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Fitz
Sometimes Fitz would look at himself in the mirror, an expression of pathetic eagerness on his face. He was a dog in the pound, wanting to be adopted. He'd smile. What father wouldn't want this boy?Fifteen-year-old Fitzgerald—Fitz, to his friends—has just learned that his father, whom he's never met, who supports him but is not a part of his life, is living nearby. Fitz begins to follow him, watch him, study him, and on an otherwise ordinary May morning, he executes a plan to force his father, at gunpoint, to be with him.Over the course of one spring day, Fitz and his father become real to one another. Fitz learns about his father, why he's chosen to remain distant and what really happened between him and Fitz's mother. And his father learns what sort of boy his son has grown up to become.
175 pages, Hardcover
Published November 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
October 4, 2012
“A father, a son, and a gun.”
Everyone has a story to tell. But with two sides to every story, how do we know which side is the truth?
Fifteen-year-old Fitzgerald (Fitz) is determined to get the truth. He needs to know what happened between his parents and why his father doesn’t want to be a part of his life. Fed up with getting no answers from his mother, Fitz sets out to kidnap his father at gunpoint and finally get his version no matter what. As Dinah Washington once crooned, “What a difference a day makes”…
Fitz, Fitz, Fitz—your big heart won me over from the get-go. A good kid with friends, school, chores, music in his heart, and a crush on a girl. With a mix of vulnerability and determination, Fitz’s need to know why his father abandoned him pushes him to the point of desperation with powerful heart-on-your-sleeve emotion. The feelings this story pulled out of my heart truly surprised me. Tears stung my eyes and anger bubbled in my blood. At times, I even caught myself muttering—just tell him! Say it! Fitz’s emotional confusion and battle between lashing out with anger and wanting to be loved was captured with such tenderness on the page. Like in this scene—Fitz’s sweetness shines, blushes, and blooms in this diner scene with his Dad (Curtis):
“A second piece of pie, in a restaurant—it just never even occurred to Fitz as a possibility. It violates some iron law, some rule so fundamental and obvious and universally accepted that it never needs to be spelled out: each diner may order one, and only one, dessert. But today that rule doesn’t apply. Today, all bets are off.”
The writing….wait, hold up. *review skids to a halt* I have to sidetrack beg here for a second. Music plays a big part of Fitz’s life and day. But as the story unfolded, I found myself wishing for more and more music scenes. The language, emotion, and words Mr. Cochrane puts together on the page to describe music, beats, and voices left me speechless and in complete I-am-not-worthy awe! Listen to the way Fitz describes bluesman Jimmy Reed’s music—“It was like Jimmy knew all about having a hole at the center of yourself.”
Or here when Fitz talks about Nora’s (aka the crush) vocals—“He didn’t tell her that whenever he heard her sing, no matter what it was—could be a spiritual, could be a corny show tune—he felt something. Her voice seemed to know things—there were secrets in it.”
*sigh* Sooooo this is where I crawl and beg for more. Please, Mr. Cochrane write a story focused on and alive with music! These few lines alone made my heart beat very happy, so a full book with your words centered on music would be heaven! Okay…Sorry back on track. Never hurts to throw a beg in the suggestion box. :D
Now on to my bump in the journey. The heartfelt message I took from Fitz’s story and my one disappointment are actually intertwined here. For me, communication is the key to this tale. Both Fitz and his father needed to express the life-long, pent up anger, guilt, faults, and wishes to each other. Get it out. Ask the questions. Say the words. Words and emotions left unsaid hurt and sting just as much as words spoken out loud. That is why the ending—something Fitz does near the end—disappointed my heart. After all they had been through, shared, and talked about over the day, that one action robbed me of the message’s impact. The importance of communication. I’m trying my hardest here not to spoil anything. Haha…Just read it and see for yourself. :D The message is still there, but just not as clear as I would have liked at the end.
With strong, likeable characters and powerful emotions simmering underneath every move, question, and detail—this book pulled me in by the heartstrings. My heart ached for Fitz and his father. Both father and son begin to share, reveal the past, and admit their mistakes. But will they ask for more from each other? Regrets. Life can fill up pretty fast with regrets if we let fear rule our hearts. Don’t let one of your regrets be not saying how much you care. Say it!
I highly recommend this powerful read for young readers.
Thank you Netgalley. I am off to hunt down more Mick Cochrane books.
*Quotes taken from uncorrected advance reader’s copy.*
November 11, 2012
3.5/5 stars
In writing you hear the mantra "show and don't tell" all the time. But sometimes, just occasionally, writers break that rule and it works. Fitz is an example of that. This is not the type of book where you go on a grand adventure with the main character, or follow his struggles for months and years. Instead the book takes place over the course of one day. Fitz (the main character as well as title) is searching for answers about his past. And while these stories may be told through dialogue, they're nonetheless compelling.
Fitz is a believable narrator. I instantly bought into the voice of this novel. Fitz is confused. He feels like he's missing something vital in life. But he's a good kid--makes good grades, doesn't get into trouble, treats his mom well. Except on this one day, that's not who Fitz wants to be. Like a costume, he puts on a thuggish persona and sets out to teach his father a lesson.
The thing is Fitz has never met his father. He's been this distant unknown, his mother not even willing to tell him his father's name. All of that only makes Fitz more curious. Instead of just listening to his mother's stories, Fitz takes matters into his own hands, finding out everything he can about his mysterious father.
While his father may send the monthly check, Fitz knows it's no replacement for a relationship. What Fitz wants is time and answers. His mother refuses to give him the answers and his father has never given him any time. Fitz decides to take what he wants, kidnapping his father to force some father/son bonding time.
The voice in this novel is perfect. Sometimes Fitz tries to sound mean and harsh, but you can tell that he doesn't even quite believe it himself. He's not much of a bad guy, even though he's kidnapping his father. Fitz may wave a gun around but the reader never believes he's really capable of shooting anyone. This creates a strange sympathy for Fitz. Yes he's doing something stupid, but as the reader you really don't want to see him punished for it.
While the story is small what it means for one boy's life isn't. Sometimes things that don't seem important to you might be all consuming to someone else. That's how Fitz feels about finding out why his father left. As far as problems go, it might seem fairly minor. Except for Fitz it's the most important question in the world.
The epilogue undermines the rest of this book. It feels tacked on, like the author didn't really know how to end the story. So while the rest of the book was understated and impactful, the epilogue was too clean and simple to match the realism of Fitz's story. It's a bad way to end an otherwise great book.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.
In writing you hear the mantra "show and don't tell" all the time. But sometimes, just occasionally, writers break that rule and it works. Fitz is an example of that. This is not the type of book where you go on a grand adventure with the main character, or follow his struggles for months and years. Instead the book takes place over the course of one day. Fitz (the main character as well as title) is searching for answers about his past. And while these stories may be told through dialogue, they're nonetheless compelling.
Fitz is a believable narrator. I instantly bought into the voice of this novel. Fitz is confused. He feels like he's missing something vital in life. But he's a good kid--makes good grades, doesn't get into trouble, treats his mom well. Except on this one day, that's not who Fitz wants to be. Like a costume, he puts on a thuggish persona and sets out to teach his father a lesson.
The thing is Fitz has never met his father. He's been this distant unknown, his mother not even willing to tell him his father's name. All of that only makes Fitz more curious. Instead of just listening to his mother's stories, Fitz takes matters into his own hands, finding out everything he can about his mysterious father.
While his father may send the monthly check, Fitz knows it's no replacement for a relationship. What Fitz wants is time and answers. His mother refuses to give him the answers and his father has never given him any time. Fitz decides to take what he wants, kidnapping his father to force some father/son bonding time.
The voice in this novel is perfect. Sometimes Fitz tries to sound mean and harsh, but you can tell that he doesn't even quite believe it himself. He's not much of a bad guy, even though he's kidnapping his father. Fitz may wave a gun around but the reader never believes he's really capable of shooting anyone. This creates a strange sympathy for Fitz. Yes he's doing something stupid, but as the reader you really don't want to see him punished for it.
While the story is small what it means for one boy's life isn't. Sometimes things that don't seem important to you might be all consuming to someone else. That's how Fitz feels about finding out why his father left. As far as problems go, it might seem fairly minor. Except for Fitz it's the most important question in the world.
The epilogue undermines the rest of this book. It feels tacked on, like the author didn't really know how to end the story. So while the rest of the book was understated and impactful, the epilogue was too clean and simple to match the realism of Fitz's story. It's a bad way to end an otherwise great book.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.
January 20, 2013
Initial thoughts: I thought that "Fitz" was an excellent coming of age story with appropriate amounts of tension. It's about a teenage boy on the edge of breaking without having a father figure in his life. Desperate, Fitz buys a gun, finds his father and holds him at gunpoint, while suggesting that they spend some "quality time" together. What happens from that point is something that neither of them expect - they learn more about each other than they bargained for.
Full review:
I'm incredibly belated with writing the review on Mick Cochrane's "Fitz", partially because I read the book so far before its respective release date as an ARC (I read it in March of 2012, but it wasn't released until late 2012). Yet, when I consider it now, there's so much about this novel that I remembered and loved. The story revolves around an angry boy named Fitzgerald, or simply called Fitz for short. He has a love for jazz and singing, he earns good grades. While you would think on the surface this was a normal kid, inside, Fitz has hit his boiling point and feels angry with the state of things in his life. He hides a gun, and while searching for answers in the broken relationship between his mother and father, he decides to search out his father - whom he has never met - and demand answers from him as to why the man isn't in his life.
I loved Fitz's narrative voice in this book, and the flow of the writing was so easy in transition from one point to the next, keeping the tension front and center as well as illuminating the relationships between the characters. It's a coming to terms story as well as incorporates other elements to center around Fitz's experiences and discoveries. Although this entire story is a glimpse into Fitz's life for one day when he takes his particularly jarring act of desperation, it provides so much into the eye of the character that I couldn't draw myself away from it. One of the best things that I took from in this particular work was the fact the author showed Fitz's internal conflict to a tee - showing the difference between his displayed actions, which engage the push for answers no matter what, and his internal dialogue, which shows he has a stronger moral compass than what his actions would lend.
I think the one thing that I could say that I didn't completely love was the way the ending came across in comparison to the rest of the novel - I think it tried to tie things off in a conclusive way, but it felt a bit different from the tone of the narrative flow up until that point, which is a shame because the setup and execution through the duration of the novel was very strong and had a darker coloring that didn't match really how the ending tried to thread those ties together. I think it could've been more plausible and more realistic than what it was. I think if that had been a better tie, this would've easily been one of my favorite overall picks of the year.
Suffice to say, I did enjoy this novel and appreciated it as a character driven story with a strong narrative voice. It had some bumps in the road, but it was worth following through.
Overall score: 4/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House BFYR.
Full review:
I'm incredibly belated with writing the review on Mick Cochrane's "Fitz", partially because I read the book so far before its respective release date as an ARC (I read it in March of 2012, but it wasn't released until late 2012). Yet, when I consider it now, there's so much about this novel that I remembered and loved. The story revolves around an angry boy named Fitzgerald, or simply called Fitz for short. He has a love for jazz and singing, he earns good grades. While you would think on the surface this was a normal kid, inside, Fitz has hit his boiling point and feels angry with the state of things in his life. He hides a gun, and while searching for answers in the broken relationship between his mother and father, he decides to search out his father - whom he has never met - and demand answers from him as to why the man isn't in his life.
I loved Fitz's narrative voice in this book, and the flow of the writing was so easy in transition from one point to the next, keeping the tension front and center as well as illuminating the relationships between the characters. It's a coming to terms story as well as incorporates other elements to center around Fitz's experiences and discoveries. Although this entire story is a glimpse into Fitz's life for one day when he takes his particularly jarring act of desperation, it provides so much into the eye of the character that I couldn't draw myself away from it. One of the best things that I took from in this particular work was the fact the author showed Fitz's internal conflict to a tee - showing the difference between his displayed actions, which engage the push for answers no matter what, and his internal dialogue, which shows he has a stronger moral compass than what his actions would lend.
I think the one thing that I could say that I didn't completely love was the way the ending came across in comparison to the rest of the novel - I think it tried to tie things off in a conclusive way, but it felt a bit different from the tone of the narrative flow up until that point, which is a shame because the setup and execution through the duration of the novel was very strong and had a darker coloring that didn't match really how the ending tried to thread those ties together. I think it could've been more plausible and more realistic than what it was. I think if that had been a better tie, this would've easily been one of my favorite overall picks of the year.
Suffice to say, I did enjoy this novel and appreciated it as a character driven story with a strong narrative voice. It had some bumps in the road, but it was worth following through.
Overall score: 4/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House BFYR.
March 23, 2025
Boring, dry, predictable, and short although I still struggled to make it through due to it not being captivating
June 10, 2012
“Fifteen year old Fitz kidnaps the father he has never known, taking him from at gun point, in an attempt to address his bewildering mix of resentment and yearning.”
Intriguing as that sounds, I had this slight fear that I would get a boy too wrapped up in his own thing, too self absorbed and too aware of what he didn’t have. He was and he wasn’t. It was that start and the end that got me to react the strongest, but the in- between was totally different. Fitz put it best with his ‘what’s after hate?’ It was exactly that question that had me continuing. Frankly, my feelings went from intrigued and curious then settled on my usual “so-what- now feelings” mode that I’ve been on for the longest time, but I really wanted to know what would follow that volatile beginning.
Once done, my usual middle feelings of ok came around, but the longer I considered it the more I liked it. Though “like” might not be the right word.
This is about how Fitz wants what he doesn’t have. It's also about how he finds why that’s the case. It wasn’t what I was expecting and it certainly wasn’t what he was expecting. Because the story he unearthed with him holding that gun could be described as a little “everyday.” In fact, even him taking his father at gunpoint, was something I thought would go off with a bit more volatility, urgency; something that would grab by my gut, I suppose. But here? I skated through it given how everything was happening so quietly, so ordinarily so quietly ordinary(?). Even his back story that's discovered, felt commonplace. So commonplace, in fact, that it’s what made Fitz’s story sadder… more sad than merited.
The reactions he got out of the other were both obvious and not-so obvious because Curtis was afraid and resigned then later even ballsy in getting things done. Overall, however, the progression I can only describe as a little mundane… almost as if it’s everyday that someone (a) takes another at gunpoint and (b) that the other taken at gunpoint. But it’s Curtis side of the story that was less than obvious, it's what niggled at me. Never mind the may be slightly imbalanced boy with the gun. Never mind the same boy’s propensity towards picturing his thoughts real and wanting his daddy. It was CURTIS’s revelations that were equal parts sad and selfish. There’s an honesty to the guy in admitting he came up short. But admitting something and doing something about it are two wholly different things.
So their actions, even if extreme, were understandable, but still selfish and misguided. This is true both for his mother (with her idea of each doing what’s best for all,) and for his father (with being satisfied in doing what he’d been doing for forever -or not doing as was his case.) And yes even for Fitz, this slightly imbalanced boy with a wanting that’s so big that he acts to the extreme.
The start of his story was intriguing, but the progression from there put an emphasis on events that were a bit ‘every day.’ And I may sound contrary, but that end still had me feeling shortchanged. I expected something more. Why that’s the case is a wonder even to me because only in the beginning were things volatile… then thereafter things went quietly, ordinarily by. (yes, I am not blind to my overuse of adverbs in this one.)
While not my favorite, this was definitely interesting.
THANK YOU NETGALLEY!
2??? or 3??? of 5
Intriguing as that sounds, I had this slight fear that I would get a boy too wrapped up in his own thing, too self absorbed and too aware of what he didn’t have. He was and he wasn’t. It was that start and the end that got me to react the strongest, but the in- between was totally different. Fitz put it best with his ‘what’s after hate?’ It was exactly that question that had me continuing. Frankly, my feelings went from intrigued and curious then settled on my usual “so-what- now feelings” mode that I’ve been on for the longest time, but I really wanted to know what would follow that volatile beginning.
Once done, my usual middle feelings of ok came around, but the longer I considered it the more I liked it. Though “like” might not be the right word.
This is about how Fitz wants what he doesn’t have. It's also about how he finds why that’s the case. It wasn’t what I was expecting and it certainly wasn’t what he was expecting. Because the story he unearthed with him holding that gun could be described as a little “everyday.” In fact, even him taking his father at gunpoint, was something I thought would go off with a bit more volatility, urgency; something that would grab by my gut, I suppose. But here? I skated through it given how everything was happening so quietly, so ordinarily so quietly ordinary(?). Even his back story that's discovered, felt commonplace. So commonplace, in fact, that it’s what made Fitz’s story sadder… more sad than merited.
The reactions he got out of the other were both obvious and not-so obvious because Curtis was afraid and resigned then later even ballsy in getting things done. Overall, however, the progression I can only describe as a little mundane… almost as if it’s everyday that someone (a) takes another at gunpoint and (b) that the other taken at gunpoint. But it’s Curtis side of the story that was less than obvious, it's what niggled at me. Never mind the may be slightly imbalanced boy with the gun. Never mind the same boy’s propensity towards picturing his thoughts real and wanting his daddy. It was CURTIS’s revelations that were equal parts sad and selfish. There’s an honesty to the guy in admitting he came up short. But admitting something and doing something about it are two wholly different things.
So their actions, even if extreme, were understandable, but still selfish and misguided. This is true both for his mother (with her idea of each doing what’s best for all,) and for his father (with being satisfied in doing what he’d been doing for forever -or not doing as was his case.) And yes even for Fitz, this slightly imbalanced boy with a wanting that’s so big that he acts to the extreme.
The start of his story was intriguing, but the progression from there put an emphasis on events that were a bit ‘every day.’ And I may sound contrary, but that end still had me feeling shortchanged. I expected something more. Why that’s the case is a wonder even to me because only in the beginning were things volatile… then thereafter things went quietly, ordinarily by. (yes, I am not blind to my overuse of adverbs in this one.)
While not my favorite, this was definitely interesting.
THANK YOU NETGALLEY!
2??? or 3??? of 5
November 13, 2012
Fitz is fifteen, living with his Mom in a rundown neighborhood. He has never met his Dad, but that's about to change. Today he's going to spend the day with his Dad, holding him at gunpoint, and trying to get the answers that he's always wanted. Why didn't his Dad stay with his Mom? Why hasn't he been in Fitz's life, other than sending child support? This sounded like a book that is very different from my usual read. I decided to give it a try and had mixed feelings when it was over. On a basic level I can understand wanting the answers to those questions so badly that you'd do anything for them. But also, I could never imagine holding someone at gunpoint, especially my estranged Father, to get them. I felt like Fitz's thoughts, actions and feelings read as being a lot younger than fifteen. It almost read as though he was mentally ill or had a serious disability. I know that wasn't the case, but the fact that he seems to have absolutely zero normal range reasoning skills left me wondering. Plus, taking his Dad to the zoo? How old is he, five? I just was not a fan of this particular "gritty" piece of fiction (I use quotes because I feel like it acted more gritty than it was). I felt like the ending was a major cop-out. Fitz spends the entire book with his Dad at gunpoint and all of a sudden, they're all playing happy families at the end, with visitation and everything. Highly unrealistic in every sense of the word. If you wants gritty fiction go read a book by Ellen Hopkins. I would recommend skipping this one unless you can relate to it on some deeper level, in which case please find a good therapist!
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
**I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published November 13th, 2012.**
VERDICT: 2/5 Stars
**I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published November 13th, 2012.**
January 27, 2018
Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49SZC...
This book's plot was better than the actual execution for me. The whole aspect of this young teenage boy pulling a gun on his father that left when he was a baby seems super teen angsty and intriguing, especially with Fitz being a good kid. I felt like we were going to to get some sort of big reveal with why the events had occurred, why his dad left, and without spoiling anything I just wanna say it was a major let down. The book itself didn't suck, I just feel like Cochrane had a good premise but didn't flesh it out practically at all and decided that was good enough. I think the plot had a lot of potential and just wasn't thought out thoroughly. The places they went (The zoo?¿) were pretty irrelevant and I found Fitz to be kind of unbelievable. I feel like he tried so hard to get you to like the side characters even though you saw them for maybe a total of like 20 pages through the whole book. I just felt very detached for all the characters and over all was not impressed.
This book's plot was better than the actual execution for me. The whole aspect of this young teenage boy pulling a gun on his father that left when he was a baby seems super teen angsty and intriguing, especially with Fitz being a good kid. I felt like we were going to to get some sort of big reveal with why the events had occurred, why his dad left, and without spoiling anything I just wanna say it was a major let down. The book itself didn't suck, I just feel like Cochrane had a good premise but didn't flesh it out practically at all and decided that was good enough. I think the plot had a lot of potential and just wasn't thought out thoroughly. The places they went (The zoo?¿) were pretty irrelevant and I found Fitz to be kind of unbelievable. I feel like he tried so hard to get you to like the side characters even though you saw them for maybe a total of like 20 pages through the whole book. I just felt very detached for all the characters and over all was not impressed.
April 3, 2014
the book that i had read was a bit criminal and loving. the audience was intended to be for young adults because its around that age with the father issues and the conflict is set up. fitz was abandoned y his father and his mom don't let him know why he had left or even what had happened. so he buys a gun skips school and kidnaps his father that hes has been stalking.
my opinion is that it was long and boreing there wasn't enough action. it was mainly just about his thoughts and things that had happened over the years and growing up. there wasn't enough talking with his father. also when the action did happen it was fast but it it would get you lie it would send a rush. i did like the ending because it was happy but kind of corny.
the reader i would predict to read this a paitent one because they will have a to wait for the action and have to put up with the really boring parts that makes want to pulll your hair out
my opinion is that it was long and boreing there wasn't enough action. it was mainly just about his thoughts and things that had happened over the years and growing up. there wasn't enough talking with his father. also when the action did happen it was fast but it it would get you lie it would send a rush. i did like the ending because it was happy but kind of corny.
the reader i would predict to read this a paitent one because they will have a to wait for the action and have to put up with the really boring parts that makes want to pulll your hair out
November 5, 2012
I read this ARC via Netgalley.
Fitz has always done what he's told, even though growing up with a single mom hasn't been easy. Until one day when he takes a gun and goes to where he's found out his father lives, and takes his father hostage for the day. He isn't sure exactly what he wants from his father. Can one day make up for a lifetime?
Fitz's conflicted feelings would ring true with any kid growing up in a single-parent household. I wondered a little bit at what would make Fitz decide to take this radical action in the first place, although he and his father quickly gained some trust between each other, making the gun unnecessary. While Fitz seemed a bit bland - he is a "good kid" after all - he did have an interest in music, which he shared with his father.
Fitz has always done what he's told, even though growing up with a single mom hasn't been easy. Until one day when he takes a gun and goes to where he's found out his father lives, and takes his father hostage for the day. He isn't sure exactly what he wants from his father. Can one day make up for a lifetime?
Fitz's conflicted feelings would ring true with any kid growing up in a single-parent household. I wondered a little bit at what would make Fitz decide to take this radical action in the first place, although he and his father quickly gained some trust between each other, making the gun unnecessary. While Fitz seemed a bit bland - he is a "good kid" after all - he did have an interest in music, which he shared with his father.
September 28, 2013
I wanted to like this. I really, really wanted to. And I even started to reread it when I finished it, thinking I had just missed something.
The sentence structure is highly (a little annoyingly) predictable. I normally don't comment on stuff like that, because I usually don't notice it. But with this book I couldn't help it. The story itself is compelling as hell, and maybe it's written this way on purpose. Speaking of the story - no spoilers, but personally I was disappointed by the ending.
I read this as part of a book club with my middle school students, our school librarian, and the local public library. I am really looking forward to the other selected books, but this one just didn't do it for me.
The sentence structure is highly (a little annoyingly) predictable. I normally don't comment on stuff like that, because I usually don't notice it. But with this book I couldn't help it. The story itself is compelling as hell, and maybe it's written this way on purpose. Speaking of the story - no spoilers, but personally I was disappointed by the ending.
I read this as part of a book club with my middle school students, our school librarian, and the local public library. I am really looking forward to the other selected books, but this one just didn't do it for me.
December 28, 2012
Quick read, but not a fan. Fitz holds his Dad at gunpoint in the car, so he can find the answers he's been wanting to know all of his life. How about just making an appointment and talking with the guy...Just not realistic.
February 4, 2019
This book tells the story about a kid name Fitz, WIth a normal life a father that he never knew and with a normal life nothing special but he was different. When Fitz was little he use always used to think that his dad was secretly watching over him for his own good. The part that I really like about this book itś when Fitz tells about his song, but in page 7 was the most interesting song lyrics i have heard or read before something that i really like was those lyrics because it tells how Fitz is felling how his life isn’t easy for him.In this book I would probably say that my favorite character would be Fitz, I really like they way they describe him and the way he reacts to things and the way he does things, because in the book it describes Fitz like a, “Typical fifteen-year old boy with a messy room, an electric guitar, a notebook full of song lyrics, that has a crush on a red-haired girl but it says that, He’s a normal kid nothing especial, Expect that Fitz is carrying a Smith & Wesson .38 special in the waistband of his jeans and a gutful of confusion, WIth a gnawing of hunger for a father that he never known.”I would probably say that my least favorite character in this book would be Fitz’s dad, because i just think that if fitz’s dad was in Fitz’s life, this would be a totally different story. In the book it says that,” You’re living in fortress, You’re living all alone, You’re living in a fortress Trapped behind your walls of stone. There’s bars on your windows, Double chain across your door, There’s bars on your windows, So scared you don’t go out no more. Robbers and muggers and thieves, The bad guys that you fear. Robbers and muggers and thieves, Watch out: they’re drawing nea (page 7,8).” Fits is trying to find what his father is go scare of, so he writes this song, he is trying to find what’s wrong with his father. I really like this part because it explains what’s Fitz is thinking inside his mind, he is really trying to figure out what his dad is so scare of inside his mind and he creates this song, he shows this song to his friend name Caleb and Caleb is impressive by Fitz song.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2019
FITZ is a book about a father. a son. and a gun. as said on the cover. However, the book is so much more full of life without a father It talks about how he never saw him once never knew his job or age later he found these things out. But not before mistaking his uncle for a father. Not only not knowing but his mom would dance around the questions. Fitz would ask when is dad coming home soon. Will he be here for my birthday. Well, see you. Fitz takes on the role of an average teenage boy who loves guitar has a crush on a redhead girl in his class and has a laid back attitude. However Fitz thought to himself I need answers, and he set out to do so.
Fitz went out and met an old friend he told his friend he needs a gun his friend said sure two hundred tomorrow. he gave him two hundred dollars that he was putting towards a new guitar. Then he devises a plan to find and kidnap his father. During his research, he discovers that his father is a wealthy accounting and pays child support.
Fitz has waited his whole life for this moment he opens the door to his father's car startles him and pulls out the gun. His father is deeply afraid and starts offering items money, my car anything. However, Fitz has never done a crime he is scared himself he then tells his father “drive” they drive and drive until they get near his father's favorite coffee shack but on the way Fitz took his wallet and ends up revealing himself to his father. Fitz throughout his experience with his father starts to eas. The whole idea was great for the book however I didn't feel for the character it was dull. All in all the book was pretty I just thought it could've been executed better it all happened so fast, almost too fast.
Fitz went out and met an old friend he told his friend he needs a gun his friend said sure two hundred tomorrow. he gave him two hundred dollars that he was putting towards a new guitar. Then he devises a plan to find and kidnap his father. During his research, he discovers that his father is a wealthy accounting and pays child support.
Fitz has waited his whole life for this moment he opens the door to his father's car startles him and pulls out the gun. His father is deeply afraid and starts offering items money, my car anything. However, Fitz has never done a crime he is scared himself he then tells his father “drive” they drive and drive until they get near his father's favorite coffee shack but on the way Fitz took his wallet and ends up revealing himself to his father. Fitz throughout his experience with his father starts to eas. The whole idea was great for the book however I didn't feel for the character it was dull. All in all the book was pretty I just thought it could've been executed better it all happened so fast, almost too fast.
August 31, 2017
Fitz, a fifteen year old boy that has never meet his father but he is determined to change that. But without the help of his mother he finds other means of getting the truth answers he’s wanted his whole life, why has his father never contacted him? Why does his mom refuse to talk about it? And what exactly happened on the day his father just up left. Truthfully I really enjoyed this book and this is why the author is very good at making the characters have a certain type of life like complexity that makes you rethink the negative connotations and actions of the characters. And you see this amazing personal growth in Fitz from beginning to end he grows from a very confused person that is sick of living his life without closure so much so he goes out to abduct his father. But by the end of the day him and his father are chillin’ out at fitz’s house with his friends. But I do feel the ending was somewhat less developed than the rest of the book, in conclusion I do think this book is powerful and complex enough to really get you thinking.
November 5, 2018
I would not recommend this book if someone held me at gunpoint and told me to. This author's style is very straightforward and boring. No major events happened and the main character was impressively difficult to relate to. He's a villain without great motivation. His taste in music is simply terrible and for some reason every character seems to like it anyways. Why does everyone in this book like the blues so much? Also, some characters seem to change very suddenly and in strange ways. The characters are written fairly basically, and not one is likeable.
January 8, 2019
The novel Fitz is an eye catching and thrilling story. The quality of the book is amazing author Mich Cochrane emphasizes imagery that reel in the reader to the story. The writing structure gives it a nice flow to the novel which i really like. This novel was no near boring the chapter were very short and very detailed. The Character are very detailed characters that in the literature you can see what their emotions with detailed vocabulary. My overall rating of the novel was a 4/5 it was a very intertaining book to read
June 22, 2019
Technically, this book was great. There was a good balance between the present and flashbacks, a strong theme, and understandable emotions in a difficult-to-understand situation.
But...there was something missing. Maybe it was its length, or how quickly everything got tidily resolved. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it’s keeping me from the five-star review.
But...there was something missing. Maybe it was its length, or how quickly everything got tidily resolved. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it’s keeping me from the five-star review.
May 6, 2017
The bond between a father and son has never been more important for Fitz than today. Fantastic recommendation for reluctant teens for the summer.
January 2, 2018
The overall plot was very interesting however, the beginning was difficult to get into. I enjoyed the story and the anticipation to continue to read towards the end.
November 30, 2024
It was a lot better than I thought I did not understand why the boy had a gun tho I am not against guns but it seems odd
October 13, 2017
This book "Fitz" by Mick Cochrane I found the most enjoyable and a good book. For this book the grade level is twelve and up so basically not for really young kids. This book is about a father and a son who meet for the first time and talk and learn about each other. Then throughout the book Fitzgerald , who's the son, founds out the truth on why his father was never there in his life. The only reason how Fitzgerald and the father actually talk is because Fitz has been stalking him and learning what he does. When they all meet, his mom, and his dad, and him things don't turn out they way its goes.
The theme of the book was the actually quite fun to read. How the people in the book and how they played was actually great how they came in. How Fitz friend and mom and dad they all had a story with them and the way how it all turned out was actually very perfect.
When reading this book throughout the book, the book wasn't the hardest nor the easiest. The beginning of the book was quite confusing but then when I read more into it i then realized what actually was going on. When i was halfway through the book it seemed very believable and seemed very realistic. The only thing i would dislike about this book is that the way it all it started is that in the beginning i wished that when Fitz says he stalked him for awhile i wish they started where he starts stalking. But overall I loved the book
The theme of the book was the actually quite fun to read. How the people in the book and how they played was actually great how they came in. How Fitz friend and mom and dad they all had a story with them and the way how it all turned out was actually very perfect.
When reading this book throughout the book, the book wasn't the hardest nor the easiest. The beginning of the book was quite confusing but then when I read more into it i then realized what actually was going on. When i was halfway through the book it seemed very believable and seemed very realistic. The only thing i would dislike about this book is that the way it all it started is that in the beginning i wished that when Fitz says he stalked him for awhile i wish they started where he starts stalking. But overall I loved the book
Read
November 16, 2018I’m currently reading “Fitz” this book is about a typical fifteen year old boy that his name is Fitzgerald but everyone calls him Fitz. His dad doesn’t live with him he left when Fitz was little. Fitz has never met or talked to his dad. He has stalked him and convinced his mom that he is going to guitar lessons but he’s already good at it. Fitz has stalked his dad good enough that he already knows every move he’s gonna make, Fitz knows his schedule, the things he buys, and everything he does. He has a friend that can get anything for example drugs or a gun. Fitz has always wanted to talk to his father, but he has never met him. Fitz plans to get in his dad’s car and point a gun that his friend gave him. He eventually does it but Fitz doesn’t want his dad's money or anything he just wants some time with him or a nice conversation. He gets in his dad’s car and does the plan but his dad is very confused and doesn’t know what the robber wants. Eventually Fitz takes off his mask and his dad later notices who he is. That’s the farthest i've gotten in the book but for now my favorite character is Fitz, he is a nice kid knows his stuff. The author Mick Cochrane wrote this book brilliantly he explains the details very well and it has a nice beginning story to it. Overall this book is looking great so far.
June 29, 2012
Richie’s Picks: FITZ by Mick Cochrane, Knopf, November 2012, 192p., ISBN: 978-0-375-85683-9
“I was alone, I took a ride, I didn’t know what I would find there
Another road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there”
--Lennon/McCartney “Got to Get You into My Life” (from The Beatles’ Revolver album)
“A black SUV passes slowly. There’s a woman inside, nicely dressed, wearing sunglasses, fluffing her hair in the rearview mirror. Fitz smiles pleasantly at her, trying his best not to look like a kidnapper, and she smiles back. To her, he probably looks like a typical fifteen-year-old boy. He’s wearing sneakers, black jeans, a gray hoodie. He’s got a backpack slung over his shoulder.
“And that’s exactly what he is: a typical fifteen-year-old boy. A sophomore on the B honor roll. A kid with a messy room, an electric guitar, a notebook full of song lyrics, vague dreams about doing something great some day, a crush on a red-haired girl. The city is full of kids like him. America is full of kids like him. He’s nothing special.
“Except that he’s carrying a Smith & Wesson .38 Special in the waistband of his jeans and a gutful of confusion, a lifetime’s resentment in his heart. A gnawing hunger for a father he’s never known.
“He kneels down now, retying his shoes for the third or fourth time. Fitz can imagine his father inside, straightening his silk tie, sipping a cup of fresh-ground, fair-trade coffee, thinking about his day—a meeting with a client maybe, a deposition—no idea that someone is waiting for him, that his son has other plans.”
Fitz, who lives with his mother five miles from here in the Twin Cities, has learned where his father resides. He has never met nor had a conversation with his father. His mother has always been elusive about why his father has never been part of his life. But now, after stalking him for weeks, Fitz decides that he is going to force the father he’s never met to have them share a day together.
“This was his logic. He wanted to spend some time with his father, what was the phrase? Quality time. He wanted to spend some quality time with his dad. It was time to get acquainted. But his dad wasn’t interested. After all these years, that much was obvious. It wasn’t like he was going to respond to an invitation. Fitz figured he needed a convincer.”
FITZ is the story of what happens when this young man – who is named after F. Scott Fitzgerald -- walks up to his father’s fancy car, opens the passenger door, sits down, and shows dad that he means business.
I can so easily imagine this story descending into rage and violence or into silly melodrama. But, instead, author Mick Cochrane treats us to a thoughtful, provocative, and honest tale about a father and son get to know one another for the first time. I just love the writing style here – it is an absolute thrill of a read without a lot of hyper writing.
FITZ, which includes allusions to some major classics of American literature -- including the most famous work by the author after whom the young man is named -- is a first-rate guy read. Mick Cochrane has become one of my authors to watch.
Richie Partington
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
“I was alone, I took a ride, I didn’t know what I would find there
Another road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there”
--Lennon/McCartney “Got to Get You into My Life” (from The Beatles’ Revolver album)
“A black SUV passes slowly. There’s a woman inside, nicely dressed, wearing sunglasses, fluffing her hair in the rearview mirror. Fitz smiles pleasantly at her, trying his best not to look like a kidnapper, and she smiles back. To her, he probably looks like a typical fifteen-year-old boy. He’s wearing sneakers, black jeans, a gray hoodie. He’s got a backpack slung over his shoulder.
“And that’s exactly what he is: a typical fifteen-year-old boy. A sophomore on the B honor roll. A kid with a messy room, an electric guitar, a notebook full of song lyrics, vague dreams about doing something great some day, a crush on a red-haired girl. The city is full of kids like him. America is full of kids like him. He’s nothing special.
“Except that he’s carrying a Smith & Wesson .38 Special in the waistband of his jeans and a gutful of confusion, a lifetime’s resentment in his heart. A gnawing hunger for a father he’s never known.
“He kneels down now, retying his shoes for the third or fourth time. Fitz can imagine his father inside, straightening his silk tie, sipping a cup of fresh-ground, fair-trade coffee, thinking about his day—a meeting with a client maybe, a deposition—no idea that someone is waiting for him, that his son has other plans.”
Fitz, who lives with his mother five miles from here in the Twin Cities, has learned where his father resides. He has never met nor had a conversation with his father. His mother has always been elusive about why his father has never been part of his life. But now, after stalking him for weeks, Fitz decides that he is going to force the father he’s never met to have them share a day together.
“This was his logic. He wanted to spend some time with his father, what was the phrase? Quality time. He wanted to spend some quality time with his dad. It was time to get acquainted. But his dad wasn’t interested. After all these years, that much was obvious. It wasn’t like he was going to respond to an invitation. Fitz figured he needed a convincer.”
FITZ is the story of what happens when this young man – who is named after F. Scott Fitzgerald -- walks up to his father’s fancy car, opens the passenger door, sits down, and shows dad that he means business.
I can so easily imagine this story descending into rage and violence or into silly melodrama. But, instead, author Mick Cochrane treats us to a thoughtful, provocative, and honest tale about a father and son get to know one another for the first time. I just love the writing style here – it is an absolute thrill of a read without a lot of hyper writing.
FITZ, which includes allusions to some major classics of American literature -- including the most famous work by the author after whom the young man is named -- is a first-rate guy read. Mick Cochrane has become one of my authors to watch.
Richie Partington
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
April 6, 2013
[3/5]
For more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
However strange this might sound, FITZ reminds me of the type of short story we'd read in school. I know that sounds pretty bad for some readers, but I guess I happen to actually enjoy what I read in the classroom. Maybe it's because the book was so short and seemed to symbolize "something more"? I'm not totally sure. Nevertheless, I found that FITZ was a short, but curious and intriguing type of read.
As a character, I found that Fitz was a pretty likable character. I liked the smaller details in his character, like that he loved music, had a crush on Nora, and could appear to be your everyday teenage guy. He also appeared to be a really sweet character and grew onto me as I read on! To an extent, I could also understand his pent up emotions and dying curiosity about his father, which made me really feel for him. However, I felt like I still wanted to know more about his character, but as the book is pretty short, I was still hungering for more of the details in his thinking and character.
I also found that the writing in this book was magnificent! Not only did it flow well, but I also felt like I could just "click" with the passages, like I could completely understand the meaning behind the words. The book is also written in third person and has a large amount of flashbacks, which I found interesting in a "curious" type of way, though it makes the plot move at a slower pace. For this, I'd, again, suggest reading the first few pages in the book at a store or reading the sample provided on Amazon.
The plot though is probably what mainly brought my experience down. Judging from the summary, I guess I was expecting more action and suspense. Instead, you have a mellower experience and a deeper exploration of Fitz's family relationships. While I did end up enjoying their complex relationships, I was still expecting a faster paced and more exciting novel, so I was still a bit let down.
However, I do have to say I loved Curtis & Annie's stories (aka, Fitz's parents). Yes, you could probably guess Curtis's story is different then it seems, but I loved how it was slowly developed, gradually tugging at my heartstrings. In fact, because of the many flashbacks, by the end I felt like I knew more about Fitz's parents than Fitz himself...
Overall, FITZ had an interesting premise and wasn't all that I expected, therefore leaving me wanting for more. Though I really enjoyed Curtis & Annie's story, I still felt like more time should have been spent describing more of Fitz's character. When picking up FITZ, if you're expecting a more drawn out novel, rather than one with a lot of action, you would probably enjoy it! On the other hand, if you're looking for a psych-thriller type of book, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
* Thank you to Jennifer of ARCycling for the review copy of the book!
For more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
However strange this might sound, FITZ reminds me of the type of short story we'd read in school. I know that sounds pretty bad for some readers, but I guess I happen to actually enjoy what I read in the classroom. Maybe it's because the book was so short and seemed to symbolize "something more"? I'm not totally sure. Nevertheless, I found that FITZ was a short, but curious and intriguing type of read.
As a character, I found that Fitz was a pretty likable character. I liked the smaller details in his character, like that he loved music, had a crush on Nora, and could appear to be your everyday teenage guy. He also appeared to be a really sweet character and grew onto me as I read on! To an extent, I could also understand his pent up emotions and dying curiosity about his father, which made me really feel for him. However, I felt like I still wanted to know more about his character, but as the book is pretty short, I was still hungering for more of the details in his thinking and character.
I also found that the writing in this book was magnificent! Not only did it flow well, but I also felt like I could just "click" with the passages, like I could completely understand the meaning behind the words. The book is also written in third person and has a large amount of flashbacks, which I found interesting in a "curious" type of way, though it makes the plot move at a slower pace. For this, I'd, again, suggest reading the first few pages in the book at a store or reading the sample provided on Amazon.
The plot though is probably what mainly brought my experience down. Judging from the summary, I guess I was expecting more action and suspense. Instead, you have a mellower experience and a deeper exploration of Fitz's family relationships. While I did end up enjoying their complex relationships, I was still expecting a faster paced and more exciting novel, so I was still a bit let down.
However, I do have to say I loved Curtis & Annie's stories (aka, Fitz's parents). Yes, you could probably guess Curtis's story is different then it seems, but I loved how it was slowly developed, gradually tugging at my heartstrings. In fact, because of the many flashbacks, by the end I felt like I knew more about Fitz's parents than Fitz himself...
Overall, FITZ had an interesting premise and wasn't all that I expected, therefore leaving me wanting for more. Though I really enjoyed Curtis & Annie's story, I still felt like more time should have been spent describing more of Fitz's character. When picking up FITZ, if you're expecting a more drawn out novel, rather than one with a lot of action, you would probably enjoy it! On the other hand, if you're looking for a psych-thriller type of book, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
* Thank you to Jennifer of ARCycling for the review copy of the book!
December 27, 2015
Mick Cochrane’s YA novel, Fitz, is the story of what happens when a boy decides to confront the father he’s never met.
Fitz is a “typical fifteen-year-old boy. A sophomore on the B honor roll. A kid with a messy room, an electric guitar, a notebook full of song lyrics, vague dreams about doing something great some day, a crush on a red-haired girl.”
And like many other teens, Fitz (short for Fitzgerald) lives with his single mom. His father is an unknown entity; his mother doesn’t talk about him and although he supports Fitz financially, Fitz knows nothing about him. That doesn’t mean Fitz doesn’t think about him, though.
When Fitz was a little boy, he liked to imagine that his father was quietly, secretly watching over him, loving him, for his own good and unselfish reasons, from a distance.
Circumstances have changed, though. Fitz has inadvertently discovered his father’s home address and he’s decided to confront his dad, which, sure, that seems plausible enough. What doesn’t seem quite as likely is the fact that Fitz takes a gun with him and pretty much kidnaps his father. It’s a scenario that could go horribly wrong.
Turns out, though, that Fitz’s father, Curtis, is a decent guy – clearly, he’s been paying support all these years. Over the course of the day the two listen to music, hang out at the zoo, have lunch and visit Curtis’s office (he’s an attorney). As the day unfolds, Fitz tries to figure out what it is he really wants to know about his dad and Curtis, it seems, is only too willing to talk, has – in fact – been waiting for fifteen years to have this conversation with his son. It’s kind of sweet, really.
“You were a good baby, a beautiful baby,” that’s how he starts. That’s his once-upon-a-time. He says that Fitz was healthy, bright-eyed, curious. He had amazing blue eyes. It’s just that he didn’t sleep, at least not for long stretches.
Fitz is sensible enough to listen as his father tries to explain the story of his relationship with Fitz’s mother and smart enough to realize that even parents make mistakes because, in their own once-upon-a-time, they were young enough to make them. If the story seems just a tad sentimental, Cochrane can be forgiven because Fitz is a likeable character and, thankfully, the gun is little more than false bravado.
Fitz is a “typical fifteen-year-old boy. A sophomore on the B honor roll. A kid with a messy room, an electric guitar, a notebook full of song lyrics, vague dreams about doing something great some day, a crush on a red-haired girl.”
And like many other teens, Fitz (short for Fitzgerald) lives with his single mom. His father is an unknown entity; his mother doesn’t talk about him and although he supports Fitz financially, Fitz knows nothing about him. That doesn’t mean Fitz doesn’t think about him, though.
When Fitz was a little boy, he liked to imagine that his father was quietly, secretly watching over him, loving him, for his own good and unselfish reasons, from a distance.
Circumstances have changed, though. Fitz has inadvertently discovered his father’s home address and he’s decided to confront his dad, which, sure, that seems plausible enough. What doesn’t seem quite as likely is the fact that Fitz takes a gun with him and pretty much kidnaps his father. It’s a scenario that could go horribly wrong.
Turns out, though, that Fitz’s father, Curtis, is a decent guy – clearly, he’s been paying support all these years. Over the course of the day the two listen to music, hang out at the zoo, have lunch and visit Curtis’s office (he’s an attorney). As the day unfolds, Fitz tries to figure out what it is he really wants to know about his dad and Curtis, it seems, is only too willing to talk, has – in fact – been waiting for fifteen years to have this conversation with his son. It’s kind of sweet, really.
“You were a good baby, a beautiful baby,” that’s how he starts. That’s his once-upon-a-time. He says that Fitz was healthy, bright-eyed, curious. He had amazing blue eyes. It’s just that he didn’t sleep, at least not for long stretches.
Fitz is sensible enough to listen as his father tries to explain the story of his relationship with Fitz’s mother and smart enough to realize that even parents make mistakes because, in their own once-upon-a-time, they were young enough to make them. If the story seems just a tad sentimental, Cochrane can be forgiven because Fitz is a likeable character and, thankfully, the gun is little more than false bravado.
April 9, 2014
This book was very interesting to me. The beginning was a little confusing but as the story progressed, my interest peaked. Fitzgerald McGrath (Fitz) is the main character who has lived 15 years without a father. After all this time he has found his father Curtis, and has been studying him for quite some time. He is a lawyer, lives in a suburb, alone, seems somewhat ordinary. Fitz learns everything about his fathers routine and one day, he holds his father at gunpoint right before work when Fitz should be at school.
At first Curtis thinks he is being mugged and offers over his wallet, but then everything gets intense, Fitz says who he is. Throughout the story Fitz does not know what to do next, he spends some good time with his father and never seems to get rid of his suspicion that his father might take off while Fitz is distracted. They laugh and argue, but the main character cannot decide if this is genuine, or if his father is just acting because there is a gun involved. After spending the whole day together Curtis takes Fitz home, only for Fitz's mom Annie to show up at the same time. With Annie pushing Curtis away and demanding that he leave, Curtis respectfully doing so with no emotion, Fitz is starting to see why his father was not in his life. It was his mothers fault.
Fitz pulls out his gun that he has had on him that whole day and shoots.
The ending is my favorite part and I hate it at the same time.
I hate that throughout this whole book you are waiting for a climax, and it happens in the last two pages of the book. It gives the story more intensity however it irritates me as a reader. I feel like I should have been given more from the book. As though the ending should not have been so quick after all the time it took to get to the ending.
However I love the ending because it was very intense. There is a gun brought out, a trigger pulled, you could almost hear the crack of the gun while you are reading. Fitz does not shoot anyone. He hits a tree. He just came to a boiling point and wanted to be heard. He got both of his parents attention, and told them both how it was. His father was a "Loser" for not trying to be in his life and his mother was at fault for making it that way in the first place.
At first Curtis thinks he is being mugged and offers over his wallet, but then everything gets intense, Fitz says who he is. Throughout the story Fitz does not know what to do next, he spends some good time with his father and never seems to get rid of his suspicion that his father might take off while Fitz is distracted. They laugh and argue, but the main character cannot decide if this is genuine, or if his father is just acting because there is a gun involved. After spending the whole day together Curtis takes Fitz home, only for Fitz's mom Annie to show up at the same time. With Annie pushing Curtis away and demanding that he leave, Curtis respectfully doing so with no emotion, Fitz is starting to see why his father was not in his life. It was his mothers fault.
Fitz pulls out his gun that he has had on him that whole day and shoots.
The ending is my favorite part and I hate it at the same time.
I hate that throughout this whole book you are waiting for a climax, and it happens in the last two pages of the book. It gives the story more intensity however it irritates me as a reader. I feel like I should have been given more from the book. As though the ending should not have been so quick after all the time it took to get to the ending.
However I love the ending because it was very intense. There is a gun brought out, a trigger pulled, you could almost hear the crack of the gun while you are reading. Fitz does not shoot anyone. He hits a tree. He just came to a boiling point and wanted to be heard. He got both of his parents attention, and told them both how it was. His father was a "Loser" for not trying to be in his life and his mother was at fault for making it that way in the first place.
May 26, 2024
Fitz kidnaps his absentee dad for the day. Quick read just under 200 pages. Main character is relatable and genuine especially if you've lived with divorced parents/never married parents. Deals with the serious topic of him not knowing his dad or wondering why he "gave him up." There's just enough humor to lighten the heavy parts. Satisfying ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2012
How far would you go to spend just a few moments with the father who abandoned you as a baby? That's essentially the premise of this fascinating book about a teenage boy who goes to extreme lengths in an effort to discover the parent he never knew.
The book opens with fifteen-year old Fitz staking out a swanky neighborhood, quietly waiting for the right moment to kidnap his rich, lawyer father at gunpoint. Fitz has always felt a gnawing emptiness all his life due to his father's absence. He's not sure why his parents split up because his mom refuses to talk about it. So Fitz takes drastic measures to get the answers he's always sought.
Cochrane's novel is a page-turner not because it's fast-paced (it really isn't), but because of the character development of the flawed, but vulnerable Fitz. He's done a pretty awful thing, kidnapping someone at gunpoint--one might assume that he's not a redeemable human being. However, readers see Fitz process a range of emotions (guilt, sadness, anger, regret) - much of which come off as somewhat justifiable as we learn more about his dad's background. As Fitz and his father, Curtis interact, we see layers being peeled back to reveal the hurt on both sides - Fitz's feelings of abandonment, and also Curtis' ultimate recognition of his failure as a partner and parent.
For the most part, this book worked for me - I liked how issues of class were juxtaposed (Fitz is poor/Curtis is not), and Fitz's internal dialogue throughout the novel about the differences and similarities between him and his father. Things that didn't work: the side characters, like Fitz's bandmates. These characters weren't well developed enough to drive the plot forward. I was also disappointed in the portrayal of Annie, Fitz's mother--when we finally meet her, she's kind of awful and we don't really understand why. Lastly, the conclusion felt a little too neatly wrapped up and stretched believability for me. Still, this was a worthwhile read that would appeal to a broad audience.
The book opens with fifteen-year old Fitz staking out a swanky neighborhood, quietly waiting for the right moment to kidnap his rich, lawyer father at gunpoint. Fitz has always felt a gnawing emptiness all his life due to his father's absence. He's not sure why his parents split up because his mom refuses to talk about it. So Fitz takes drastic measures to get the answers he's always sought.
Cochrane's novel is a page-turner not because it's fast-paced (it really isn't), but because of the character development of the flawed, but vulnerable Fitz. He's done a pretty awful thing, kidnapping someone at gunpoint--one might assume that he's not a redeemable human being. However, readers see Fitz process a range of emotions (guilt, sadness, anger, regret) - much of which come off as somewhat justifiable as we learn more about his dad's background. As Fitz and his father, Curtis interact, we see layers being peeled back to reveal the hurt on both sides - Fitz's feelings of abandonment, and also Curtis' ultimate recognition of his failure as a partner and parent.
For the most part, this book worked for me - I liked how issues of class were juxtaposed (Fitz is poor/Curtis is not), and Fitz's internal dialogue throughout the novel about the differences and similarities between him and his father. Things that didn't work: the side characters, like Fitz's bandmates. These characters weren't well developed enough to drive the plot forward. I was also disappointed in the portrayal of Annie, Fitz's mother--when we finally meet her, she's kind of awful and we don't really understand why. Lastly, the conclusion felt a little too neatly wrapped up and stretched believability for me. Still, this was a worthwhile read that would appeal to a broad audience.
June 13, 2017
For my independent reading novel, I read the book "Fitz" by Mick Cochrane. The book takes place in the same city the author of the book was born in; St. Paul, Minnesota. For the most part, the simple city and suburban settings of the book help build contrast to the main character, Fitz's, story line. In the novel, Fitzgerald, seems to be as average as any other kid. He's interested in music, likes to hangout with his friends, and lives in an average American neighborhood. He is this typical 15 year old his entire life, that is, until he holds his father, Curtis, hostage by threatening him with a gun. Having the upper hand in the situation, Fitz uses his new found power to force his father, who has never been actively apart of Fitz's life, to inform Fitz of his life story. As a reader, it is easy to identify Fitz's craving for lost information, but leaves you questioning if having Curtis retell his story will be enough to satisfy Fitz's hunger for his absent father. In relation, a concept that plays a vital role to the book's plot is learning to move on from the past and look to the future. As Fitz carries out his mission to to his father, he has to decide if he will let the past dictate how he will live his future, only adding to the intensity and suspense of the book.
Even though I usually find the books I read for school incredibly dull, "Fitz" by Mick Cochrane radiates a sense of suspense from the very first page, which makes the book a fast pace and simple read. Might I also add that the way the author incorporates flashbacks into his tale especially enhances the readers enjoyment of the book by helping the reader to better understand where the character's are coming from. The lighthearted tone that the author has written the book in contrasted by the dark ideas it addresses really makes for an interesting read.
In short, if you're the type of person who is in need of a quick read and enjoys a suspenseful story, I would recommend this book to you. Not only is Fitz super relatable, but his unique attempt at trying to reconnect his family is intriguing.
Even though I usually find the books I read for school incredibly dull, "Fitz" by Mick Cochrane radiates a sense of suspense from the very first page, which makes the book a fast pace and simple read. Might I also add that the way the author incorporates flashbacks into his tale especially enhances the readers enjoyment of the book by helping the reader to better understand where the character's are coming from. The lighthearted tone that the author has written the book in contrasted by the dark ideas it addresses really makes for an interesting read.
In short, if you're the type of person who is in need of a quick read and enjoys a suspenseful story, I would recommend this book to you. Not only is Fitz super relatable, but his unique attempt at trying to reconnect his family is intriguing.
January 31, 2013
Two males from two different worlds are torn apart and Fitz thinks a Smith & Wesson .38 Special can solve the answer. These two males have a lot in common if only they had learned to speak and stand on their own two feet but perhaps it is not too late now. Fitz and his father never knew each other. Curtis tried to be father when Fitz was born, (or did he really try) but rejection was just too easy to take and with his future still a blank slate, he rose to the top and made himself a name. Fitz and his mother on the other hand, survived. They were happy but Fitz felt as if he was missing something and packing a .38 Special he sought out to seek the father who had it all. He only wanted answers, he only wanted his father for one day, but what is got was more.
The premise about Fitz looking for his father and wanting answers was what intrigued me. The way the mom answered her son’s questions was interesting since this all happened when the parents were young. I really expected some name-slinging but this book was more about a boy discovering for himself who he was and his past. So you’re 15 years-old and you kidnap your father for the day, where do you take him? The places that the two hit are unique and the author did a great job bonding the characters yet keeping them separate.
“Fitz realizes that his father must feel naked-without his phone, his keys, his wallet, without his standard props, his usual gear, without his suit jacket and briefcase. Fitz images going further: making him take off his watch, his silk tie, his crisp white shirt. He imagines stripping him to his shorts, leaving him to wander the park grounds in his boxers. Would he even know who he was?”
The premise about Fitz looking for his father and wanting answers was what intrigued me. The way the mom answered her son’s questions was interesting since this all happened when the parents were young. I really expected some name-slinging but this book was more about a boy discovering for himself who he was and his past. So you’re 15 years-old and you kidnap your father for the day, where do you take him? The places that the two hit are unique and the author did a great job bonding the characters yet keeping them separate.
“Fitz realizes that his father must feel naked-without his phone, his keys, his wallet, without his standard props, his usual gear, without his suit jacket and briefcase. Fitz images going further: making him take off his watch, his silk tie, his crisp white shirt. He imagines stripping him to his shorts, leaving him to wander the park grounds in his boxers. Would he even know who he was?”
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