The novel Avalanche by Arthur J. Roth is a chilling and intense novel about a boy, Chris, who gets trapped under an avalanche while skiing. He’s stuck there for over a week, but he finds ways to keep himself alive. Nobody knows he’s there, because he went off his normal track, but eventually his older brother finds him and saves him out of luck.
I really enjoyed this book because it really allows you to see what it’s like to be trapped for a really long time without seeing anyone for days. When Chris is trapped under the snow, he notices that he’d never gone that long without seeing another human. I don’t think I’ve ever gone a whole day without seeing someone else, so the thought of not seeing anyone for even a day frightens me.
I can definitely relate to Chris, being the younger sibling of two. Like Chris, I’ve always had to live up to my sister’s expectations and I often feel inferior to her. However, Terry ends up being the one who saves Chris and shows how much he loves him. When Chris was trapped under the avalanche, he thinks about Terry a lot and thinks about what Terry would do if he were in his situation. Chris proves not only to others, but also to himself that he’s able to survive and he’s mentally strong.
The main theme in this book is to never give up, and to always find something to look forward to in harsh times. When Chris is stuck in that tiny little hole, he becomes very excited when he finds the smallest of things – such as a mirror and a branch. This reminds us that there’s always something to be happy about and you should find a way to keep yourself going through everyday.
My favorite character had to be Terry, because he was the one who eventually rescued Chris. He also showed that he’s not just about sports, but he cares immensely about Chris. He was the one who proved his father wrong and found him because h remembered something Chris had said months ago.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because although it was very creepy and engaging, I felt that he wasn’t trapped for a long enough time and Arthur J. Roth could have made the story even more thrilling if he was trapped for even longer. I think that anyone who is a fan of action books would really enjoy this, and people of all ages should read this.