (not skimming the first few chapters because I got scared as a little seventh grader when Jed started talking about his rules for porn). I remember giving this to Yasmin and saying something like, "Gabrielle shouldn't read this." In the end, nothing bad happens, and while this may get a PG-13 rating, it's not unwholesome. Rated PG-13 for sexual themes, language (that also scared me as a seventh-grader because none of my friends were swearing like that as far as I can remember), and drug use.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2015
I personally would score Claws by Will Weaver with a 5 for enjoyment for a highschool student. “Then the helicopter titled forward, in slow motion. As it tipped, the pilot tried to restart the engine again and again--all the way down--and was still trying even as it slammed nose first into the river” (Weaver 211). This textual evidence demonstrates action, which many High School students like in movies and books. Therefore leading me to believe that other students would also enjoy the book.
The writer's effective expression scores a 5 as the author almost always writes in a High School level, with his word choice and a his style. “So much for father and son moments” (Weaver 62). In this quote he uses italics to emphasis that he is thinking the text and not saying it outloud.
The theme is applicable to High school students and rated 4. The overall opinion fits into the category of what HIgh School readers generally want in a book. “Take my DedBeets. My virtual family, that is.” (Weaver 212). The theme is that if you love something, always love it because it can go away anytime. He loses most of the things he loves so he just plays a videogame with a virtual family instead of interacting with his actual family.
The book is very original and creative on its content, and doesn’t have the same message as a lot of books in the same category. I would rate it as a 5 in the originality and creativity category. “Then the helicopter titled forward, in slow motion. As it tipped, the pilot tried to restart the engine again and again--all the way down--and was still trying even as it slammed nose first into the river” (Weaver 211). This quote also fits in the originality category as many books do not have a similar thing in it. The reader will never expect it to happen as it is creative and original to the text.
The writer's effective expression scores a 5 as the author almost always writes in a High School level, with his word choice and a his style. “So much for father and son moments” (Weaver 62). In this quote he uses italics to emphasis that he is thinking the text and not saying it outloud.
The theme is applicable to High school students and rated 4. The overall opinion fits into the category of what HIgh School readers generally want in a book. “Take my DedBeets. My virtual family, that is.” (Weaver 212). The theme is that if you love something, always love it because it can go away anytime. He loses most of the things he loves so he just plays a videogame with a virtual family instead of interacting with his actual family.
The book is very original and creative on its content, and doesn’t have the same message as a lot of books in the same category. I would rate it as a 5 in the originality and creativity category. “Then the helicopter titled forward, in slow motion. As it tipped, the pilot tried to restart the engine again and again--all the way down--and was still trying even as it slammed nose first into the river” (Weaver 211). This quote also fits in the originality category as many books do not have a similar thing in it. The reader will never expect it to happen as it is creative and original to the text.
March 18, 2013
Plot Summary:
Jed has a perfect life. Two married parents, a hot senior girlfriend, he's a star tennis player, and his dad is even letting him drive the 1969 Camaro. Life's great for Jed. Until pink hair punk chick Gertrude walks into his life trashing it all, with accusations of his father having an affair and threats of ruining their "perfect" life. Is Jed's father really having an affair with the big boned blond in the pictures? Is this all some sort of sick joke? Will Jed's perfect life come crashing down right before his eyes? Read "Claws" to find out!
Main Characters:
Jed: has a "perfect" life, very happy. Teenager. 16 or 17. Dynamic character, he learns that life isn't perfect but you have to make it the best you can and roll with the punches.
Gertrude: Pink haired. Metal face. Punk chick. Accusing Jed's dad of sleeping with her "floosey mother"
Laura: Preppy, pretty, perfect, junior Olympic kayak-er.
Jed's Dad: designs homes, possibly having a massive affair.
Dr. Sanborn: Possibly having an affair with Jed's dad.
Key Issues:
Love, betrayal, affair, heartbreak, death, *SPOILER ALERT*--- divorce.
Other Information:
I gave this book the rating I did because it was an okay story but really unexciting, and boring. I was surprised at how little I liked this book. I think Mackenzie Hargrave would like this book because it fits in to the kind of books she likes. I wouldn't recommend this book. It's very boring and you will regret starting it.
Jed has a perfect life. Two married parents, a hot senior girlfriend, he's a star tennis player, and his dad is even letting him drive the 1969 Camaro. Life's great for Jed. Until pink hair punk chick Gertrude walks into his life trashing it all, with accusations of his father having an affair and threats of ruining their "perfect" life. Is Jed's father really having an affair with the big boned blond in the pictures? Is this all some sort of sick joke? Will Jed's perfect life come crashing down right before his eyes? Read "Claws" to find out!
Main Characters:
Jed: has a "perfect" life, very happy. Teenager. 16 or 17. Dynamic character, he learns that life isn't perfect but you have to make it the best you can and roll with the punches.
Gertrude: Pink haired. Metal face. Punk chick. Accusing Jed's dad of sleeping with her "floosey mother"
Laura: Preppy, pretty, perfect, junior Olympic kayak-er.
Jed's Dad: designs homes, possibly having a massive affair.
Dr. Sanborn: Possibly having an affair with Jed's dad.
Key Issues:
Love, betrayal, affair, heartbreak, death, *SPOILER ALERT*--- divorce.
Other Information:
I gave this book the rating I did because it was an okay story but really unexciting, and boring. I was surprised at how little I liked this book. I think Mackenzie Hargrave would like this book because it fits in to the kind of books she likes. I wouldn't recommend this book. It's very boring and you will regret starting it.
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June 29, 2013Jed is living the good life - nice house, loving parents, two sisters off at college. He is doing well on the tennis team, has a great girl friend, and is getting decent grades. Everything is fantastic until a girl with pink hair presents him with information that causes his perfect world to crumble.
According to this girl who identifies herself as Gertrude, her mother and Jed's father are having an affair. Gertrude insists that Jed must approach his father about the issue and make him end the relationship.
Jed can barely digest the information much less confront his father, but he begins to notice things about his parents' interactions that might hint that all is not well in their marriage. With increasing threats from Gertrude, Jed arranges to have some time alone with his father and the truth is revealed. That's when all hell breaks loose.
Knowledge of his father's affair and the potential destruction of his parents' marriage, Jed's school performance suffers, his temper flairs, his own relationships fall apart, and the only person he can turn to is the girl with pink hair. He learns she doesn't really have pink hair and her name is Laura and she is just as terrified about the future as he is.
A quote by Anton Chekhov on the cover reads "Life will sooner or later show its claws." Readers will experience the truth of this statement as Jed and Laura attempt to hold their lives together. Author Will Weaver presents a story that may not end with rainbows and roses, but will certainly leave readers with much to think about after they turn the last page.
According to this girl who identifies herself as Gertrude, her mother and Jed's father are having an affair. Gertrude insists that Jed must approach his father about the issue and make him end the relationship.
Jed can barely digest the information much less confront his father, but he begins to notice things about his parents' interactions that might hint that all is not well in their marriage. With increasing threats from Gertrude, Jed arranges to have some time alone with his father and the truth is revealed. That's when all hell breaks loose.
Knowledge of his father's affair and the potential destruction of his parents' marriage, Jed's school performance suffers, his temper flairs, his own relationships fall apart, and the only person he can turn to is the girl with pink hair. He learns she doesn't really have pink hair and her name is Laura and she is just as terrified about the future as he is.
A quote by Anton Chekhov on the cover reads "Life will sooner or later show its claws." Readers will experience the truth of this statement as Jed and Laura attempt to hold their lives together. Author Will Weaver presents a story that may not end with rainbows and roses, but will certainly leave readers with much to think about after they turn the last page.
November 10, 2008
I recently read the book Claws by Will Weaver. This was one of the best books I have ever read. It deals with a realistic relationship problems. Once I started to read this book and get further into I couldn’t stop reading it or thinking about it.
When I read the book I got a feeling of what was going on and it pulled me in by kind of making me think like the characters. Thinking of what they are going to do next, what they are actually thinking about what is happening in there life. The storyline to the book really pulled me in because there were interesting events happening one after another. This book is good because it describes a real situation in life about love, cheating, divorce, high class life, trickery, and death.
Claws is a very eventful and interesting book and it pulls you into the families lives and makes you feel like your apart of the whole mess of the story. This is a great book and anyone who likes eventfull and heart twisted stories you should read this.
When I read the book I got a feeling of what was going on and it pulled me in by kind of making me think like the characters. Thinking of what they are going to do next, what they are actually thinking about what is happening in there life. The storyline to the book really pulled me in because there were interesting events happening one after another. This book is good because it describes a real situation in life about love, cheating, divorce, high class life, trickery, and death.
Claws is a very eventful and interesting book and it pulls you into the families lives and makes you feel like your apart of the whole mess of the story. This is a great book and anyone who likes eventfull and heart twisted stories you should read this.
October 1, 2013
I want to start out by saying this is a great book. A good mixture of mystery, curiosity, and exploration. I enjoy Will Weavers writing style. I find it very easy to relate to. He is one of the few authors who can keep me into a book. This book gets is very interesting I never really expected it to pan out like it did. I would recommend this book to anyone.
The story starts with a young man named Jed a normal teenage boy with two sisters and two parents. He lives in Minnesota and his Dad and him are fairly close (well so he thinks). When a "Punk" girl meets him and gives him some terrible news he isn't sure weather to believe her or forget her. She knows so much about him and about his life he has no choice but to face her and get to the bottom of it. He tracks her down and try's to get some answers. When he goes to work with his Dad he finds something he can't ignore.
The story starts with a young man named Jed a normal teenage boy with two sisters and two parents. He lives in Minnesota and his Dad and him are fairly close (well so he thinks). When a "Punk" girl meets him and gives him some terrible news he isn't sure weather to believe her or forget her. She knows so much about him and about his life he has no choice but to face her and get to the bottom of it. He tracks her down and try's to get some answers. When he goes to work with his Dad he finds something he can't ignore.
April 23, 2012
Do you ever get caught in a story where a scene keeps coming back and back and back again? This book has the scene that kept returning and lucky for me, Claws is such a good read, that it wasn't until I was about two-thirds of the way through the story that I realized I'd read it before.
This is a good boy book as the main character has a wonderful life until it crumbles down around him. Fortunately we only hear in passing what a great life he's had because things don't look too good in the book.
It's definitely of the romantic genre but doesn't have a happy ending.
This is a good boy book as the main character has a wonderful life until it crumbles down around him. Fortunately we only hear in passing what a great life he's had because things don't look too good in the book.
It's definitely of the romantic genre but doesn't have a happy ending.
August 19, 2016
To be honest, the only not so good part of this book is the ending. It's somewhat weird to just let the helicopter just drop down while flying back to the base. Overall, the story is pretty good. It has a plot for them to meet up unlike any other usually meet up bullshet like just hi I'm this and this and another character be like hey I'm this and this. This story has adventures for the characters and mystery that slowly develop into a romance type of story line. It's literally all you need for a high school life. Adventures, Mysteries, and Romance. Is just too good.
October 20, 2010
If I were rating this book on plot alone, it would be a five. I didn't see the end coming at all. On the other hand, I realize that it is geared for teenage boys, and I have never been a teenage boy, so maybe I am wrong and a character like Jed really would only feel one emotion at a time, but I felt like it should have been developed more. Also, there were multiple editing issues that I found distracting.
August 11, 2011
*SPOILER*
I really liked this book. it's a reality check. The characters lives were already messed up and as the book went on things seemed to get better. The characters found comfort and contentment with each other and their lives got better. Then the ending and BAM! reality check. "Sooner or later, life will show it's claws." It is very true. A great read. A little dark and tragic.
I really liked this book. it's a reality check. The characters lives were already messed up and as the book went on things seemed to get better. The characters found comfort and contentment with each other and their lives got better. Then the ending and BAM! reality check. "Sooner or later, life will show it's claws." It is very true. A great read. A little dark and tragic.
March 19, 2016
I didn't realize this was a teenage novel when I picked it up at the Uvic bookstore. It it made for a quick read. The ending was way over the top, implausible and didn't fit in with the rest of the book. Not sure why he wrote that in there like that. I also thought the sims-like game the teenage boys were playing didn't make sense. Teenage boys aren't playing that stuff, not in the early 2000 either.
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March 30, 2008Jed and Laura are really good friends. One day things didn't go the way they usually do. They found out that Jed's father is going out with Laura's mother. Things get crazy and Jed and Laura make bad decisions. On the other hand, the parents are having a good time. Jed and Laura decide to go on a trip to Canada by canoeing. Will they come back?
January 17, 2008
While I enjoyed this book, I feel the author's real audience is adolescent boys. 've given this book to several of my male middle school students, and they gave it rave reviews. Personally, I wasn't all that enthralled with the ending, but overall a good read.
June 1, 2008
The boy with a perfect life discovers his father is having an affair when the other woman's daughter emails him Good plot, well written.
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October 19, 2010I thought it was a good book that kind of teaches you a lesson. It's about a kid that recieves a note about some girl he never even met before and then they meet and talk and... You can read the rest to find out what it's about.
August 8, 2011
Jed Berg has the perfect high school life – until he receives a strange email from a girl named Gertrude about his father’s actions. This leads him into an investigation that changes everything – his life, her life, and the lives of their parents.
October 7, 2011
I thought this was a great book. It delt with things that actually happen in real life. It didnt have a sweet posed ending, but yet things that could happen. The end was kind of upsetting.. Confusing.. and sad. But, i still loved the book all in all.
April 23, 2008
This was a good book. It was not my favorite because the ending ended sad and I don't like sad endings to books. All in all I enjoyed all of it other than the end.
January 8, 2009
Claws is one of my favorite books. It could so easily be a true story, and it's so deep. However, I will warn you it IS sad. But name a good book that isnt a little sad.
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