The Squared Circle

by James W. Bennett

Approaching the pinnacle of his high-school sports career, a basketball prodigy finds his tournament glory plunged into a nightmare when he becomes embroiled in a college recruitment scandal.

Genres: Sports, Young Adult, Basketball

247 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 1995

About the author

Writer James Bennett draws heavily on personal experience in his novels for young adult readers. His high school-aged protagonists are often emotionally or intellectually confused individuals unable to summon the emotional strength to deal with the circumstances that confront them in school, at home, and in other social situations. Only the caring, compassionate support of others can provide Bennett's characters with a resilient lifeline to adulthood. "I would like my readers to recognize that the handicapped are not throw-away people," Bennett told Publishers Weekly interviewer Lynda Brill Comerford. "Within them lies enormous courage and a strong nourishing drive."

Reviews

[Alex Rogowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Squared Circle by James Bennett is truly one of the better novels I have come across in the past year. This story is about a young man named Sonny Youngblood 18, who is rated as one of the top basketball recruits in the nation coming out of high school. It depicts him as an intensely driven young man who is to naïve to question what is going on with his uncle and his so called “business partners”. After almost failing out of school Sonny connects with his cousin who opens his eyes to the world not only on the court but off. Using flashbacks, Bennett takes us to the trials and tribulations that have morphed Sonny into the human being that only could focus on basketball. Bennett really focuses on how being extremely successful at something you do doesn't always truly make happy with you are. This is painted throughout the book as Sonny isn't enjoying the little nuances of the game even though he is dominating the competition. Then he meets his lover from the past thinking she will hold the answers as to why he has lost the drive to be the best. To reclaim Sonny’s old persona, he must tear down the player he has worked so hard to build in order to be great. This novel gives us a sobering reality of how big time collegiate athletics work and lost success can make you feel. Overall, I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend you to pick it up and give it a gander.

[Speak to the Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found The Squared Circle very difficult to rate but also very thought-provoking. Sonny Youngblood is a very complex character, despite my initial impressions of a flat basketball-obsessed talent. Everyone holds him up as a superstar in basketball, but they consistently underestimate him everywhere else. He believes that basketball is where his worth lies and yet tangentially confesses that he's not enjoying organized basketball - perhaps never has.

While not a lot happens plot-wise for much of this book, the psychological development of the characters, as well as the motif of dismemberment, is subtle but continual. At the end, Sonny is very different from what he was at the beginning (or is it the reader who was forced into a new perspective?). I think someone who loves or is at least more familiar with basketball might enjoy this book more than I did.

Sonny's cousin Sissy is a problematic element in the book. I think that she's there to demonstrate the difficulties of relationships and the rewards of being entirely open and vulnerable in front of another person, but their awkward maneuvering reads as flirtation and sometimes more. While Sissy is the catalyst for much of Sonny's development, she is also a source of what felt like unrealized and unnecessary tension in the novel. But then again, that's family for you.

Overall, an interesting book that is slow to start but will keep you thinking for a while afterwards.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonny is an All-American high school athlete in his freshman year at Southern Illinois University. Sonny is driven and intense, always aware of needing to take his game up a notch in pressure situations. He has lived with his Uncle Seth and Aunt Jane since his junior year because his dad is long gone and his mother is in a mental institution. When he gets into an academic bind, he goes to his cousin Sissy, an art history professor at the university for an independent study credit. Though she despises college athletics, she agrees and she and Sonny form a special friendship. But when NCAA investigations begin on the Saluki program, Sonny starts to see a side of basketball he had never noticed before. All he wants to do is play, but now he's not sure if he'll be able to.

A pretty good book about the one-sidedness of athletics. Some of the events and conversations seem too vague like the discussion between Sissy and Sonny about the report he writes on Isis, if the author isn't going to fully explain Sissy's reaction, it shouldn't be in the book. It was a distraction. Also, the ending is a little contrived.

[Ryan Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Bennett conveys the message that Sonny Youngblood is shy, yet also confident by showing this in his basketball games. In the novel, Sonny is a shy person but is confident when it comes to the game of basketball. When the author Bennett says, “nobody in the building knew it, but Sonny did,” (p85), the reader sees that Sonny is definitely confident in himself, he knew he was going to hit the game winning shot. This shows Sonny's confidence, while being shy. Another place where the reader sees shy is when Sonny is shy is when he passes up a shot. When the author says, “he let him have it,” (p56), Bennett reveals that Sonny is indeed shy. He let another team mate take a shot showing he is shy. Good basketball players must be confident and shy

[Salsabrarian]

Sonny is a freshman basketball standout on the #1 college team in the nation. His whole life is about basketball: the practices, the games, and his teammates, although he's not a reporter's favorite at press conferences. He reconnects with Erika, his middle-aged cousin and art professor at the college who offers him a one-credit independent study when his eligibility is in danger. Erika cares nothing about basketball or jock culture and it's through her that Sonny sees life outside of basketball. At book's end Sonny chops his fingers off an in accident and his basketball career is over. The sexual tension between Sonny and his cousin was strange. Didn't quite get what Sonny's issue is with basketball; where's the indifference coming from?

[Carlosc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am on page eighty of this book and I am officially done reading it. I found the book not interesting and kind of confusing. I thought the book was mainly going to be about Sonny Youngblood proving to everyone he is the real deal at basketball. In reality so far it doesn't at all. It talks about him joining a fraternity so far and other nonsense. I am a sports fanatic so thats why I picked this book. Sonny hasn't even played a competitive game of basketball yet. All in all, in my opinion this book was not interesting and not for me.

[Jared M]

Sonny is trapped in the presence of a scandal about his basketball scholarship. He has to be careful with every move he makes or it might somehow be wrong to the NCAA. He is a very talented player, and this might ruin his life.

I think this book was good, it was very detailed and let me know what he was going through. This book would be good for basketball lovers.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character is enrolled in SIU. I did have major issues with his aunt who seemed to be hitting on her nephew. Why were they in bed together with no clothes?! Besides that, it was an interesting story line - makes you think!

[Disneyvillainsfreak1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would probably be a two star if I didn't absolutely love the representation of my state, but this book was ok at best, needed some trigger warnings, and was just weird at times with a very swift conclusion. Not great, but not entirely a waste of time.