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Age 14
Het levensverhaal van een Ierse jongen die als soldaat in de Eerste Wereldoorlog vocht. Toen hij omkwam in de loopgraven nabij Ieper was hij amper 14.
127 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
5 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Geert Spillebeen
9 books1 followerGeert Spillebeen is een Vlaamse journalist, radiopresentator en schrijver.
Geert Spillebeen in de Nederlandstalige Wikipedia
Geert Spillebeen is a Flemish journalist, radio presenter and writer.
Geert Spillebeen in de Nederlandstalige Wikipedia
Geert Spillebeen is a Flemish journalist, radio presenter and writer.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 4, 2013
The tale that comes with the character of Patrick Condon, or his pseudonym "John" Condon, is a story filled with history and adventure. Just like the title, at age 14 Patrick is trying to enter the Special Reserve even though he isn't 17 yet. In 1913, Condon joined in hope of good pay and plenty of action, both of which he could not receive while living with his family in Waterford. Most of the money went to his oblivious family, who didn't know he went to join the Reserve until after he had sent a letter to them. In 1914, World War I exploded and "John" was sent to the front on the French-Belgian border, and so meets his ultimate end. All in all, the book was bland and dissatisfying, and since the text was translated from a foreign author, it seems as if some words were lost in translation, hence failing to properly deliver plot points by using tell rather than show (plain explanation as opposed to imagery).
One piece of solid evidence that exemplifies loss of text value due to translation is the lack of imagery in the text. For example, when John first sees the war-torn soldier that had recently been discharged from the war, his appearance was vaguely explained. Here is a little excerpt from the text: " 'Hi,John,' says the man, breaking the silence. He raises his right arm, which is half gone." (Spillebeen/Edelstein,118)
Another example of bad imagery when the narrator explains Condon's other job aside from being in the reserve. He says, "Plowing, harrowing, sowing, tending the animals. It seemed like a crash course in farming. Patrick helped out as much as he could and earned a substantial salary for his efforts." (Spillebeen/Edelstein, 61)
These quotes personally failed to paint pictures in my head of just how bad the man's arm really was, and what farm life looked like for John Condon through the eyes of the speaker. The author could easily have described the texture or color of the torn skin or what facial expressions Condon had on the while doing strenuous work on the farm. Doing these things not only would have painted a picture in my head, but it would have inserted more of a defining tone for the text. Instances like these were common in this book, showing how easily the reader's interest could be feigned. Ergo,the lack of imagery really made the book tasteless and raises the question of if some words could have been lost in translation.
One piece of solid evidence that exemplifies loss of text value due to translation is the lack of imagery in the text. For example, when John first sees the war-torn soldier that had recently been discharged from the war, his appearance was vaguely explained. Here is a little excerpt from the text: " 'Hi,John,' says the man, breaking the silence. He raises his right arm, which is half gone." (Spillebeen/Edelstein,118)
Another example of bad imagery when the narrator explains Condon's other job aside from being in the reserve. He says, "Plowing, harrowing, sowing, tending the animals. It seemed like a crash course in farming. Patrick helped out as much as he could and earned a substantial salary for his efforts." (Spillebeen/Edelstein, 61)
These quotes personally failed to paint pictures in my head of just how bad the man's arm really was, and what farm life looked like for John Condon through the eyes of the speaker. The author could easily have described the texture or color of the torn skin or what facial expressions Condon had on the while doing strenuous work on the farm. Doing these things not only would have painted a picture in my head, but it would have inserted more of a defining tone for the text. Instances like these were common in this book, showing how easily the reader's interest could be feigned. Ergo,the lack of imagery really made the book tasteless and raises the question of if some words could have been lost in translation.
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September 27, 2017age 14,is a amazing book for all the WW1 lovers. Patrick Condon
is 12 years and he doesn't like his life living in Ireland,so he tries to find a way to join the army.so he lies and says he is 17 years old and he also lies about his name he says his name is john Condon. he steals his older brothers name.but patrick definitely fit in in army.but then ww1 happens he is scared for his life feeling that he is going to die. it is a very gruesome war so much violence and he actually makes it out alive which is very impressive for a 14 year old now.age 14 is a amazing book if you love ww1 it was a fascinating book 10/10
is 12 years and he doesn't like his life living in Ireland,so he tries to find a way to join the army.so he lies and says he is 17 years old and he also lies about his name he says his name is john Condon. he steals his older brothers name.but patrick definitely fit in in army.but then ww1 happens he is scared for his life feeling that he is going to die. it is a very gruesome war so much violence and he actually makes it out alive which is very impressive for a 14 year old now.age 14 is a amazing book if you love ww1 it was a fascinating book 10/10
March 24, 2010
May 1915, John Condon receives a disturbing telegram: He is missing in action and presumed dead. In truth, John knows that this missing solider is actually his younger brother Patrick, who used John’s name and birth date to sneak into the military. Patrick’s story begins with the end of his school career. Just ten years old, Patrick spends his days in menial labor to provide income for his family. Patrick secretly saves his pocket change and finally leaves his hometown at age 12 to join the militia. Thanks to his large stature, he manages to pass for 17 and start training. Patrick maintains an idealized vision of warfare, even when he arrives at the front lines in France. However, his harrowing experiences with snipers and chlorine gas make him appreciate the severity of war. Unfortunately, this revelation comes too late to prevent his untimely death.
Blending fact and fiction, Spillebeen creates a grim depiction of European life during the World War I era. Even before Patrick encounters the violence of the battlefield, excerpts from his life are generally depressing. Posing as an older boy also forces Patrick to encounter other mature issues such as alcoholism and sexuality. The early glimpses of Patrick’s troubled family life do allow the reader to see why the military would hold such appeal to him and other young boys. As a translated text, the language occasionally feels awkward and--in addition to the third-person narration--may generate a disconnect between the reader and Patrick’s story.
Blending fact and fiction, Spillebeen creates a grim depiction of European life during the World War I era. Even before Patrick encounters the violence of the battlefield, excerpts from his life are generally depressing. Posing as an older boy also forces Patrick to encounter other mature issues such as alcoholism and sexuality. The early glimpses of Patrick’s troubled family life do allow the reader to see why the military would hold such appeal to him and other young boys. As a translated text, the language occasionally feels awkward and--in addition to the third-person narration--may generate a disconnect between the reader and Patrick’s story.
October 1, 2013
1: In this book “Age 14” The main character is Patrick. He is 14 when he goes off to WW1 and he lives in Ireland. The reason he wants to go to war is because he thinks war is fun and is a game. But he is too young to go to war so he goes to a recruitment station and takes the identity of his older brother Tom. His brother Tom doesn’t know about Patrick’s games of trying to get into a squadron in Ireland. What happens is Patrick lives in some barracks after he gets stationed near the trenches by the borders where the Germans are trying to invade. Patrick loses some friends and almost dies.
2: Some of the high points in the books are very action packed, For instance When Patrick is in a barn the family’s daughter sneaks up there and tries to sleep with him. His friend Tom went with him to war and he gets hurt but he may die or not. As some of the soldiers move, many of them gets taken out by snipers which I think is a bad way to go.
3: In my opinion I think this book is worth reading for many reasons. For me the books I want to read need to have Action, Suspense and some romance but not too much. This book has all three and some others as well. The book had many twists and at the end it made me cry but for many people they will think ohh ok that was weird. Many of the people who Patrick is with falls around him and there is only a few left who survive. But eventually I think Patrick realizes what war is all about but he realized too late.
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September 27, 2013Age 14
Age 14 was one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. It had so much detail in it and it explained everything about Patrick. Patrick is the main character and how I know is because the book was made about him. The main character has to deal with fighting the protagonist which is himself and the obstacles that he has to overcome. He also has to deal with his dad hating him. In this book he lies about his age to get into the army. He says he is 18 but really he is 12 when he started. He wanted to leave all responsibility but later found out it is more than he had. Patrick also took his 18 year old brothers name so everything would match up.
Age 14 was very good because it teaches us not to take stuff for granted. You don’t know what you have until you lose it. I personally think that Patrick made the wrong decision about joining the army because he had it easy at first and because he was only 12. I was sad that in the end he ends up getting killed at the age of 14. That is why it is called age 14.
This book was worth reading and I would read it again if I really wanted to. I recommend this book to people who like war book. I also recommend this book to people that like books about the protagonist finding what is really right for him. That is my evaluation on the good book Age 14.
Age 14 was one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. It had so much detail in it and it explained everything about Patrick. Patrick is the main character and how I know is because the book was made about him. The main character has to deal with fighting the protagonist which is himself and the obstacles that he has to overcome. He also has to deal with his dad hating him. In this book he lies about his age to get into the army. He says he is 18 but really he is 12 when he started. He wanted to leave all responsibility but later found out it is more than he had. Patrick also took his 18 year old brothers name so everything would match up.
Age 14 was very good because it teaches us not to take stuff for granted. You don’t know what you have until you lose it. I personally think that Patrick made the wrong decision about joining the army because he had it easy at first and because he was only 12. I was sad that in the end he ends up getting killed at the age of 14. That is why it is called age 14.
This book was worth reading and I would read it again if I really wanted to. I recommend this book to people who like war book. I also recommend this book to people that like books about the protagonist finding what is really right for him. That is my evaluation on the good book Age 14.
October 2, 2013
In age fourteen by Geert Spillebeen, Patrick deals with the reality of being poor and having to give up everything he has to make his family better and well fed. Patrick is a 14 year old boy, his livers with a large family; his father makes him work at any job possible so that his family will not starve to death. The first job Patrick is assigned to be cleaning out the hold of a ship for a guy he doesn’t like. Some of the main problems Patrick is faced with are doing what he shouldn’t have to, but is forced to.
I thought that the book age 14 was a twist and turn around every corner; you would think that that story was going in the same direction but after one part it would go the exact opposite way. I think that Geert could have explained a little more what john was going through and how he feet. I do admit that Geert did explain quite well but he could have gone more into detail and description. Age 14 was full of meaningful parts some coming of age.
As a final judgment I would say that this book was worth reading, I wouldn’t read it again just because it was easily predictable. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes history, war, and or old country living style books. I think that age 14 was a very exciting book; I would say that Geert did a fantastic job at writing this book and laying it out.
I thought that the book age 14 was a twist and turn around every corner; you would think that that story was going in the same direction but after one part it would go the exact opposite way. I think that Geert could have explained a little more what john was going through and how he feet. I do admit that Geert did explain quite well but he could have gone more into detail and description. Age 14 was full of meaningful parts some coming of age.
As a final judgment I would say that this book was worth reading, I wouldn’t read it again just because it was easily predictable. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes history, war, and or old country living style books. I think that age 14 was a very exciting book; I would say that Geert did a fantastic job at writing this book and laying it out.
May 27, 2014
The book Age 14 (italics), by Geert Spillebeen, was not only heart-warming, but also very exciting. The main character, Patrick, has always dreamed of joining his country's armed forces. However, Patrick is only 12 years old. He slides past the age requirement of 17 years old by lying about his age and saying that he is his older brother John: "'John Condon, sir!' 'John? John! Is that your name?' Patrick's heart skipped a beat. This man can't possibly know my real name, he was thinking. 'Hear that, Corporal? His name is John!'" (Spillebeen 34). Patrick doesn't realized however, the true faces of war. World War I has just started and Patrick and his battalion are sent into the war to support England. As Geert depicts in his book, "He fires again and again. Men are dropping in front of him, too. Dozens of Germans are lying in the barbed wire now" (Spillebeen 195). Maturity and experience will ultimately decide Patrick's fate. I would definitely recommend this book because it is very heartening and has a lot of bravery and spiritualism. Even though I felt this book was a good read, it was not every challenging for me. The way everything is worded and quoted is very dull. However, the storyboard does make up for that since the book plot is not dull. I would overall give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating because of the amazing story but dull description.
October 14, 2013
I agree with others that something was lost in the translation of this book. Spillebeen's other book, Kipling's Choice, is beautiful and poignant.
Here in some cases, words were chosen that sounded modern instead of appropriate to the time and place. For example, the narration uses both "cool" and "macho" to describe some of the aspects of soldiering but it's 1914. There isn't much sense of the Irish language but the place is well captured, owing more to the author and to the translation I think.
There is a short chapter near the end which takes the point of view of the inventor of chlorine gas technology first used by the Germans. It's a wide departure from the plot and I'm not sure it entirely works here. It does link the post-war world to our protagonist's final days but it feels like an outside commentary. The man is also portrayed as fiendishly villainous so it's a bit much to believe within the otherwise solemn and sympathetic tone of the book.
The author's note at the end fills in some details of the story of Patrick and of the German inventor, noting the mysteries. Given what we actually know about the German, more could have been done to portray him in a more complex way.
Here in some cases, words were chosen that sounded modern instead of appropriate to the time and place. For example, the narration uses both "cool" and "macho" to describe some of the aspects of soldiering but it's 1914. There isn't much sense of the Irish language but the place is well captured, owing more to the author and to the translation I think.
There is a short chapter near the end which takes the point of view of the inventor of chlorine gas technology first used by the Germans. It's a wide departure from the plot and I'm not sure it entirely works here. It does link the post-war world to our protagonist's final days but it feels like an outside commentary. The man is also portrayed as fiendishly villainous so it's a bit much to believe within the otherwise solemn and sympathetic tone of the book.
The author's note at the end fills in some details of the story of Patrick and of the German inventor, noting the mysteries. Given what we actually know about the German, more could have been done to portray him in a more complex way.
September 23, 2010
I don't know. Maybe something got lost in the translation. As a WWI novel, it left something to be desired for me. Too much time leading up to the actual war stuff, and I thought the dialogue was more middle school level. I didn't even feel it gave a good flavor of the Irish culture at time, and I have read a LOT of Irish books.
The fact that it was based on a real family and that no one still really knows the whole true story was something I found interesting. But it won't ever hold a candle to All Quiet On The Western Front.
One reviewer has noted disbelief at the initiative of a 12 year old boy, but that was very believable for me - given the time and the culture and poverty of Ireland. Very consistent.
The whole sexual assault attempt in the beginning was not as tense as it should have been, either. If it was meant to be a catalyst for Patrick enlisting at such an early age, it didn't work for me.
The fact that it was based on a real family and that no one still really knows the whole true story was something I found interesting. But it won't ever hold a candle to All Quiet On The Western Front.
One reviewer has noted disbelief at the initiative of a 12 year old boy, but that was very believable for me - given the time and the culture and poverty of Ireland. Very consistent.
The whole sexual assault attempt in the beginning was not as tense as it should have been, either. If it was meant to be a catalyst for Patrick enlisting at such an early age, it didn't work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2012
When Spillebeen's novel was translated into English, some of the story's charm may have been lost and word choice sometimes jarring to the reader. The story is loosely based on historical evidence of a real Patrick 'John' Condon, guessed to be 14 at the time of his death while serving in the Irish Army during WWI. It was the early 1900's and Patrick Condon wanted to grow up fast. By age 10 Patrick quits school and lies about his age to work at the docks with his father, but within a few years he runs off to pursue his dream of joining the army, which he achieves by lying again about his age and pretending to be his older brother. The story takes a boy enthusiastic about soldiering and throws him into the grim violence of reality. This promising book fails to deliver. The reading is sometimes disjointed with mature personal situations which seem out of context due to their lack of resolution or response from the plot or characters.
January 16, 2011
The first chapter of the story is quite intriguing, catching a young reader's attention quickly. This is a unique, Irish perspective of the coming and fighting of the First World War. A young boy, eager to be a man, lies about his age and gets away with it (if only for the necessity of military enlistments). He goes on to become a full soldier as the reader shares his emotions, actions, and thoughts on the horrific front lines. This is a good book to help teach more about how other countries and soldiers saw things from their side of the ocean, before the Americans became involved. I could only give it 4 of 5 stars because while the first half of the book is a great work of historical fiction, the second half rather drags on with a bit too much stratigic military "history"...not enough "story."
March 4, 2011
My daughter picked this one up at the library, and I was about to return it for her when I couldn't help but start leafing through it. Before I knew it, I was caught up in this tale of a young Irish boy who is swept into the tide of World War I. Patrick assumes his (slightly) older brother's identity, and before you know it, he's on the battlefields of France and Belgium. Lots of gory battle scenes in this, with much made of the fact that war is, indeed, hell, and not at all what people (especially young men) glorify it to be. "Patrick" eventually loses his life in dramatic fashion, in or near Flanders Field. The poignancy of a life snuffed out nearly before it had begun, and the emphasis on the thousands of soldiers from all countries (needlessly?) lost in this war, are stressed here.
April 16, 2013
Twelve-year-old Patrick Condon wants more excitement out of life. So he decides to "borrow" his older brother John's name and join the army. He walks 30 miles to the nearest army station, lies about his age and becomes a part-time soldier! He also finds work and a place to stay at a nearby farm. But all too quickly the political landscape changes and he's off to war. The grown men around him are grim, having a better understanding of what to expect. Patrick is impatient and wants to get to the action already.
Freezing cold weather and dead, dismembered bodies finally wake Patrick up to the realities of war. However it might be too late.
Based on a true story, this translated story includes historical notes at the end.
Freezing cold weather and dead, dismembered bodies finally wake Patrick up to the realities of war. However it might be too late.
Based on a true story, this translated story includes historical notes at the end.
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November 6, 2015It is 1913, and twelve-year-old Patrick Condon wantsto escape his unexciting life in Ireland. So he hatches a plan. Not wanting to wait until he is old enough to join the army, Patrick lies and says he seventeen years old, and that his name is John Condon. Assuming the identity of his older brother, Patrick enlists.
The above is the summary provided by Goodreads.
The above is the summary provided by Goodreads.
April 10, 2016
While this may be a "true" story, I found the writing dry. It read somewhat like a textbook to me rather than a story. I didn't enjoy and won't be adding to the collection for my students. Not recommended.
March 10, 2011
Historical fiction based on a real story of a 14 year old boy from Ireland who was the youngest soldier casualty in World War I. Good WWI intro for middle school. Some of the horrors of war are present but is not over the top violence.
May 2, 2014
this book is really good. It has war, it has family and it has death. It is a really good book for people who like dramatic action books. It is also set back in 1914, so you may like it if you like old books. I would definitely recommend this to my class mates.
June 7, 2016
Age 14 is an imposing book. It talks about the life of a child soldier of only 14 years of age. It made me rethink about my life, and what I believe is valuable for me. It is a really strong a raw book, because of all the details explained. 4 stars because of the graphic content.
August 24, 2016
Though a bit choppy, this is fascinating and true story of a 14 year who lies about his age to become and soldier during WWI. It is quite graphic but really gives the reader a sense of what it was like.
March 27, 2010
half way through
a quick read
good so far
An interesting read
a quick read
good so far
An interesting read
January 13, 2011
I really thought I was going to love this book from it's description on the cover. It was a wonderful idea that never really took off.
June 10, 2014
this book was boring to me but may not be to others. it seems to be written for a younger less informed audience who just want a brief glimpse into life as a Irish Militiamen during world war one.
August 16, 2016
zeer pakkend verhaal. Leest als een trein. Bekijkt de eerste wereldoorlog vanuit het perspectief van de jongste soldaat in vlaanderen gesneuveld...
February 10, 2022
Mijn favoriete jeugdverhaal. Ik kon mijn fantasie even haar vrije weg laten gaan. Ook speelt het verhaal zich niet ver van huis af, wat me dubbel zo hard aantrok.
May 21, 2010
Interesting perspective on World War I.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews