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Wordchanger
Twelve-year-old William discovers his stepfather has created a machine capable of changing the printed word and fears that his intentions are sinister.
Library Binding
First published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 9, 2017
i don't normally give horrible reviews, but this book i really disliked. Been wanting to read it for ten years when was recommended in a children's lit course because of the connection to "Carry On Mr. Bowditch."
Two of the main characters are Stan Lee and Bill Wilson, i only read 180 pages and the last chapter and there was nothing to do w/alcoholism or comicbooks so don't understand why the editor let those two famous names be used or why the author chose them. None of the characters are likable the too-damn-smart 12 year old that thinks he knows more than every adult and sulks about it, the barely capable mother we are supposed to believe is a physicist (and she can barely drive a car - women drivers!), the bratty teen age runaway, the stepfather everybody hates, there is an attractive single scientist that always kept up w/the mother's career after her first husband's death and apparently rescues them all at the end - and they're going to hook up YEAH - the woman would be better off w/a shrink and a vibrator. There's the evil aunt no one has ever met that wants to send the kid to boarding school, a starving artist making a choice between fatherhood and one last shot at recognition. The absent world famous mother that chose career over kid -damn her!
"-That's the kind of mother a person should have, Lily told herself. - A career woman who likes books and makes a good salary." p89
The book was written in 1981 -ten years after Ms. magazine had been founded, didn't anybody read an issue before sending this book out?
Two of the main characters are Stan Lee and Bill Wilson, i only read 180 pages and the last chapter and there was nothing to do w/alcoholism or comicbooks so don't understand why the editor let those two famous names be used or why the author chose them. None of the characters are likable the too-damn-smart 12 year old that thinks he knows more than every adult and sulks about it, the barely capable mother we are supposed to believe is a physicist (and she can barely drive a car - women drivers!), the bratty teen age runaway, the stepfather everybody hates, there is an attractive single scientist that always kept up w/the mother's career after her first husband's death and apparently rescues them all at the end - and they're going to hook up YEAH - the woman would be better off w/a shrink and a vibrator. There's the evil aunt no one has ever met that wants to send the kid to boarding school, a starving artist making a choice between fatherhood and one last shot at recognition. The absent world famous mother that chose career over kid -damn her!
"-That's the kind of mother a person should have, Lily told herself. - A career woman who likes books and makes a good salary." p89
The book was written in 1981 -ten years after Ms. magazine had been founded, didn't anybody read an issue before sending this book out?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2022
How to describe this book? A boy, his mom, a physics experiment, a girl and airstream trailer and many pizza deliveries. That doesn't touch how good this story is. Trying to explain this story doesn't even touch on why it is so good. It is!! So read it!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews