Asylum for Nightface

by Bruce Brooks

Zimmerman, a fourteen-year-old boy, feels alienated by his family and friends and he begins to realize that he has to take a stand for his own beliefs against the religious fervor that surrounds him. Reprint.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Religion

153 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1996

About the author

Bruce Brooks (born September 23, 1950) is an American author of young adult and children's literature. He was born in Washington D.C., but spent most of his time growing up in North Carolina as a result of parents' being divorced. Although divorce is never easy for a child, Brooks credits moving around a lot between the two locations with making him a keen observer of social situations. Switching schools often and having to make new friends evolved his ability to tell good stories. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1972, and the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1980. Before earning a living as a writer, Brooks had worked as a letterpress operator and a journalist for magazines and newspapers. Brooks has reported a very diverse list of influences, like Charles Dickens, Henry James, P.G. Wodehouse and Raymond Chandler. Brooks has three sons: Alex, 23, Spencer, 15, and Drake, 1. He lives with his wife Ginee Seo in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Emily Searle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely underrated! It is one of the best books I have ever read. Ever. It is a Young Adult novel about a boy who has always been very well behaved, no matter how unhinged his parents become. Eventually, though, the pressure of reputation can catch up with a person.

[Storm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book once when I was little, before I realized it was about religion from one man's point of view. I had saw the cover and thought 'Whoa cool, superhero!'

Reading it now, seeing all the 'god' stuff again. Yea, still not interesting. It's interesting how this guy's mind works, but the god stuff, meh. I don't much care about it one way or the other. Then and now though I could relate somewhat to Zimmerman's ordeal of his parents and their 'change'. The struggle to understand and be understood.

[Cat. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another YA book, about religion. Very strange. The kid is the one who has developed a strong God-centered worldview, while his parents are dismayed to find their free-living (ostensibly) non-judgmental lifestyle is being rejected. Then, while on vacation, they are "saved" by a cult-y religious group, and the kid becomes a sort-of prophet-like--and eventually God-like--presence for them. Finally, he feels like he has to prove his non-divinity in a rather drastic way. Strange. Fascinating.

[Colleen Manning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise in this book--a teenage boy who is much more intelligent than his parents. Thought-provoking themes: faith and religion, honesty, family relationships. Somehow I think Brooks didn't get his point across in this book as well in others of his I've read. Or maybe I just didn't get it.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't particularly enjoy this book. It was short but I felt that the characters were underdeveloped and the story was hard to follow. I noticed that the vocabulary was uncomplicated which would make it accessible to low level readers. I do enjoy that the themes of this book were so applicable to the targeted age range of Junior High.

[Gobind Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asylum for Nightface is a great book for kids i would recommend this and it will interest most.