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The Brothers Torres
Frankie Towers has always looked up to his older brother, Steve, and with good reason. Steve is a popular senior who always gets what he wants: girls, a soccer scholarship, and - lately - street cred. Frankie, on the other hand, spends his time shooting off fireworks with his best friend Zach, working at his parents' restaurant, and obsessing about his longtime crush, Rebecca Sanchez.
Frankie has reservations about Steve's crusade to win the respect of the local cholos. He doesn't think about them, though, until he gets into a fist fight John Dalton - the richest, preppiest kid in his New Mexican high school, and longtime nemesis of Steve. After the fight, Steve takes Frankie under his wing - and Frankie's social currency begins to rise.
The cholos who used to ignore him start to recognize him; he even lands a date to Homecoming with Rebecca.
The situation with Dalton continues to simmer, and after another incident Steve is bent on retaliating. Frankie starts to think that his brother is taking this respect thing too far. He may have to choose between respecting his brother and respecting himself.
Frankie has reservations about Steve's crusade to win the respect of the local cholos. He doesn't think about them, though, until he gets into a fist fight John Dalton - the richest, preppiest kid in his New Mexican high school, and longtime nemesis of Steve. After the fight, Steve takes Frankie under his wing - and Frankie's social currency begins to rise.
The cholos who used to ignore him start to recognize him; he even lands a date to Homecoming with Rebecca.
The situation with Dalton continues to simmer, and after another incident Steve is bent on retaliating. Frankie starts to think that his brother is taking this respect thing too far. He may have to choose between respecting his brother and respecting himself.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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729 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
February 23, 2010
This Book is about Frankie Torres (torres is spanish for towers) lives in Borges, New Mexico where there is not much to do. Two brothers and the people in their town. Frankie is not that muscular, not athletic, not so sure of himself or as popular as his brother Steve a senior. But he is okay looking. Frankie has his sights on a hot girl named Rebecca. He is just about to ask her to homecoming but Dalton an preppy, rich kid, asks her first. Steve is cool but not so cool that he has the respect of the local cholos. (not a gang but a group of badasses). After Frankie is beat up by Dalton, his brother Steve and his buddies kick Dalton just enough so that he doesn't come after Frankie again. When Dalton's mom and dad buy the family's restaurant, Steve's rage and hatred for Dalton is unstoppable until a final showdown during the Homecoming Dance. Frankie becomes really mad because steve asked rebecca to the homecoming. he becomes really angry and they all do everything to get the restaurant back, they ask Steve to tell his parents to give it back at the end they do end up with the restaurant, and the all become really good friends. Frankie ends up going to a date with rebecca.
I recomment this book to anybody that loves reading i find this book really interesting to read, anyone can read it
I recomment this book to anybody that loves reading i find this book really interesting to read, anyone can read it
February 5, 2018
I choice 5 stars because it was a really good book the author did a good job on the story plot. Someone else should read this if they like brotherhood, soccer and just if you really want to be really interested in something because this book gets better and better. The thing that would make this better is if there was a second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2021
This was bland and pointless. The main character was so unlikeable. He wasn't evil or anything, just a typical jerk high school boy, I guess, but not the kind of person I want to read about. No particular instance of the sexism and objectification of women was especially egregious, but it was so pervasive and by the end of the book I was just done. The relationship between the brothers was there, sort of, but not effectively portrayed.
October 30, 2008
The cover is deceptive. This is not another Latino teen gang book . Ugh! This is a book about a working class family in New Mexico who happen to be Latino. The protagonist is good natured and family focussed, who works hard in his family's restaurant. His older brother is a rising star athlete with the promise of a college scholarship who is infatuated with some cholo types. The story focuses more on classism and socioeconomic stratification than racism. Lots of good scents, sights and sounds; especially the foods. Stomach grumbling, I wanted to run to a local Mexican restaurant after I read it. Good description and realistic, fun characters. I am stealing someones review from amazon, as I agree with it! See below:
The Brothers Torres, May 13, 2008
By J. Paulsen (Cedar Falls, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
I confess: I simply adore Frankie Towers. I haven't fallen so hard for a character since Ponyboy Curtis in the 7th grade. (And I'm old enough to know better!) You'll fall for him, too, as his honest, witty narration captivates you, enveloping you in his infatuation with the lovely Rebecca Sanchez, who may be even fuller of heart than heat--and she is smokin'--and immersing you in his disappointment with his caring-but-clueless parents. Frankie's voice supplies a fresh and original twist to a timeless teenage tale.
I read the book straight through--couldn't put it down! I loved the realistic dialogue exchanges between Frankie and Zach. What a fun-loving pair of nerds with explosives. (And how refreshing that no one thought they'd blow up the school...on purpose anyway.) These loyal friends could've easily been plucked from my Midwestern classroom (or my husband's friends for that matter). The authentic portrayal of their friendship may be my favorite feature, of many favorite features, of the novel. When Zach comes to Frankie's aid despite his anger, it's such a heart-warming and true moment.
I was particularly struck by the difficulty the boys have in negotiating the social scene and the "masks" so many young men feel pressured to wear to gain respect. In the characters Steve, Frankie's popular older brother, and Flaco, the leader of the local cholos, Mr. Voorhees captures that "tough guise" aspect of male culture, to quote Jackson Katz, and all its complexities exactly right. Working at his parents' restaurant, Frankie discovers an alternative to the allure of the gang in his brother's best friend--and Flaco's cousin--Cheo. Which role model will he choose to follow?
Such a funny and moving story, it had a very strong emotional impact on me. Saturated with details of New Mexican flavors and landscapes and packed with action--on the soccer field, on the school campus, at the local mini-golf, and even a certain vehicle's back seat--The Brothers Torres has universal appeal beyond YA lit. It speaks to that lost and searching sixteen-year-old soul within all of us. Frankie discovers important truths about courage, forgiveness, and tolerance as his childish illusions are shattered by harsh economic realities in their small town of Borges.
A treat as tasty as one of Mrs. Towers' stuffed sopaipillas, you oughta snap up this extraordinary coming-of-age novel and devour it! And somebody smart oughta snap up the film rights.
The Brothers Torres, May 13, 2008
By J. Paulsen (Cedar Falls, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
I confess: I simply adore Frankie Towers. I haven't fallen so hard for a character since Ponyboy Curtis in the 7th grade. (And I'm old enough to know better!) You'll fall for him, too, as his honest, witty narration captivates you, enveloping you in his infatuation with the lovely Rebecca Sanchez, who may be even fuller of heart than heat--and she is smokin'--and immersing you in his disappointment with his caring-but-clueless parents. Frankie's voice supplies a fresh and original twist to a timeless teenage tale.
I read the book straight through--couldn't put it down! I loved the realistic dialogue exchanges between Frankie and Zach. What a fun-loving pair of nerds with explosives. (And how refreshing that no one thought they'd blow up the school...on purpose anyway.) These loyal friends could've easily been plucked from my Midwestern classroom (or my husband's friends for that matter). The authentic portrayal of their friendship may be my favorite feature, of many favorite features, of the novel. When Zach comes to Frankie's aid despite his anger, it's such a heart-warming and true moment.
I was particularly struck by the difficulty the boys have in negotiating the social scene and the "masks" so many young men feel pressured to wear to gain respect. In the characters Steve, Frankie's popular older brother, and Flaco, the leader of the local cholos, Mr. Voorhees captures that "tough guise" aspect of male culture, to quote Jackson Katz, and all its complexities exactly right. Working at his parents' restaurant, Frankie discovers an alternative to the allure of the gang in his brother's best friend--and Flaco's cousin--Cheo. Which role model will he choose to follow?
Such a funny and moving story, it had a very strong emotional impact on me. Saturated with details of New Mexican flavors and landscapes and packed with action--on the soccer field, on the school campus, at the local mini-golf, and even a certain vehicle's back seat--The Brothers Torres has universal appeal beyond YA lit. It speaks to that lost and searching sixteen-year-old soul within all of us. Frankie discovers important truths about courage, forgiveness, and tolerance as his childish illusions are shattered by harsh economic realities in their small town of Borges.
A treat as tasty as one of Mrs. Towers' stuffed sopaipillas, you oughta snap up this extraordinary coming-of-age novel and devour it! And somebody smart oughta snap up the film rights.
May 16, 2013
Didn't know what to expect, but I am really impressed by this book. The plot was well paced, never a dull moment, yet the book did not feel like it was plot driven but rather felt like a deep dive into the character and personality of the protagonist. The use of first person voice really helped draw me into the world and thoughts of the main character Frankie.
This is a great coming of age story that touches on many issues facing young people-- race, gangs, income disparities, sex, dating, popularity, etc. The book manages to humanize all of the characters, which I think will make it reach a broader audience.
This is a great coming of age story that touches on many issues facing young people-- race, gangs, income disparities, sex, dating, popularity, etc. The book manages to humanize all of the characters, which I think will make it reach a broader audience.
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November 30, 2010This book is about 3 brothers that are totally different from themselfs.
Francisco is the middle one and he's trying tobe cool in school beacuse he likes this girl name Rebecca but Rebecca only sees him as a friend but his in love with her even though she don't like him. His other brother hangs out with "cholos" and her mom does't know about it.
I like this book beacuse it was intresting and funny. The three brothers weretotally differentfrom themselfs and that's why it wasintresting for me.
Francisco is the middle one and he's trying tobe cool in school beacuse he likes this girl name Rebecca but Rebecca only sees him as a friend but his in love with her even though she don't like him. His other brother hangs out with "cholos" and her mom does't know about it.
I like this book beacuse it was intresting and funny. The three brothers weretotally differentfrom themselfs and that's why it wasintresting for me.
May 23, 2012
The book I read was the brothers Torres and it was written by Coert Voorhees. It was published by Disney • Hyperion Books in 2009. My opinion of this book is that it was very interesting because it is a different lifestyle but you can still relate. It was a CRF book so the setting was New Mexico and High School. The main characters of the story were: Frankie and Steve. The story began with Frankie talking about how much he like Rebecca. The conflict was that his brother was letting his power and society rank get to his head another problem was with Dalton wanting to make Frankie miserable. My favorite part of the story was the fight at the mini golf course. A powerful quote was ““As I stand behind him, it occurs to me just how much trust we put in other people. Complete strangers, friends. Everybody. Dalton's just sitting there, relaxed, trusting that I'm not going to lose my temper and stab him in the back of the neck with a fork. Every time we get into a car, we trust everybody else on the road. Every time we walk on the sidewalk, we put our lives in other people's hands. We'd never even leave the house if we actually thought about how little control we have over living and dying.” (Voorhees 225) I think the theme that the author is trying to get across to his readers is that other people’s actions can affect you because the story talks a lot about making decisions. This book reminds me of high school and teen ages years because everyday your faced with different decisions. It is similar because in this book he has make decisions whether to follow his brother or not. I gave these book 5 stars because I enjoyed reading it. I really recommend this book because you feel like your apart of the story.
June 10, 2013
The Brothers Torres is a rather fast-paced story. It takes place in a few short weeks during a pivotal time in Frankie Towers' life. I think just as important as the characters, is the setting. I don't think this story would have had quite the same effect if set anywhere else. New Mexico is the perfect location for its mixture of cultures & history without being overwhelming diverse.
As the kid brother of the star soccer player, Frankie has never really had his own direction. He did as he was told for the most part & didn't mind getting in trouble for doing stupid stuff. What he doesn't expect is how quickly things can go wrong when you fall in with the wrong people. While there comes a time in everyone's life where they have to choose to stand up for themselves, having that time chosen for you does nothing to help your personal development. Frankie appreciates Steve and his friends' help, but fears that they may be doing more damage than good.
At times I found the characters one sided because it seemed like they only focused on one thing at a time, but I eventually realized that they all represented different parts of a whole person struggling to coexist. I loved the Spanish mixed into the dialogue with no glossary provided because I think it helps give a little insight into the cultural variations among Borges' townspeople. The story was a bit of a slow build, allowing the reader to formulate their own opinion on the situation before delving into the actual plot. I think that really helped me connect better with the characters.
As the kid brother of the star soccer player, Frankie has never really had his own direction. He did as he was told for the most part & didn't mind getting in trouble for doing stupid stuff. What he doesn't expect is how quickly things can go wrong when you fall in with the wrong people. While there comes a time in everyone's life where they have to choose to stand up for themselves, having that time chosen for you does nothing to help your personal development. Frankie appreciates Steve and his friends' help, but fears that they may be doing more damage than good.
At times I found the characters one sided because it seemed like they only focused on one thing at a time, but I eventually realized that they all represented different parts of a whole person struggling to coexist. I loved the Spanish mixed into the dialogue with no glossary provided because I think it helps give a little insight into the cultural variations among Borges' townspeople. The story was a bit of a slow build, allowing the reader to formulate their own opinion on the situation before delving into the actual plot. I think that really helped me connect better with the characters.
February 20, 2013
I thought that this book was a nice read I think that there were some words that I was unable to understand because they were in a different language. I enjoyed reading this book because I got relate to it. This book was about a boy named Frankie Towers. He always looked up to his older brother Steve. Everybody wanted to be Steve, he played on the soccer team and all the girls wanted to be with him, he had a scholarship and he was one of the best soccer players on the teem. But Steves brother Frankie is the complete opposite, he isn't on any team, no girls like him and he doesn't have lots of friends, he likes to blow up things. But Frankie has his eye on one girl, Rebecca Sanchez. But another boy named John Dalton also has his eye on her. Frankie gets in a fist fight with him, John Dalton is the richest boy in the New Mexican high school. After this fight had happened Steve and the local gang called "cholos" started helping Frankie out, mainly because Frankie was Steve's brother. After this fight people start to notice to Frankie is, people start to like him more and he gets the girl that he wants. But it doesn't just end there John Dalton keeps on causing problems with Frankie. This novel is realistic and humorous.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. I really enjoyed the part in the book when he keeps on realizing what he did to the boy was wrong, when he realizes that he shouldn't have beat up the boy.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. I really enjoyed the part in the book when he keeps on realizing what he did to the boy was wrong, when he realizes that he shouldn't have beat up the boy.
July 28, 2012
What happens when Frankie decides to finally stand up for himself? Popularity, the girl of his dreams, respect of his brother, Steve, and a quite a few life lessons. When Frankie stands up to John Dalton-- the seemingly richest kid in town-- life changes. His popular older brother, Steve, is practically squandering away his soccer scholarship with his "street dreams", yet Frankie is finally getting attention from his big brother and his hot tempered friend, which he likes.The narration captures the hispanic slang, which sometimes leaves you wanting a glossary. Yet, if you consider the context in which it was written, the reader can figure it out. This book, truly written in the teenage voice, shows what can happen when you get trapped into what everyone else's perception of you should be.
April 28, 2021
Nothing interesting really happened. Definitely didn't like how it ended. You don't know if anything between Dalton and Frankie has changed, you don't hear from Rebecca again, and you don't get to see Steve wake up from his injuries and reunite with his brother Frankie. All you get is Frankie giving his half-assed apology to Zach then BOOM book ends.
But my biggest issue is the main character himself. He's kind of a dick. He disregards his friends to hang out with a girl who barely acknowledge his existence, he blames others for choices he makes, and he will randomly have insulting thoughts about people who did nothing to him (*cough* *cough* Katie *cough* *cough*). I would probably enjoy the book a little more if he wasn't such a douchbag.
But my biggest issue is the main character himself. He's kind of a dick. He disregards his friends to hang out with a girl who barely acknowledge his existence, he blames others for choices he makes, and he will randomly have insulting thoughts about people who did nothing to him (*cough* *cough* Katie *cough* *cough*). I would probably enjoy the book a little more if he wasn't such a douchbag.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2020
The Brother Torres written by Coert Voorhees,
When I first picked out the book I was hoping that it would be a good read it turned out to be a great read. The genre of the book was for young adult due to language and humor but it was also very funny and made you want to read more.The book takes place in a small town in New Mexico, the author did a great job at creating a setting that made you feel that you where in the same place as the characters from the weather of the area to the relate-able characters.The main character of this story was Frankie Torres the younger brother of their school soccer-star and all time popular student Steve Torres, Frankie was the one working in their families restaurant, hung out with friend, and had a crush like any other teenager. What makes Frankie an awesome character is that there are many teens who are in Frankie's position and I know many people in the same shape. The author made all the characters seem like real people with real problems and didn't sugar coat anything making everything more entertaining for the audience. I like the writing style of the author they were humorous and made you feel different emotions towards the characters and their situations. I think the one down fall of the book was their wasn't a lot of closer details to the characters with either a deeper background or more about their home life and why they became what they became.
Like I said in the beginning the story takes place in a small town in New Mexico where Frankie Torres is trying to get his crush: Rebecca Sanchez to go to the Homecoming dance with him. The only problem is when his brother the Star Soccer Player and most popular guy at their school starts hanging out with the town Cholos it causes unwanted attention towards Frankie. Even worse when he got the courage to ask Rebecca out she said that she was going with John Dalton, not only is he the schools second most popular guy but he's the richest so when all hope seem lost Frankie came up with a plan to keep his brothers " friends" from their parents, find a way to get a date with Rebecca, and somehow still remained sane was one only a teenager could come up with. It worked for a while minus the fights, the choosing, and almost losing a friend Frankie manage to still come out on top. This story was more then laughs, crushes, and Cholos it showed that as long as you have your family, friends , and loyalty to yourself and others everything works out in the end.
When I first picked out the book I was hoping that it would be a good read it turned out to be a great read. The genre of the book was for young adult due to language and humor but it was also very funny and made you want to read more.The book takes place in a small town in New Mexico, the author did a great job at creating a setting that made you feel that you where in the same place as the characters from the weather of the area to the relate-able characters.The main character of this story was Frankie Torres the younger brother of their school soccer-star and all time popular student Steve Torres, Frankie was the one working in their families restaurant, hung out with friend, and had a crush like any other teenager. What makes Frankie an awesome character is that there are many teens who are in Frankie's position and I know many people in the same shape. The author made all the characters seem like real people with real problems and didn't sugar coat anything making everything more entertaining for the audience. I like the writing style of the author they were humorous and made you feel different emotions towards the characters and their situations. I think the one down fall of the book was their wasn't a lot of closer details to the characters with either a deeper background or more about their home life and why they became what they became.
Like I said in the beginning the story takes place in a small town in New Mexico where Frankie Torres is trying to get his crush: Rebecca Sanchez to go to the Homecoming dance with him. The only problem is when his brother the Star Soccer Player and most popular guy at their school starts hanging out with the town Cholos it causes unwanted attention towards Frankie. Even worse when he got the courage to ask Rebecca out she said that she was going with John Dalton, not only is he the schools second most popular guy but he's the richest so when all hope seem lost Frankie came up with a plan to keep his brothers " friends" from their parents, find a way to get a date with Rebecca, and somehow still remained sane was one only a teenager could come up with. It worked for a while minus the fights, the choosing, and almost losing a friend Frankie manage to still come out on top. This story was more then laughs, crushes, and Cholos it showed that as long as you have your family, friends , and loyalty to yourself and others everything works out in the end.
March 13, 2019
This is one of my first books that I read about Coert Voorhees. One of the ways I feel about this book is happy because the ending wasn't something that I expected, the reason I say that is because one of the brother did something good. Next is that another way I would've liked them to change is that they should have been more characters in it. One of the reasons why I think that is because I think that with more characters there is more good things to talk about but also bad things and it makes the books more better. Another reason why I feel happy about it is because it can give some siblings that have a bad bond or that they are doing some type of bad stuff, a lesson with all of things that happened in the book . Even though it did have some cuss words I feel like many young people like me would like since like that's a way some of them talk. Last is that kids that say they are in a gang or something they can read this book and see what can happen to them later in life and also if they have siblings they can see what can happen to them too. I encourage many people to read this book because it's something it can help you with and show how much of a carrying person you are with all your siblings.
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February 23, 2014The Brother Torres by Coert Voorhees was presented fairly different to me from the style of writing to the way the authors choice to end the book.This book kept my eyes wide open with every word, I laughed and even felt sorrow as I read this book.
The lesson I derived from this book was that if you stay true to yourself you will always come out on top. The way Voorhees wrote this book was very unique he mostly spoke from the point of view of the main character Frankie Towers and how he views things around him.I liked this for the simple fact you can relate to it so much cause as a teenager you can relate to what he is saying and going through to an extent in his everyday life at home and at school.I related to Frankie and I liked him as a person I could see myself being friends with someone like him because of his loyalty to the ones who are close to him and his hardworking attitude.The reason I related to Frankie was because I know what its like to not always know how to expresses my feelings towards a girl I like, or always know how to stand up to someone I love and tell them there wrong like Frankie couldn't do with his older brother Steve. Frankie is fighting a real battle in his new year of school he wants to be a cool as his older brother Steve who is the coolest guy at their school, he wants to get the attention of his crush Rebecca, and to just get the school rich kid out of his face, along with his best friend Zach Frankie tries to find himself and who he truly is. Steve Frankie's older brother has it all popularity, athleticism, and charm, and a gang of colleges looking at him, sounds like the good life as a teenage boy doesn't it? Will I guess Steve doesn't see it that way because through it he still seems to want to be something he is not by hanging with the wrong crowd of people known by everyone in their town as cholos so if you have it all why jeopardize it by hanging it with people who only hang with you if you start fights or drank yourself silly. Zach is Frankie's best friend and has been ever since 4th grade when Frankie punched a kid in the stomach for picking on his glass eye, Zach cares little about what others have to say about him or his eye, he only really cares about blowing things up with his best friend and about his crush Nichol who has been out of school for expressing and breaking and entering. Zach is always behind Frankie when something is going down or when he needs to be pushed to talked to his crush Rebecca.
The story takes place in New Mexico and in a pretty small town where there isn't really much nothing to do but watch soccer, go bowling, play put put, or go to the movie,its very dry and hot during the day but at not its very cold.It is very different from where I live now in the way that its a little more to do where I am and the weather is very nice not always hot and not always cold. The author makes the sense and the setting in the book very descriptive which makes it easy for me to get a sense of how the place the main character lives, goes to school, hangs out, and works at without ever have gone there he helped me paint my own pictuere of where Frankie lived with my own mind throughout the book. The place Frankie worked was highlighted to a very high degree to the smell, the furniture that's inside, to the kitchen.
16-year-old Frankie Torres finds himself at cross roads with his older brother Steve and Steve’s idea of family, manhood,and respect . When a rich,conceded soccer player on Steve's team targets the brothers by first ganging up Frankie with his buddies, to testing Steve's temper by calling him and his family names. Steve is captured by the rough and tough cholo life style that he see around him . As Steve struggles between getting even and restraining himself ,it's Frankie who finds himself caught up in the conflicts. Frankie’s inner struggles can be seen in the narration, with his low tone,and random outburst, and way to not be able to speak up for himself come across as flaws instead of self-discovery. Frankie also faces the problem of building up courage to ask his cruswh Rebecca out to the big homecoming dance which he can't get out of his mind but can't find the courage to do. So will Frankie, and his brother figure out what to do in their lives and make out the best they can, or will all the odds against them get the best of them? Guess you will have to read the book to find out.
Only thing in this book that could relate to any other book I have red is the writing style and how the author spoke as the character so the reader could relate to the book in a better way. The events that took place in this book could relate to how kids could go from being a star student or athlete one day to a criminal or harming themselves or others the next, they could be fighting an inner battle no one knows about just like Steve.Personally this book connected to me to a certain extent, the way Frankie felt about talking to his crush is a problem I've faced at a point in my life and the way he couldn't stand up to his brother even when he knew what we was doing and how he was acting was wrong he couldn't bring up enough courage to say stop this isn't you because of fear and respect is something I've faced too.
If you like books that will make you relate to whats happening and make you feel like you wanna change things you are doing in your life this is the book for you, but if you don't like books that end in a way you didn't see coming you won't like this book.
The lesson I derived from this book was that if you stay true to yourself you will always come out on top. The way Voorhees wrote this book was very unique he mostly spoke from the point of view of the main character Frankie Towers and how he views things around him.I liked this for the simple fact you can relate to it so much cause as a teenager you can relate to what he is saying and going through to an extent in his everyday life at home and at school.I related to Frankie and I liked him as a person I could see myself being friends with someone like him because of his loyalty to the ones who are close to him and his hardworking attitude.The reason I related to Frankie was because I know what its like to not always know how to expresses my feelings towards a girl I like, or always know how to stand up to someone I love and tell them there wrong like Frankie couldn't do with his older brother Steve. Frankie is fighting a real battle in his new year of school he wants to be a cool as his older brother Steve who is the coolest guy at their school, he wants to get the attention of his crush Rebecca, and to just get the school rich kid out of his face, along with his best friend Zach Frankie tries to find himself and who he truly is. Steve Frankie's older brother has it all popularity, athleticism, and charm, and a gang of colleges looking at him, sounds like the good life as a teenage boy doesn't it? Will I guess Steve doesn't see it that way because through it he still seems to want to be something he is not by hanging with the wrong crowd of people known by everyone in their town as cholos so if you have it all why jeopardize it by hanging it with people who only hang with you if you start fights or drank yourself silly. Zach is Frankie's best friend and has been ever since 4th grade when Frankie punched a kid in the stomach for picking on his glass eye, Zach cares little about what others have to say about him or his eye, he only really cares about blowing things up with his best friend and about his crush Nichol who has been out of school for expressing and breaking and entering. Zach is always behind Frankie when something is going down or when he needs to be pushed to talked to his crush Rebecca.
The story takes place in New Mexico and in a pretty small town where there isn't really much nothing to do but watch soccer, go bowling, play put put, or go to the movie,its very dry and hot during the day but at not its very cold.It is very different from where I live now in the way that its a little more to do where I am and the weather is very nice not always hot and not always cold. The author makes the sense and the setting in the book very descriptive which makes it easy for me to get a sense of how the place the main character lives, goes to school, hangs out, and works at without ever have gone there he helped me paint my own pictuere of where Frankie lived with my own mind throughout the book. The place Frankie worked was highlighted to a very high degree to the smell, the furniture that's inside, to the kitchen.
16-year-old Frankie Torres finds himself at cross roads with his older brother Steve and Steve’s idea of family, manhood,and respect . When a rich,conceded soccer player on Steve's team targets the brothers by first ganging up Frankie with his buddies, to testing Steve's temper by calling him and his family names. Steve is captured by the rough and tough cholo life style that he see around him . As Steve struggles between getting even and restraining himself ,it's Frankie who finds himself caught up in the conflicts. Frankie’s inner struggles can be seen in the narration, with his low tone,and random outburst, and way to not be able to speak up for himself come across as flaws instead of self-discovery. Frankie also faces the problem of building up courage to ask his cruswh Rebecca out to the big homecoming dance which he can't get out of his mind but can't find the courage to do. So will Frankie, and his brother figure out what to do in their lives and make out the best they can, or will all the odds against them get the best of them? Guess you will have to read the book to find out.
Only thing in this book that could relate to any other book I have red is the writing style and how the author spoke as the character so the reader could relate to the book in a better way. The events that took place in this book could relate to how kids could go from being a star student or athlete one day to a criminal or harming themselves or others the next, they could be fighting an inner battle no one knows about just like Steve.Personally this book connected to me to a certain extent, the way Frankie felt about talking to his crush is a problem I've faced at a point in my life and the way he couldn't stand up to his brother even when he knew what we was doing and how he was acting was wrong he couldn't bring up enough courage to say stop this isn't you because of fear and respect is something I've faced too.
If you like books that will make you relate to whats happening and make you feel like you wanna change things you are doing in your life this is the book for you, but if you don't like books that end in a way you didn't see coming you won't like this book.
March 4, 2021
I am not a very good reader but this book I couldn’t put don’t after I started to read it. At first I was very skeptical if I should read it or not but then once I got into it I wanted to sit down and continue reading it all day. I’m not gonna lie I did have to look up a few translations because I wanted to know for sure what was being said. This book gives a lot of imagery that is happening throughout the main characters life like the type of cars and what they look like. In my person open highly recommend this book and I hope you like it.
July 20, 2019
This book isn't all that it seems to be. It isn't all about "gangs" as the cover may portray. Instead its about the working class in a small New Mexico town. (I picked up this book because I am from New Mexico and love books with a New Mexico setting). This book is fairly fast paced and I think that is what made it such a page turner. I enjoyed this story!
January 10, 2018
Good book hoes
March 13, 2018
Not very well-written.
September 20, 2021
Did not finish
March 7, 2014
Have you or have you know someone that's been in a situations in gangs. The Brothers Torres by Coert Voorhees tells his story about it. In the middle of the story you will see how it's so easy to get in the middle of shit without knowing what's going on.
The life lesson of the story is watch who you really hangout with, who's your real family. When it comes down to it. My thoughts about this story is that it's crazy. Why did his older brother let him in ? Why didn't he tell his little brother to get away from what he was in ? I don't understand that.
The style of this book was interesting. You see this kid blowing up aunt hills, with his home boy. Then the next thing you know, he is fighting a rich kid and messing around with the know gang in this little town of Mexico city. It was little funny, he's home boy was making fun of him because he couldn't ask out this girl for homecoming.
Frankie Francisco is the main character, he's the one that works at his family reastuate. He 16 years old goes to high school in New Mexico. like's to blow up aunt hills or anything else he can find. He also has an older brother name Steve, he's the favorite in the family and the popular one too at school. The family doesn't care what he does so he hangs out with gangsters. I don't know if i find them likeable, if they come at me with a bad attitude. trying to fight me then I'm gonna fight them. I won't like him but if he doesn't I think we would chill if he was in a gangster or not.
The setting is in New Mexico, really hot in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, if something happens with one kid. The hole town is going to find out. I can imagine my self there because before I moved here. I lived in Japan on a small base, so everyone knew my dad or my dad knew them. No it's not different from my world, I think it's the same.
Frankie Francisco was a nobody. He only chill with his home boy name Zach. One day when Zach and him was riding his bikes home. After watching his older brother playing a soccer game, he ran into some gangster. The gangsters knew who he was, found out that his older brother Steve hangs with them. One day this rich kid that plays on his brother soccer team, was bullying him. Frankie got tired of it and kick his butt. After that happen, the gangster had mad respect for him. Then they ask him if he wanted to chill with one day ?
This book doesn't remind me of another book, I think its one of a kind. But yeah i connect to this before because I was 13 being a kid. Until i started to hang out with this one kid, he was like an older brother to me. After I got into a fight with this guy that was a captain of a football and won. I got mad respect from everyone, everyone know me and who I hung out with.
The main idea of this book is make right decisions. Don't follow the bad people because then your gonna end up in bad situation just like how the book ended. I recommend this book to the kids, that has an older brother that's involved with in gang or in situation.
The life lesson of the story is watch who you really hangout with, who's your real family. When it comes down to it. My thoughts about this story is that it's crazy. Why did his older brother let him in ? Why didn't he tell his little brother to get away from what he was in ? I don't understand that.
The style of this book was interesting. You see this kid blowing up aunt hills, with his home boy. Then the next thing you know, he is fighting a rich kid and messing around with the know gang in this little town of Mexico city. It was little funny, he's home boy was making fun of him because he couldn't ask out this girl for homecoming.
Frankie Francisco is the main character, he's the one that works at his family reastuate. He 16 years old goes to high school in New Mexico. like's to blow up aunt hills or anything else he can find. He also has an older brother name Steve, he's the favorite in the family and the popular one too at school. The family doesn't care what he does so he hangs out with gangsters. I don't know if i find them likeable, if they come at me with a bad attitude. trying to fight me then I'm gonna fight them. I won't like him but if he doesn't I think we would chill if he was in a gangster or not.
The setting is in New Mexico, really hot in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, if something happens with one kid. The hole town is going to find out. I can imagine my self there because before I moved here. I lived in Japan on a small base, so everyone knew my dad or my dad knew them. No it's not different from my world, I think it's the same.
Frankie Francisco was a nobody. He only chill with his home boy name Zach. One day when Zach and him was riding his bikes home. After watching his older brother playing a soccer game, he ran into some gangster. The gangsters knew who he was, found out that his older brother Steve hangs with them. One day this rich kid that plays on his brother soccer team, was bullying him. Frankie got tired of it and kick his butt. After that happen, the gangster had mad respect for him. Then they ask him if he wanted to chill with one day ?
This book doesn't remind me of another book, I think its one of a kind. But yeah i connect to this before because I was 13 being a kid. Until i started to hang out with this one kid, he was like an older brother to me. After I got into a fight with this guy that was a captain of a football and won. I got mad respect from everyone, everyone know me and who I hung out with.
The main idea of this book is make right decisions. Don't follow the bad people because then your gonna end up in bad situation just like how the book ended. I recommend this book to the kids, that has an older brother that's involved with in gang or in situation.
August 9, 2008
Frankie Towers is an awkward and self-conscious guy who’s low on the social ladder, unlike his older brother Steve. That’s why Frankie looks up to Steve so much; Steve seems to have it all: popularity, girls, a soccer scholarship, even respect from the dangerous cholos. Unfortunately, Steve doesn’t have time for his brother Frankie anymore with his current image to uphold. But when Frankie makes an enemy of rich white boy John Dalton, Steve steps in to help his brother. Although Frankie’s social status is raised with the help of his brother Steve, landing him a date with his dream girl, sometimes Frankie feels that his brother is a complete stranger to him. He finds himself wondering why he has to lie all the time for Steve and just how far Steve plans on taking the conflict with Dalton. In this beautifully written coming-of-age story, Voorhees explores the bonds of brotherhood and friendship and the importance of thinking for yourself.
I’m not kidding when I say that The Brothers Torres is an incredibly written and amazing story. Frankie’s character is so well-developed that I was sucked into his story even when I felt like criticizing him for being a jerk. Even though I’ve never been to anyplace from Frankie’s New Mexican hometown Borges, everything from the limited date spots to the potential threat of the cholos felt completely natural. There’s something so honest and profound about Voorhees’ writing that leaves room for other laughs and life lessons. I was a little irritated that I couldn’t understand all of the Spanish phrases with my limited Spanish skills, but that’s where my negative comments about his novel end. The Brothers Torres has culture, an exciting plot, believable characters, and a meaningful moral.
I came away from reading this novel thinking, “wow” in a slightly stunned way. I don’t think I expected this novel to be this good. The Brothers Torres is a definite must-read. I look forward to more wonderfully-written novels from Voorhees in the hopefully near future.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
I’m not kidding when I say that The Brothers Torres is an incredibly written and amazing story. Frankie’s character is so well-developed that I was sucked into his story even when I felt like criticizing him for being a jerk. Even though I’ve never been to anyplace from Frankie’s New Mexican hometown Borges, everything from the limited date spots to the potential threat of the cholos felt completely natural. There’s something so honest and profound about Voorhees’ writing that leaves room for other laughs and life lessons. I was a little irritated that I couldn’t understand all of the Spanish phrases with my limited Spanish skills, but that’s where my negative comments about his novel end. The Brothers Torres has culture, an exciting plot, believable characters, and a meaningful moral.
I came away from reading this novel thinking, “wow” in a slightly stunned way. I don’t think I expected this novel to be this good. The Brothers Torres is a definite must-read. I look forward to more wonderfully-written novels from Voorhees in the hopefully near future.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
July 6, 2008
Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com
Frankie and Steve Towers are brothers. Frankie is a freshman and Steve is a senior. Frankie has always looked up to his older brother, who has gotten a soccer scholarship, is one of the most popular guys in school, and is very friendly with the ladies. Frankie spends most of his time with his friend Zach shooting off fireworks in his back yard while Zach's mom makes them Kool-Aid flavored popsicles. The remainder of his time is put in to trying to impress Rebecca, the girl he has had a major crush on since grade school, and working at his parent's restaurant.
Recently, Steve has been hanging out with the local "cholos" (aka bad boys) and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten to a pulp by John and two of his sidekicks, Steve stops ignoring his brother and tries to help him out.
Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie finally has the attention of Rebecca in the form of a Homecoming date, and life is going pretty well until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve retaliate or stand on the sidelines and watch.
THE BROTHERS TORRES was great! I loved Frankie's character and how he acted around Rebecca. I could totally see the events in this book actually happening in real life, which indeed made the book a bit scary at times. But it also made it even more great. I love real life situations. Coert Voorhees is a really strong writer and I loved his style. This book had me laughing at times and on the verge of tears at others. Overall, it was really a great book and I can't wait to read more by this wonderful author.
Frankie and Steve Towers are brothers. Frankie is a freshman and Steve is a senior. Frankie has always looked up to his older brother, who has gotten a soccer scholarship, is one of the most popular guys in school, and is very friendly with the ladies. Frankie spends most of his time with his friend Zach shooting off fireworks in his back yard while Zach's mom makes them Kool-Aid flavored popsicles. The remainder of his time is put in to trying to impress Rebecca, the girl he has had a major crush on since grade school, and working at his parent's restaurant.
Recently, Steve has been hanging out with the local "cholos" (aka bad boys) and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten to a pulp by John and two of his sidekicks, Steve stops ignoring his brother and tries to help him out.
Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie finally has the attention of Rebecca in the form of a Homecoming date, and life is going pretty well until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve retaliate or stand on the sidelines and watch.
THE BROTHERS TORRES was great! I loved Frankie's character and how he acted around Rebecca. I could totally see the events in this book actually happening in real life, which indeed made the book a bit scary at times. But it also made it even more great. I love real life situations. Coert Voorhees is a really strong writer and I loved his style. This book had me laughing at times and on the verge of tears at others. Overall, it was really a great book and I can't wait to read more by this wonderful author.
March 1, 2011
Brothers Frankie and Steve Towers live in Borges, New Mexico. Frankie is a self- conscious, awkward freshman who isn’t very popular at school, unlike his older brother Steve, whom Frankie looks up to. Steve is a senior who is popular, friendly with the ladies, has a soccer scholarship, and respect from the cholos. Unfortunately, Steve doesn't have time for his brother Frankie anymore with his current image to keep up with. So Frankie spends most of his time with his friend Zach shooting off fireworks in his back yard. The rest of the time he’s working at his parents restaurant or trying to impress Rebecca Sanchez, his major crush since grade school.
Steve has been hanging out with the cholos and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton, one of Steve’s teammates. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten up badly by John and two of his friends, Steve stops ignoring his brother and decides to help him out.
Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie's social status is raised and finally grabs the attention of Rebecca, and gets a date with her to Homecoming. Things are going great until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve get even or stand and watch.
The Brothers Torres is a captivating book that helps carry a strong message with each page. I really enjoyed the novel and how it was all at once funny and serious. Also the fact that I could relate to some of the characters and the situations in the book , and how it had some Spanish words throughout it, made me even more interested in it. Overall, the book was pretty great and I would definitely read more of Coert Voorhees books.
Steve has been hanging out with the cholos and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton, one of Steve’s teammates. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten up badly by John and two of his friends, Steve stops ignoring his brother and decides to help him out.
Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie's social status is raised and finally grabs the attention of Rebecca, and gets a date with her to Homecoming. Things are going great until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve get even or stand and watch.
The Brothers Torres is a captivating book that helps carry a strong message with each page. I really enjoyed the novel and how it was all at once funny and serious. Also the fact that I could relate to some of the characters and the situations in the book , and how it had some Spanish words throughout it, made me even more interested in it. Overall, the book was pretty great and I would definitely read more of Coert Voorhees books.
March 8, 2013
The Brother Torres is a novel by Coert Voorhees it is about a boy named Frankie who has a crush on the most beautiful girl in his High school. The only problem is that he doesn't know how to ask her to homecoming because he is to nervous to do it. He also has an older brother that he is kind of jealous of because the manages to fit in everywhere he goes and he can get whatever girl. After Frankie helps his brother from getting surprised attacked he helps him become one of the more popular kids. They start to hang out and do things together but he Frankie didn't realize that his brother was hanging out with the wrong crew.
This is what i thought about the book, I thought that it lacked more conflict because it ended a little dull. It was a pretty good story but I will say this I hated the ending because I was expecting something greater about him and Rebecca or something about his brother. The story moved a little slow and it didn't go far either because the book was sort of predictable. At some point it also frustrated me but at the same time because Frankie did some things that i would of done differently. But it is an easy enough book and it interesting to some point so.
I would recommended it to some people because it's a good enough book but it's not for everyone. Its for people that like novels and more realistic books. It fairly realistic maybe some people can relate to at least something. If it isn't some of his choices to the culture. I got the book because it was recommended to me by a teacher. But ill be honest if I knew how it was going to play out i wouldn't of read it.
This is what i thought about the book, I thought that it lacked more conflict because it ended a little dull. It was a pretty good story but I will say this I hated the ending because I was expecting something greater about him and Rebecca or something about his brother. The story moved a little slow and it didn't go far either because the book was sort of predictable. At some point it also frustrated me but at the same time because Frankie did some things that i would of done differently. But it is an easy enough book and it interesting to some point so.
I would recommended it to some people because it's a good enough book but it's not for everyone. Its for people that like novels and more realistic books. It fairly realistic maybe some people can relate to at least something. If it isn't some of his choices to the culture. I got the book because it was recommended to me by a teacher. But ill be honest if I knew how it was going to play out i wouldn't of read it.
October 3, 2014
Coret Voorhees's The Brother Torres enlighten me by the way it was well written from a teen age boys perspective in high school. This book is about a teen age boy named Frankie Torres who is a sophomore in high school.The setting takes place in a small town named Borges, New Mexico. Frankie is a quiet boy not very popular but is often seen in the shadows of his older brother who is a senior and very popular for his soccer playing. I believe this book was well written in the way it worked up to its climax how it shows what a person can really do if you push them to the limit.
This book really does a great job about showing the high school experience from a young mans perspective. Coret does a Fantastic job in the way he puts us in Frankie's shoes and its almost like we have at one point experienced what he is experiencing.This book tells us how Frankie has a huge crush on a girl named Rebeca but he cant work the guts up to tell her because she is popular and very pretty. But there is another thing getting in the way of him and his crush John Dalton the riches and most popular guy in the school but also the biggest jerk there is. Dalton becomes a big problem when Frankie's older brother Steve who is also very popular get into a confrontation and Dalton quickly changes his anger towards Frankie....
Over all this book was very entertaining and would strongly recommend it to any one. The reason I think its a Great story is because its very realistic to what many people go through,and its just about the right way to see how high school really is.With that being said I believe this book is one of the best books i have read so far.
This book really does a great job about showing the high school experience from a young mans perspective. Coret does a Fantastic job in the way he puts us in Frankie's shoes and its almost like we have at one point experienced what he is experiencing.This book tells us how Frankie has a huge crush on a girl named Rebeca but he cant work the guts up to tell her because she is popular and very pretty. But there is another thing getting in the way of him and his crush John Dalton the riches and most popular guy in the school but also the biggest jerk there is. Dalton becomes a big problem when Frankie's older brother Steve who is also very popular get into a confrontation and Dalton quickly changes his anger towards Frankie....
Over all this book was very entertaining and would strongly recommend it to any one. The reason I think its a Great story is because its very realistic to what many people go through,and its just about the right way to see how high school really is.With that being said I believe this book is one of the best books i have read so far.
May 28, 2015
The Brothers Torres is a realistic- dramatic novel written by Coert Voorhees. The novel takes place in Borges, New Mexico. Frankie is a six- teen year old boy who looks up to his older brother Steve. Steve is extremely popular in high school. Steve is a catch with the ladies, has a soccer scholarship and lots of friends. On the other hand, Frankie's life is quite boring until he gets into a fight with Dalton, who is the richest kid in school. The tension between Frankie and Dalton rise as well as Frankie's popularity as he tries his best to make it through high school.
There were several things that I liked about the novel as well as somethings I didn't like as much. First off I enjoyed how realistic the novel was. It included the life of a teenager in our every day lives. The protagonist Frankie experiences the good things in high school like girls and popularity but also goes through the negative parts of high school like his fight with Dalton. The only thing I disliked about the novel was that it took place in New Mexico. I would have like it better if it took place in Philadelphia or a city closer to Philadelphia. This would have allowed me to visualize the setting better.
Overall, The Brother Torres was a great book, I didn't find any parts of the story to be not interesting. The novel was filled with tension and suspense that makes the reader wonder about what will happen next. I would recommend this book to all kinds of people. Most novel tend to bore me but this book kept me reading on which I think will be the case with others who may read the bool. Overall The Brother Torres was a great book.
There were several things that I liked about the novel as well as somethings I didn't like as much. First off I enjoyed how realistic the novel was. It included the life of a teenager in our every day lives. The protagonist Frankie experiences the good things in high school like girls and popularity but also goes through the negative parts of high school like his fight with Dalton. The only thing I disliked about the novel was that it took place in New Mexico. I would have like it better if it took place in Philadelphia or a city closer to Philadelphia. This would have allowed me to visualize the setting better.
Overall, The Brother Torres was a great book, I didn't find any parts of the story to be not interesting. The novel was filled with tension and suspense that makes the reader wonder about what will happen next. I would recommend this book to all kinds of people. Most novel tend to bore me but this book kept me reading on which I think will be the case with others who may read the bool. Overall The Brother Torres was a great book.
August 31, 2010
Starred Review. Grade 9 Up—Frankie Torres Towers knows his older brother, Steve, is endangering his college scholarship by staying out all night with the local cholos and picking fights with his soccer teammates. Accepting of his sibling's good looks and macho charm, Frankie figures Steve is just looking for respect and covers for him, deflecting his parents' questions and picking up the slack at Los Torres, the family's New Mexican restaurant. Frankie's primary obsession is getting a date with Rebecca Sanchez for the Homecoming dance. When he exhibits some bravado against rich kid and soccer jock John Dalton, he only hopes to win her attention, but he unintentionally incites a series of incidents that forces his brother to defend him. Adding insult to injury, Frankie's working-class parents begin secretly negotiating the sale of Los Torres to the Daltons. Protected by his brother's squad of toughs, Frankie seeks revenge but soon learns what these warring factions of older boys are willing to risk. Frankie is as memorable a character as Sherman Alexie's Junior Spirit in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown, 2007). He exhibits a resiliency that is hopeful, and his colorful language and humor both confirm and dispel ethnic stereotypes. Flecked with Spanish phrases and authentic street slang and colloquialisms, Frankie's story is as poignant as it is hip and funny and will be a welcome addition to collections serving teens.
July 12, 2010
"Steve and I used to stay up at night trying to decide which superpower would be the best. Superhuman strength? Telepathy? Shape-shifting? We'd argue about the benefits and drawbacks of Green Lantern's ring, or try to figure out how Iceman moved forward on his floating ice sidewalk.
"But now I realize that we missed the obvious. The best power of all is time travel. You're going to screw up, whether you can fly or not, whether you have spidey sense or X-ray vision or adamantium claws, and the only true superhero is the guy who can go back and fix his mistakes before they happen..."
The Brothers Torres is a compelling coming-of-age story of a half-Mexican, half-Anglo high school sophomore living in a small town in New Mexico. Much of the story is universal: crushing on a girl who seems unattainable, mustering the courage to ask her out, making enemies, trying to make the right decisions in tight spots, and finding a way to be cool. Francisco "Frankie" Towers has it even tougher. As the youngest brother of one of the two most popular guys in school, Frankie feels the constant pressure of never measuring up. When his brother comes under the influence of the town's bad-ass cholo, Frankie has to find a way to be true to who he is while keeping his brother out of trouble. This book is full of realistic situations, relationships, and words you can't say on TV.
"But now I realize that we missed the obvious. The best power of all is time travel. You're going to screw up, whether you can fly or not, whether you have spidey sense or X-ray vision or adamantium claws, and the only true superhero is the guy who can go back and fix his mistakes before they happen..."
The Brothers Torres is a compelling coming-of-age story of a half-Mexican, half-Anglo high school sophomore living in a small town in New Mexico. Much of the story is universal: crushing on a girl who seems unattainable, mustering the courage to ask her out, making enemies, trying to make the right decisions in tight spots, and finding a way to be cool. Francisco "Frankie" Towers has it even tougher. As the youngest brother of one of the two most popular guys in school, Frankie feels the constant pressure of never measuring up. When his brother comes under the influence of the town's bad-ass cholo, Frankie has to find a way to be true to who he is while keeping his brother out of trouble. This book is full of realistic situations, relationships, and words you can't say on TV.
December 27, 2009
This multicultural fiction novel from Coert Voorhees was great! The cover of the book with the tattoo will have teens taking the book just because they like the cover. I really enjoyed Frankie Towers. He was funny, honest, blind to his brother's and parent's shortcomings and the target of school bully, John Dalton. John Dalton has everything Frankie doesn't. He has money, good looks, and Rebecca Sanchez, who Frankie obsesses over how to talk to her, ask her out, etc. Frankie is a good kid but he is not strong, so his older brother Stevie ends up looking out for him alot and becomes a little too interested in RETALIATION. Frankie doesn't like that he works at his parents restaurant all the time while his brother has never worked a day in his life because he is getting all kinds of soccer scholarship offers. Things begin to change when Frankie gets Rebecca as his Homecoming date, his parents sell the restaurant without telling him and Steve is not coming home at night. Frankie is able to stand up to Dalton, his parents and brother and he is a much better compadre as a result. I learned that brothers can be tight when they are young but sometimes with age, things change and you have to grow up and be the man you want to be,
Read
December 15, 2015I picked up this book after seeing it on many book lists and wanted to add it to my classroom library. Unfortunately, I think that I am at least ten years too old to appreciate this book. As an adult, I think this book is what most would expect from a young adult novel. There was a real lack of plot and character development and was filled with trivial internal dialogue, when that was the area that much plot and theme development could have been had. There were so many instances where a deeper and meaningful conversation could have taken place, but instead there was immature banter.
Personally, I just felt a lack of empathy for the characters, who had the potential of being very effectively dynamic. The premise being two brothers who are completely different, one the goody-two shoed "safe" brother, and the other an all-star athlete turned "cholo" who come together for a common cause and learn to be more like the other. However, like the characters, the ending fizzled as well.
Overall, the story may not be so bad for a teen looking for a quick read, but for anyone older or looking for substance, this may not be the one for them.
Personally, I just felt a lack of empathy for the characters, who had the potential of being very effectively dynamic. The premise being two brothers who are completely different, one the goody-two shoed "safe" brother, and the other an all-star athlete turned "cholo" who come together for a common cause and learn to be more like the other. However, like the characters, the ending fizzled as well.
Overall, the story may not be so bad for a teen looking for a quick read, but for anyone older or looking for substance, this may not be the one for them.
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