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Steepleton Chronicles #1
The Body of Christopher Creed
When Christopher Creed, the class freak and whipping boy, suddenly disappears without a trace, everyone speculates on what could have happened to him. Soon fingers begin pointing, and several lives are changed forever.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 29, 2000
185 people are currently reading
4129 people want to read
About the author
Carol Plum-Ucci
12 books182 followersCarol Plum-Ucci is a young adult novelist and essayist. Plum-Ucci’s most famous work to date is The Body of Christopher Creed, for which she won a Michael L. Printz Award in 2002 and was named a finalist to the Edgar Allan Poe Award. Describing her subjects as "the most common, timeless, and most heart-felt teenagers," Plum-Ucci is widely recognized for her use of the South Jersey shore to set scenes for engaging characters embracing suspense themes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 590 reviews
October 12, 2010
Let's try this your way.
This is a book about a boy who goes missing after writing an ambiguous e-mail that could be either a suicide letter or a runaway note.
There are many topics of note, including bullying, overbearing parenting, personality disorders, class wars (small-scale), hacking (of computers), ancient Indian burial grounds and their magical potential, and historical precedence.
This reads like a book for a younger-than-teen audience, except for some promiscuity and other teen shenanigans, and it feels incredibly dated.
Do you like this so far? I hate it.
"Where is he?", everyone wonders. Are we looking for a dead body or a living runaway?? Why weren't we nicer to him and what are we going to learn from this experience about the way we treat others? What is it about the paper in this book that makes my fingers so unhappy?? (uh-oh, personality is creeping in!!!!)
I had better get out of this review before I do anything reckless, but overall, I was unwowed by this book. And I am utterly bored by this review.
This is a book about a boy who goes missing after writing an ambiguous e-mail that could be either a suicide letter or a runaway note.
There are many topics of note, including bullying, overbearing parenting, personality disorders, class wars (small-scale), hacking (of computers), ancient Indian burial grounds and their magical potential, and historical precedence.
This reads like a book for a younger-than-teen audience, except for some promiscuity and other teen shenanigans, and it feels incredibly dated.
Do you like this so far? I hate it.
"Where is he?", everyone wonders. Are we looking for a dead body or a living runaway?? Why weren't we nicer to him and what are we going to learn from this experience about the way we treat others? What is it about the paper in this book that makes my fingers so unhappy?? (uh-oh, personality is creeping in!!!!)
I had better get out of this review before I do anything reckless, but overall, I was unwowed by this book. And I am utterly bored by this review.
January 1, 2012
My oh my, this book was stunning. A wonderful example of great Young Adult novels that are out there, they truly catches your attention and pulls you through it along with Torey. The setting in so realistic and imaginable, while something about the town is just...off.
I, while reading this, came up with a few ideas on naming. Some people do believe names are not all important to the book, but in this case I think, especially with the large "Christoper Creed" on the cover, the names are important. First of all, the book definitely has many religious references. Christ being naked, the first name of Christopher, the last name of Creed, it all starting on a Sunday, and the town's name of Steepleton. I think Steepleton was named as it was because all the adults knew everything about one another, while hiding it from the children, similarly to a church where a person supposes either themselves and god know everything, but are hiding it from the town, or the entire town knows something, but is keeping it from god. Christoper Creed, such a perfect name. Because Christopher is an elongated of Christ, I think the book shows that Chris is a sacrificial lamb to trying to have the town know each other secrets in a familiar way. Creed is tapping on what people believe, and how they believe it.
Please comment if you object or agree!
I, while reading this, came up with a few ideas on naming. Some people do believe names are not all important to the book, but in this case I think, especially with the large "Christoper Creed" on the cover, the names are important. First of all, the book definitely has many religious references. Christ being naked, the first name of Christopher, the last name of Creed, it all starting on a Sunday, and the town's name of Steepleton. I think Steepleton was named as it was because all the adults knew everything about one another, while hiding it from the children, similarly to a church where a person supposes either themselves and god know everything, but are hiding it from the town, or the entire town knows something, but is keeping it from god. Christoper Creed, such a perfect name. Because Christopher is an elongated of Christ, I think the book shows that Chris is a sacrificial lamb to trying to have the town know each other secrets in a familiar way. Creed is tapping on what people believe, and how they believe it.
Please comment if you object or agree!
June 16, 2010
If you are looking for a pageturner, I recommend this book. I read it in a day and it really held my interest. The narrator, Torey Arrington (he's a boy, by the way) is a popular kid in his high school who is disturbed when one of their classmates turns up missing. There is some debate whether Chris Creed committed suicide or ran away. Torey feels driven to figure out what happened to him, partially because he feels guilty about the way he treated Chris. Chris was an obnoxious kid that everyone picked on.
In solving the mystery, Torey starts hanging out with the "wrong" crowd and his friends sort of turn on him. There are lots of interesting twists and turns.
I would probably give it four stars, but I have to note that there is some bad language, although it's intermittent, not all the time. The other thing is a stylistic issue I have. I felt at times like the author was trying too hard to talk like a teenager and her slang was just sounding sort of obnoxious to me. After that I felt like she was making the character into a sort of wannabe Holden Caulfield, being all deep and questioning everyone around him. It didn't quite work for me. But that's just the English teacher in me.
That said, I did like the narrator, and he did have a big heart, so I liked it. I just didn't think the writer had quite as much skill stylistically.
In solving the mystery, Torey starts hanging out with the "wrong" crowd and his friends sort of turn on him. There are lots of interesting twists and turns.
I would probably give it four stars, but I have to note that there is some bad language, although it's intermittent, not all the time. The other thing is a stylistic issue I have. I felt at times like the author was trying too hard to talk like a teenager and her slang was just sounding sort of obnoxious to me. After that I felt like she was making the character into a sort of wannabe Holden Caulfield, being all deep and questioning everyone around him. It didn't quite work for me. But that's just the English teacher in me.
That said, I did like the narrator, and he did have a big heart, so I liked it. I just didn't think the writer had quite as much skill stylistically.
April 4, 2008
I think that this book was a great fictional book. When Christopher Creed, the class nerd, disappears no one knows what to think. They don't know if it was a suicide, run away, or a kidnapping. As the days go on and there is no sign of Christpher Creed, people begin to blame one another. However, Torey and Ali know something different. They know that Christopher lived a hard life with his annoying mother. When Torey and Ali's friend, Bo, gets blamed they are determined to find evidence that he did not kill Creed. Ali and Torey go to a psychic and the psychic tells Torey that he will find a dead body in the woods behind his house. One night Torey decides to wander into the woods.He gets to the old indian burial ground and looks in a small hole. Torey falls into the grave. When he sees the body he thinks it is Christopher Creed. The next morning Torey wakes up to find himself in the hospital. He finds out that he did not see Christopher Creed's body but he saw a body of someone else who ran away twenty years earlier. Every looks at him differently from then on. Torey transfers schools and goes to a boarding school where no one knows his secret. I think that any junior high and high school students would enjoy this book.
232 words
232 words
April 13, 2008
The Body of Christopher Creed is about a high school student who has recently disappeared and some people believe he committed suicide. The story is told from another student’s point of view named Torey and we learn that Creed used to be bullied by everyone in school. The story is about trying to find Creed’s body, or find out where he is if he didn’t commit suicide. Torey and his friends try to find out if Chris was murdered or if someone drove him to commit suicide. They suspect that Mrs. Creed drove him to it because of how much she controlled his life and who he hung out with. At the end of the book Torey is in the woods in the back of his house and stumbles upon a cave that has been blocked by a really big boulder. Torey falls in and sees a dead body with the skin of the body melting away. Torey goes to the hospital and learns that the body belonged to Bob Haines, a kid who everybody had thought had run away a long time ago. The melting of his skin was caused by his body not receiving oxygen for a long time and then suddenly being rushed with it.
The conflict in this book is both internal and external because Torey and his friends are trying to find Creed’s body, but Torey is also struggling with the fact that Creed may not have run away if kids had been nicer to him and Torey is mad himself for treating Creed the way he did all those years.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is in eighth grade through high school because it is really well written and I could really relate to the characters in the book and the author makes the ending really suspenseful. Word count: 306
The conflict in this book is both internal and external because Torey and his friends are trying to find Creed’s body, but Torey is also struggling with the fact that Creed may not have run away if kids had been nicer to him and Torey is mad himself for treating Creed the way he did all those years.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is in eighth grade through high school because it is really well written and I could really relate to the characters in the book and the author makes the ending really suspenseful. Word count: 306
July 25, 2015
Wow! I really, really enjoyed this book! It was so mysterious and interesting. The characters was fascinating and I loved watched Torey's development. I really loved how Bo was a person different from his reputation. That scene in the lunchroom, before the police came, when Torey and Ali were sitting with the boons was really cute and I loved it.
I actually hated Torey's old friends. Or at least strongly disliked them. Renee was a conniving witch, Alex was a spineless fool, Leandra was a hypocritical moron and Ryan was a benighted jerk. Mrs. McDermott also seemed really shallow and empty as a character. I feel like she was just a symbol representing bad parenting and too much sex. I felt really bad for Christopher Creed.
What I did not get was, how despite everything that Torey had been through, when he encountered someone similar to Creed (Leo), he did not try and be different. He seemed a little harsh. I mean, of course he was probably nicer than he had been to Creed, but just not full of the intense amount of repentance I might have expected. It just seemed like he barely cared much.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book though. It was incredibly interesting, pretty easy to read and the characters were pretty well rounded and set. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I actually hated Torey's old friends. Or at least strongly disliked them. Renee was a conniving witch, Alex was a spineless fool, Leandra was a hypocritical moron and Ryan was a benighted jerk. Mrs. McDermott also seemed really shallow and empty as a character. I feel like she was just a symbol representing bad parenting and too much sex. I felt really bad for Christopher Creed.
What I did not get was, how despite everything that Torey had been through, when he encountered someone similar to Creed (Leo), he did not try and be different. He seemed a little harsh. I mean, of course he was probably nicer than he had been to Creed, but just not full of the intense amount of repentance I might have expected. It just seemed like he barely cared much.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book though. It was incredibly interesting, pretty easy to read and the characters were pretty well rounded and set. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Read
July 14, 2024Read for teacher duties. This book was actually really good, it was hard to put down and I really enjoyed it. It’s slightly dated, but I think my students will enjoy this one!
May 13, 2013
3.5/5 stars
The problem with picking up awarding winning/Printz honored books is that you have high expectations. That's why you read them--you expect greatness. In the case of The Body of Christopher Creed what I got was a good but not a great book.
It's hard for me to place my finger on what held the novel back. I keep coming back to that it just felt young. I never believed the main character Torey was a junior in high school. For the longest time I thought he was in middle school. From the way he talked about girls, to the fact he kept referring to himself as a "kid." Yes they cursed and talk about sex, but it felt a little forced, like little boys just learning the lingo.
The story itself is good. The class outcast Christopher Creed disappears after sending a cryptic email to the school principle. People aren't sure if he ran away or committed suicide. His mother refuses to accept either possibly, claiming that Chris was kidnapped or murdered. She blames the "boons" aka the poor kids from the wrong side of the track. The class division between the boons and the people from town was an interesting conflict to add but felt a little extreme. I have trouble believe that nobody ever crosses that social line. The book was published in 2000 not 1900, and as someone who was in high school during that time the social structure was not that rigid.
I'm a little unsure on the use of technology in the book. Sometimes things seemed technically incorrect. One of the boons, Bo, got on the school library computer and took the email message Chris sent the principle out of the email sent folder. Rather than making a duplicate, somehow that deleted it from the sent folder and the message when missing. Not only can I not imagine a library having a community email portal (we all made hotmail accounts in 8th grade) I'm not sure that's actually what would've happened. (There is always the chance I'm misremembering but it's worth noting because I puzzled over while reading the book).
However this book was a good book. The message was a little heavy-handed, but it was a nice message about how the way we treat people matters and how we don't always see what people really are but what we expect them to be. This is a coming of age story where the main character suddenly sees the world and despite it's negative aspects, chooses to continue seeing the world (whereas other people refuse to see the world for what it really is). The book was a little bit mystery with some "was that real, was that not" mythical moments. My favorite part, oddly enough, was the ending where Torey is reading emails that come in to his website. It's clever, funny and made me laugh. After a dark and heavy book it was nice to have some levity at the end.
Narration
The audiobook narration was acceptable It never really shines or adds anything unique or special to the story but it doesn't hinder the story either. I didn't really like how the narrator shouted when Torey was mad and it's possible he contributed to the youngness of the book with his narration. This isn't an audiobook I'd rush out and buy but if you see it at the library and need something to read it's not a bad choice.
The problem with picking up awarding winning/Printz honored books is that you have high expectations. That's why you read them--you expect greatness. In the case of The Body of Christopher Creed what I got was a good but not a great book.
It's hard for me to place my finger on what held the novel back. I keep coming back to that it just felt young. I never believed the main character Torey was a junior in high school. For the longest time I thought he was in middle school. From the way he talked about girls, to the fact he kept referring to himself as a "kid." Yes they cursed and talk about sex, but it felt a little forced, like little boys just learning the lingo.
The story itself is good. The class outcast Christopher Creed disappears after sending a cryptic email to the school principle. People aren't sure if he ran away or committed suicide. His mother refuses to accept either possibly, claiming that Chris was kidnapped or murdered. She blames the "boons" aka the poor kids from the wrong side of the track. The class division between the boons and the people from town was an interesting conflict to add but felt a little extreme. I have trouble believe that nobody ever crosses that social line. The book was published in 2000 not 1900, and as someone who was in high school during that time the social structure was not that rigid.
I'm a little unsure on the use of technology in the book. Sometimes things seemed technically incorrect. One of the boons, Bo, got on the school library computer and took the email message Chris sent the principle out of the email sent folder. Rather than making a duplicate, somehow that deleted it from the sent folder and the message when missing. Not only can I not imagine a library having a community email portal (we all made hotmail accounts in 8th grade) I'm not sure that's actually what would've happened. (There is always the chance I'm misremembering but it's worth noting because I puzzled over while reading the book).
However this book was a good book. The message was a little heavy-handed, but it was a nice message about how the way we treat people matters and how we don't always see what people really are but what we expect them to be. This is a coming of age story where the main character suddenly sees the world and despite it's negative aspects, chooses to continue seeing the world (whereas other people refuse to see the world for what it really is). The book was a little bit mystery with some "was that real, was that not" mythical moments. My favorite part, oddly enough, was the ending where Torey is reading emails that come in to his website. It's clever, funny and made me laugh. After a dark and heavy book it was nice to have some levity at the end.
Narration
The audiobook narration was acceptable It never really shines or adds anything unique or special to the story but it doesn't hinder the story either. I didn't really like how the narrator shouted when Torey was mad and it's possible he contributed to the youngness of the book with his narration. This isn't an audiobook I'd rush out and buy but if you see it at the library and need something to read it's not a bad choice.
June 3, 2010
I read the book The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci. The book is set in a small town called Steepleton where a boy, Christopher Creed, goes missing. No one knows whether or not he is alive. Creed was often picked on and terrorized by his peers in addition to having to deal with his strange mother. When he disappears, rumours circulate of suicide, and even murder. The main character, Torey, feels like he is the only one of friends who is taking the incident seriously. He wants to find out more, and in effect soon finds himself in deep trouble and the target of many accusations. While I was reading, I noticed a common theme throughout the book of reality versus unreality.
For example, Chris Creed himself had blurred the lines between his real life, and his fantasy of being a normal kid with a girlfriend and a perfect world. He had a constant smile on, even when being bullied and put down. In his diary, he wrote of a girl named Isabella, who was in fact a real person but she had no interest in being with him at all. Also in his diary, Chris wrote a list of good things about himself. Torey thinks, “It almost seemed like an exercise in trying to brainwash yourself into believing good stuff about yourself.” Creed tried to convince himself he was a handsome teenage boy with lots of friends. This was how Creed coped with the sadness of being an outcast. He was lying to himself about an unreal world and desperately wanted to be one of the boys who bullied him in reality.
Another example is a character in the book named Renee. She is fierce and tough and not afraid to speak her mind. When a boy named Bo tells people about her dad’s infidelity, she denies it so avidly that she begins to believe her own lie and later insists that her dad moved out because people were lying about him and it was too much stress. The reality is that her dad was cheating on his wife, but Renee couldn’t admit that to herself. Torey writes, “I could tell she was really upset, and I wondered if it was because she felt in her heart that her dad was capable of it.” Renee had created her own unreality where she had no family problems and everything was just fine.
I realized that denial is a big part of creating these fantasy worlds. Sometimes it is easier to pretend everything is fine rather than face the real situation. It is easy to start believing your own lies, but it can get you into a lot of trouble. Even if you pretend something never happened, the truth will always be looming over your head, because deep down, you know you are in denial. It is only when something so terrible takes place, something hard to even admit to yourself, that the line between reality and unreality is not so clear anymore.
For example, Chris Creed himself had blurred the lines between his real life, and his fantasy of being a normal kid with a girlfriend and a perfect world. He had a constant smile on, even when being bullied and put down. In his diary, he wrote of a girl named Isabella, who was in fact a real person but she had no interest in being with him at all. Also in his diary, Chris wrote a list of good things about himself. Torey thinks, “It almost seemed like an exercise in trying to brainwash yourself into believing good stuff about yourself.” Creed tried to convince himself he was a handsome teenage boy with lots of friends. This was how Creed coped with the sadness of being an outcast. He was lying to himself about an unreal world and desperately wanted to be one of the boys who bullied him in reality.
Another example is a character in the book named Renee. She is fierce and tough and not afraid to speak her mind. When a boy named Bo tells people about her dad’s infidelity, she denies it so avidly that she begins to believe her own lie and later insists that her dad moved out because people were lying about him and it was too much stress. The reality is that her dad was cheating on his wife, but Renee couldn’t admit that to herself. Torey writes, “I could tell she was really upset, and I wondered if it was because she felt in her heart that her dad was capable of it.” Renee had created her own unreality where she had no family problems and everything was just fine.
I realized that denial is a big part of creating these fantasy worlds. Sometimes it is easier to pretend everything is fine rather than face the real situation. It is easy to start believing your own lies, but it can get you into a lot of trouble. Even if you pretend something never happened, the truth will always be looming over your head, because deep down, you know you are in denial. It is only when something so terrible takes place, something hard to even admit to yourself, that the line between reality and unreality is not so clear anymore.
July 24, 2017
This is a great YA book that looks at lies and the lying liars who tell them. Why do we lie to ourselves? Why do whole groups of people agree to believe in a lie? Are they trying to protect their community? Are they trying to hurt another group (and by doing so, empower their own)?
These big questions are wrapped up in a tautly told novel about a boy who leaves a suicide note for his principal. The boy, Christopher Creed, is gone, but there is no evidence of foul play. There is no evidence of at all. He is just gone, girl.
BTW...this was written BEFORE Gone Girl.
OK...so I'm awarding ONE STAR here for the nice homages to other novels. The novel is mostly epistolary. It is a letter / story that is meant for a specific reader. The writer of the novel/letter has gone crazy and not completely over it. The letter was part of his therapy. He begins the novel in a boarding school. He is obsessed with reality versus fakeness. No, his name is not Holden Caulfield, but these are certainly wonderful connections to CATCHER IN THE RYE.
Another book comes to mind, though. A book written as a therapy letter. And this book focuses on two groups of people: haves and have-nots. And the book goes on at length to describe how each of those groups does not have it easy. This is also a major part of CHRISTOPHER CREED, as the narrator reveals the way people hide their pains behind lies. But the book I'm referencing I've ironically just read recently: THE OUTSIDERS!
Finally, because this is a mystery, there is a major set piece staged in a house that overlooks a house where maybe a murder took place. You can look in the windows and see people milling about. Within that scene, someone makes a call to lure the "killer" out of the house so they can break in and look for evidence. This house is home to a domineering mother who smothers their children to the breaking point. Yes, I've just referenced REAR WINDOW and PSYCHO...and yes this is meant to pay homage (or perhaps steal outrightly) to Hitchcock.
ONE STAR awarded for Bo, the best character in the novel. Because I am well-read, I found the plot points a bit on the overdone side (boons vs. jocks, evil mom, etc...), but Bo is character that mostly keeps you guessing. He's noble in a Jack Reacher kind of way (is he noble to be noble...or because he's got nothing to lose?). This instability makes his character great. His actions bring him more trouble...and sometimes he just causes trouble because he has disdain for the system. Wrap that up with a criminal record and a weapon, and you've got a great character.
ONE STAR awarded for the pace. Although is evidently clear WHY Torey is writing this letter (the author drops clues you simply can't miss in Chapter Two...maybe you miss it if you're 12), the author does what I like to think of as the Harry Potter model (action intermixed with character development...I'm sure HP didn't invent this but it felt very formulaic in those novels). And the conceit of the novel (a therapy letter) coupled with the spoiler in chapter two makes for a great last chapter (though once you figure it out you will probably jump to the end). There are some supernatural elements tossed in here but it is within the realm of believability, especially when you consider the source (hello, unreliable narrator).
I took a star away for TOO MUCH CHRIST IMAGERY. Jesus makes his way into every chapter. Look at the title...THE BODY OF CHRIST. I mean, c'mon now. As an English teacher I love this stuff (for instance, I loved the dusty Sorry game in the game closet...I even liked that he expected Christopher to come out of the closet to appear to him...who exactly IS coming out of the closet, I wonder?), but Christ imagery is lazy to begin with...and found it unnecessary. Yes there's the debate at the front about Christ probably being naked when he was killed, so why do churches always draw him with a loincloth (if the writer was a little braver, she might've focused on the fact that Jesus was probably a black man...certainly not a white guy with a brown beard). For the purpose of the book, though, and for theme of truth and lie...the Jesus thing is too much. I read Christ figures mainly as a means to suggest a character is self sacrificing for the betterment of others. This is not the case in this book...so then what's the point?
I also took a star away because I didn't like Torey as a person. I understand that people love THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. I am not one of them. So when you create a character that is an homage to Holden Caulfield, you have my admiration but I'm also scratching my head. Annoying!!!
All in all, I recommend this award winning novel. It does contain some curse words, but they feel appropriate to the situation. Additionally, the novel will generate some good conversation in a lit circle about things we assume about each other...and who you might be if you could re-invent yourself. And for teachers using this for analytical papers...((sigh)) expect a lot of THE USE OF CHRIST IMAGERY IN THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER CREED.
These big questions are wrapped up in a tautly told novel about a boy who leaves a suicide note for his principal. The boy, Christopher Creed, is gone, but there is no evidence of foul play. There is no evidence of at all. He is just gone, girl.
BTW...this was written BEFORE Gone Girl.
OK...so I'm awarding ONE STAR here for the nice homages to other novels. The novel is mostly epistolary. It is a letter / story that is meant for a specific reader. The writer of the novel/letter has gone crazy and not completely over it. The letter was part of his therapy. He begins the novel in a boarding school. He is obsessed with reality versus fakeness. No, his name is not Holden Caulfield, but these are certainly wonderful connections to CATCHER IN THE RYE.
Another book comes to mind, though. A book written as a therapy letter. And this book focuses on two groups of people: haves and have-nots. And the book goes on at length to describe how each of those groups does not have it easy. This is also a major part of CHRISTOPHER CREED, as the narrator reveals the way people hide their pains behind lies. But the book I'm referencing I've ironically just read recently: THE OUTSIDERS!
Finally, because this is a mystery, there is a major set piece staged in a house that overlooks a house where maybe a murder took place. You can look in the windows and see people milling about. Within that scene, someone makes a call to lure the "killer" out of the house so they can break in and look for evidence. This house is home to a domineering mother who smothers their children to the breaking point. Yes, I've just referenced REAR WINDOW and PSYCHO...and yes this is meant to pay homage (or perhaps steal outrightly) to Hitchcock.
ONE STAR awarded for Bo, the best character in the novel. Because I am well-read, I found the plot points a bit on the overdone side (boons vs. jocks, evil mom, etc...), but Bo is character that mostly keeps you guessing. He's noble in a Jack Reacher kind of way (is he noble to be noble...or because he's got nothing to lose?). This instability makes his character great. His actions bring him more trouble...and sometimes he just causes trouble because he has disdain for the system. Wrap that up with a criminal record and a weapon, and you've got a great character.
ONE STAR awarded for the pace. Although is evidently clear WHY Torey is writing this letter (the author drops clues you simply can't miss in Chapter Two...maybe you miss it if you're 12), the author does what I like to think of as the Harry Potter model (action intermixed with character development...I'm sure HP didn't invent this but it felt very formulaic in those novels). And the conceit of the novel (a therapy letter) coupled with the spoiler in chapter two makes for a great last chapter (though once you figure it out you will probably jump to the end). There are some supernatural elements tossed in here but it is within the realm of believability, especially when you consider the source (hello, unreliable narrator).
I took a star away for TOO MUCH CHRIST IMAGERY. Jesus makes his way into every chapter. Look at the title...THE BODY OF CHRIST. I mean, c'mon now. As an English teacher I love this stuff (for instance, I loved the dusty Sorry game in the game closet...I even liked that he expected Christopher to come out of the closet to appear to him...who exactly IS coming out of the closet, I wonder?), but Christ imagery is lazy to begin with...and found it unnecessary. Yes there's the debate at the front about Christ probably being naked when he was killed, so why do churches always draw him with a loincloth (if the writer was a little braver, she might've focused on the fact that Jesus was probably a black man...certainly not a white guy with a brown beard). For the purpose of the book, though, and for theme of truth and lie...the Jesus thing is too much. I read Christ figures mainly as a means to suggest a character is self sacrificing for the betterment of others. This is not the case in this book...so then what's the point?
I also took a star away because I didn't like Torey as a person. I understand that people love THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. I am not one of them. So when you create a character that is an homage to Holden Caulfield, you have my admiration but I'm also scratching my head. Annoying!!!
All in all, I recommend this award winning novel. It does contain some curse words, but they feel appropriate to the situation. Additionally, the novel will generate some good conversation in a lit circle about things we assume about each other...and who you might be if you could re-invent yourself. And for teachers using this for analytical papers...((sigh)) expect a lot of THE USE OF CHRIST IMAGERY IN THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER CREED.
February 3, 2021
This was an interesting mystery with an open ended ending. I liked the main character and his search to find out what happened to Christopher Creed. I do want to read the next book.
November 13, 2009
When Chis Creed, the delinquent class outcast, disapears with only a suicide note to hint at where he was, Torey and his newfound friends Bo and Ali decide to "play detective" and try to figure out where he could have gone. As they comb the town for clues, they discover that everyone in Steepleton has, as Torey quotes, "a skeleton in their closet". Torey and his friends soon unearth the fact that Mrs. Creed, Chris Creed's mother, definitely had something to do with his disapearance--but what? As Torey's search for answers takes him deep in the woods to an old Indian burial ground, he discovers something so shocking and so traumatizing that it will change him and the tiny town of Steepleton in more ways than one.
The author promises a "chilling conclusion" and she sure kept her word--the ending has been haunting me ever since I put the book down. The whole story is spooky as well. It has lots of twists and turn and the fact that the story takes place in the woods gives it a very unsettling vibe. Though it goes nowhere fast, the suspense in this book will kill you...as it did to some of the residents of Steepleton. I believe the author wanted us to see how one tragic event can tear a town apart--and how once the fingers begin pointing, people start to loose trust in one another. It's a very provoking topic, as well as true. People can loose trust in an instant.
Overall, this book is a great read... if you can stand the gut-wretching ending.
The author promises a "chilling conclusion" and she sure kept her word--the ending has been haunting me ever since I put the book down. The whole story is spooky as well. It has lots of twists and turn and the fact that the story takes place in the woods gives it a very unsettling vibe. Though it goes nowhere fast, the suspense in this book will kill you...as it did to some of the residents of Steepleton. I believe the author wanted us to see how one tragic event can tear a town apart--and how once the fingers begin pointing, people start to loose trust in one another. It's a very provoking topic, as well as true. People can loose trust in an instant.
Overall, this book is a great read... if you can stand the gut-wretching ending.
September 25, 2020
I was really looking forward to reading this short mystery novel. The first chapter had me hooked and curious as we can tell that something bad happened that caused Torey Adams to move away to a new school. The story follows Torey as he describes how a kid his friends and him used to bully, randomly disappeared. They are left wondering if he was murdered, abducted, or committed suicide.
This book was a big disappointment because the characters were all horrible, especially the main character. This book is a lot vulgar than I expected for a young adult novel which was a shock. It also bothered me how the mystery was never solved. I know there is a sequel but I will not be reading it so I guess I will never find out what happened to Christopher Creed.
This book was a big disappointment because the characters were all horrible, especially the main character. This book is a lot vulgar than I expected for a young adult novel which was a shock. It also bothered me how the mystery was never solved. I know there is a sequel but I will not be reading it so I guess I will never find out what happened to Christopher Creed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2016
This "missing body" mystery may compel the YA crowd, but I found it a little too melodramatic for my tastes. Lots of dialogue -- much of it screaming. If I weren't holding the book, I would have covered my ears. Age 13 or 14 up. Plum-Ucci is not anti- profanity, if you catch my drift. Plenty of F-bombs and references to sex. Still, of three readers in my 8th grade classroom, two said it was pretty good, and another found it thrilling.
December 26, 2007
I really enjoyed the suspense. The ending was such a cliffhanger!!!! I loved every second of reading this book though...I must say, I was sorry to see it end!
July 24, 2020
Another book I've read, and I remember reading it, but didn't have it marked here on Goodreads.
November 10, 2019
For me personally, a good mystery book is almost impossible to pass up. This is one of my favorite genres and I was excited to pick out a story. When I found “The Body of Christopher Creed” it looked perfect for me. It seemed to have a very enticing plot, and combined with the interest I already have for mysteries, I simply could not leave it on the shelf.
Torey Adams is in his first year at a new boarding school called Rothborne. He has adjusted very well except it is not the events at his new school that are making his head spin. Back in his hometown, Steepleton, there has been a disappearance from the year before that has not been solved. Chris Creed was the weird kid of the town that nobody really knew anything about. Even the next year, and at a new school, rumors and gossip are still flying around about whether it was a murder or suicide. Torey had written a document about the event that he wrote at the time it happened and now had been reading it again. The only person he felt comfortable talking about it with was his long time friend Ali. Her new boyfriend Bo was one of the biggest and most feared outcasts and the type of person people would blame a disappearance on. Now Ali was feeling like an outcast, and so was Torey. Eventually all the rumors go over the top, and Torey’s sort-of ex-girlfriend Renee accuses Torey and Bo of murdering Chris Creed. Torey is extremely angry and decides to try to prove the rumor that Creed’s body was in the woods near his house. Torey is going through the woods when a boulder falls on his leg, crushing it, and a rotting body is right there. Torey freaks out and finds himself waking up in the hospital. He finds out the body was not Creed’s as Torey still will not eat or sleep from his encounters. After this Torey is done going to school for the year. He sets up a website to help find Chris Creed where people leave information they have on the situation. The last letter read on the website gives very real information about Chris being alive and well and is signed “Victor Adams”. Torey knows he has found the body of Christopher Creed.
The obvious plot of this story is about the body of Chris Creed and Torey’s fascination with finding it. But besides the mystery aspect, this book portrays a lot of typical issues with high school students and their lives. Torey experiences being seen as an outcast for the first time when he leaves his old friends for Bo and Ali. Rumors and gossip are also always present in high schools as they are in this story. I see these issues as being popular themes of stories that are based on kids lives while in high school.
There was definitely not a lot of negatives that I was able to find in this book. My only issue is that the ending was both not really what I expected or what I was hoping for. If i was writing this story myself, I would of involved one of the characters in the answer for what happened to Chris. Such as he was murdered by Bo, or Torey, or it was his grieving and crazy mother who was responsible for his disappearance. Besides that I loved every aspect of this book.
I absolutely loved reading “The Body of Christopher Creed”. I would recommend this book to a very wide variety of people. Anyone who likes mystery books should obviously be interested in this story. Although I think this is a great book for people who don’t have a strong interest in mysteries but would like to try reading one. Lastly, I would recommend this story for all high school kids. Although it is a mystery, it is great exposure to very real and common issues in high school kids.
Torey Adams is in his first year at a new boarding school called Rothborne. He has adjusted very well except it is not the events at his new school that are making his head spin. Back in his hometown, Steepleton, there has been a disappearance from the year before that has not been solved. Chris Creed was the weird kid of the town that nobody really knew anything about. Even the next year, and at a new school, rumors and gossip are still flying around about whether it was a murder or suicide. Torey had written a document about the event that he wrote at the time it happened and now had been reading it again. The only person he felt comfortable talking about it with was his long time friend Ali. Her new boyfriend Bo was one of the biggest and most feared outcasts and the type of person people would blame a disappearance on. Now Ali was feeling like an outcast, and so was Torey. Eventually all the rumors go over the top, and Torey’s sort-of ex-girlfriend Renee accuses Torey and Bo of murdering Chris Creed. Torey is extremely angry and decides to try to prove the rumor that Creed’s body was in the woods near his house. Torey is going through the woods when a boulder falls on his leg, crushing it, and a rotting body is right there. Torey freaks out and finds himself waking up in the hospital. He finds out the body was not Creed’s as Torey still will not eat or sleep from his encounters. After this Torey is done going to school for the year. He sets up a website to help find Chris Creed where people leave information they have on the situation. The last letter read on the website gives very real information about Chris being alive and well and is signed “Victor Adams”. Torey knows he has found the body of Christopher Creed.
The obvious plot of this story is about the body of Chris Creed and Torey’s fascination with finding it. But besides the mystery aspect, this book portrays a lot of typical issues with high school students and their lives. Torey experiences being seen as an outcast for the first time when he leaves his old friends for Bo and Ali. Rumors and gossip are also always present in high schools as they are in this story. I see these issues as being popular themes of stories that are based on kids lives while in high school.
There was definitely not a lot of negatives that I was able to find in this book. My only issue is that the ending was both not really what I expected or what I was hoping for. If i was writing this story myself, I would of involved one of the characters in the answer for what happened to Chris. Such as he was murdered by Bo, or Torey, or it was his grieving and crazy mother who was responsible for his disappearance. Besides that I loved every aspect of this book.
I absolutely loved reading “The Body of Christopher Creed”. I would recommend this book to a very wide variety of people. Anyone who likes mystery books should obviously be interested in this story. Although I think this is a great book for people who don’t have a strong interest in mysteries but would like to try reading one. Lastly, I would recommend this story for all high school kids. Although it is a mystery, it is great exposure to very real and common issues in high school kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2025
This book deeply affected me as a teen, especially the description of the rapid decomposition of the body in the cave.
Rereading as an adult in my mid-30s, it is still a very solid story. It earns all four stars.
I wish the plot didn't rely so heavily on Native American Burial Ground & Mystical Native People tropes though. I think Plum-Ucci could have done a lot better, authorial commentarywise, about the Lenape. Their descendants still exist! Many actually live in present day New Jersey!
I think there's even a paragraph in the book that says the Lenape willingly relocated to Oklahoma in the 1600s to be away from settlers, which is not true.
Rereading as an adult in my mid-30s, it is still a very solid story. It earns all four stars.
I wish the plot didn't rely so heavily on Native American Burial Ground & Mystical Native People tropes though. I think Plum-Ucci could have done a lot better, authorial commentarywise, about the Lenape. Their descendants still exist! Many actually live in present day New Jersey!
I think there's even a paragraph in the book that says the Lenape willingly relocated to Oklahoma in the 1600s to be away from settlers, which is not true.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2017
It definitely gave me a "Stand By Me" sort of vibe(or Riverdale) -somebody goes missing in a small town, a COA story with darkness- but instead of a tweens coming-of-age story , it's more of a coming into your own identity and the questioning that takes place in the years of being a confused and angsty teen. I would highly recommend this read. Now I've only watched SBM, but would say this has more darkness and mystery. I loved every aspect of this book, all of the unique and kooky (yet relatable) characters within this town.
December 22, 2021
Good book. Realistic and very enlightening.
November 7, 2025
I read this in grade 9 English. I didnt finish it actually, but I got a good grade on the pamphlet.
January 30, 2017
What if the odd kid from your hometown went missing? What would you do? The outsider from the town of Steepleton has gone missing. A group of unlikely friends team up to find out what happened to Christopher Creed. Along their journey, they discover aspects of their personality that they never knew before. Throughout this novel, many themes were discovered. For instance, one must get lost in order to find themselves. Have you ever noticed how people could be very judgemental and mean towards others that could be considered “different” or “odd”.The people in Steepleton were very unaccepting to who Christopher Creed was and labeled him as annoying which led to his disappearance.
One may never assume that anything dangerous could ever occur in a small town such as, Steepleton. However, during The Body of Christopher Creed, by Carol Plum-Ucci, a teenager known as, Christopher Creed disappears leaving a letter and his notebook behind. Many people begin to search for these objects in hopes to discover Chris’ whereabouts. This brings a group of unlikely alliances together: Bo Richardson, Ali McDermott and Torey Adams. Bo is known as the local bad boy that will never amount to a successful future or career; however, he is very underestimated. Ali McDermott is the girlfriend of Bo and joins him in his efforts to find Chris. Ali gives the facade of having a good life but she is overlooked by her parents. Torey is a sheltered teenager that thinks that he knows who he is as a person but when he attempts to find Christopher Creed, he becomes “lost” and his views of the world changes. Throughout this lengthy journey, Bo, Ali and Torey lose who they are in order to find out what their real personalities are. Will these characters be left with the knowledge of what happened to Christopher Creed or will it remain a mystery?
Many assume that most mystery novels are boring and slow moving. However, Carol Plum-Ucci wrote an outstanding mystery novel while engaging her audience. Some parts of the novel did get confusing at times. For instance, when Torey is at the Indian Burial Ground. That part moved too fast and her diction could have been clearer in order for her readers to have a better understanding. The themes that were taught in this novel are ones that everyone could relate to. For example, one must lose themselves in order to find themselves. This novel will help the audience understand that difficult situations always get better and that one day you will learn exactly who you really are and not who you pretend to be or the label that others give to you.
Many readers can prefer certain genres of literature. If you are interested in a quick moving book or a quick read, that contains suspense and is a page turner then this is a great option. However, if you hate mysteries, this is probably not a good choice. Aspects of this novel and the characters are similar to those in Paper Towns, by John Green. Margo (from Paper Towns) is very similar to Ali (from The Body of Christopher Creed) for a few reasons. For example, everyone assumed that they had Margo Roth Spiegelman figured out but behind her facade was a naive girl that was similar to Ali. If you aren’t a fan of Paper Towns or John Green, this might not be the best option for you.
The people in Steepleton were very unaccepting to who Christopher Creed was and labeled him as annoying which led to his disappearance. It’s imperative for the readers to realize the pain that others can cause people even if they don’t mean to. For example, kids found Chris odd and different leading him to be easily disliked and misunderstood. This can happen in any place and in any town; at any time. Carol Plum-Ucci will pull you into her novel and allow you to live vicariously through every character. This will allow readers to understand the feelings of the characters, what it's like to not know who you really are and how this leads to the feeling of isolation and being misunderstood like Christopher Creed. Treat others with respect and allow them to be who they are because one day they might be gone.
One may never assume that anything dangerous could ever occur in a small town such as, Steepleton. However, during The Body of Christopher Creed, by Carol Plum-Ucci, a teenager known as, Christopher Creed disappears leaving a letter and his notebook behind. Many people begin to search for these objects in hopes to discover Chris’ whereabouts. This brings a group of unlikely alliances together: Bo Richardson, Ali McDermott and Torey Adams. Bo is known as the local bad boy that will never amount to a successful future or career; however, he is very underestimated. Ali McDermott is the girlfriend of Bo and joins him in his efforts to find Chris. Ali gives the facade of having a good life but she is overlooked by her parents. Torey is a sheltered teenager that thinks that he knows who he is as a person but when he attempts to find Christopher Creed, he becomes “lost” and his views of the world changes. Throughout this lengthy journey, Bo, Ali and Torey lose who they are in order to find out what their real personalities are. Will these characters be left with the knowledge of what happened to Christopher Creed or will it remain a mystery?
Many assume that most mystery novels are boring and slow moving. However, Carol Plum-Ucci wrote an outstanding mystery novel while engaging her audience. Some parts of the novel did get confusing at times. For instance, when Torey is at the Indian Burial Ground. That part moved too fast and her diction could have been clearer in order for her readers to have a better understanding. The themes that were taught in this novel are ones that everyone could relate to. For example, one must lose themselves in order to find themselves. This novel will help the audience understand that difficult situations always get better and that one day you will learn exactly who you really are and not who you pretend to be or the label that others give to you.
Many readers can prefer certain genres of literature. If you are interested in a quick moving book or a quick read, that contains suspense and is a page turner then this is a great option. However, if you hate mysteries, this is probably not a good choice. Aspects of this novel and the characters are similar to those in Paper Towns, by John Green. Margo (from Paper Towns) is very similar to Ali (from The Body of Christopher Creed) for a few reasons. For example, everyone assumed that they had Margo Roth Spiegelman figured out but behind her facade was a naive girl that was similar to Ali. If you aren’t a fan of Paper Towns or John Green, this might not be the best option for you.
The people in Steepleton were very unaccepting to who Christopher Creed was and labeled him as annoying which led to his disappearance. It’s imperative for the readers to realize the pain that others can cause people even if they don’t mean to. For example, kids found Chris odd and different leading him to be easily disliked and misunderstood. This can happen in any place and in any town; at any time. Carol Plum-Ucci will pull you into her novel and allow you to live vicariously through every character. This will allow readers to understand the feelings of the characters, what it's like to not know who you really are and how this leads to the feeling of isolation and being misunderstood like Christopher Creed. Treat others with respect and allow them to be who they are because one day they might be gone.
September 12, 2016
So many twists and turns in this one. You think you have it figured out by the middle of the book and then you're thrown a curve ball. I loved this book. There could have been less of the teenager "like" thrown in all over the place, but that's a small detail.
"Why do people have so much trouble seeing their own faults but such an easy time seeing everyone else's?"
"She gave me some spiel about how writing letters to Grandma had become her tradition, and that traditions gave you a feeling of sanity and security, even if they weren't practical."
"I had heard somewhere not long ago that Christ was crucified naked. But in this stained glass, and in every other crucifixion picture I had ever seen, Christ was wearing this little cloth, like a loincloth. It was as if the story had been added to, so as not to disgust people too much...I wondered if it was a good thing to change a story because the truth was too disgusting. I even asked Reverend Harmon when he came over one night to visit my dad. He said that the truth was less important, in this case, than the impact the truth would have on people...it struck me that the Church is always saying you shouldn't life, and here was one."
"There were blank spots where I must have dropped off to sleep that night without realizing it. But I would come out of them and look at the clock when I did. No more than half an hour ever passed." That sounds similar to the periods of insomnia I've been having the past few months, worrying about Holly's breathing at night.
"I felt his wish for make-believe to come alive, for some sort of control over the universe so that if life started to suck, you could just imagine something else into existence."
"People only see as far as they are able, and the rest of the truth is lost on the. A kid in the midst of us led a tortured existence. Bo Richardson wants to be everyone's mother. Christ died naked."
"I just don't understand how people can show all the violence. But they single out the nudity. Nudity is a problem, but all the violence isn't. I don't understand people." And this is exactly what I realized in high school after seeing how different British and American TV are. The first thing that struck me was the amount of nudity they showed. But when I came back to the US what struck me was the amount of violence that was shown. Of course, over the past decade American TV is showing lots of sex AND violence to kids, and yet they're not trusted to drink until they're 21. What's wrong with this picture? No wonder so many kids are binge drinking.
"I seem to remember this theory that we're all dealt fifty-two cards by the end of our lives. If you get all aces in the beginning, you have a greater chance of getting your twos and threes in rapid succession later. And when we die(the dying part makes me think that the Church had something to do with this lesson), we stand up in front of God, sort of realizing that there are no greater lives, only greater beginnings, middles, or ends. And greater depths under lesser appearances." This holds with my theory that anyone who loves someone other than themselves will experience grief and loss at some point in their life. Dan and I are getting a large dose all at once at a younger-than-average age, but spread out or dealt out in one dose, loss is loss. In the same way that you can't compare losing a loved one quickly or unexpectedly to losing someone gradually, watching them disappear, as we are with Holly. Does it hurt more to rip a band-aid off quickly or one hair at a time? What's the difference? It hurts either way. Loss is loss.
"Why do people have so much trouble seeing their own faults but such an easy time seeing everyone else's?"
"She gave me some spiel about how writing letters to Grandma had become her tradition, and that traditions gave you a feeling of sanity and security, even if they weren't practical."
"I had heard somewhere not long ago that Christ was crucified naked. But in this stained glass, and in every other crucifixion picture I had ever seen, Christ was wearing this little cloth, like a loincloth. It was as if the story had been added to, so as not to disgust people too much...I wondered if it was a good thing to change a story because the truth was too disgusting. I even asked Reverend Harmon when he came over one night to visit my dad. He said that the truth was less important, in this case, than the impact the truth would have on people...it struck me that the Church is always saying you shouldn't life, and here was one."
"There were blank spots where I must have dropped off to sleep that night without realizing it. But I would come out of them and look at the clock when I did. No more than half an hour ever passed." That sounds similar to the periods of insomnia I've been having the past few months, worrying about Holly's breathing at night.
"I felt his wish for make-believe to come alive, for some sort of control over the universe so that if life started to suck, you could just imagine something else into existence."
"People only see as far as they are able, and the rest of the truth is lost on the. A kid in the midst of us led a tortured existence. Bo Richardson wants to be everyone's mother. Christ died naked."
"I just don't understand how people can show all the violence. But they single out the nudity. Nudity is a problem, but all the violence isn't. I don't understand people." And this is exactly what I realized in high school after seeing how different British and American TV are. The first thing that struck me was the amount of nudity they showed. But when I came back to the US what struck me was the amount of violence that was shown. Of course, over the past decade American TV is showing lots of sex AND violence to kids, and yet they're not trusted to drink until they're 21. What's wrong with this picture? No wonder so many kids are binge drinking.
"I seem to remember this theory that we're all dealt fifty-two cards by the end of our lives. If you get all aces in the beginning, you have a greater chance of getting your twos and threes in rapid succession later. And when we die(the dying part makes me think that the Church had something to do with this lesson), we stand up in front of God, sort of realizing that there are no greater lives, only greater beginnings, middles, or ends. And greater depths under lesser appearances." This holds with my theory that anyone who loves someone other than themselves will experience grief and loss at some point in their life. Dan and I are getting a large dose all at once at a younger-than-average age, but spread out or dealt out in one dose, loss is loss. In the same way that you can't compare losing a loved one quickly or unexpectedly to losing someone gradually, watching them disappear, as we are with Holly. Does it hurt more to rip a band-aid off quickly or one hair at a time? What's the difference? It hurts either way. Loss is loss.
March 12, 2012
Plot Summary:
Christopher Creed is that one strange kid in your classes that was always just a little socially awkward. When he suddenly goes missing, the whole town is concerned that he may have been kidnapped, murdered, or that he may have committed suicide. Torey, who is the main character of this story, started to remember all the times that he was mean to Chris, that he had punched him in the face in the 6th grade, just for being obnoxious.
Many other people remember treating him this way too, and everyone seems to realize that Chris didn't really have any friends. Torey begins talking to a classmate named Ali, who happened to live next door to Chris. Ali had her own assumptions of what happened to him, and invited Torey over one night to spy on the Creed's house. Torey, Ali, and Ali's boyfriend Bo, all get mixed up into a crazy investigation that leads to the police pointing their finger at Bo, just because he had a previous history.
Torey goes through a good amount of growth in his maturity, and steps out of his sheltered life to help Ali clear her boyfriend's name, and to find out what really happened to Christopher Creed.
Main Characters:
Victor "Torey" Adams: This is the main character of the story, and the story covers his Junior and Senior years in high school. Victor is very naive and sheltered, he came from a family where his father was an engineer and his mother was a lawyer. They had no family problems, and it was difficult for Torey to relate to people that did. When Christopher Creed goes missing, Torey feels incredibly guilty for the way he treated him. This guilt was one of the reasons that he was so wrapped up in finding out what happened to him.
Ali McDermott: Ali is a young girl whose parents recently divorced, and her mom is known quite well around town as a harlot. She is confused about many things in her life, and she gains a tarnished reputation. Ali has lived next to the Creed family for most of her life, and she is determined that Christopher disappeared because of his military styled mother. After her boyfriend is accused of murder, she does everything she can to find out the truth.
Bo Richardson: Bo grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He was known as a "boon" because he came from the "boondocks." His mother was an alcoholic, and he was left to care for his younger siblings. Although he had a criminal record that was quite substantial, he had a good side to him that always made him look out for others. He tries to take the fall to keep everyone else safe.
Key Issues: Mystery, Suspense, Denial, Bullying
Other Interesting Information: This book gives a strong look at quite a few unhealthy family situations in the city of Steepleton. It also addresses bullying in a kind of indirect way. I felt that some of the information included was unnecessary, and that the story may have even been better with those unnecessary passages left out. I chose to give this book 3 out of 5 stars because even though I enjoyed the plotline, it was difficult for me to get into it. I also do not care for the way the bullying was addressed, and left unresolved. I do not feel like young adult readers will take as much away from this story, as I would like them to.
Christopher Creed is that one strange kid in your classes that was always just a little socially awkward. When he suddenly goes missing, the whole town is concerned that he may have been kidnapped, murdered, or that he may have committed suicide. Torey, who is the main character of this story, started to remember all the times that he was mean to Chris, that he had punched him in the face in the 6th grade, just for being obnoxious.
Many other people remember treating him this way too, and everyone seems to realize that Chris didn't really have any friends. Torey begins talking to a classmate named Ali, who happened to live next door to Chris. Ali had her own assumptions of what happened to him, and invited Torey over one night to spy on the Creed's house. Torey, Ali, and Ali's boyfriend Bo, all get mixed up into a crazy investigation that leads to the police pointing their finger at Bo, just because he had a previous history.
Torey goes through a good amount of growth in his maturity, and steps out of his sheltered life to help Ali clear her boyfriend's name, and to find out what really happened to Christopher Creed.
Main Characters:
Victor "Torey" Adams: This is the main character of the story, and the story covers his Junior and Senior years in high school. Victor is very naive and sheltered, he came from a family where his father was an engineer and his mother was a lawyer. They had no family problems, and it was difficult for Torey to relate to people that did. When Christopher Creed goes missing, Torey feels incredibly guilty for the way he treated him. This guilt was one of the reasons that he was so wrapped up in finding out what happened to him.
Ali McDermott: Ali is a young girl whose parents recently divorced, and her mom is known quite well around town as a harlot. She is confused about many things in her life, and she gains a tarnished reputation. Ali has lived next to the Creed family for most of her life, and she is determined that Christopher disappeared because of his military styled mother. After her boyfriend is accused of murder, she does everything she can to find out the truth.
Bo Richardson: Bo grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He was known as a "boon" because he came from the "boondocks." His mother was an alcoholic, and he was left to care for his younger siblings. Although he had a criminal record that was quite substantial, he had a good side to him that always made him look out for others. He tries to take the fall to keep everyone else safe.
Key Issues: Mystery, Suspense, Denial, Bullying
Other Interesting Information: This book gives a strong look at quite a few unhealthy family situations in the city of Steepleton. It also addresses bullying in a kind of indirect way. I felt that some of the information included was unnecessary, and that the story may have even been better with those unnecessary passages left out. I chose to give this book 3 out of 5 stars because even though I enjoyed the plotline, it was difficult for me to get into it. I also do not care for the way the bullying was addressed, and left unresolved. I do not feel like young adult readers will take as much away from this story, as I would like them to.
January 13, 2012
This book is about a guy named Torey Adams, and what he goes through when a weird, reserved kid, Chris Creed, goes missing from the town of Steepleton. Chris Creed had always been picked on, he was just awkward, and distant. He didn't have any friends and his parents were really strict. One day he just disappears. No one in the town knows what happened, could of been suicide or a murder. The only clue anybody has is a note that was left on one of the computers in the library. Only a few have seen the letter including Torey and his friends, who hacked into their principal's email to read it. Right away vicious rumors began to go around about what happened, and some people are trying to pin Chris Creed's disappearance, on one of the Boons. Torey and his friend Ali become really interested and want to find out what happened. Torey, Ali, and Ali's boon boyfriend Bo Richardson, get a hold of Creed's diary. Things get even stranger, and they all become suspects. Torey becomes more distant from his other friends, and the whole situation is changing him. He starts putting himself in other people shoes and gets closer to Creed's disappearance. All everybody wants is the truth. People blame everyone else because they can't face the fact that they could of been part of left, or was it really murder? Torey will do whatever it takes to clear him and his friend's names, but it could get a little dangerous.
I thought this book was pretty good. It took a little while to get into it, but once it got to the middle it was much better, and more interesting. It was really mysterious and suspenseful, and somewhat different from what I normally read. I loved how when reading it I got really drawn in. I wanted to know what really happened, books like that are always good. It was also was one of those books where I was constantly making predictions of what would happen next, so I had to read on and see if I was right. Some parts were freaky, and some were sad. I really enjoyed how the situation changes Torey, and how he suddenly has a different more understanding outlook on everything. I also think it sends a strong message that everybody is different, and you can't just judge a person by what they do or where they live, because in reality, you probably don't know the real them and what they may have gone through.
I gave this book a 3 because it was a good, but it's not something I will remember forever or want to read again. If you like mysteries you would definitely like this book. People who have a good imagination and like books that make you think should read this. It also has some to do with legends, and ghost stories, which I think made it a little more exiting. It was in general a creepy book, and I did get scared at some parts, so even if you like thrillers you should try reading this.
I thought this book was pretty good. It took a little while to get into it, but once it got to the middle it was much better, and more interesting. It was really mysterious and suspenseful, and somewhat different from what I normally read. I loved how when reading it I got really drawn in. I wanted to know what really happened, books like that are always good. It was also was one of those books where I was constantly making predictions of what would happen next, so I had to read on and see if I was right. Some parts were freaky, and some were sad. I really enjoyed how the situation changes Torey, and how he suddenly has a different more understanding outlook on everything. I also think it sends a strong message that everybody is different, and you can't just judge a person by what they do or where they live, because in reality, you probably don't know the real them and what they may have gone through.
I gave this book a 3 because it was a good, but it's not something I will remember forever or want to read again. If you like mysteries you would definitely like this book. People who have a good imagination and like books that make you think should read this. It also has some to do with legends, and ghost stories, which I think made it a little more exiting. It was in general a creepy book, and I did get scared at some parts, so even if you like thrillers you should try reading this.
August 26, 2012
Ms. Plum-Ucci produces a knock-out read in her first novel. The Body of Christopher Creed is a quick read that keeps the story going at a steady clip from page to page. I have read several newer books about teenage bullying (emotional, physical or cyber) and this book follows a similar form. The story is told from the point of view of a popular kid who has a seemingly perfect life in a seemingly perfect town, but the disappearance of the class freak throws his world and the balance of the town out of whack. The lesson of the book is repeated several times throughout and boils down to that it is easier to point a finger and hold one person responsible then it is to look back at ourselves and see what we could have done differently.
The book delivers consistent suspense and the mystery will keep you hooked until the end. Some of the language has become a little dated, especially related to technology (floppy disks!), but the plot is timeless. Some of the characters are a little one dimensional, but the complex main characters make up for that. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, and some events could be disturbing for younger readers, but in my mind they are no more or possibly less disturbing than events in The Hunger Games. Over all, the compelling mystery and strong first-person narrative will resonate with teens and adults a like.
Some reviewers have been suggesting that this book should either not be read in schools or should not have received recognition by the Prinz prize because there is frequent foul language, violence and mentions of drugs and sexuality. To those reviewers, I say that that is exactly why it is read in high school, not middle school. This book deals with mature themes and takes place in a very realistic portrayal of high school life. The drama, gossip, cliques, and denial by both adults and teens of serious issues reflect common experiences for many teenagers and most teens will find a character they relate to. As a middle school library worker, this book is marked as Young Adult book and I am comfortable with that assignment. It can be checked out by 8th graders in our library without permission from parents and I think that most kids will turn it back in if they feel disturbed or uncomfortable with the material. There are many lessons to be learned about how much gossiping, lying and denial can destroy people's lives and those are lessons that shouldn't be shielded from children mature enough to handle the rest of the material. I would like to point out that this book does not describe any sexual acts in graphic detail and the references are only made when applicable to the story or character development. This book is a great book to open up a discussion with teens about bullying and the mature content should not be a road block to that discussion.
The book delivers consistent suspense and the mystery will keep you hooked until the end. Some of the language has become a little dated, especially related to technology (floppy disks!), but the plot is timeless. Some of the characters are a little one dimensional, but the complex main characters make up for that. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, and some events could be disturbing for younger readers, but in my mind they are no more or possibly less disturbing than events in The Hunger Games. Over all, the compelling mystery and strong first-person narrative will resonate with teens and adults a like.
Some reviewers have been suggesting that this book should either not be read in schools or should not have received recognition by the Prinz prize because there is frequent foul language, violence and mentions of drugs and sexuality. To those reviewers, I say that that is exactly why it is read in high school, not middle school. This book deals with mature themes and takes place in a very realistic portrayal of high school life. The drama, gossip, cliques, and denial by both adults and teens of serious issues reflect common experiences for many teenagers and most teens will find a character they relate to. As a middle school library worker, this book is marked as Young Adult book and I am comfortable with that assignment. It can be checked out by 8th graders in our library without permission from parents and I think that most kids will turn it back in if they feel disturbed or uncomfortable with the material. There are many lessons to be learned about how much gossiping, lying and denial can destroy people's lives and those are lessons that shouldn't be shielded from children mature enough to handle the rest of the material. I would like to point out that this book does not describe any sexual acts in graphic detail and the references are only made when applicable to the story or character development. This book is a great book to open up a discussion with teens about bullying and the mature content should not be a road block to that discussion.
October 18, 2010
Torey Adams is member of a well-off, slightly rural small town where everyone seems to get along... except for Torey's classmate Christopher Creed, the local weirdo and annoyance. But when Creed goes missing and leaves a cryptic note that could point to running away, suicide or murder, old secrets and the ugly side of the community come out in the open. And when Torey tries to dig up the truth, he is one of the main targets for their hatred and fear.
This is a mystery and a thriller, but also a look at small-town life and ethics. In Torey's community, everyone wants to showcase their virtues without having to deal with their and their neighbor's imperfections and flaws. Blame is passed from person to person, and because no one wants to accept the responsibility they share in Creed's disappearance (as well as other incidents in the town from years earlier), they point their finger at anyone who might be able to serve as their scapegoat. The boons are a favorite target, the poorer and more wild group of people that live on the fringes of the town, though anyone will serve the purpose so long as the accusers are cleared.
Torey is very philosophical about his ethics and beliefs, especially in reviewing his own treatment of Creed and others in the past. He is forced to reevaluate his life and his choices in light of Creed's disappearance (and possible suicide), leading him to change his attitude and actions toward everything. His inner monologue will also spark readers to think about the way they treat others as well. Plum-Ucci highlights that a person's family life might lead them to act the way they do, and readers should get the message that they can't truly judge a person until they really know them. There is more to a person than the way they act in public.
My problems with the book lie in the language and telling of the story. Torey is a sympathetic character, but the way he and his friends speak sometimes sound off. They use slang that make me double take, which throws me off from the story. It was something that consistently bothered me throughout the book, though it wasn't something that happened on every page.
The action of the book is what keeps the story moving along, despite its philosophical and ethical undertones. Torey and his friend Ali are scrambling to find the answer before the disappearance is pinned on someone innocent, thus driving the story forward. But through all this the ending is left ambiguous, with a few hints as to what really happened.
Because of the action-centered nature of this book and because of the male narrator, this would be a good quick pick for a boy, especially if they like mysteries or thrillers. They might be turned off by the introspective parts a little, but it's a good read.
This is a mystery and a thriller, but also a look at small-town life and ethics. In Torey's community, everyone wants to showcase their virtues without having to deal with their and their neighbor's imperfections and flaws. Blame is passed from person to person, and because no one wants to accept the responsibility they share in Creed's disappearance (as well as other incidents in the town from years earlier), they point their finger at anyone who might be able to serve as their scapegoat. The boons are a favorite target, the poorer and more wild group of people that live on the fringes of the town, though anyone will serve the purpose so long as the accusers are cleared.
Torey is very philosophical about his ethics and beliefs, especially in reviewing his own treatment of Creed and others in the past. He is forced to reevaluate his life and his choices in light of Creed's disappearance (and possible suicide), leading him to change his attitude and actions toward everything. His inner monologue will also spark readers to think about the way they treat others as well. Plum-Ucci highlights that a person's family life might lead them to act the way they do, and readers should get the message that they can't truly judge a person until they really know them. There is more to a person than the way they act in public.
My problems with the book lie in the language and telling of the story. Torey is a sympathetic character, but the way he and his friends speak sometimes sound off. They use slang that make me double take, which throws me off from the story. It was something that consistently bothered me throughout the book, though it wasn't something that happened on every page.
The action of the book is what keeps the story moving along, despite its philosophical and ethical undertones. Torey and his friend Ali are scrambling to find the answer before the disappearance is pinned on someone innocent, thus driving the story forward. But through all this the ending is left ambiguous, with a few hints as to what really happened.
Because of the action-centered nature of this book and because of the male narrator, this would be a good quick pick for a boy, especially if they like mysteries or thrillers. They might be turned off by the introspective parts a little, but it's a good read.
March 12, 2011
So, I'll save my observations and rant about YA lit for the end. First, my succinct thoughts about TBoCC.
I'd give it 2 1/2 stars if I could. There were parts I liked and parts that were okay at best.
I found the premise really interesting, but the story itself didn't hold me consistently. I appreciated the theme that there is always more to someone's story... at least for the central characters. While I found the central characters likable, Torey, the main character, becomes almost too likable and knowing. He has an unrealistic growth spurt of maturity. Bo Richardson and Torey's mom are the two most interesting characters in the whole book. In fact, I want Plum-Ucci to write Bo's story. I'd read that book in a heartbeat.
There are moments that this story really moves and creates some real tension, and others where it slows to a halt. I skimmed pages towards the end to get to the conclusion, and sadly, I was disappointed with it. Too bad.
Pet peeves: some clunky spots in the actual writing mechanics and the fact that the author has Torey using "like" in really weird spots. I'm not sure, like, why you'd have any character talking that way unless you were trying to highlight an affectation. It added no character value and just distracted from the story... it highlighted poor writing. Sorry.
My general rant:
So I read a LOT of YA lit, and over the years, I've become more discerning and more critical of things that just don't ring true. I have a hard time knowing what doesn't ring true because I am an adult and not the primary intended audience, or because I'm tired of the never-ending stereotypes of school culture that is alive and well in YA lit. I'm sick of the wildly broad brush-strokes that define teenagers in books - cheerleaders, sluts, jocks, science geek, dirtbags - and then manage to soften them as they go, but only for the main characters. Has YA lit made no progress? Can't we put a bit more texture in from the beginning?
Look, my school had South Wallers - the kids who were similar to the boons in this story. But none of us wrote them off as garbage and refused to talk with them or were scared of them. Some Wallers were in chorus with me, some ran cross country with me... they were always nuanced as the rest of us. No one was just a jock. Our swim team also had guys in the orchestra and writing for the school paper. Ugh. I'm sick of the continued myth that students see each other as just ONE thing. ONE group. Those in ONE group were the exception, not the rule, and that wasn't how we judged one another. And it really underestimates a reading audience if an author can't get past the myths of school.
I'd give it 2 1/2 stars if I could. There were parts I liked and parts that were okay at best.
I found the premise really interesting, but the story itself didn't hold me consistently. I appreciated the theme that there is always more to someone's story... at least for the central characters. While I found the central characters likable, Torey, the main character, becomes almost too likable and knowing. He has an unrealistic growth spurt of maturity. Bo Richardson and Torey's mom are the two most interesting characters in the whole book. In fact, I want Plum-Ucci to write Bo's story. I'd read that book in a heartbeat.
There are moments that this story really moves and creates some real tension, and others where it slows to a halt. I skimmed pages towards the end to get to the conclusion, and sadly, I was disappointed with it. Too bad.
Pet peeves: some clunky spots in the actual writing mechanics and the fact that the author has Torey using "like" in really weird spots. I'm not sure, like, why you'd have any character talking that way unless you were trying to highlight an affectation. It added no character value and just distracted from the story... it highlighted poor writing. Sorry.
My general rant:
So I read a LOT of YA lit, and over the years, I've become more discerning and more critical of things that just don't ring true. I have a hard time knowing what doesn't ring true because I am an adult and not the primary intended audience, or because I'm tired of the never-ending stereotypes of school culture that is alive and well in YA lit. I'm sick of the wildly broad brush-strokes that define teenagers in books - cheerleaders, sluts, jocks, science geek, dirtbags - and then manage to soften them as they go, but only for the main characters. Has YA lit made no progress? Can't we put a bit more texture in from the beginning?
Look, my school had South Wallers - the kids who were similar to the boons in this story. But none of us wrote them off as garbage and refused to talk with them or were scared of them. Some Wallers were in chorus with me, some ran cross country with me... they were always nuanced as the rest of us. No one was just a jock. Our swim team also had guys in the orchestra and writing for the school paper. Ugh. I'm sick of the continued myth that students see each other as just ONE thing. ONE group. Those in ONE group were the exception, not the rule, and that wasn't how we judged one another. And it really underestimates a reading audience if an author can't get past the myths of school.
March 5, 2012
Plot Summary:
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkward teen just vanish? And, more importantly, why did Torey care so much about Christopher Creed’s disappearance?
Main Characters:
Torey: loves music, good guy, hates lies and lying, understanding, popular kid
Christopher (aka Chris) Creed: outcast, weird, wants to fit in but doesn’t, has a strict mother, no friends, always seems to be happy
Ali: cheerleader, bad reputation, Chris’ neighbor, rough home life, divorced parents, hopeful
Bo: a “boon” from the bad side of town, has a criminal record, feared by peers, courageous, there is more to him than what meets the eye
Key Issues:
tolerance, friendship, honesty, character, beliefs
Other Interesting Information:
I picked this book up not really looking for a mystery book. The title jumped out at me when scanning through the young-adult section at the bookstore and the price was right. I had no clue I had a suspenseful page-turner on my hands. If I had had a big enough block of time, I probably would have finished reading it in one sitting. Torey’s story and his honest voice suck the reader in. The ending leaves the reader thinking... and that’s all I can say without giving it away. I gave this book five stars because there is something for everyone in it. The short-ish chapters (twenty-three in total) would make this a great book to teach in a classroom. The 720 Lexile Level combined with the content and length of the book would make this a great addition to a seventh or eighth grade language arts class. (Note: Book contains some foul language. The book does include the word “slut” numerous times and stays true to what that word implies- however, there are hardly any graphic sexual details; the worst graphic details are in chapter eight.)
The Body of Christopher Creed is a mystery told by a boy named Torey. He is a high school senior that transferred to a boarding school to get away from the lies. His junior year was pretty rough and the people in his small town weren’t the easiest to live with. Well, actually, before Christopher Creed disappeared, Torey had a pretty normal existence but when Chris disappeared everyone began to talk. Was it suicide? Was it murder? Did Chris just run away? Why would the socially awkward teen just vanish? And, more importantly, why did Torey care so much about Christopher Creed’s disappearance?
Main Characters:
Torey: loves music, good guy, hates lies and lying, understanding, popular kid
Christopher (aka Chris) Creed: outcast, weird, wants to fit in but doesn’t, has a strict mother, no friends, always seems to be happy
Ali: cheerleader, bad reputation, Chris’ neighbor, rough home life, divorced parents, hopeful
Bo: a “boon” from the bad side of town, has a criminal record, feared by peers, courageous, there is more to him than what meets the eye
Key Issues:
tolerance, friendship, honesty, character, beliefs
Other Interesting Information:
I picked this book up not really looking for a mystery book. The title jumped out at me when scanning through the young-adult section at the bookstore and the price was right. I had no clue I had a suspenseful page-turner on my hands. If I had had a big enough block of time, I probably would have finished reading it in one sitting. Torey’s story and his honest voice suck the reader in. The ending leaves the reader thinking... and that’s all I can say without giving it away. I gave this book five stars because there is something for everyone in it. The short-ish chapters (twenty-three in total) would make this a great book to teach in a classroom. The 720 Lexile Level combined with the content and length of the book would make this a great addition to a seventh or eighth grade language arts class. (Note: Book contains some foul language. The book does include the word “slut” numerous times and stays true to what that word implies- however, there are hardly any graphic sexual details; the worst graphic details are in chapter eight.)
April 7, 2015
What would you do if one of your classmates went missing? The Body of Christopher Creed is a book about a boy named Christopher Creed who goes missing. But no one knows what happened to him- was it suicide, murder, or did he runaway? Christopher was a high school student and not a popular one. He had always been the weird kid, but when he goes missing everyone has a theory about what happened to him, including Torey Adams. Torey is a classmate of Christopher, and he's also one of the popular kids at the school. Before Christopher goes missing he writes a letter, this letter has Toreys name in it so he becomes very interested in finding out what happened to Christopher. With the help of his friend, Ali, and her boyfriend, Bo, Torey tries to find out whether Christopher is dead or alive. The book takes place in a small town named Steepleton. The theme in this book is that sometimes when tragedy strikes people have a tendency to blame others instead of themselves. I didn't expect a lot from this book, I guess it's an alright read, but the majority of the book is just one long buildup for what is ultimately a fairly unsatisfying ending. I picked it up because the title drew me in, but I anticipated just another "mystery" book, the kind that is supposedly suspenseful but you can predict the ending by the time you finish the first chapter. I will give credit to the writer for not going with the conventional ending that most young adult mystery novels go with. I don't have any problems with this book as far as the writing except for the fact that the characters were extremely one dimensional and utterly generic. A character would be introduced in the first chapter, I would make a note of their relationship to the main character and the plot and by the time the same character gets brought up its a hundred pages later and the writer expects the audience to still remember them from her one line description. As if everybody who's reading the book has no other responsibilities and can spend a single afternoon reading her book without a break. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes unconventional mystery novels.
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