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Chocolate War #2
Beyond the Chocolate War
The school year is almost at an end, and the chocolate sale is past history. But no one at Trinity School can forget The Chocolate War.
Devious Archie Costello, commander of the secret school organization called the Vigils, still has some torturous assignments to hand out before he graduates. In spite of this pleasure, Archie is troubled by his right-hand man, Obie, who has started to move away from the Vigils. Luckily Archie knows his stooges will fix that. But won't Archie be shocked when he discovers the surprise Obie has waiting for him?
And there are surprises waiting for others. The time for revenge has come to those boys who secretly suffered the trials and torments of Trinity. The fuse is set for the final explosion. Who will survive?
Devious Archie Costello, commander of the secret school organization called the Vigils, still has some torturous assignments to hand out before he graduates. In spite of this pleasure, Archie is troubled by his right-hand man, Obie, who has started to move away from the Vigils. Luckily Archie knows his stooges will fix that. But won't Archie be shocked when he discovers the surprise Obie has waiting for him?
And there are surprises waiting for others. The time for revenge has come to those boys who secretly suffered the trials and torments of Trinity. The fuse is set for the final explosion. Who will survive?
278 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 1985
60 people are currently reading
2172 people want to read
About the author
Robert Cormier
51 books634 followersRobert Edmund Cormier (January 17, 1925–November 2, 2000) was an American author, columnist and reporter, known for his deeply pessimistic, downbeat literature. His most popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War was challenged in multiple libraries. His books often are concerned with themes such as abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the protagonists do not win.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
February 28, 2020
As the dust settles on a productive chocolate fundraiser at Trinity Boys’ School in Monument, Massachusetts, there is much still to be decided. The curious reader who enjoyed Robert Cormier’s first novel geared towards a teenage audience will surely want to take some time to read this sequel, set mere months after the fiasco of the ‘chocolate war’. As the students at Trinity remember the events of the fall fundraiser, Jerry Renault continues to suffer the after-effects of defying the school and its unspoken student gang, The Vigils. With Renault recuperating in Canada, Vigils leader, Archie Costello, has his sights set on more events to stir up some interest. His handful of new recruits seem eager to help however they can, eager to make their mark and impress those in positions of authority. While certain members of the Vigils remain committed to the cause, some have turned their attention to some personal interests, including girls. When a planned event to stick it to the school administration goes sideways, Archie is ready to dish out some needed revenge, but not before he discovers that some Vigils are taking things into their own hands and organizing raids to embarrass certain weaker links. With Archie poised to graduate, he will be handing the reins over to someone else, but must make the end of the school year highly memorable. With the re-emergence of Jerry Renault in town, he makes the bold decision that he will return to Trinity and face the aggressors who pushed him out. However, as with many of the other boys, he learns that Trinity and The Vigils serve only as impediments to his discovering his own self. As the novel reaches its crescendo, Cormier adds a few twists that are sure to sober up his cast of characters and entertain the reader immensely. A masterful return for Cormier, who let the sequel percolate a decade before he put it to paper. Recommended to those who enjoyed The Chocolate War, as well as the reader who enjoys pieces that resonate for long after the story ends.
For some reason, I have become quite the fan of Robert Cormier over the last week, having devour three of his novels in short order. While this and the original in the series have some strong ties to one another, all three books can stand on their own as wonderful pieces of writing that young adult (teen) readers could enjoy, as well as those who simply remember those younger years. It is hard to find a protagonist in this piece, as many of the boys have their own storylines that mesh together to form strong themes. Surely, Archie Costello, whose power during the chocolate sales returns yet again, has a strong role as he uses his convincing nature to ensure he gets his own way. Even the likes of Jerry Renault, whose ostracism for standing up for himself cost him many an injury (physical and psychological) plays a decent role in this piece. The overall teenage boy persona that pervades this piece is offset against the role of the school administration—particularly Headmaster Brother Leon—to show the clash between controller and supplicant. The story was powerful and effective, pulling on loose reference to the chocolate fundraiser to act as a springboard to new and exciting new themes here. Cormier explores the role that overriding authority has over boys at that most influential age, where they seek to fit in while also defining themselves. The reader will pick up on many of these themes throughout and come to their own conclusions. With a powerful ending (as I have come to see occurs in all of Cormier’s novels I read), the reader will remain hooked until the final page-turn.
Kudos, Mr. Cormier, for keeping me focussed until the end. While the intended audience might be middle- or high-school students, your writing makes it a pleasure to read for anyone with some time.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
For some reason, I have become quite the fan of Robert Cormier over the last week, having devour three of his novels in short order. While this and the original in the series have some strong ties to one another, all three books can stand on their own as wonderful pieces of writing that young adult (teen) readers could enjoy, as well as those who simply remember those younger years. It is hard to find a protagonist in this piece, as many of the boys have their own storylines that mesh together to form strong themes. Surely, Archie Costello, whose power during the chocolate sales returns yet again, has a strong role as he uses his convincing nature to ensure he gets his own way. Even the likes of Jerry Renault, whose ostracism for standing up for himself cost him many an injury (physical and psychological) plays a decent role in this piece. The overall teenage boy persona that pervades this piece is offset against the role of the school administration—particularly Headmaster Brother Leon—to show the clash between controller and supplicant. The story was powerful and effective, pulling on loose reference to the chocolate fundraiser to act as a springboard to new and exciting new themes here. Cormier explores the role that overriding authority has over boys at that most influential age, where they seek to fit in while also defining themselves. The reader will pick up on many of these themes throughout and come to their own conclusions. With a powerful ending (as I have come to see occurs in all of Cormier’s novels I read), the reader will remain hooked until the final page-turn.
Kudos, Mr. Cormier, for keeping me focussed until the end. While the intended audience might be middle- or high-school students, your writing makes it a pleasure to read for anyone with some time.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
October 12, 2025
"That was the secret of the world's agony, and the reason crime—and, yes, sin—would always prevail. Because the criminal, whether a rapist or a burglar, loves his crime. That's why rehabilitation was impossible. You had to get rid of the love, the passion, first. And that would never happen."
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 45
"Find out a person's passion and you have him in the palm of your hand. Find out what a person loves or hates or fears, and you can play that person like a violin. Find someone who cares and what he cares about, and he is yours on a silver platter. So simple, so obvious."
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 67
Having read thousands of books by almost as many different authors, I've come to the conclusion that Robert Cormier may be unique. In my experience, there was never a writer like him on the planet. Cormier, the Master, has a way of delivering his stories of psychological horror from the inside out, making it feel as if they are growing out of our own minds, out of our darkest thoughts and fears, rather than being passed along to us by the voice of an external narrator. If the anxious mind is fear's primary breeding ground, then that is where Robert Cormier sets up shop, never straying from those fertile grounds in rooting his stories where they can grow and thrive in the shadowy corners of our subconscious. Each time we think we know what Robert Cormier is about and what form his mind-blowing fiction is going to take, he steps out past the perimeters and goes in a new direction, just as adeptly as all the other unexpected steps he had taken before. There was Frenchtown Summer, for example, in which Cormier demonstrated his masterful knowledge of writing on the high wire that is free verse, and proved to be as mesmerizing and unforgettable as in his bone-chilling prose. In Beyond the Chocolate War, Robert Cormier writes his first sequel, the followup to a novel as tormentious in the slow but steady revelation of its plot as any other I've ever read. Who could possibly live up to such a predecessor of a book, an instant classic that is feared and avoided as much as it is acclaimed because reading it us such an uncomfortable experience? Yet Robert Cormier still decided to pen a followup to The Chocolate War, coming eleven years after the original, and it is clear by the final turn of the page that he hasn't lost anything from his eerily powerful delivery during the decade-long intermission between the two books. Beyond the Chocolate War is possessed of the same raw, torturous potency as the novel that preceded it, and leaves just as resounding of an echo at the end as rang in our heads for years upon finishing The Chocolate War. I don't know how anyone could read either book and view the world afterward in quite the same way as they did before.
When Jerry Renault finally returns to Trinity High School, after months of recuperation of his body and mind following the savage beating he endured at the hands of the vile Emile Janza near the end of The Chocolate War, the world hasn't become any more peaceful of a place. The Vigils, still led by the unflappable, emotionless, conscienceless Archie Costello, continue to make life challenging for students and faculty alike at the school. Archie reels off his "assignments" whenever he finds they suit his purposes, ingeniously crafted exercises of subtle and overt psychological battery that probe for weakness and mark the spot for a later kill, or keep whoever is on the wrong end of the assignment strung up to where he can no longer make a move without fearing the roof caving in on his life. When Jerry Renault returns, he isn't the person he once was; no, Archie's nearly deadly games did their job of beating all Jerry's confidence, happiness and trust out of him, leaving him a shell of the freshman he had been at the beginning of the school year. Now, though, it's Ray Bannister's turn to play a pivotal role in the Vigils' newest power play. Ray, whose casual interest in performing magic makes him the perfect candidate to use in a revenge plot as primal in its thrust as it is dangerous, as disconcerting as it is potentially lethal.
With new levels of unsettling mystery and behind-the-scenes swaps of allegiance and friendship being introduced almost constantly, shuffling in and out and around each other like a deck of cards manipulated in the experienced hands of a master magician, it's no wonder the suspense begins to build at an early stage in the story. After the events of the previous fall, Archie doesn't have the full support of everybody in the Vigils. There are those desperate to see him draw the literal and figurative black stone, wanting it to happen as intensely as if their own redemption depended on it. If all the damage wrought by the Vigils can be put upon Archie, the ultimate scapegoat, then maybe the other Vigils can wash their hands of the terrible acts they've committed in the name of the group, can wipe the slate clean and restart their lives as if they've never heard of Archie Costello or his assignments. And some might be willing to go much further than a simple bait and switch to see Archie take the fall as architect of so much destruction and personal hurt. Some might be willing to take their own lives in their hands, as well as Archie's life, and walk to the edge of the abyss and look over, contemplating that one last leap that could render everything coming before it null. But is there truly absolution to be found in the slaying of a monster, or is there no satisfactory way out to be found once one has crossed the line and pressed the self-destruct button on one's life, detonating the last dregs of humanity that remain?
"A thought crept into his mind. It would be nice to avoid the world, to leave it and all its threats and unhappiness. Not to die or anything like that, but to find a place of solitude and solace.
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 160
The richness of this story goes so deep that it's difficult to imagine being able to delve down far enough into its themes to do the book justice in a review like this. As in The Chocolate War, the major overarching question—more of a forceful jab to the solar plexus, really, but with the lighter hues of honest query hovering at the edges—is, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" Jerry Renault learned to ask that question from a poster in the back of his locker at Trinity High, a philosophical self-inquiry that comes from T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. This short, simple question was the basis of all that happened between Jerry Renault, Archie Costello, Brother Leon and the other students at Trinity in The Chocolate War. As Jerry observed the mass of humanity heading in one essentially similar direction, all of them chasing after their goals and desires and the idealized American life that people are trained to want from the earliest days of childhood, Jerry came to want something more than to follow the crowd and not make waves. Jerry wanted to "disturb the universe", wanted to stir the hornets' nests and find out what would happen if he did, find out whether or not there really was anything to fear as the majority of people quietly seemed to think. Jerry's cautious first attempts at disturbing the universe were met with devastating heavy-handedness in The Chocolate War, and he isn't soon going to make those same decisions again. Therefore, so much of Beyond the Chocolate War is a revisitation of that same question as in the first book, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" Yet now, Jerry's perspective is vastly different. We may not always recognize the colossal separation in mixed signals we receive while growing up, but at the same time as we're hearing that we can do anything, that anything we might want to achieve is within our power and we can earn all of it and more if we're willing to work hard, that love and happiness is within our grasp and we can have that, too, if we just believe it's possible and have patience searching until we find the love that's out there for us, there are those areas in which a tendency to reach out and disturb the universe are met with swift opposition and retribution as merciless as anything encountered by Jerry Renault. And who can maintain the bravery to continue sending ripples out into the universe when such resentment and fiery rancor are sent in response, like an angry meteor shower warning us not to disturb the universe in such a way, that there are acceptable disruptions to the natural continuum and then there are those that should never be attempted, and woe to he who crosses up the two and invites a burning hailstorm on his own head? Jerry's soberingly timid attitude about this in light of the brutal beating he suffered at Trinity months ago is easy to see on page one hundred nine of Beyond the Chocolate War: "He had to resume his life here in Monument... Live according to the rules he had established for himself after the chocolate sale. Don't make waves, go with the flow. Pretend the world wore a sign like the kind hanging on doorknobs in motels: DO NOT DISTURB." And who could blame Jerry Renault for his change in belief after the trauma of the war with Brother Leon and the Vigils? How do we respond when we know our search for individuality and personal satisfaction will be met by nothing but the most acidic forms of recrimination and opposition? Who would be able to make the choice to carry on disturbing the universe in the face of such risk? This theme is wrestled with in depth throughout Beyond the Chocolate War, but one doesn't get a totally clear vision of Jerry's "solution" to the problem until page two hundred twenty-four, when it becomes obvious how permanently beaten down he is by his multiple traumatic ordeals. "They want you to fight... And you can really lose only if you fight them. That's what the goons want. And guys like Archie Costello. You have to outlast them, that's all." "Even if they kill you?" Archie's friend, Goober, asks him, confused by the difference in his one-time friend. "Even if they kill you", Jerry affirms. In the aftermath of that evil night when Jerry's future changed forever, Jerry changed, too. His method of dealing with every Archie Costello and Emile Janza in the world became to let them run over him whenever they wanted, to not fight back, to let them have their way because that's the only sure method for preserving oneself. And it works, too. It really does work, in life and in literature. And one can shake away those stray thoughts when they come, thoughts of successfully disturbing the universe and going against that river of humanity constantly flowing all in the same direction. Eventually, one might not even think about what has been lost.
"Sometimes I wake up at night in a panic. Wondering: What will my life be like? And sometimes I even wonder: Who am I? What am I doing here, on this planet, in this city, in this house? And it gives me the shivers, makes me panic."
—Goober, Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 160
I've heard it said that Robert Cormier's books are too bleak, that there isn't enough hope in them to light the way and lead readers to a better place on the other side of the story, with a more positive outlook on the world. What is a book supposed to do, after all, but shed light on a world of frequent darkness, equip us emotionally for any situation we'll face, and by extension help us eliminate some of the darkness of the world because our hope for it has been seen to function realistically in the pages of the stories we read? Yet I don't believe this precludes the use, and need, for a book like Beyond the Chocolate War. A real happy ending, not contrived or fabricated or thought up at the last moment as a means of tying a bright bow on the narrative package, has little meaning if there are no stories ending in confusion and despair to serve as contrast. Because we know in each Robert Cormier novel that things may well not end up all right, that death, entrapment, bleak isolation or psychological breakdown could be where the story is headed, it allows us real appreciation for whenever happiness is actually found in Cormier's books. Sometimes the story ends pleasantly and often it doesn't, but if it does, it means so much more, tastes all the sweeter, because we know it didn't have to be that way. Because it's Cormier, we know it didn't have to be that way. We can learn just as much from a book like Beyond the Chocolate War as from a tale of fulfilled hope; downbeat stories have just as much to teach us, and they deserve to be told. To his credit, Robert Cormier was never afraid to be the one to do the telling.
I try to be careful about using extreme descriptive terms such as "brilliant", "ingenious", "legendary", and phrases like "all-time great" and "one of a kind" unless I really mean them. If I describe every author as "brilliant" or an "all-time great", the words don't mean anything; they're just noise, unnecessary buzzwords filling the air with relatively synonymous accord. I don't think there's any exaggeration, however, in the statement that Robert Cormier is an all-time great writer. If there is anyone greater than Cormier at the height of his powers, I have yet to encounter his or her books. I would give three and a half stars to Beyond the Chocolate War, a novel as philosophically substantial as it is provocatively suspenseful, one of the finest works from one of the greatest authors to ever write in the English language. It doesn't get much better than this.
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 45
"Find out a person's passion and you have him in the palm of your hand. Find out what a person loves or hates or fears, and you can play that person like a violin. Find someone who cares and what he cares about, and he is yours on a silver platter. So simple, so obvious."
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 67
Having read thousands of books by almost as many different authors, I've come to the conclusion that Robert Cormier may be unique. In my experience, there was never a writer like him on the planet. Cormier, the Master, has a way of delivering his stories of psychological horror from the inside out, making it feel as if they are growing out of our own minds, out of our darkest thoughts and fears, rather than being passed along to us by the voice of an external narrator. If the anxious mind is fear's primary breeding ground, then that is where Robert Cormier sets up shop, never straying from those fertile grounds in rooting his stories where they can grow and thrive in the shadowy corners of our subconscious. Each time we think we know what Robert Cormier is about and what form his mind-blowing fiction is going to take, he steps out past the perimeters and goes in a new direction, just as adeptly as all the other unexpected steps he had taken before. There was Frenchtown Summer, for example, in which Cormier demonstrated his masterful knowledge of writing on the high wire that is free verse, and proved to be as mesmerizing and unforgettable as in his bone-chilling prose. In Beyond the Chocolate War, Robert Cormier writes his first sequel, the followup to a novel as tormentious in the slow but steady revelation of its plot as any other I've ever read. Who could possibly live up to such a predecessor of a book, an instant classic that is feared and avoided as much as it is acclaimed because reading it us such an uncomfortable experience? Yet Robert Cormier still decided to pen a followup to The Chocolate War, coming eleven years after the original, and it is clear by the final turn of the page that he hasn't lost anything from his eerily powerful delivery during the decade-long intermission between the two books. Beyond the Chocolate War is possessed of the same raw, torturous potency as the novel that preceded it, and leaves just as resounding of an echo at the end as rang in our heads for years upon finishing The Chocolate War. I don't know how anyone could read either book and view the world afterward in quite the same way as they did before.
When Jerry Renault finally returns to Trinity High School, after months of recuperation of his body and mind following the savage beating he endured at the hands of the vile Emile Janza near the end of The Chocolate War, the world hasn't become any more peaceful of a place. The Vigils, still led by the unflappable, emotionless, conscienceless Archie Costello, continue to make life challenging for students and faculty alike at the school. Archie reels off his "assignments" whenever he finds they suit his purposes, ingeniously crafted exercises of subtle and overt psychological battery that probe for weakness and mark the spot for a later kill, or keep whoever is on the wrong end of the assignment strung up to where he can no longer make a move without fearing the roof caving in on his life. When Jerry Renault returns, he isn't the person he once was; no, Archie's nearly deadly games did their job of beating all Jerry's confidence, happiness and trust out of him, leaving him a shell of the freshman he had been at the beginning of the school year. Now, though, it's Ray Bannister's turn to play a pivotal role in the Vigils' newest power play. Ray, whose casual interest in performing magic makes him the perfect candidate to use in a revenge plot as primal in its thrust as it is dangerous, as disconcerting as it is potentially lethal.
With new levels of unsettling mystery and behind-the-scenes swaps of allegiance and friendship being introduced almost constantly, shuffling in and out and around each other like a deck of cards manipulated in the experienced hands of a master magician, it's no wonder the suspense begins to build at an early stage in the story. After the events of the previous fall, Archie doesn't have the full support of everybody in the Vigils. There are those desperate to see him draw the literal and figurative black stone, wanting it to happen as intensely as if their own redemption depended on it. If all the damage wrought by the Vigils can be put upon Archie, the ultimate scapegoat, then maybe the other Vigils can wash their hands of the terrible acts they've committed in the name of the group, can wipe the slate clean and restart their lives as if they've never heard of Archie Costello or his assignments. And some might be willing to go much further than a simple bait and switch to see Archie take the fall as architect of so much destruction and personal hurt. Some might be willing to take their own lives in their hands, as well as Archie's life, and walk to the edge of the abyss and look over, contemplating that one last leap that could render everything coming before it null. But is there truly absolution to be found in the slaying of a monster, or is there no satisfactory way out to be found once one has crossed the line and pressed the self-destruct button on one's life, detonating the last dregs of humanity that remain?
"A thought crept into his mind. It would be nice to avoid the world, to leave it and all its threats and unhappiness. Not to die or anything like that, but to find a place of solitude and solace.
—Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 160
The richness of this story goes so deep that it's difficult to imagine being able to delve down far enough into its themes to do the book justice in a review like this. As in The Chocolate War, the major overarching question—more of a forceful jab to the solar plexus, really, but with the lighter hues of honest query hovering at the edges—is, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" Jerry Renault learned to ask that question from a poster in the back of his locker at Trinity High, a philosophical self-inquiry that comes from T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. This short, simple question was the basis of all that happened between Jerry Renault, Archie Costello, Brother Leon and the other students at Trinity in The Chocolate War. As Jerry observed the mass of humanity heading in one essentially similar direction, all of them chasing after their goals and desires and the idealized American life that people are trained to want from the earliest days of childhood, Jerry came to want something more than to follow the crowd and not make waves. Jerry wanted to "disturb the universe", wanted to stir the hornets' nests and find out what would happen if he did, find out whether or not there really was anything to fear as the majority of people quietly seemed to think. Jerry's cautious first attempts at disturbing the universe were met with devastating heavy-handedness in The Chocolate War, and he isn't soon going to make those same decisions again. Therefore, so much of Beyond the Chocolate War is a revisitation of that same question as in the first book, "Do I dare disturb the universe?" Yet now, Jerry's perspective is vastly different. We may not always recognize the colossal separation in mixed signals we receive while growing up, but at the same time as we're hearing that we can do anything, that anything we might want to achieve is within our power and we can earn all of it and more if we're willing to work hard, that love and happiness is within our grasp and we can have that, too, if we just believe it's possible and have patience searching until we find the love that's out there for us, there are those areas in which a tendency to reach out and disturb the universe are met with swift opposition and retribution as merciless as anything encountered by Jerry Renault. And who can maintain the bravery to continue sending ripples out into the universe when such resentment and fiery rancor are sent in response, like an angry meteor shower warning us not to disturb the universe in such a way, that there are acceptable disruptions to the natural continuum and then there are those that should never be attempted, and woe to he who crosses up the two and invites a burning hailstorm on his own head? Jerry's soberingly timid attitude about this in light of the brutal beating he suffered at Trinity months ago is easy to see on page one hundred nine of Beyond the Chocolate War: "He had to resume his life here in Monument... Live according to the rules he had established for himself after the chocolate sale. Don't make waves, go with the flow. Pretend the world wore a sign like the kind hanging on doorknobs in motels: DO NOT DISTURB." And who could blame Jerry Renault for his change in belief after the trauma of the war with Brother Leon and the Vigils? How do we respond when we know our search for individuality and personal satisfaction will be met by nothing but the most acidic forms of recrimination and opposition? Who would be able to make the choice to carry on disturbing the universe in the face of such risk? This theme is wrestled with in depth throughout Beyond the Chocolate War, but one doesn't get a totally clear vision of Jerry's "solution" to the problem until page two hundred twenty-four, when it becomes obvious how permanently beaten down he is by his multiple traumatic ordeals. "They want you to fight... And you can really lose only if you fight them. That's what the goons want. And guys like Archie Costello. You have to outlast them, that's all." "Even if they kill you?" Archie's friend, Goober, asks him, confused by the difference in his one-time friend. "Even if they kill you", Jerry affirms. In the aftermath of that evil night when Jerry's future changed forever, Jerry changed, too. His method of dealing with every Archie Costello and Emile Janza in the world became to let them run over him whenever they wanted, to not fight back, to let them have their way because that's the only sure method for preserving oneself. And it works, too. It really does work, in life and in literature. And one can shake away those stray thoughts when they come, thoughts of successfully disturbing the universe and going against that river of humanity constantly flowing all in the same direction. Eventually, one might not even think about what has been lost.
"Sometimes I wake up at night in a panic. Wondering: What will my life be like? And sometimes I even wonder: Who am I? What am I doing here, on this planet, in this city, in this house? And it gives me the shivers, makes me panic."
—Goober, Beyond the Chocolate War, P. 160
I've heard it said that Robert Cormier's books are too bleak, that there isn't enough hope in them to light the way and lead readers to a better place on the other side of the story, with a more positive outlook on the world. What is a book supposed to do, after all, but shed light on a world of frequent darkness, equip us emotionally for any situation we'll face, and by extension help us eliminate some of the darkness of the world because our hope for it has been seen to function realistically in the pages of the stories we read? Yet I don't believe this precludes the use, and need, for a book like Beyond the Chocolate War. A real happy ending, not contrived or fabricated or thought up at the last moment as a means of tying a bright bow on the narrative package, has little meaning if there are no stories ending in confusion and despair to serve as contrast. Because we know in each Robert Cormier novel that things may well not end up all right, that death, entrapment, bleak isolation or psychological breakdown could be where the story is headed, it allows us real appreciation for whenever happiness is actually found in Cormier's books. Sometimes the story ends pleasantly and often it doesn't, but if it does, it means so much more, tastes all the sweeter, because we know it didn't have to be that way. Because it's Cormier, we know it didn't have to be that way. We can learn just as much from a book like Beyond the Chocolate War as from a tale of fulfilled hope; downbeat stories have just as much to teach us, and they deserve to be told. To his credit, Robert Cormier was never afraid to be the one to do the telling.
I try to be careful about using extreme descriptive terms such as "brilliant", "ingenious", "legendary", and phrases like "all-time great" and "one of a kind" unless I really mean them. If I describe every author as "brilliant" or an "all-time great", the words don't mean anything; they're just noise, unnecessary buzzwords filling the air with relatively synonymous accord. I don't think there's any exaggeration, however, in the statement that Robert Cormier is an all-time great writer. If there is anyone greater than Cormier at the height of his powers, I have yet to encounter his or her books. I would give three and a half stars to Beyond the Chocolate War, a novel as philosophically substantial as it is provocatively suspenseful, one of the finest works from one of the greatest authors to ever write in the English language. It doesn't get much better than this.
May 18, 2018
Word count: 585
The brilliantly amazing author of the Chocolate War is none other than Robert Cormier. Cormier was born on January 17, 1925, and passed away November 2, 2000, due to lung cancer. He left his stories behind through his books that can now be enjoyed by countless generations. Cormier wrote thoughtful and muddling novels for young adults, most of which caused disputes among many different organizations. A few of his books were left on the Banned Book list, due to “adult language” and “adult themes”. He wrote The Chocolate War, Beyond the Chocolate War, I Am The Cheese, After The First Death, and We All Fall Down. Through those books, he was given the honor of the Phoenix Award in 1991 for his book: I Am The Cheese.
Beyond the Chocolate War is a realistic fiction book. The plot, characters, setting, and elements are more than possible to take place, although, because this is a created story, it is still categorized as fiction. I believe young adults and teenagers were meant to read this book. It has more ‘adult’ themes, meaning there’s some harsh language and themes that could make some uncomfortable. It could be written for adult as well, in order to help see what is really going on within an everyday school system. With that, it’s obvious that Robert Cormier wrote this book in order to publicly display what he feels is wrong with the high school system. He knows there are corrupt situations and teachers, and through his writing, has shown that off to his readers.
The book is arranged in chapters. Each chapter is about a dozen pages long, depending on who’s turn it is to see their point of view or part of their day. Sometimes within the chapter, it switches points of view. It can go from using “I” and “we”, and back to “they” and “them”. It’s an older book, so I’m not too bothered by the switching points of view, but it becomes a little confusing sometimes. Each page is made up of paragraphs. Overall, it’s a pretty basic layout of how most books are set up. Nothing really out of the ordinary.
Personally, I don’t find the book cover very attractive. There’s a picture, but I am still not a fan of it very much. There’s a summary of the book on the back, matching the cover of the book. I feel as though the cover doesn’t take away from the reading, due it not being too flashy or anything like that. The writing in the book is smaller, but that doesn’t bother me at all. I’d rather the words be smaller than too large. I wish there was a map, however, of the town or maybe Trinity. That would be cool and I feel like it would add to the whole book.
There are many characters within 'Beyond the Chocolate War'. At times, it can be confused as to who is who and what they're doing, but I feel like each character is different in their own way. Personally, the first book, The Chocolate War, developed the characters in a better fashion than in the sequel. You get to know the characters more in the first book and relate to them more on a more personal level that isn't as if watching through a screen door. Regardless, every last one of the characters are brilliant in their own kind of way. Each of them have a different personality and contribution to the plot of the story.
The brilliantly amazing author of the Chocolate War is none other than Robert Cormier. Cormier was born on January 17, 1925, and passed away November 2, 2000, due to lung cancer. He left his stories behind through his books that can now be enjoyed by countless generations. Cormier wrote thoughtful and muddling novels for young adults, most of which caused disputes among many different organizations. A few of his books were left on the Banned Book list, due to “adult language” and “adult themes”. He wrote The Chocolate War, Beyond the Chocolate War, I Am The Cheese, After The First Death, and We All Fall Down. Through those books, he was given the honor of the Phoenix Award in 1991 for his book: I Am The Cheese.
Beyond the Chocolate War is a realistic fiction book. The plot, characters, setting, and elements are more than possible to take place, although, because this is a created story, it is still categorized as fiction. I believe young adults and teenagers were meant to read this book. It has more ‘adult’ themes, meaning there’s some harsh language and themes that could make some uncomfortable. It could be written for adult as well, in order to help see what is really going on within an everyday school system. With that, it’s obvious that Robert Cormier wrote this book in order to publicly display what he feels is wrong with the high school system. He knows there are corrupt situations and teachers, and through his writing, has shown that off to his readers.
The book is arranged in chapters. Each chapter is about a dozen pages long, depending on who’s turn it is to see their point of view or part of their day. Sometimes within the chapter, it switches points of view. It can go from using “I” and “we”, and back to “they” and “them”. It’s an older book, so I’m not too bothered by the switching points of view, but it becomes a little confusing sometimes. Each page is made up of paragraphs. Overall, it’s a pretty basic layout of how most books are set up. Nothing really out of the ordinary.
Personally, I don’t find the book cover very attractive. There’s a picture, but I am still not a fan of it very much. There’s a summary of the book on the back, matching the cover of the book. I feel as though the cover doesn’t take away from the reading, due it not being too flashy or anything like that. The writing in the book is smaller, but that doesn’t bother me at all. I’d rather the words be smaller than too large. I wish there was a map, however, of the town or maybe Trinity. That would be cool and I feel like it would add to the whole book.
There are many characters within 'Beyond the Chocolate War'. At times, it can be confused as to who is who and what they're doing, but I feel like each character is different in their own way. Personally, the first book, The Chocolate War, developed the characters in a better fashion than in the sequel. You get to know the characters more in the first book and relate to them more on a more personal level that isn't as if watching through a screen door. Regardless, every last one of the characters are brilliant in their own kind of way. Each of them have a different personality and contribution to the plot of the story.
January 11, 2011
Robert Cormier is my favorite author.
The incident between Renault and the Vigils has rocked the school. Only the Vigils' leader, Archie Costello, continues on harder than ever, undeterred by the challenge to the Vigils' authority. The other senior Vigils, Carter and Obie, know that Archie will be the ruin of them all, and make plans to bring him down. But will anyone escape the wave of destruction Archie is leaving behind?
This is, in my opinion, one of Cormier's darkest books. While The Chocolate War does deal with themes like bullying and sexual frustration, its sequel deals with suicide, rape, murder, and pure evil (in the form of Archie Costello). However, one of the things I didn't like about this book was that Archie was almost too inhuman; the first book showed things from his side sometimes, and there were times where he was sweating and nervous, even if he pulled off his victory at the end. Here, he (easily the most hated character in the book) escapes unscathed, seemingly effortlessly, and his maliciousness is even more appalling than before. However, I am also glad that Obie's character (especially his hatred of Archie) was explored even further than in the first book.
Bottom line: be careful with this book. If The Chocolate War was too intense for you, this one definitely will be.
The incident between Renault and the Vigils has rocked the school. Only the Vigils' leader, Archie Costello, continues on harder than ever, undeterred by the challenge to the Vigils' authority. The other senior Vigils, Carter and Obie, know that Archie will be the ruin of them all, and make plans to bring him down. But will anyone escape the wave of destruction Archie is leaving behind?
This is, in my opinion, one of Cormier's darkest books. While The Chocolate War does deal with themes like bullying and sexual frustration, its sequel deals with suicide, rape, murder, and pure evil (in the form of Archie Costello). However, one of the things I didn't like about this book was that Archie was almost too inhuman; the first book showed things from his side sometimes, and there were times where he was sweating and nervous, even if he pulled off his victory at the end. Here, he (easily the most hated character in the book) escapes unscathed, seemingly effortlessly, and his maliciousness is even more appalling than before. However, I am also glad that Obie's character (especially his hatred of Archie) was explored even further than in the first book.
Bottom line: be careful with this book. If The Chocolate War was too intense for you, this one definitely will be.
May 16, 2013
This is how a sequel should be written. Although lacking the singular focus and finesse of the first novel, it makes up for it by being more character driven and multi-layered. As a stand-alone I don't think it works, but for the reader who has invested a lot of commitment toThe Chocolate War and wants something more - more character arcs, a more concentrated look at each individual, more soul and beyond just another great, but superficial story, then this delivers in spades. Robert Cormier is easily becoming my favourite author.
PS - look, the book deserves a four, but I bumped it up to five for the awesome 80s Total Eclipse of the Heart schoolboy inspired cover art of my edition :D
PS - look, the book deserves a four, but I bumped it up to five for the awesome 80s Total Eclipse of the Heart schoolboy inspired cover art of my edition :D
January 29, 2022
"It would be nice to avoid the world, to leave it and all its threats and unhappiness. Not to die or anything like that, but to find a place of solitude and solace."
+
"I, a stranger and afraid In a world I never made."
4/5
This has been my most interrupted reading. Every time i sat down to read i had to stop and every time i put the book down i didn't pick it up for a while because i got busy. I wish reality would stop and just let me read in peace.
Equally as beautifully written as the first, absolutely adore the writing style.
I think i like this one better than the first part (rated 3.5)? I feel like it's a little bit more refined and polished, i got a bigger sense of everyone's personality and relationships to each other. This one explored more characters more closely.
The plot felt a little more engaging than the first ??? It's darker ? It's about tying all the loose ends left over from the first book and about taking Archie's throne. It's so very good, it wasn't what i was expecting and i couldnt wait to see what would happen next.
The Fair Day chapters, nothing has ever made me more tense and nervous. This was so good, the end was somehow bittersweet in its own way i think. I hate that there isn't a third part to this, it's so well set up to continue on - not just with the new vigils plans but also with Jerry and Goob. But I guess that would be starting with a kind of new generation of characters and that's not really the point of the books ya know. It wouldn't make sense without Archie and Obie and Carter who've now graduated. I guess the books just shows how evil continues, the idea goes on, no matter who's in charge.
Yeah i enjoyed this, yeah maybe i have a crush on Archie Costello.
+
"I, a stranger and afraid In a world I never made."
4/5
This has been my most interrupted reading. Every time i sat down to read i had to stop and every time i put the book down i didn't pick it up for a while because i got busy. I wish reality would stop and just let me read in peace.
Equally as beautifully written as the first, absolutely adore the writing style.
I think i like this one better than the first part (rated 3.5)? I feel like it's a little bit more refined and polished, i got a bigger sense of everyone's personality and relationships to each other. This one explored more characters more closely.
The plot felt a little more engaging than the first ??? It's darker ? It's about tying all the loose ends left over from the first book and about taking Archie's throne. It's so very good, it wasn't what i was expecting and i couldnt wait to see what would happen next.
The Fair Day chapters, nothing has ever made me more tense and nervous. This was so good, the end was somehow bittersweet in its own way i think. I hate that there isn't a third part to this, it's so well set up to continue on - not just with the new vigils plans but also with Jerry and Goob. But I guess that would be starting with a kind of new generation of characters and that's not really the point of the books ya know. It wouldn't make sense without Archie and Obie and Carter who've now graduated. I guess the books just shows how evil continues, the idea goes on, no matter who's in charge.
Yeah i enjoyed this, yeah maybe i have a crush on Archie Costello.
March 14, 2017
God I really love this one.
It's not the subtle adoration I have of the first one, it's not a, "I really like how the message is just under the surface and every word is necessary and god this is beautiful ". It's more of a: the first book was fantastic on an unearthly level and this book is fantastic in a sequel way. In a, all of your favorite characters are back, the events of the first book have rocked them, and now there's also a guillotine. It's phenomenal. I love it so much.
I love how Archie comes off totally on top. I love that. In the first book you saw a little weakness but with his successes in the first one, he doesn't have those anymore. I love how he almost becomes less of a person and more of an entity - though the "I am Archie" mantra from the first book isn't as repeated in this book, he does have less POVs, and it's still wonderful. The addition of Bunting - beautiful. The pseudo-Archie, lacking the subtlety but with a little bit of Janza-like bloodlust in there. The tragedy of Goober and Jerry's relationship. All of it. Beautiful.
Beautiful, which is a word I have trouble using without thinking about these books. It's been a problem since the first time I read the first one, back when I was an eighth grader, back in 2011 when our school started selling chocolates and my English teacher, who I think didn't want us to sell the chocolates (or maybe did, given how that book turns out) had us read The Chocolate War. The word 'beautiful' is forever connotative with Archie Costello. Forever. Every time I use it, especially on it's own - you get a weird flash of that "I am Archie" feeling.
So it's pretty fitting that that's what the book ends on.
Beautiful.
It's not the subtle adoration I have of the first one, it's not a, "I really like how the message is just under the surface and every word is necessary and god this is beautiful ". It's more of a: the first book was fantastic on an unearthly level and this book is fantastic in a sequel way. In a, all of your favorite characters are back, the events of the first book have rocked them, and now there's also a guillotine. It's phenomenal. I love it so much.
I love how Archie comes off totally on top. I love that. In the first book you saw a little weakness but with his successes in the first one, he doesn't have those anymore. I love how he almost becomes less of a person and more of an entity - though the "I am Archie" mantra from the first book isn't as repeated in this book, he does have less POVs, and it's still wonderful. The addition of Bunting - beautiful. The pseudo-Archie, lacking the subtlety but with a little bit of Janza-like bloodlust in there. The tragedy of Goober and Jerry's relationship. All of it. Beautiful.
Beautiful, which is a word I have trouble using without thinking about these books. It's been a problem since the first time I read the first one, back when I was an eighth grader, back in 2011 when our school started selling chocolates and my English teacher, who I think didn't want us to sell the chocolates (or maybe did, given how that book turns out) had us read The Chocolate War. The word 'beautiful' is forever connotative with Archie Costello. Forever. Every time I use it, especially on it's own - you get a weird flash of that "I am Archie" feeling.
So it's pretty fitting that that's what the book ends on.
Beautiful.
March 15, 2008
After reading The Chocolate War, I decided I should read the sequel. I'd been told it wasn't that good, but I actually ended up quite liking it despite its flaws. It's a different book from the first; it definitely continues the same tone and themes, but it's not quite as focused -- instead of one strong plot that winds tighter and tighter as the book progresses, this one has several different focal points.
Beyond the Chocolate War is more of a horror novel than the first. I realized after reading it that both could be considered horror novels, despite the lack of supernatural activity. My first instinct was to call them "thrillers," which is what horror novels without anything supernatural going on tend to get called. But that doesn't really work, because neither novel is really thrilling, but both are certainly horrifying. Anyway, I say that the sequel is more of a horror novel because it seemed just ever-so-slightly less plausible. I found The Chocolate War to be pretty much utterly believable, and the sequel less so. Both are good, but I think the first will stay in my thoughts more permanently.
Beyond the Chocolate War is more of a horror novel than the first. I realized after reading it that both could be considered horror novels, despite the lack of supernatural activity. My first instinct was to call them "thrillers," which is what horror novels without anything supernatural going on tend to get called. But that doesn't really work, because neither novel is really thrilling, but both are certainly horrifying. Anyway, I say that the sequel is more of a horror novel because it seemed just ever-so-slightly less plausible. I found The Chocolate War to be pretty much utterly believable, and the sequel less so. Both are good, but I think the first will stay in my thoughts more permanently.
September 19, 2016
This book is just as dark and mature as the original. I thought that a sequel to The chocolate war was a bad idea, the first one ending on a note that I was OK with. But this was actually better than I thought it would be. My only complaint is that the end sets up for a third book in the series that Robert Cormier never wrote.
January 19, 2025
i loved archie sue me
March 8, 2008
Good wins over evil in this book ... and that is why I think it and the original are banned a lot.
This book is the sequel to The Chocolate War. It picks up at the end of the year from hell for the main character Jerry Renault. In the first book, Archie Costello, the assigner for the Vigils made life miserable for Jerry, and in the end he was physically assaulted and almost killed. In the sequel the readers are able to experience Jerry's recovery both physically and mentally and see the impact that it had on others. We also see how Archie and the Vigil's respond to the chaos that they have created. Unfortunately, the end leaves the reader wanting more.
I really enjoyed the first book, and was happy to find out that the author did not leave us hanging at the end of the first novel. However, this book uses strong language and it covers some “adult” topics. It also does not send a message that good always conquers evil. So as a teacher or a librarian you would want to be careful who you recommend this book to.
This book is the sequel to The Chocolate War. It picks up at the end of the year from hell for the main character Jerry Renault. In the first book, Archie Costello, the assigner for the Vigils made life miserable for Jerry, and in the end he was physically assaulted and almost killed. In the sequel the readers are able to experience Jerry's recovery both physically and mentally and see the impact that it had on others. We also see how Archie and the Vigil's respond to the chaos that they have created. Unfortunately, the end leaves the reader wanting more.
I really enjoyed the first book, and was happy to find out that the author did not leave us hanging at the end of the first novel. However, this book uses strong language and it covers some “adult” topics. It also does not send a message that good always conquers evil. So as a teacher or a librarian you would want to be careful who you recommend this book to.
December 23, 2015
Justified.
At first I was hessitant to read this book, because rarely does a sequel achieves what the first book has offered, (if not the sequel and all that follows after makes the series more interesting), but this justified what needs to be justified.
Knowing that this followed ten years after the first book was published, curiousity was my first reason I read this. Questions like 'does the author have nightmares (for ten years) with the circumstances he has given to the characters to live for the rest of their lives?' So having the book, I read it without any expectations.
In the process of reading, a book that followed ten years after its predecessor did not disappoint me it being a gripping, page turner, true YA read (for it really does show what it's like to be a young adult), as The Chocolate War.
At first I was hessitant to read this book, because rarely does a sequel achieves what the first book has offered, (if not the sequel and all that follows after makes the series more interesting), but this justified what needs to be justified.
Knowing that this followed ten years after the first book was published, curiousity was my first reason I read this. Questions like 'does the author have nightmares (for ten years) with the circumstances he has given to the characters to live for the rest of their lives?' So having the book, I read it without any expectations.
In the process of reading, a book that followed ten years after its predecessor did not disappoint me it being a gripping, page turner, true YA read (for it really does show what it's like to be a young adult), as The Chocolate War.
September 5, 2011
Exploring the aftermath of the chocolate sale and various participants plans for revenge, as well as the continued dominance and cruelty of Archie and Brother Leon. As much as one hopes and prays for the villains to get what they deserve, it seems that Cormier's overarching lesson is that there will always be evil and cruel people in the world and that it's up to the so-called "good guys" to decide how to deal with them. Will they turn traitor, stand strong and take it, end it all, or become what they despise? Each victim takes a different track and the reader is compelled to identify with the choice made and wonder how he or she would behave in that situation. Excellent in-class learning tool, but I would be wary about younger teens reading this without guidance.
March 15, 2013
Really good with an exciting plot that is fast paced. A lot of the same characters were in this book but fewer of them narrated. Even though there were less narrators you got a good idea of all the conflict and tension. In all nothing changed, I still hated Jerry and loved Archie, but this book had more excitement and drama. It was explosive and the ending was brilliant. All I could think was Thank goodness Trinity isn't a real school.
March 1, 2016
Even better than the first book. The most dramatic, tension filled climax I've read in a long time, too.
January 2, 2021
Great book. As to whether I prefer this or The Chocolate War, I can't tell. Both are great. I like this book because it really expands on the first book. However, parts I and II felt a bit slow, even though everything in them was essential. The first chapter is really good though, and I also like any chapter that Goober is in.
Spoiler section:
So anyway, great book, would reread again. The plot lines are just amazing. I know I didn't talk about Caroni's but I liked that one too.
Spoiler section:
So anyway, great book, would reread again. The plot lines are just amazing. I know I didn't talk about Caroni's but I liked that one too.
January 17, 2019
When I got this book from the library I somehow didn’t realize that it was a sequel to another book. By the time I realized this I had already read a lot of it and needed to finish something for my English class. I was very surprised my teacher reccomended this book to me. This book contains a lot of profanity and is very dark. It is clearly meant for mature readers. With that said, I still feel it was very well written the book was one of the most descriptive books I have ever read. Even things as simple as describing the characters actions were said in great detail. The author also does an amazing job with characterization. Even without reading the first book it was very easy for me to understand who the "good" characters were and who the "bad" ones were. However, I definitely recommend reading the first book before this one. I will probably search the library at my school to find this book. There were certain elements of the story that were a little bit tricky for me to understand since I hadn't read the first book yet. I think reading the first Chocolate War will give me a better understanding of certain story elements.
This book was absolutely very well written. Looking at some other ratings I see mostly fours and fives. Honestly, I think I probably feel its more of a three because I haven't read the other book in the series. Going into it with no knowledge of the characters made the first third of the book feel kind of confusing and made it a slower read. Had I read the other one first I definitely would have been more excited to find out what happened as the story progressed. Once I read the first book I think I will understand the story better and therefore, enjoy the story line a ton more.
This book was absolutely very well written. Looking at some other ratings I see mostly fours and fives. Honestly, I think I probably feel its more of a three because I haven't read the other book in the series. Going into it with no knowledge of the characters made the first third of the book feel kind of confusing and made it a slower read. Had I read the other one first I definitely would have been more excited to find out what happened as the story progressed. Once I read the first book I think I will understand the story better and therefore, enjoy the story line a ton more.
November 14, 2023
I am not sure what the moral of this story is. Better the devil you know, perhaps? Whatever that may be a knowledge of the previous book, The Chocolate War, is necessary to understand why things are happening in the way they are. The author inserts a few afterthoughts and while they explain something of the story's history, they are probably not enough to really get into the plot.
Now Trinity High the old New England industrial town of Monument must be in the running for the school from hell. Its students' hang-ups would keep a psychiatrist living a life of luxury and aiming for a prosperous early retirement. Bullying, violence, attempted sexual assault, intimidation, threatening behaviour, coercion, mental instability: Trinity High is not the place to experience the happiest days of your life. Which is a problem as it all serves to suck any reality out of the story. It becomes a violent melodrama with Ray's home-made guillotine the equivalent of having a damsel in distress tied to the railway tracks.
It becomes difficult to feel much empathy even for the most put upon victims of the school's noxious society. The only relatively sane person is the newcomer Ray Bannister and thank heavens he has the sense to construct his magic trick guillotine properly. The manipulative Archie at the head of his Vigils' not quite secret society, his minions Obie, Bunting and Carter who run in pointless circles to either please him or overthrow him, the violent Emile Janza, and the victims Jerry Renault and Goober and David Caroni each of whom is disturbed in a different way, are all too wild and uncontrolled to make for a successful storyline. Even Brother Leon controls the school with a distorted sternness, Episcopalianism in jackboots. It is difficult to take at all seriously.
And that is disappointing as basically it is a nicely worked plot which leads to a false climax at the school's Fair Day - that is where the guillotine comes in - and then Bunting finding out the life in charge of the Vigils he had always aspired to is an uneasy crown once Archie had left. Archie having told him the unpredictable but intimidating Janza would be his second in command. It is a good ending but the route to it is a shaky one.
Now Trinity High the old New England industrial town of Monument must be in the running for the school from hell. Its students' hang-ups would keep a psychiatrist living a life of luxury and aiming for a prosperous early retirement. Bullying, violence, attempted sexual assault, intimidation, threatening behaviour, coercion, mental instability: Trinity High is not the place to experience the happiest days of your life. Which is a problem as it all serves to suck any reality out of the story. It becomes a violent melodrama with Ray's home-made guillotine the equivalent of having a damsel in distress tied to the railway tracks.
It becomes difficult to feel much empathy even for the most put upon victims of the school's noxious society. The only relatively sane person is the newcomer Ray Bannister and thank heavens he has the sense to construct his magic trick guillotine properly. The manipulative Archie at the head of his Vigils' not quite secret society, his minions Obie, Bunting and Carter who run in pointless circles to either please him or overthrow him, the violent Emile Janza, and the victims Jerry Renault and Goober and David Caroni each of whom is disturbed in a different way, are all too wild and uncontrolled to make for a successful storyline. Even Brother Leon controls the school with a distorted sternness, Episcopalianism in jackboots. It is difficult to take at all seriously.
And that is disappointing as basically it is a nicely worked plot which leads to a false climax at the school's Fair Day - that is where the guillotine comes in - and then Bunting finding out the life in charge of the Vigils he had always aspired to is an uneasy crown once Archie had left. Archie having told him the unpredictable but intimidating Janza would be his second in command. It is a good ending but the route to it is a shaky one.
June 23, 2023
Very rarely do sequels impress me, but to have it be even better than the original, is astounding
December 5, 2017
The sequel for the Chocolate War. Jerry Renault is less involved, but he has returned from being in Canada for recovery. Obie is seeing a girl and a new toady of Archie's attacks Obie's girlfriend and blames Archie. Obie cooks up revenge after the new guy, Ray Bannister, shows him a trick guillotine. David Caroni - a student that Brother Leon had given an "F" to - attacks Brother Leon - then commits suicide.
Archie continues his reign - but tells Obie, after the revenge failed - that he (Archie) was not to blame for terrorizing students at the school - but that the Vigils caused it by ascribing so much power to Archie that they followed him no matter what.
Archie continues his reign - but tells Obie, after the revenge failed - that he (Archie) was not to blame for terrorizing students at the school - but that the Vigils caused it by ascribing so much power to Archie that they followed him no matter what.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2012
As Jerry Renault is rushed to the hospital, he tries to tell Goober that he should never question authority and should follow their orders to stay out of trouble. The Chocolate War's lesson is that if you attempt to disturb the universe, the universe will react back, push you around and make you regret your decision. Beyond the Chocolate War, as the name indicates, is the sequel and deals with the aftermath of Trinity's crazy chocolate sale.
It's almost the end of the year and many things have changed. Jerry has been on Canada, recovering from the brutal fight. However, he has returned to Monument. His physical wounds may be almost healed but his mental state is not.
Meanwhile, the Vigils have regained their lost respect. Archie is more vile than in the previous book. Since Carter, Obie and Archie are seniors and therefore they are leaving school soon, other students want to assume positions in the Vigils. Brother Leon has become the headmaster of Trinity. All hope for a corrupt-free Trinity is lost.
Robert Cormier uses the same writing style but the psychology and analyses in this book are deeper. The same themes in the first book are re-introduced but with a darker storyline and tone. The shades of evil are no longer only present on the "villains". The author shows the train of thought and transformation of the other characters as they are victims of evil and their reaction.
Even though the book is more sombre than the first one, I consider it to be less pessimistic. There is evil in the world but how we react to it, it's our choice. We can become evil ourselves, run away or standing up for what you believe.
I admire Jerry for going back to Trinity. Moving to another country or changing school is running away. In the end, he realizes that he has the power to choose and to be different. Janza might beat him up, torn him down, call him "fairy"; but he can't get to Jerry's head if he doesn't let him.
(I am surprised that no one has mentioned the groups of three on the book: The Vigils, Brother Leon and the school; Obie, Carter and Archie; Jerry, Goober and Janza. Or maybe I am overanalyzing it.)
It's almost the end of the year and many things have changed. Jerry has been on Canada, recovering from the brutal fight. However, he has returned to Monument. His physical wounds may be almost healed but his mental state is not.
Meanwhile, the Vigils have regained their lost respect. Archie is more vile than in the previous book. Since Carter, Obie and Archie are seniors and therefore they are leaving school soon, other students want to assume positions in the Vigils. Brother Leon has become the headmaster of Trinity. All hope for a corrupt-free Trinity is lost.
Robert Cormier uses the same writing style but the psychology and analyses in this book are deeper. The same themes in the first book are re-introduced but with a darker storyline and tone. The shades of evil are no longer only present on the "villains". The author shows the train of thought and transformation of the other characters as they are victims of evil and their reaction.
Even though the book is more sombre than the first one, I consider it to be less pessimistic. There is evil in the world but how we react to it, it's our choice. We can become evil ourselves, run away or standing up for what you believe.
I admire Jerry for going back to Trinity. Moving to another country or changing school is running away. In the end, he realizes that he has the power to choose and to be different. Janza might beat him up, torn him down, call him "fairy"; but he can't get to Jerry's head if he doesn't let him.
(I am surprised that no one has mentioned the groups of three on the book: The Vigils, Brother Leon and the school; Obie, Carter and Archie; Jerry, Goober and Janza. Or maybe I am overanalyzing it.)
July 1, 2021
The sequel to “The Chocolate War” (see my review), which takes place during the semester after the events of the former. As a warning, this book will not make much sense unless you read the original first. The protagonist from the first book, Jerry Renault, was hospitalized after the events of “The Chocolate War,” and then was in Canada living with relatives. He’s back now, a few months later, attending another school, but still has some ties to Trinity, especially with his friend “Goober.” The Vigil is still very much alive, headed behind the scenes by Archie Costello, and Carter has moved into its Presidency. Both are seniors, so they are looking to locate appropriate (that is, mischievous, manipulative and intimidating) successors. There have been some shifts in power within the Vigils, in that Obie, who had been Archie’s sort of second-in-command, now has a girlfriend, Laurie Gunderson, and wants to distance himself from the Vigils. Br. Leon is now Headmaster. Br. Eugene has died (likely related to the stress caused by the Vigil) and Br. Jacques has been transferred.
Into this scenario comes Ray Bemiston, a sophomore who is a transfer. He is immediately eyed by Archie and brought into pulling a public and embarrassing prank during a rare-and-thus-important visit from the Bishop. Br. Leon finds out, due to a letter from Carter, who experiences Archie’s disappointed wrath. Archie is also angry about Obie’s distancing, and influences others to attack Opie and Laurie. Obie vows vengeance on Archie and contrives, with Ray’s help, to use Ray’s versatility in magic tricks to obtain just that. An additional plotline involves David Caroni, who is much more emotionally fragile than the rest of the Vigils. Leon “plays” David mercilessly, threatening an undeserved F in his class if David doesn’t do his bidding, with tragic consequences. In the end, it is obvious that the nastiness of the Vigils will only continue, just with the next generation.
This story, while well-written, does not come up to the excellence of the original, largely, I believe, because of the lack of focus (the chocolate sale) that surrounded the action and characters of the former. The dark, pessimistic ambience does, however, remain with no letup, which I felt is the best aspect of this work. 4½ stars, with a promise to myself to read more of Mr. Cormier.
Into this scenario comes Ray Bemiston, a sophomore who is a transfer. He is immediately eyed by Archie and brought into pulling a public and embarrassing prank during a rare-and-thus-important visit from the Bishop. Br. Leon finds out, due to a letter from Carter, who experiences Archie’s disappointed wrath. Archie is also angry about Obie’s distancing, and influences others to attack Opie and Laurie. Obie vows vengeance on Archie and contrives, with Ray’s help, to use Ray’s versatility in magic tricks to obtain just that. An additional plotline involves David Caroni, who is much more emotionally fragile than the rest of the Vigils. Leon “plays” David mercilessly, threatening an undeserved F in his class if David doesn’t do his bidding, with tragic consequences. In the end, it is obvious that the nastiness of the Vigils will only continue, just with the next generation.
This story, while well-written, does not come up to the excellence of the original, largely, I believe, because of the lack of focus (the chocolate sale) that surrounded the action and characters of the former. The dark, pessimistic ambience does, however, remain with no letup, which I felt is the best aspect of this work. 4½ stars, with a promise to myself to read more of Mr. Cormier.
November 17, 2017
Good, but not as good as the first book. The plot and POV are unfocused and the ending is unsatisfying and open-ended.
March 27, 2016
Apparently this is a sequel to another book called The Chocolate War but upon finding out that the first book is located in the Children's Section of my local library, I gave up on looking for it because I was too shy to linger around the children's area where you have to take off your shoes and ponder at the fact that you're too old to be called a children but too young to act like a child's parent (while looking at the walls decorated with ABCs and fun facts and dinosaur pictures...)
So I guess before there were all those glamourous YA authors that we have now, there was Robert Cormier. And this is my second book written by him, and I have to say that I like his works so much. This was written in 1985 but everything in it seemed to have happened right now, which amazed me because apparently adolescence back then and adolescence these days are not that different as we imagine it to be. There's suicide, murder, violence, breakups, bullying, revenge, you name it.
My favourite part?
"Know what, Obie? You could have said no anytime, anytime at all. But you didn't..."
"...you had free choice, buddy. Just like Brother Andrew always says in Religion. Free choices, Obie, and you did the choosing..."
There's something more than the story that makes me love this book. It must be the hidden messages in it. Funny how there's sometimes so many things hidden behind a story, but funny how not all authors can do that.
So I guess before there were all those glamourous YA authors that we have now, there was Robert Cormier. And this is my second book written by him, and I have to say that I like his works so much. This was written in 1985 but everything in it seemed to have happened right now, which amazed me because apparently adolescence back then and adolescence these days are not that different as we imagine it to be. There's suicide, murder, violence, breakups, bullying, revenge, you name it.
My favourite part?
"Know what, Obie? You could have said no anytime, anytime at all. But you didn't..."
"...you had free choice, buddy. Just like Brother Andrew always says in Religion. Free choices, Obie, and you did the choosing..."
There's something more than the story that makes me love this book. It must be the hidden messages in it. Funny how there's sometimes so many things hidden behind a story, but funny how not all authors can do that.
June 1, 2013
This books usage of literary metaphor intense descriptive diction as well as highly intriguing characterization are what led me to rating it four stars. On the surface this isn't really a book that I would be interested in and the premise of the story itself seems somewhat immature at first glance. However, don't be mistaken this book is not only extremely opaque in its nature, its also amiably interesting. On more of a worldly perspective, people growing up expect their schools to be welcoming and overall safe, but that harsh reality that this book entails goes much further than just the stereotypical horrible high school experience. The two largest conduits for Robert Cormier's outlook on these darker elements comes in the form of an extremely dynamic character known as Archie who could possibility be characterized as the ultimate antagonist, his cat and mouse back and forth psychological battles are with his light mannered counterpart Obie. The other major literary piece is Cormier's utilization of amazingly descriptive diction. It seems as though every line in the book has it's ambiguities and even when describing character's actions there is an apparent shift in mood for example when switching to Archie the contexts almost seem to get more ambitious and suspenseful, which is an astounding and intuitive dynamic.
August 3, 2016
I adored The Chocolate War when I read it in college, and think that it has some of the most bleak and haunting scenes in all of YA literature. I always appreciated that Cormier didn't go for a tidy, happy ending, but rather left things more murky. Not all of the bad people were punished, and there wasn't necessarily a sense that things would get better.
I don't know why it took me so long to get to the sequel, but I finally did. It didn't capture me the same way that the original did: the first had a tight plot and relatively small cast of characters, whereas this title was more sprawling and had a lot of threads that never got tied up. It retains the same bleakness of the original, however, as well as the wonderful writing. I also think that Archie is one of the best written and most terrifying villains, although he didn't get quite as much screen time as he did in the previous book. Plus, I loved getting to spend a little more time in the world of Trinity High School.
This title probably wouldn't work well as a stand-alone (there were a few times I had to refresh my memory about what happened to characters in the first book, such as Brother Eugene) but I'd definitely recommend it to people who enjoyed the first. I think both titles are good suggestions for those who like boarding school/school dynamics books, a la A Separate Peace.
I don't know why it took me so long to get to the sequel, but I finally did. It didn't capture me the same way that the original did: the first had a tight plot and relatively small cast of characters, whereas this title was more sprawling and had a lot of threads that never got tied up. It retains the same bleakness of the original, however, as well as the wonderful writing. I also think that Archie is one of the best written and most terrifying villains, although he didn't get quite as much screen time as he did in the previous book. Plus, I loved getting to spend a little more time in the world of Trinity High School.
This title probably wouldn't work well as a stand-alone (there were a few times I had to refresh my memory about what happened to characters in the first book, such as Brother Eugene) but I'd definitely recommend it to people who enjoyed the first. I think both titles are good suggestions for those who like boarding school/school dynamics books, a la A Separate Peace.
February 28, 2015
The sequel to "The Chocolate War", a logical continuation of the characters lives from where the previous novel left off, but like most sequels, it doesn't have the same power. Vigil leader Archie Costello is a senior this year in the novel and only gets meaner and a much firmer character...but the supporting cast doesn't hold up as good punching bags to his cruelty, though some parts will have you shocked. On the side of Jerry Renault, our hero from the previous novel, the author does a good job showing the effects of such treatment as the type which he received in his previous year. It was nice to actually see a realistic portrayal of what not only bullying can do to the person directly involved but their whole life. Too often in YA books involving bullying some spunky teacher or parent figure tells the kid to ignore the problem and it all gets solved. Cormier drags you through Jerry's misery and recovery.
Overall if you were a fan of the first novel, don't go into this one expecting the same quality but it's not that bad either. You don't lose anything by not reading it but it was nice to see how everything left off for our boys.
Overall if you were a fan of the first novel, don't go into this one expecting the same quality but it's not that bad either. You don't lose anything by not reading it but it was nice to see how everything left off for our boys.
September 27, 2008
I read this immediately after reading "The Chocolate War" original. Like his first book, Cormier has one hell of a pessimist view of human nature. ;) Well, I supposed that's not completely true. Not to spoil the ending of this book for anyone, but some characters do end up doing the right thing in the end, or at least the nearest to the right thing they can get. While others continue to give adolescent boys a bad name. I enjoyed both books in the set. Again, there really aren't any prominent female characters in either of the books, (in the second Obie has a girlfriend for a while, and Archie has a lady friend, but neither character would be considered a main character). The climax of this story is just as riveting and intense as Cormeir's first book. I might be reluctant to use either book in the classroom because of the books narrow scope as far as female characters and life outside of school goes, but I would certainly recommend any student pick up either book during quiet reading time and give it a try.
May 11, 2011
I have really mixed feelings about this one, but I think that is mostly because my outlook of life differs so considerably from the book's. Despite this, Cormier really probes the depths of the weakness and commonality of the sheep mentality. The characters in this book are very richly developed and completely believable. Plenty of people like them exist (I went to high school with a few of them), and some really poignant and painful points are illustrated throughout the unfolding of the story. I didn't much care for the end of the book, but I appreciated that it was no sell-out ending. Also I didn't care for the profanity and sexual graphics. I wonder how I would have felt about it had I read it while still in high school. It's not that I find it shocking. I just don't enjoy reading it. I will grant that these things extend a reality and a more believable feel to the book, but I still infinitely prefer to do without it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2012
I chose this book because I found the first "Chocolate War" to be very interesting and thought I should continue the series. "Beyond the Chocolate War" continues the story from the end of "Chocolate War". The war is now between Archie and Obie. The Vigils want to ruin Archie's reputation before the school ends, but they're plans backfire on them. Despite all the efforts, Archie remains in charge and passes on his position to his "successor", who ruins the school the following year. My favortie quote was ""My name is Jerry Renault and I'm not going to sell the chocolates," he said to the empty apartment. The word and his voice sounded strong and noble." because despite all the trouble Jerry had gone through, he still remained confident in himself and still true to his word. Robert Cormier's writing style is suspenseful and a little vulgar. I would definitly recomend this series to anyone because its a classic and has a great storyline.
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