Pieces

by Chris Lynch

A teen revives the legacy of his lost brother in this “exceptional” ( Kirkus Reviews ) companion to Iceman , from National Book Award finalist Chris Lynch.

When Eric’s brother Duane dies, his world breaks in two. Duane was his best friend—possibly his only friend. And Eric isn’t sure how to live in a world without Duane in it. Desperate to find a piece of his brother to hold on to, Eric decides to meet some of the people who received Duane’s organs.

He expects to meet perfect strangers. Instead he encounters people who become more than friends and almost like family—people who begin to help Eric put the pieces of his life back together for good.

From internationally acclaimed author Chris Lynch comes a gripping and enduring exploration of loss and recovery in this companion to the celebrated Iceman .

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Friendship, Family

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2013

About the author

Chris Lynch is the Printz Honor Award-winning author of several highly acclaimed young adult novels, including KILL SWITCH, ANGRY YOUNG MAN, and INEXCUSABLE, which was a National Book Award finalist and the recipient of six starred reviews. He is also the author of FREEWILL, GOLD DUST, ICEMAN, GYPSY DAVY, and SHADOWBOXER, all ALA Best Books for Young Adults; EXTREME ELVIN WHITECHURCH, and ALL THE OLD HAUNTS.

He holds an M.A. from the writing program at Emerson College. He mentors aspiring writers and continues to work on new literary projects. He lives in Boston and in Scotland.

Reviews

[Ollie Hennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

SNAPSHOT:
Eighteen-year-old Eric leads readers through the year after his brother’s suicide, as he wades through the mourning process, held back by the loss of his best friend. When he begins to meet three of the people who accepted Duane’s organs, his life takes on more meaning—and the novel takes many strange, quirky turns.

A high point in the story is when Martha, Duane’s long-time love who went away to Africa six months before Duane’s suicide, returns at the end of act one. As she learns the news of her old flame’s death, Eric experiences it all again for the first time. Including Martha’s desire to meet Phil, Melinda, and Barry. Martha, to Eric’s love-struck dismay, connects most with foul-mouthed Barry, he of the wandering eye and constant sexual innuendo.

Among the donor recipients, redheaded teenage Phil is the most endearing. Having received Duane’s inner ear bone for one ear, he makes sweet jokes about Duane being able to hear his little brother if Eric talks into that ear; and Phil promises not to listen in. A bit of a shy guy, Phil opens up and gains more confidence through Eric’s at-first-hesitant friendship. Indeed, Eric’s own friendship with Phil helps him open up to the idea of a friend for the first time in a year.

The small but lovingly crafted cast filled with eccentric yet familiar characters is certainly the strength of this tale. Readers are likely to have their own favorite, and root for happiness for the lot of them. Ultimately, the novel ends abruptly but thoughtfully, leaving readers to answer on their own the question which plagues Eric throughout: who are these people to him?

Appropriate for ages 14+. Strong language, difficult subject matter, off-screen suicide. Social alcohol use and discussions of sexual situations.

Deals with death and loss, suicide, family, relationships, and identity.


GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
If you…

- Love books that ask the hard questions
- Are a fan of the previous book starring Eric, Iceman
- Enjoy protagonists who grow to love themselves and others
- Have ever suddenly lost someone special in your life

[[Review originally featured at https://youngentertainmentmag.com/pie... ]]

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

As books about troubled young men facing tragedy go, this one isn't bad, but it didn't wow me. I'm not sure if could make a positive difference in too many of the lives of my students. In a year that features , just how many books can measure up?

There's probably a place for this one, though, for the slightly less cerebral readers or those looking for a more rough and tumble protagonist and fewer pages. Pieces is a nice title, most obviously referring to the parts of Eric's older brother Duane only reluctantly shared in organ donation after the big personality snapped his neck with a daredevil dive into a quarry pond. Agreeing to pull the plug was bad enough, but harvesting him for others seemed just another indignity--at first. Months and months later, though, Eric is the only one who wants to meet some of Duane's recipients: his parents are grieving and trying to recover in their own way and have no interest.

So Eric finds himself having tea--yes, high tea--with three people whose lives were improved with pieces of Duane. A red-headed teenager named Phil now has Duane's inner ear bones while an asshole named Barryy seems determined to drink Duane's liver away while pursuing the female population of the greater Boston area--maybe even to include young mother Melinda with a new lease on life from Duane's kidney.

After one meeting, Duane feels pretty much done with seeing how Duane's death extended life for some, but when Duane's girlfriend Martha comes back from South American relief work, her shock and need compel more interaction with the pieces of Duane, keeping Eric's brother sometimes painfully close for him.

With "Duanisms," pieces of philosophy to open each chapter, and the mighty love felt for him by our characters, Lynch does a nice job of bringing the original Duane to life for readers, but the focus is on Eric, a young man hurting and facing a whole long future without his anchor. Not sure if the Navy is his best course or whether he will be able to navigate a future at all that goes beyond one day at a time, Eric's story will appeal to some teenagers facing decisions and tragedies big and small

[Daniel Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did.

In a mere 168 pages, Chris Lynch creates a bittersweet, charming, and funny story about loss, grieving, and the healing effects of community.

With colourful (and quite loveable) characters, adorable interactions, and a very well-paced narrative, Pieces is a beautiful book that not only provides for a quick read but also a memorable story that will surely stick with me.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a beautiful woman places your hand on her hip and tells you to feel your brother's kidney, yeah, things get wierd. Darkly funny and oddly disturbing, Chris Lynch's quick read will keep you so off balance you'll be clutching for the seasickness pills.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well! This was most certainly not what I expected of a book about grief and organ donation. Leave it to Chris Lynch to explore the raw, imperfect side of what everyone assumes to a noble deed.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too wacky, a little too superficial.

[Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book because it was required to pick a level-appropriate book from the library at school and it was the shortest book I could find. Once I started reading it I was hoping that only the start of the book was slow and that it would pick up the pace once it introduced all the characters; it didn't. This book dragged on considering how short it is. I think it didn't appeal to me because of the characters. There were way too many and most were pretty irrelevant to the plot. I really disliked many of them and the way they spoke to one another, which is a problem I hardly ever find myself having with other media, but in this instance it was practically everyone. I learned a good lesson from reading this- get a good book, not a short book and reading it will be so much easier.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because It was meaningful and left a very good message of, It doesn’t matter how hard a conflict hits. What matters is what you do as a result. The reason I only give it 3.5 stars is because all the big parts of the book took place early on in the book and then declined from there. This made it so there wasn’t any tension in the book after the big event took place. I would recommend my book to someone who is dealing with a major conflict or a loss of someone.

[Seema M. Fazil · Rating 3 out of 5]

...it wasn't how I had expected to be...but I liked it.
When I saw this book, I was so excited to read it as you know I'm a brotherly love/bromance addict. I was expecting Eric to talk about his dead brother a lot for instance, memories, etc. But sadly, it was only very little. It wasn't that bad, though.

[Natalie English · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't think the writing was that good. The book was kind of bizarre and unsettling. The characters were rather annoying and I thought parts were pretty unrealistic. It did have an interesting concept though.

[Laurie Thurston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve long been a fan of Chris Lynch and I really enjoyed *Pieces*...Sibling stories are one of my favorite themes and this tale of Eric meeting the recipients of his brother’s donated organs was unique, quirky, touching and irreverent.

[Zoe]

I had to DNF not even halfway through I couldn’t get into it.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

No, no I won't pull life support from my brother. No, no you can't take parts of my brother to give to other people. No...

Duane has been fatally injured in a diving accident and his family is making the decision to pull him off life support and whether or not to donate his organs as the book begins. Eric feels like his older brother is the only person in the world who understood him. Duane wasn't perfect. He had flaws. Major ones. But he was all Eric felt that he had to back him up. And now, one year later, Eric has this sudden notion that he needs to meet the people who benefitted from Duane's "pieces". He contacts the organ donation agency and she sets up a gathering. Only three fo the seven beneficiaries of Duane's organs agree to meet. The tea brunch where everyone meets is awkward, but what did Eric expect? Who are these people to him? Why does he feel like he needs to have a connection to them?

Phil, who is ironically a redhead (Duane used to tease redheads), is a 17-year-old lanky, nerdy boy who received some of Duane's internal ear bones. Barry, a complete jerk and idiot who orders alcoholic drink after drink at the brunch, has (again) ironically received Duane's liver. And Melissa, hot, single mom Melissa received Duane's kidney. All of them form a kind of friendship which later includes Martha, who had been Duane's girlfriend at one time but leaves to volunteer in Central America about a year before Duane's death and doesn't find out about his death until she returns.

What I really appreciated about this book was the humor used in what could've been a very heavy topic. Lynch is a master at the "one-liner" kind of jokes or sarcasm he incorporates into his writing. His characterization, especially of Phil, was also very well done. Some of my favorite lines include:

pg. 15 "How 'about that. Duane's heart is a year older than Duane ever was."

pg. 67 "Phil tries to answer, but his hands, his mouth, his eyebrows, all look like they are taking instructions from different air traffic controllers, because all he can do is splutter and stammer and gesticulate nuttily."

pg. 84 "Each minor success produces results as the machine spits out tickets, which can later be turned in for indescribably cheap-looking prizes. The tickets themselves probably have more intrinsic value than the toys they will be exchanged for, but no matter, no matter at all."

pg. 129 "And Phil is so excited to get in (to the Children's Museum) and relive his childhood-which was still operational probably three months ago- that he is doing this odd stretching thing where he stands on tiptoe for three or four seconds, goes flat, up again on the toes, etc. 'Please, can we go in now?' he says anxiously, trading the toe-ups for a subtle running-in-place thing." (This one made me laugh out loud!)

I also really liked that Eric's parents seemed to step up to the plate at the end, encouraging Eric not to join the military after all. Throughout the book, I got this feeling that they had been rather absent parents for Eric and that's partly why he felt such a connection to Duane. It was nice to see that they showed him support towards the end.

The seemingly unnecessary violence was something I didn't appreciate about this book. The incident when Martha and Eric, on the way to Dean's birthday party, rear-end the guy in the pickup-truck and Eric ends up beating him up, was unnecessary, I thought. I understand that Lynch was trying to show us what Eric's reaction to the little boy who saw the fight was and how that related to his relationship with Dean, but I think that could've been done differently, maybe including Reg more. I also am confused about Melissa and Eric. Was there a thing between the two of them, or not? And finally, I really did think that maybe there was potential for Eric and Martha to have a relationship and was a little disappointed in her running away again. There's a few things in this book that would make me skeptical to recommend it to my junior high age kids but I am aware that Lynch writes mostly for upper high school ages and I think the same is true for this book.

[Jason Whang · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend Pieces by Chris Lynch to everyone that is up for a suspenseful journey of loss and recovery. What make Lynch’s novel amusing because he crafts interesting and unique characters, orthodox, but questionable story structure, and lastly, adding unconventional elements to the setting and plot that gives readers mixed emotions. The story begins with the protagonist’s brother Duane dying. The protagonist Eric has lost the sense of life. He had lost hope and griefs over the unfortunate loss of his brother. To overcome the grief of Duane, Eric sets off on a journey with Duane’s ex-girlfriend, Martha, to talk to the people who have received Duane’s organs. Eric first meets the organ receivers through the organ donation organization and treats them tea. This is when the author first introduce the characters that serve an important role in this novel. Meeting shy and timid Phil, brassy and brazen Barry, sweet-single mom Melinda, Eric starts to question these characters. As the reader, I also question the author’s purpose in creating these characters. What fascinates me is that the personalities of these three people are so different, and very different from a ‘stereotypical’ organ transplant patient. Each character is so bright in their own way, and Christ Lynch breaks the common stereotype of how all patients are sad and gloomy. This story is recommendable because of its orthodox, but questionable story structure. It is an orthodox novel because it has all elements to the story structure, but we are left with a questionable resolution. To avoid spoilers, the ending mustn’t be given away, but leaves the reader with an unsuitable/irrelevant cliffhanger. Lastly, Pieces is recommended because of its delivery to readers. The author delivers such strong message with unique writing techniques. For example, in parts of the book, the author makes the reader think and ask questions about the character, setting, and plot. In other words, you have to read in between the lines. When Eric first meets the characters and starts to get along with them, Eric’s true feelings aren’t written in text, but needing to infer and analyze in a different/deeper level. Also, the author evokes strong emotions of the reader. While reading this book, there were many times where I felt hatred, anger, grief, and loss. The author allows the readers to make connections and bonds with the character, and makes us feel how the character is feeling. When Martha’s ex-husband and she fight, the reader feels personal sense of rage towards such evil character. Also, when Barry shows up with such brassy attitude and treats the gift he received (the organ) like a toy, Eric gets frustrated but as the reader I get frustrated too. Therefore, this book is a good one because at many occasions, we can maker personal and relevant connections with individual characters. All in all, I would recommend Pieces by Chris Lynch because of its unique and distinguished characters, orthodox, but questionable story structure, and the effective delivery techniques used by the author - especially the ability to make personal connections with individual figures in the story.

[jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Pieces" is a good book. There is no straightforward, completely planned out motive, just a series of interactions that equal the story. It's quite a level read, no huge climax or plunge. It seemed less substantial than other, similarly themed realistic fiction novels, yet I think it left me more satisfied. Not so much the events, but the feelings-- the raw emotions (which of course are mostly inferred since the narrator is a teenage boy) are very relatable, understandable, and not so far fetched. Eric himself is described by his actions and decisions and thoughts; not by words. He comes alive, but does not take up a physical representation in my head, simply a thoughtful presence that lingers. What Eric really craves is needing someone and someone needing him, though he never really fully realizes this. The closest he gets is always coming back to one word: stay.
This book is like a snapshot. It only covers Eric's life for maybe a week or so. There are no picky details and no excessive adjectives. A bunch of his actions are depicted, but without any further consequence or explanations. I enjoyed this light feeling of the book as the topics just seemed to breeze from one to the next. The world within our reality he created was fantastic to be immersed in. A sort of moral was thrown in at the last moment and doesn't exactly connect well, however the end still left me contentedly sighing.

[Whitney Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book particularly because of the author. I was required to read a book by Chris Lynch and wasn't interested in his most popular novel, inexcusable so I chose Pieces. I liked this novel, I mean it wasn't life changing or mind blowing but it was a good coming of age story. Its about this young man who has to deal with the death of his brother and the donations of his organs by meeting all those who received a part of him. Through the lives of those who struggled for so long he truly understands more about not only himself but his brother also.

It definitely teaches you how to deal with some pretty difficult decisions. It wasn't really what I thought it was going to be but yeah a good read. For some reason I had a flashback to the will smith movie Seven Pounds. I would recommend this to anyone struggling to know how to deal with the death of a loved one or who needs to understand the affects of organ donation, or I would even recommend it to someone just struggling to recognize the wonderful things life offers. This book is one for teaching you how to stop and smell the roses.

WARNINGS:
Violence: there is some violence, several fights or talks of fights
Language: There is some language, I mean it is told from the perspective of an angry and grieving teenager (17years)
Drugs: There is plenty talk and doing when it comes to alcohol.
Sex: no sex but talk of kissing and possibly some illusions to sex but nothing obvious.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such mixed reviews already! I can see why this wouldn't really appeal to some, but I actually really enjoyed it.

This is the story of Eric, whose older brother and best friend Duane is mortally injured doing something really stupid. Eric's family decides to take Duane off life support and donate his organs, despite Eric's protests. Later, though Eric's parents are satisfied with the thank you letters they've received from the recipients of Duane's organs and have no interest in further contact, Eric decides that he wants to meet those that are willing and available. And this is where the story gets interesting, because these people...are characters. And Eric quickly ends up with a new sort of family that he never really anticipated.

There's not a lot of resolution here--the end is left pretty wide open--so if you're the type of person who needs things tied up neatly, this will probably frustrate you. To me, this story felt much more about the characters and the dialogue than it did about plot, which, honestly, is kind of messy and just...peters out towards the end. But I found Eric's voice compelling enough and his interactions with Phil, Melinda and Barry interesting enough that I just didn't even care where the story was going. And the humor worked for me.

So...not for everyone, but definitely worth a read for those that have the patience for open endings.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise and I liked the start, but this isn't how I would have written it.

I get that people and their lives aren't perfect and we're supposed to see that. Getting an organ doesn't solve you or your issues. It just allowed you to continue to live with them.

That said, life was sloppier than it needed to be, especially given that we're already dealing with how generally (understandably, no doubt) angry Eric is throughout.The car accident and Eric punching a guy out. Melinda and her ex, leaving her 4 year old with Eric and Martha after knowing them for a couple of hours to sleep with (not on stage, but that's what went down) her ex who beat up Eric a few hours before? Really? Then later her ex punches her in her eye and she's just going to stay at Eric's house now?

Plus Martha hooking up with Barry who's a complete dick? Come on.

The parent stuff at the end was too little too late.

I'm not totally against alcohol in teen books, but does it have to be at every meet up? Kid's 18, this is a teen book, and it rarely if ever seemed integral to the plot.

Starred reviewed like crazy. Awarded. Top YALSA pick. But yeah, not how I would have had things go down. Didn't feel the all the poignancy and heartwarming stuff promised. But like I said, awarded like crazy, so maybe I'm in the minority.

[Josh Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

SCORE: 6.5/10

I liked Eric's voice and the combination of anger and grief that he held felt very authentic. I think that it really held the book together. But this book unfortunately had several major flaws. I thought that Eric's relationships with his parents were spotty and under-explored. Most of the side characters didn't really stand out, and some, especially Martha and Barry, were woefully underdeveloped. I also didn't love that Eric kept outwardly asking the reader about his relationships with those who received Duane's organs: it got old quickly and felt like a half-baked attempt to add drama to the plot. However, the sweet but loose ending was a great way to end the novel, and Eric's voice was enough to make this a decent read. I just wouldn't bet on it come award season.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of the year. Eric’s been having a tough time. His big brother, Duane, has been in an accident and, after being on life support, has died and had his organs donated. After his first year of mourning, Eric has decided he wants to meet the people who received his brothers organs.

At a tea organized by the organ bank, Eric meets three of the recipients - Melinda, a gorgeous woman with a child and unresolved issues; Barry, a hard-drinking, obnoxious man who ironically inherited Duane’s liver; and Phil, a sheltered teen who seems to be looking for a father figure.

Eric quickly discovers the meaning of friendship, as he always thought his brother was the only person who understood him. Complicated, thoughtful and honest, you’ll tear through this book and never want it to end. It’s a gem.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended for gr. 8-12. High school situations, minimal language, main character is age 18. The characters were originally introduced in the book Iceman, which was published 20 years ago. Eric’s older brother and best friend, Duane, has recently died in an accident, and he is having a hard time coming to grips with his loss and his anger. Eric decides to meet some of the recipients of Duane’s organs, and they are a mixed bunch indeed. Somehow, though, he feels a connection to each of them and he realizes that he cares for them. Eric’s voice is very real, and it is not hard to imagine a real person thinking and feeling the way he does. This book is not for everyone – Eric has some hard edges – but it is a great story about loss and healing.

[Landon · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does a teenage kid put his life back together after his brother dies. Pieces by Chris Lynch is about a part of a teenage kids life. One way tho author uses different elements than the norm is when he used juxtaposition. One way he shows this is when he juxtaposed Eric a nice guy (the main character) with a bratty little kid. One reason he might of wrote this book is that he wanted to use first person. A way he shows that is it is from Eric's view. One reason people like this book is he keeps the suspense going for a long time. An example of this is the main character does not like somebody until the very end of the book. People who would like this book are people who like something that didn't happen but could have!

[South Brunswick High School Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Who are these people to me?” is a question repeated by seventeen-year-old Eric as he struggles to come to terms with his brother Duane’s death and the distribution of Duane’s organs to deserving(?) people. Can Phil, the new owner of Duane’s ear, really act as a connection to Eric’s lost brother? Does repulsive Barry deserve to have received an organ at all? Can Eric influence the life of beautiful, but troubled Melinda just because she holds a part of Duane? Chris Lynch offers an emotional novel filled with dark humor and complex characters. The reader follows as Eric mourns, but in the end leaves optimistic of Eric’s future.

[Matthew Fleuette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a 18-year-old boy named Eric who loses his main companion in life who is his 20-year-old brother. He then makes relationships with all the people who received his brother's organs because that is the last part of him still alive. He is not great sociably trying to make friends so this is a challenge to him. The conflict is Man vs. Self, because he is trying to find the guts to get to know these new people who he considers to be his "new family". This book can be depressing at points but uses real human interactions to show what Eric has to go through after his life is turned upside down.

[MaryBeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this while reading other books to see if it would be something my middle schooler or high schooler may enjoy. It was a quick read but completely pointless

The main character is suffering the unexpected loss of a sibling where the parents chose Gift of Life for his organs. The kid MC eventually wants to contact some of the recipients of his brother organs. The story goes all over the place but ends semi abruptly with no conclusion.

At the end the MC asks “who are these people? Who are they to me? And who am I, to them? I guess I’m gonna have to work that out now”. I assumed that was the whole premise of the book but you’re still left right where you began.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was rather interesting. It's not my normal kind of story, however, it was a good story all the same. It's about a teenager named Eric who loses the older brother he idolizes (Duane) in a traumatic accident, and then decides he "needs" to meet the recipients of his brothers donated organs. The characters are all a little goofy, but lovable just the same (with the exception of Barry, who's just a jerk). The story chronicles Eric's road to acceptance - both of his brother's death and of himself. It's a short, easy read and I rather enjoyed it.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've give this title 3 stars not so much because I enjoyed the book but because I found the idea and subject of the book interesting.
The main character's brother dies (this is not a spoiler) but parts (or pieces) of him live on in others. The story is about how the main character and his family deals with (or not) the loss of his brother.
The book has an assortment of characters that come together in unlikely ways and unusual situations. All of which however, ends up aiding the healing process for the main character and his family.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric's brother Duane left this word tragically young, the result of a diving accident. But pieces of him still walk the earth, inside the bodies of the people who received his organs, in his girlfriend Martha, his parents, and Eric, who just has to figure out how to put those pieces together into a new life for himself. With writing that alternates between sweetly touching and irreverently hilarious, often within the same sentence, this quick read affirms that life has a way of going on, even if sometimes it's in a totally unexpected and whack-a-doodle kind of way.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started off really good but I found by the end I was just happy that it was finished. Once again, a great idea that sort of falls upon itself and loses focus. It is about a boy who must accept his brother's death as well as the fact that his organs have been donated. He decides that he must meet some of these people in order to get his brother back.

Recommendation: If you have the book laying around and have nothing to do, it is not a waste of time but there are other books worth reading first.

[Kari Karp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay, but felt a little flat. The premise of a boy meeting the recipients of his brother's organs is interesting, and while I wouldn't have wanted to to be more melodramatic, I would have liked some more depth to the characters.
There are also two things about it that will keep me from book talking it to students... The protagonist is a bit old (18) for tween readers, and there is a lot of underage drinking going on.