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Los Chicos De Diciembre/ the December Boys (Zona Libre/ Free Zone)
The possibility that one of them might be adopted adds an element of rivalry to the adventures of five orphans spending their Christmas holiday at an Australian seaside settlement in the late 1930s.
285 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 26, 2013
Amazing. Incredible. Stupendous. One of my rare 5 star treasures. I'd heard about the film ages ago but Daniel Radcliffe does not really float my boat [no, get your dirty minds out of the gutter, pervs] so I skipped it. Now I'm itching to watch it immediately.
I have a thing for books with detailed descriptions and intricate symbolism, and this book hit the nail on the head. Each and every paragraph was so strikingly beautiful that I'd have to stop, look away and take a couple of breaths before continuing. I think I'll copy a paragraph [one of the countless] here just to give an idea: "A seagull turned slowly on an updraught, almost at a stop, only the tips and back edges of its wings moving. There were watermarks on the sea's surface caused by currents that swirled around the headlands. [...] I was beginning to realise what the sea reminded me of. It was a sort of manifestation of the notion of eternity. It seemed limitless. It might stretch on for ever and ever. My religious upbringing seemed to have instilled a special fear of eternity into me. But perhaps this is only proof that a man's main vanity - his belief in his own immortality - is alive at a very early stage in his life."
It goes on like that. Heavenly.
The story itself was slow yet gripping, and sad in an implicit way. The scenery of Australia's splendid coastline, the destruction 1930's Depression wrecked upon families, the fighting spirit of the seemingly indestructible and friendly people; the thoughts, anger, betrayal, challenges and undying hope of a group of 12 year old orphans who discover that a neighbouring couple considers adopting one of them, their fascination with seeing the sea for the first time, their adventures and heartbreak, desolation and desperation, determination; and coping with realising for the first time that the world is unjust, unfair and infinitely finite.
Each character was a gem. Every single one of them down to the last detail - their appearance, accents, behaviour, their reason for living. The realism shone through until I was convinced I was reading memoirs rather than a work of fiction. You feel the boys' pain, their homelessness, their feeling that for the first time ever they are somewhere where they could start anew except then life mars everything in that bitter way it always does. And their discovery of being loved yet having to turn upon one another to fight for becoming part of a real family is so chillingly bittersweet that it tears you apart.
As a final note, it was sad. Don't expect to cry, however, because it's not a sob story. It's a story of growing up and learning to live with yourself and your life no matter how hard it is, choosing your battles and rediscovering a meaning in life even after all seems lost. Despite its sadness, there is humanity, positiveness, kindness and friendship. I believe that it is not a book for everyone - its language may put many off, as well as its plot. It does have that something, though, that creeps into your soul and lodges itself firmly there. Those who do read it, will feel profoundly changed. I hope so at least.
I have a thing for books with detailed descriptions and intricate symbolism, and this book hit the nail on the head. Each and every paragraph was so strikingly beautiful that I'd have to stop, look away and take a couple of breaths before continuing. I think I'll copy a paragraph [one of the countless] here just to give an idea: "A seagull turned slowly on an updraught, almost at a stop, only the tips and back edges of its wings moving. There were watermarks on the sea's surface caused by currents that swirled around the headlands. [...] I was beginning to realise what the sea reminded me of. It was a sort of manifestation of the notion of eternity. It seemed limitless. It might stretch on for ever and ever. My religious upbringing seemed to have instilled a special fear of eternity into me. But perhaps this is only proof that a man's main vanity - his belief in his own immortality - is alive at a very early stage in his life."
It goes on like that. Heavenly.
The story itself was slow yet gripping, and sad in an implicit way. The scenery of Australia's splendid coastline, the destruction 1930's Depression wrecked upon families, the fighting spirit of the seemingly indestructible and friendly people; the thoughts, anger, betrayal, challenges and undying hope of a group of 12 year old orphans who discover that a neighbouring couple considers adopting one of them, their fascination with seeing the sea for the first time, their adventures and heartbreak, desolation and desperation, determination; and coping with realising for the first time that the world is unjust, unfair and infinitely finite.
Each character was a gem. Every single one of them down to the last detail - their appearance, accents, behaviour, their reason for living. The realism shone through until I was convinced I was reading memoirs rather than a work of fiction. You feel the boys' pain, their homelessness, their feeling that for the first time ever they are somewhere where they could start anew except then life mars everything in that bitter way it always does. And their discovery of being loved yet having to turn upon one another to fight for becoming part of a real family is so chillingly bittersweet that it tears you apart.
As a final note, it was sad. Don't expect to cry, however, because it's not a sob story. It's a story of growing up and learning to live with yourself and your life no matter how hard it is, choosing your battles and rediscovering a meaning in life even after all seems lost. Despite its sadness, there is humanity, positiveness, kindness and friendship. I believe that it is not a book for everyone - its language may put many off, as well as its plot. It does have that something, though, that creeps into your soul and lodges itself firmly there. Those who do read it, will feel profoundly changed. I hope so at least.
July 31, 2024
El peor libro de lo que va del año.
La mayor problemática que le encuentro es la forma de escribir del autor, además de que es aburrida y pesada, sus narraciones no tienen hilo lo cual no hace coherente la historia; la mayor parte del libro no sabía de qué hablaba y yo misma iba formando la trama con cosas que iba agarrando y conjurando a lo largo de la historia, así como ver el trailer de la película me ayudó un montón.
Es un mal libro, que encima el prólogo me engañó por completo, pensé que era un historia de terror/thriller y al final no tiene nada que ver. Simplemente no lo recomiendo, muchas veces estuvo a nada de darme un bloqueo lector.
La mayor problemática que le encuentro es la forma de escribir del autor, además de que es aburrida y pesada, sus narraciones no tienen hilo lo cual no hace coherente la historia; la mayor parte del libro no sabía de qué hablaba y yo misma iba formando la trama con cosas que iba agarrando y conjurando a lo largo de la historia, así como ver el trailer de la película me ayudó un montón.
Es un mal libro, que encima el prólogo me engañó por completo, pensé que era un historia de terror/thriller y al final no tiene nada que ver. Simplemente no lo recomiendo, muchas veces estuvo a nada de darme un bloqueo lector.
June 7, 2020
I’m not quite sure why I had this ‘young adult fiction’ book in the house but with the limitations of lockdown I was pleased to actually have an extra book to read!
This is a charming book, well written (quite beautifully so in places), full of quirky characters with quirky nicknames and lots of life lessons. Basically 5 orphan boys leave their Catholic-run orphanage to spend their summer holidays with a couple in a small Australian coastal community. It conjured up various childhood memories for me, and essentially covers friendships, competitiveness, silly jealousies, adventures, imagination, dreams, etc.
This is a charming book, well written (quite beautifully so in places), full of quirky characters with quirky nicknames and lots of life lessons. Basically 5 orphan boys leave their Catholic-run orphanage to spend their summer holidays with a couple in a small Australian coastal community. It conjured up various childhood memories for me, and essentially covers friendships, competitiveness, silly jealousies, adventures, imagination, dreams, etc.
July 23, 2008
i love this book also. it's a really good coming of age story because you can learn about life through children's eye. i learned that you shouldn't take what you have and your family for granted because they're people in the world that doesn't have anything
October 29, 2014
This was ok, I had problems with the writing style. I couldn't connect with the story or the characters. I found the movie to be more enjoyable than the book.
March 26, 2018
We had come to one of life's dangerous bends, and despite the skids, slides and skirtings of evil precipices, we had negotiated it."
When I first read The December Boys in high school, I was bored silly. Where was the action in this supposed coming-of-age novel? While the narrator and his four companions experience quite a lot both internally and externally throughout the novel, Noonan's writing style isn't the grab-you-with-excitement-and-hold-you type. I finished it, but I couldn't get into it at all.
When I picked it up again in college, a newly developed penchant for in depth, thought provoking literary fiction in tow, I found myself loving everything that I initially hated about The December Boys during my first read. The December Boys isn't one of Australia's most loved coming-of-age novels because it's an action packed adventure. Rather, it makes its mark by Noonan's nostalgia for time long past and youth long gone, his acute understanding of youthful desires, and his gorgeous descriptions of the Australian Coast. The December Boys, leaves me with an appreciation for the trials and tribulations of youthful folly, an immense wanderlust for a Southern hemisphere beach, and the satisfaction of a good story.
When I first read The December Boys in high school, I was bored silly. Where was the action in this supposed coming-of-age novel? While the narrator and his four companions experience quite a lot both internally and externally throughout the novel, Noonan's writing style isn't the grab-you-with-excitement-and-hold-you type. I finished it, but I couldn't get into it at all.
When I picked it up again in college, a newly developed penchant for in depth, thought provoking literary fiction in tow, I found myself loving everything that I initially hated about The December Boys during my first read. The December Boys isn't one of Australia's most loved coming-of-age novels because it's an action packed adventure. Rather, it makes its mark by Noonan's nostalgia for time long past and youth long gone, his acute understanding of youthful desires, and his gorgeous descriptions of the Australian Coast. The December Boys, leaves me with an appreciation for the trials and tribulations of youthful folly, an immense wanderlust for a Southern hemisphere beach, and the satisfaction of a good story.
November 20, 2020
Thật ra là mình đọc quyển này từ hồi tiểu học rồi. Và vì ngày ấy mình chỉ mê Doraemon, truyện cổ tích Việt Nam, sách giáo khoa ngữ văn =)) nên quyển truyện này không để lại ấn tượng với mình cho lắm. Vì mình cứ đọc thôi chứ không cảm nhận được điều gì. Nên quyển truyện cũng bị mất đi đâu. Hôm nay mình bỗng nhiên nhớ ra mình đã từng đọc nó, cũng nhớ mẹ là người đem nó về cho mình. Ngày ấy mình còn chẳng hiểu nổi tại sao mẹ lại đem về cho mình quyển sách thế này trong khi rõ ràng thời đó mình mê truyện tranh đô-rê-mon như mê oppa =))) giờ nhớ lại thì mình đoán chắc điểm chung của mình và quyển sách là đều có 'tháng 12' nên mẹ mang về cho mình chăng? Tự nhiên tỉnh ngủ vì cà phê sữa xong nhớ ra những điều hay ho thuộc về quá khứ thế này cũng thú vị phết =))) à nhớ quyển truyện này mình còn biết được cái câu luyện phát âm kinh điển của bọn trẻ con bên đó là "she sells seashells by the seashore" nữa =)) thật ra ngày đó mình đọc đi đọc lại quyển này nhiều lắm (tuy chả thấy hay) vì ngày đó đọc không hiểu nên mỗi lần cầm quyển sách này lên đọc thì đều có cảm giác nó như sách mới =)) rồi bỗng nhiên cho đến một ngày mình thật sự đã đọc được hết quyển sách và thậm chí còn hiểu được nó mình đã nhẹ nhõm gập nó lại rồi không bao giờ mở ra nữa luôn =))) ngẫm lại việc đọc khi ấy đơn giản ha =))
June 15, 2024
Craftily-written and moving, “December Boys” tells the story of 5 orphans who have the opportunity to spend a vacation on the beach for the first time in their lives and get in touch with the real world, different kinds of people and even a possibility os adoption for one of them, which triggers a competition among the five boys to impress their potential parents.
All in all, it is a beautiful book about leaving the illusions of childhood behind and facing life as it is.
Definitely a very pleasant read.
All in all, it is a beautiful book about leaving the illusions of childhood behind and facing life as it is.
Definitely a very pleasant read.
October 8, 2025
This was the very first novel I read when I was 10. Although I can no longer recall much of the plot or story, the feeling it left me with innocence, warmth, and the simple beauty of the boys has never faded. December Boys is a wonderful work that captures what it truly means to be a boy: the charming naivety, the genuine thoughts, and the heartfelt details that bring every moment to life.
December 13, 2017
Một ấn tượng đầy vui vẻ về vùng vịnh Captain’s Folly và năm đứa con trai.
May 6, 2019
Tôi đọc quyển sách này năm 2008. Một câu chuyện lôi cuốn một cách thú vị và cảm động. Ngoài ra, tôi rất thích những chi tiết miêu tả về cảnh đẹp ở nơi diễn ra câu chuyện, biển, cát, hoa lupin,...
December 3, 2024
Una narrativa muy pobre poco cautivante
March 14, 2025
A nice summer read that conjures an Australian small town on the coast that is shared between a friendship of boys.
August 10, 2025
I couldn’t get into this story.
December 31, 2016
Man liest diesem Buch an, dass es in Australien zur Schullektüre gehört... War nicht schlecht, aber auch nicht richtig gut /spannend und anders als bei "Die Asche meiner Mutter" hat mich die kindliche Perspektive nicht so gepackt. Außerdem fehlten mir ein paar zusätzliche Infos über die australische Geschichte, um alles gut einordnen zu können.
July 23, 2011
Interesting to read this book which is considered quite a classic Australian teenage novel about 5 orphans who spend 2 months on the beach as a holiday from their dreary outback Catholic orphanage. They believe that 1 of them will be adopted at the end of the holiday, so they each try to make sure that they are the chosen one. This leads to competition between the boys and a breakdown in their friendships and support of each other. Some thought provoking issues are raised, but the story is let down by the at times overblown language of the narrator, Choker, who is meant to be a prepubescent boy, but sounds like a philosophy lecturer. Would a 12-13 year old really such language to express his thoughts, when the boys actually speak quite roughly? This contrast in language between thoughts and spoken text was constantly jarring. Otherwise it has aged well.
December 16, 2013
I couldn't bring myself to finish it, had trouble with it. I have read many reviews which said that this book was spectacular and special but I just don't feel it. For everyone out there who enjoyed it I am sorry... I got up to about page 77 and I sort of gave up, it just wasn't really my thing. I gave this book several chances and I have to admit I was disappointed. I didn't really see where this was going, however there were some interesting parts - I would hate to butcher the book, so I did enjoy finding out about Fearless and Teresa and the horse which fished for food for the wild cats. Overall it was interesting while it lasted I guess it was just not for me.
January 21, 2008
I reserved a conclusion about how I felt until I finished this book, and I'm glad I did. Eventually (before I got to the end), I figured out what was going to happen and what that meant for the five boys who are the "December boys" as well as for the rest of the people in the town. A very good novel; some background information about Australia and its role in WWII might be helpful for some people, as that is important to the time period and the setting in which the story takes place.
March 11, 2014
Good premise, but the story was hard to follow. I'm not sure if it was a cultural thing, since Noonan is Australian, but the narrative seemed to skip all over the place. I had a hard time getting through. However, the premise was enough to make me want to see the movie.
B&N published an edition of this book with Daniel Radcliffe on the cover.
B&N published an edition of this book with Daniel Radcliffe on the cover.
January 30, 2008
Uggh, this was hard to get through. I know it's supposed to be this amazing coming-of-age story in Australia, but I found myself skimming just to follow the plot line and get through it as quickly as possible so I could start reading The Golden Compass, which I then read in 24 hours.
May 15, 2011
i expected so much more from this, i guess i thought because it was made into a movie it would have been amazing, so i was slightly disappointed. i found it was really difficult to get into. the ending was pretty good though.
January 8, 2008
The plot of The December Boys was not incredibly interesting, but it was very well-written and the characters were great. I'd recommend it!
March 19, 2010
It reminded me how silly I am when I was at their age. Furthermore, it's touching and I cant really put it down
June 11, 2010
it was a great experience for me to learn something about life through children's eye and l really like the writting style of Michael Nonan.. :)
September 10, 2011
hee... rada membosankan... beda dg filmnya :p
January 15, 2013
Can't believe this was written in 1963. An innocent story that stands the test of time.
January 24, 2013
Since I read this when I was still young, I couldn't remember what it is about.
But I recall a very warm feeling when I read this book.
But I recall a very warm feeling when I read this book.
May 30, 2013
I think this book is amazingly cute and yet it stands the test of time. Reading this, I just can't beleive that it was written long a ago.
August 5, 2014
It was ok, a bit slow paced for me but still a recommendation.
July 7, 2015
2.5/5 leer este libro me hizo sentir extraña, ajena.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews