Paper Covers Rock

by Jenny Hubbard

Sixteen-year-old Alex has just begun his junior year at a boys’ boarding school when he fails to save a friend from drowning in a river on campus. Afraid to reveal the whole truth, Alex and Glenn, who was also involved, decide to lie. But the boys weren’t the only ones at the river that day . . . and they soon learn that every decision has a consequence.
 
A William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist
A Booklist Editors’ Choice
A Horn Book Fanfare
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
A Booklist Top 10 First Novel for Youth
An ABC Top 10 New Voices Selection
 
* “The poignant first-person narration is a deftly woven mixture of confessional entries, class assignments, poems, and letters. . . . [A] tense dictation of secrets, lies, manipulation, and the ambiguity of honor.” —The Horn Book Magazine, Starred
 
* "In the tradition of John Knowles’s A Separate Peace. . . . A powerful, ambitious debut.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
* "Those who are looking for something to ponder will enjoy this compelling read.” —School Library Journal, Starred
 
* “This novel introduces Hubbard as a bright light to watch on the YA literary scene.” —Booklist, Starred

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Boarding School, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Teen

192 pages, Hardcover

First published June 14, 2011

About the author

A former high-school and college English teacher for 17 happy years, Jenny now practices what she preached: the discipline of rewriting, which, in her humble opinion, is the key to a writer’s success.

Jenny is represented by Jonathan Lyons of Curtis Brown, LTD, New York City.

Reviews

[Crowinator · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to give at least four stars for Hubbard's poetic, literary writing and complex narrative structure (it's more of a set of connected vignettes that move back and forth in time than a straight forward-momentum shot). I also have to give at least four stars to the actual poems in the novel, written by Alex, the narrator, a couple of which gave me the shivers.

As for my overall enjoyment and emotional investment, though, I can't give this more than 2 stars. I'll try to get more into why this didn't work for me as a story later (rather than a collection of short, beautifully written pieces), but mostly, I think it is because I found the whole "young writer writing about himself while being self-aware of how his writing informs his life" tiresome after a while. I have a pretty high tolerance for self-reflexive narratives, but there needs to be something other to offset the intense navel-gazing. I got tired of all the Moby Dick references, the Hemingway references, and the Simon & Garfunkel references. I got tired of all the direct addresses to the reader, and all the times Alex says something like "if this were a novel, and I was a character, I would . . . . " I got tired of the author (Hubbard, I mean, but also Alex, insomuch as he is the 'author' of this story) dancing around whatever dark secrets they all have (their "darkest selves"), which are slowly revealed but then end up under-explored emotionally. This story doesn't build to a climax, or a moment of truth, or a big reveal, but sort of stutters along a baseline, never straying too far.

None of this is necessarily bad. I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for loving this book. It might even come down to mood. It's a subdued, contemplative novel that never stops being melancholy, not even for a second, and later on, I might be in the mood to sit quietly and revel in the language and think deep thoughts. But then I might just choose to read A Separate Peace again, instead.

Also, the boy on the cover is brooding so hard he is going to pop a vein!

[Leon Enciso · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5

[Morgan Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not even sure what to say about this book. How about I start with what I liked?

I love her writing style, to me it seems almost poetic in itself. Having it the form of a journal was brilliant, I thought. Even if it made it a little harder to follow because he would jump around in what he wrote, though there seemed to be some kind of crazy order to that chaos. His fascination with Herman Melville was interesting. He couldn't even get past the first chapter but it seemed to help him create his "Not-So-Great-American-Novel" (That was the right title, right? lol)

What I didn't like. The plot. At first I thought it was good. You know, maybe a little over done? A couple of teenage boys doing stupid things while drinking? It seemed to have been done before. But then we get a little deeper into the story and I'm like 'What the crap?'. And I most definitely did NOT like the ending.

This is basically the story. It's set at an all boys boarding school, okay so far. Alex (Our main hero, or character, whichever you prefer) is your average "Good Solid Kid", as he puts it. Makes okay grades, is on the track team, and what he doesn't know until later in the story has the makings of a poet. He has a few friends, Glenn Albright Everson lll, as he makes it a point to mention several times in the book, The Golden Boy. Then there's Thomas Edward Broughton, Jr., I guess he could be called another "Good Solid Kid", Alex doesn't go very far in depth into his character, you learn more as you go along I guess. And I'm pretty sure Clay Claybrook doesn't count as a friend, more like an unwanted roommate.

Thomas dies. That's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, events in the story. It was the catalyst for everything else that happened. How does he die? Well like I mentioned before, a bunch of teenage boys doing stupid things. On one fateful Saturday after classes end for the day, (because yes, they had classes on Saturday), Alex, Thomas, Glenn and Clay decided to go down to the river. And Clay brings the Vodka. So they drink until they are sufficiently inebriated and decide to jump off the 30ft(?) rock into the river. Genius, boys, genius.

So in preparation for that Clay goes, "Take off your shorts. Take off your boxers." And Thomas, probably even more intoxicated than the others, is like "No way. Not in front of a faggot." Referring to Clay, completely pissing him off. So Clay stomps off leaving just Alex, Glenn and Thomas to be idiots by themselves. (Have I mentioned how stupid I think they were enough yet? lol

Glenn decides to jump first after explaining to Thomas how to do it, because oh yea, this is Thomas first time jumping off the 30ft rock into the river. Probably not smart being DRUNK while he does it. Anyway, Glenn jumps and Thomas and Alex play "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and the loser goes next. And guess what? Alex wins because PAPER COVERS ROCK. (And if you didn't get that, that's the title of the book lol) Thomas jumps next, then Alex. But what Alex didn't know was that supposedly Thomas hit his head on a rock when he landed.

They start freaking out, trying to do CPR and mouth to mouth and all that. At one point, from what I can understand, Alex ran away. And when he was coming back Miss Dovecott was running their way, having heard them screaming. And that's the death scene I guess.

Glenn gets Clay to take the fall for the Vodka and gets him to say that he and Thomas were the only ones drinking. How did he do it? He threatened to tell everyone what Thomas said. Glenn threatened to tell everyone that Clay was gay. Because supposedly being branded as gay at an all boys boarding school is "worse than leprosy". And Clay would rather be kicked out than stay being labeled as gay.

So Clay leaves, Glenn starts "withdrawing", and Alex slowly begins to be eaten away by guilt. Guilt of lying about not drinking, guilt about not stopping Thomas from drinking and jumping, and guilt from not being able to save him.

He starts writing his "Not-So-Great-American-Novel" and slowly learns about his poetic abilities. After he turns in his essay "What I Carry" he catches the attention of his really unrequited love Miss Dovecott. The young, Princeton graduate English teacher.

Eventually Glenn get's suspicious of Miss Dovecott. Saying she had to have seen more that day down at the river than she was letting on. He thinks she saw all of them drinking and is for some reason not turning them in. So Glenn makes a plan to use Alex's and Miss Dovecott's growing "relationship" against her. The objective: get her to tell all that she saw that day. Alex reluctantly goes along with it, for some reason unknown to me.

At one point in the story you find out that before Thomas jumped he told Alex about seeing Glenn and Clay coming out of the same shower stall. Leading the reader to believe that Glenn may be gay as well. That was probably the biggest 'What the crap?' moment in the story for me. I honestly didn't see it coming. He writes that Thomas said Glenn tried to explain it away by saying that Glenn had supposedly ran out of shampoo and was asking Clay for some. (Yeah right buddy. That was way too much of a coincidence. Being seen coming out the shower with the only known gay boy in the school? Come on!)

Not too long after that revelation (for us) Alex tells us about the time Glenn tried to kiss Alex. Something about them falling and him stumbling into Alex's face, pushing his lips into his.... right.

Anyway, Alex gets closer to Miss Dovecott, she helps him with his poems that he can send one in for a contest, I think. He starts feeling bad on top of everything else that he's kinda using her. Glenn one day tells Alex he needs him to sneak into Miss Dovecott's apartment to look for her diary, hoping she wrote something down about that day at the river. So Alex goes and finds nothing. But for steals her watch, an almost stalker like act.

Glenn is also trying to get her written up for inappropriate behavior towards students. Telling Alex that she one time touched his knee, and that he told the Headmaster or Dean, or something. At that point Alex is ready back out. Not seeing the point in this plan anymore. (Even though I never saw a point in it anyway.)

The fateful day comes where Alex confides in Miss Dovecott that he was drinking too. And she tells him that after Alex had run away for his freak out moment she thought she saw Glenn with his hand over Thomas's face, apparently smothering him. They never say why Glenn would do that, but I think it's because Thomas knew Glenn was gay and was trying to get rid of him.

This leads Alex to believe that Miss Dovecott was using him to get information on Glenn, completely shattering anything he thought about her I assume. That gets him to go along with Glenn's final step in the plan. Alex gets Miss Dovecott to go for a walk with him after supper, the next day I think. So they're walking and she almost trips and Alex catches her and ends up kissing her, with Glenn watching from the shadows. She supposedly ends up kissing him back, according to Alex. Then she pushes him away and he runs.

Glenn tells the headmaster or whatever and Miss Dovecott turns in her resignation before she can get fired I guess. And the story ends with Glenn and Thomas burying Miss Dovecotts watch (which Alex still has) by the river as some weird kind of a way to pay tribute to Thomas.

And that's how it ends. With Thomas dead, Clay kicked out, Glenn not coming completely out of the closet, Miss Dovecott basically driven away by a couple of teenagers, and Alex Stromm (Is Male) seemingly as lost as ever.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initial reaction: "Paper Covers Rock" has some brilliant pieces to its whole. For one, it's a story that takes place in the 1980s at an all boys school in North Carolina, with a protagonist dealing with the aftermath of a friend's death. Alex is a poet and finds refuge in his writing for dealing with the grief, but then he suspects his teacher might know something surrounding Thomas's (his friend's) death. Particularly since she was on the scene in the aftermath.

I'm kind of at a loss for words because of how this story ended, I don't know how to feel about it, which is why this is probably going to be a difficult book for me to rate and write a review about. On one hand, the plot twist towards the end of the book was brilliant, but then it threw another curveball which I didn't like at all and ended with a result that just made me throw up my hands at the confoundedness of it all. And the fact that there's really not an ending that ties it together? *sighs*

Full review:

I have a feeling that "Paper Covers Rock" wanted to be a mind-trippy novel, but ultimately with the respective ending it had, it fell flat on its face and never recovered. It's a shame because for a good 3/4ths of the book, I was enjoying it despite a few qualms. I was prepared to give this around 4-stars for a time, and I kept asking myself "Why does this have such a low overall rating on Goodreads? Even with the fragmented jumps, this is actually pretty good."

But then I came to the ending and figured why. :(

The story revolves around 16-year-old Alex who has just lost a friend (Thomas) in a terrible accident. The three boys - Alex, Thomas, and another friend Glenn, were out getting drunk near a jumping/diving rock, and Thomas dived the wrong way. The aftermath has Alex and Glenn trying to save his life, and their English teacher, Ms. Dovecott coming to help after hearing their screams.

But nothing is all that it seems in this novel. Alex and Glenn agree to keep themselves bound to secrecy of what happened because they were drinking and that would get them expelled from the school in a heartbeat. But Alex has guilt over the event and feels he could've done more to save his friend. I actually quite liked the introduction to Alex, as he's a poet of budding talents. Since the novel revolves around English and poetry, it's interesting to see how this story's told through snippets of Alex's own writing samples. The poetry is stellar, that could easily earn this book 4-stars in my opinion, because I enjoyed those breaks in the book. I liked the references (somewhat) to Moby Dick, though it's been ages since I've read the latter. The drawn setting of 1982 and the environment of the all-boys school is well done for the most part, with bit references to help set the tone.

But then the qualms stacked up. There are bit references to GLBT issues in here, particularly with a relationship that's kept under wraps and something that Alex heard Thomas say in the moments before he died. However, in the spectrum of the novel, it's presented rather jagged, and not at all resolved by the ending. There's also the consideration of Ms. Dovecott - I liked her character, I could tell that Alex liked her in a student crush way. Their relationship is presented well in a good measure of the novel, and Alex has the suspicion that she may know more about Thomas's death and may potentially rat him and Glenn out. Glenn doesn't trust her, hatches a plan to get her dismissed from the school, Alex doesn't want anything to do with it.

Alex's writing clues Ms. Dovecott in on feelings of guilt and there are parts suggest she knows more than she's letting on. I actually liked the build-up of tension with that. But then you get to the ending and it's like "Huh? That's it? There was no motivation for that to happen on Alex's part - it just...ended." I didn't like that consideration at all. And given the nature of the ending is supposed to be symbolic, and I would've understood if it'd been more cohesive, I did not like the way it left its threads dangling. It felt sloppy instead of powerful. I was quite vexed with it.

Still, I have to give this effort to Hubbard in some modes because for a while, I really did enjoy the story, the ending and the let down of the respective build-up were what killed me from giving this higher than my respective rating. To say that I would recommend it? Hmm, with caution, this is not a story that will suit everyone, particularly with its fragmented presentation, symbolic representations, and an ending that will either leave you thinking on the loss and helplessness that Alex feels, or cringing at the mishandled buildup.

Overall score: 2.5/5

[Emily]

Paper Covers Rock is a true work of art.

Of course, I could say the same about countless other books, but Jenny Hubbard's debut stands out. Its artistry is not the conventional sort—gorgeous writing or a brilliantly planned plot, the kind that everyone appreciates, the kind that everyone seems to have agreed to appreciate. Instead, Paper Covers Rock is a quietly beautiful novel, for readers of a certain taste. I understand why a reader would dislike it—the story is very, very literary and languid and a bit stream-of-conscious—but if you enjoy that kind of story, like I do, Paper Covers Rock will make you fall in love without ever fully being able to capture why. But, because I want other readers to have the same experience as I did with this book, I am going to try.

Hubbard chose to write Paper Covers Rock in journal format, but not a conventional one. Alex is a poet, a fact that his entries exemplify. His storytelling is choppy, as he tells readers about whatever strikes his mood, whether that be the happenings of his current life or the events leading up to his friend Thomas's death. He also does not always write in the first person; he sometimes calls himself Is Male, a nod to Ishmael from Moby Dick. This style may sound strange, but Hubbard brilliantly weaves Alex's offbeat voice into a cohesive story. Each chapter is divided into sub-sections that separate present from past, first person from third person, so the plot's jumps never seem confusing. Without these sub-headings, the story could have seemed messy, but with them, the storyline becomes a puzzle that readers can try to put together, complete with an enigmatic twist at the end. And the third-person sections do not sound stilted; instead, they give Alex a chance to get out of his own head and look at himself from the outside in. When Alex writes about Is Male, his voice seems removed and observational, which creates a refreshing contrast to his usual emotionally-charged voice.

Paper Covers Rock also brims with references to classic books and poems—some of which I have read and some of which I have not. While part of me wishes I had read Moby Dick before picking up this novel, an expansive literary background is not a prerequisite for enjoying the story. As she weaves in other works of fiction, Hubbard provides enough explanation of their significance that less-experienced readers will understand her allusions. However, this background information is subtle enough that even literary scholars will not feel as if the book is talking down to them. All in all, reading Paper Covers Rock feels like a light and pleasant version of English class, an experience that I have never found in any other book and that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Through its masterful storytelling, Paper Covers Rock encapsulates a tangle of emotions that Hubbard portrays with intensity and empathy. Most importantly, Alex's guilt about Thomas's death drives the plot, adding a corrosive remorse to his every journal entry. But the author does not stop there; she also gives Alex a growing crush on his young, bright English teacher. Normally, I cannot stand reading about teacher-student romantic relationships—they seem so icky, for lack of a more professional word, and they are the one tough subject I avoid rather than seek out—and I cannot say that this aspect of the plot never made me uncomfortable. But somehow Hubbard makes readers begin to understand Alex's feelings, an impressive feat that led me to push through despite my dislike of the trope. And on top of all of this, Alex has to deal with the normal emotions of being a teenager, something few YA novels can live without.

Having recently read Hubbard's second novel, And We Stay, I suppose I should have expected such brilliance from Paper Covers Rock. The two novels share many characteristics: both narrators are poets, both plots center around traumatic events, both stories are set in boarding schools in the late 1900s, and all of these elements combine to form two stories that I described as quietly beautiful. But somehow, Hubbard's debut still took me by surprise. It is not the Mona Lisa of YA, but it is the small, abstract-but-fascinating painting in the corner, surrounded not by a crowd but by a few dedicated viewers scribbling notes into the margins of jam-packed notebooks. It gives readers an experience I have not even come close to describing in the few paragraphs of my review, so if you are a reader who is drawn to slow, literary plots and emotional writing, I highly, highly recommend reading Hubbard's work. You will not be disappointed.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard has a high literary tone. It reminds me of Catcher in the Rye or The Dead Poet's Society based on the characterization and quality of writing, as well as the incorporation of other literary works within the story. While I enjoyed this book, I'm not sure it would appeal to a large number of readers.

The story is paralleled extensively with Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The protagonist, Alex, uses it as a guide to express himself and deal with what has happened to Thomas, one of his friends, as well as using poetry to express his guilt. As I was reading, all I could think that this was an English major's book. The imagery and prose is beautifully crafted utilizing literary references and self-reflection to a create a story within a story. Like Ishmael, Alex is fighting to find his place after feeling alienated, and this is where the book transcends YA to Adult fiction.

Now I'm not saying that teenagers wouldn't enjoy this book, but I think it would be a small demographic and most likely older teens from 17-19 (Juniors and Seniors by grade). This is due to the elaborate plot and duality of narratives. Alex's exploration of what happened within his journal and the physical events of the story mix together to create a layered reality. Adding to that, there are illusions of a sexual relationship with Alex's English teacher, Miss Dovecott. While never acted upon, the fantasies are very specific and lend a slight predatory tone to the story. This works well for the story, but increases the maturity level of the book.

Overall, this is a beautifully written narrative with some gorgeous poems interspersed, which are meant to be "written" by Alex. It is not a "contemporary story", but a realistic story, one that will capture the book lover and mystery lover alike. But don't take my word for it, check out Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard for yourself!

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a lot of issues with this book, starting with the unbelievable male voice but perhaps mostly with the fact this book is set in the 1980s for no apparent reason. The setting is not necessary then, and there's no context for it.

Alex was boring to me.

The thing is, this is a more literary novel, and there's some stuff with that, and I think this is the kind of book that could get some award-y attention. But for me, it was really one note, and I can't quite see my kids eager to read it. A little more A Separate Peace than, idk, a story of a guy whose best friend dies after they drink too much.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was awful. I never thought it would end and it's not even a big book. It was an attempt at a poor recreation of A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Everything was scattered around and poorly written. I do not recommend this at all.

[Val · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, what is this book even trying to do?

[Barclay Sparrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was required summer reading for my AP Lit class, and I have a developing case of senioritis.

This book was also the first required book that I have ever read in one day.

I loved it. I didn't understand all of the allusions and got a little thrown off by the continuity on occasion, but I had a really difficult time putting it down. It has been so long since I couldn't put a book down that I forgot what it felt like.

As for solid reasons, the best I can give is not only the literal poetry (if there is such a thing) but the poetic style with which the novel is written. I just finished long summer program on modern poetry, my first real experience with poetry in more than a quick classroom dissection kind of way, and have a new, strong appreciation for well done metaphors and similes. Hubbard's way of working original metaphors into the writing outside of Alex's poems were refreshing and delightful. I'm no expert on poetry after barely dipping my toes into it this summer, so reading a book written by an actual poet and seeing that kind of writing out in the 'real world' helps me learn how to improve myself. I'm thankful for that.

Not to mention the story itself is gripping, and relatable even for those of us without that kind of trauma in our lives. I was deeply moved by the work, and it was fun to go through and recognize names of places nearby or that I have been to, being a North Carolinian myself. Overall I say well done, Jenny Hubbard.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't quite bring myself to give this the 3 star "I liked this" rating, because while there were enjoyable moments, I had to double check a few times when I got to the end to see that it actually was the end, ending up feeling more let down than having just finished an enjoyable book. I don't think it would have been so frustrating had the entire book not been written as if it were building to some big moment that never actually came. The actual climax, as it is, was the most underdeveloped part of the entire story.

I understand that this is meant to be a story written - in the moment - by a teenage protaganist, and perhaps looking for the introspection that one would expect if this were a story told years later isn't fair. But for a narrator that until the end is very self-reflective (perhaps too much so at times), it just felt unfinished.

(I also couldn't help but keep picturing Robin Williams as the female teacher, some sort of Mrs. Doubtfire thing going on, given the obvious comparisons to Dead Poets Society. Which kept making me laugh to myself each time the narrator went on about her beauty.)

[Sanah Shabbir · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a big miss for me, I didn't enjoy this at all. While there were some humorous moments, I struggled to finish this. The way the novel was formatted with different subplots within each chapter was confusing and I didn't really care for any of the characters. It was just dry and boring, so not off to a great start this 2019 reading year :/

[•anwyn• · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had a very small relation to the Dead Poets Society, however, I'm just left with more questions than answers, plus the ending was really bad. Nothing even happened. It's just a boy who has a crush on his English teacher, who watched his friend die, kinda sorta helped his best friend plot against said English teacher, and then nothing. Book over. There was no point to any of it.

[n♱ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Más un 2.5. En realidad, no entendí mucho pero fue entretenido y el personaje principal me agradó mucho. Por alguna razón este libro pudo ser mejor de lo que es.

[Gregory Holz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant and beautifully written. I was so glad that I picked this up. Interesting ending...

[Melissa De Cunto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointed

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Covers Rock is a literary tale which explores the honour code of an all boys’ boarding school. It is a novel that transcends genre and is hard to define – it is part thriller, part coming of age story, part exploration of grief, loss, sanity and love. It is also pays homage to the Great American Novel and yet at times it questions that weighty label. Between so few pages, Jenny Hubbard weaves a story about transgressions with the poetry of life and the nature of truth. It is not an easily accessible read but it is a rewarding one and I know that I’ll be periodically rereading this book for years to come.


At the heart of the story are three boys. There is the narrator – Alex Stromm – the Good Solid Kid. There is his friend Thomas Broughton who tragically dies and in doing so is the catalyst for the story. Then there is Glenn Albright Everson, the third, – the Golden Boy. The story is told through Alex’s secret journal as he documents the events leading up to Thomas’s death and the aftermath, the guilt and the grief. Thomas tells the story with the help of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick – the heading of the chapters’ structure his narrative around this Great American Novel. I have not read Moby Dick – neither has Alex, he can’t get past the first chapter – but that did not prevent me from understanding this novel. If anything, Alex’s references to the Greats of American Literature really made me want to sample their work and see if it “fitted” me.


I don’t want to talk about the plot because I think you need to discover what happened that tragic day by reading the novel the way the author intended. I will tell you that Hubbard captures the human need to follow a code. She explores how it is easier to follow a code than to deviate from it. There is a security in the unwritten code however unforgiving and brutal that code is. Despite the deep reflective nature of the book, there are brief moments of humour. For me the real comfort was communicated through Alex and his beautiful poetry. Alex is rather a fantasist. He is in love with his English teacher Miss Dovecott and she awakens in him a great lust but also his gift for poetry. His narrative is painfully honest and convincing which brings me to the nature of truth. Can we ever find peace without it? Are their values that are more important than truth? I could go on but I could never say all that Hubbard says in these eloquently written pages.


Paper Covers Rock does not perhaps leave one with a wonderful perception of boarding schools – in some ways it reminded me a little of Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld which I absolutely love. If there is only one of Alex’s observations that will stay with me, it will be this: it will take our whole lives for us to find out who we are because we become closer to, or further away from, our true selves with every decision that we make. Paper Covers Rock mesmerised me. It drew me into its poetry. I can’t wait to see what Jenny Hubbard writes next. This book spoke to me. Breathtaking.

[AmeliaaXavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4 Alex Stromm Stars.

“Read to your heart's content. Though if you are a reader, the heart is never content.”

A group of students at a boys' boarding school cope with the aftermath of a drowning death. How much do they tell? Who else knows what happened? What did they see? These questions form the wellspring of a stopry filled with tension, guilt, betrayal, as well as an assurance the life goes on after a tragedy. The story is told by Alex, a junior at a boys' boarding school. Alex has just witnessed the drowning death of a friend. The book is written as his purported journal as he struggles with what may have really happened that day, his feelings for his English teacher, Miss Dovecott, and the hidden agenda of his best friend who was there that day too.

The structure of the novel fascinated me. The sub-headings were all consistently married to certain aspects of the narrative: variations on the title headed sections describing Thomas' death, sections headed by a student's name focused on their part of the tapestry, and I'm sure that had I ever read "Moby-Dick" the chapter headings would have rung out to me. The story was easy to follow despite the back-and-forth of its placement in time. This is the story of a sixteen-year-old poet-in-the-making at a boys boarding school who harbors a secret and guilt. He and his buddies were goofing off by the river one fall day and one of them drowned. But was there more to the death than meets the eye? That's what PAPER COVERS ROCK unravels through poems, narrative and Alex's journalistic accounting of the events, all while our hero is falling deeply in love with his English teacher.

“A closed book is a darkness anyone can enter, not a cary darkness like a basement or a storm, but a comforting one that wrapped her up neatly inside a world she could control.”

This book accurately captures many aspects of the boarding school culture of the 80's. There are enough twists in the story to make the reader want to find out what happens next. Alex's struggles to balance his loyalty and affection for his teacher with his friend's scheming and his own feelings of guilt are engrossing. I had chills reading this novel. As I neared the end, I had the distinct feeling that I was in the presence of greatness, a book that will leave an indelible mark on literature for years to come. From the beautiful language, to the clever turns of phrase, to the deep exploration of classic issues like guilt, deceit and loyalty, PAPER COVERS ROCK truly has all the hallmarks of a classic.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is Male, Alex, starts writing in the journal his father gave him at the beginning of the school year. He's started after one of his best friends dies. Is Male is not the most direct narrator however, and tells you many stories around his friend's death. Slowly in brief passages the truth of what happened at the rock comes out. Is Male didn't know the whole story, he still isn't sure what is true. His journal helps him through his journey though, helps him be okay.

So, I have never read Moby Dick. Like most people though, I have a general understanding of the story and I know the famous opening line. I really appreciated the comparisons between Alex's life and Ishamel's throughout this novel. Alex was a very likeable character. I felt for him, even if at times he was a little off. He's a teen boy and he fantasizes about his teacher and him being a couple. Not a strange thing, but something that some people might be uncomfortable with. This was set a few decades ago, but it's story is timeless. The only thing that makes you aware of the time period is the absence of technology. The kids actually talk to each other, fish, and hangout. They don't just play video games and text. It was nice to have a story written with a more personal and intimate feeling.

Not too often are journal-style novels written from a male perspective. I always have enjoyed this format, and it worked perfectly for this story. It allowed us to see everything unfolding from Alex's point of view. It makes the narrative the slightest bit unreliable though, because we only see what Alex chooses to tell. Alex does like direct quotes though, so what he does write has a feeling of truthfulness and accuracy.

Paper Covers Rock was an intensely interesting read. As I found out more of the situation surrounding the death, I was at first bored with how plain it seemed, but the more I read the more I found out. The death was more complicated then I could have imagined. There is a lot of behind the scenes stuff happening at the boarding school, as I always imagine there is. If you have the chance to read this one, I highly suggest you do. It's a quick read you won't regret.

First Lines:
"Call me Is Male.
When my dad gave me this journal two years ago and said 'Fill it with your impressions,' I imagine he had a more idyllic portrait of boarding school life in mind."

Favorite Lines:
"Read to your heart's content. Though if you are a reader, the heart is never content."


"No ocean in sight, no wind or wing to carry me into the sky, far, far away."

Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz21qc...

[Katrina G · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/4/18: I absolutely love this book. The writing style is amazing, and Alex is such a compelling character. Not only does the plot unfold throughout the story, but there are so many moments in the book that make me stop and think about things

"I always thought it was weird to think about how you're under the same exact sky as some kid in China who has no idea that you exist, and you have know idea that he exists, only that there has got to be at least one kid in China looking at the sky right now"

"But the seed of risk does not always grow into a straight trunk. The tree can rise crookedly out of the ground"

"Until it has scared you with it's endlessness, sky is just sky"

"No matter how sad or sick or angry or wounded any of us are, everything (as in: life) marches forward as planned"

"Honor is truth. Truth has many meanings, but it first means that you have to be true to yourself. It is hard to be true to yourself because it is hard to be yourself"

I will never not love this book and the amazing quotes that I'm able to pull from it

6/22/15: I really enjoyed this book. All the characters had something interesting going for them. Alex was in this constant state of guilt over Thomas's death, and I think the poems he wrote were really beautiful. Glenn was a frustrating character, but he was also interesting when you consider the fact the ending of the book left me with the possibility that he may have killed Thomas to keep him from telling anybody that he was gay, which is completely taboo in an all boys school. I think this was a very realistic story, and I'm glad I picked it up because I almost didn't.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had the feel of "Dead Poets Society" in that it featured a somewhat above average boy in boarding school with a talent for writing. I felt the anguish of Alex as he sorted through his emotions of supporting the friendship honor code versus the school honor code, and in dealing with his crush on his English teacher. There was also references to other literary works, with the main one being Moby Dick. This book makes me want to finally read Moby Dick. I picked up this book because it was in the hidden gems list. I agree that this is a hidden gem and hope more people will check it out. This book will appeal to people who enjoyed "Dead Poets Society" and A Separate Peace by Knowles.

[Mayu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Alex es un buen protagonista, pero todo lo que le rodea es demasiado duro, y al final, una serie de pasos le encaminan hacia un futuro que no es justo, pero a la vez, solo puedo decir que él no peleó por tomar otro rumbo. Que al final del todo hubiera cambiado de opinión, no habría sido malo, pero Alex tuvo miedo, y no puedo culparle por ello, pero en verdad duele ese futuro que se está hilando, un futuro donde aquello que ha perdido es su propio corazón, y Alex demuestra que no es malo, y que no merecía perder tanto, pero quizás si hubiera dicho no al miedo y si al coraje... Pero es cierto, desde fuera es fácil hablar. T_T. Lo siento por Alex. Y por su demoledora historia. Y por las personas que le rodean, que en vez de suponer un refugio, solo le hunden más. Salvo la señorita, por quien Alex suspiraba, y suspiraba, amándola, en secreto, en silencio, con cada pedacito de su corazón.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boarding school student Alex, referring to himself as Is Male (a reference to Moby-Dick, or, the Whale), writes in a secret journal after the death of his friend Thomas. Alex blames himself for Thomas's death, because they had all been drinking, but there are other parts of the situation that leave Alex unsettled. Clay took the blame for it all and left school, while Glenn wants to make sure that Miss Dovecott, the English teacher Alex has a crush on, who was there that fateful day, didn't see something she shouldn't have.

Alex's narrative felt a little pretentious at times, and overall this had the feel of A Separate Peace, but I didn't see that secret coming. Glenn's plot to sexually harass Miss Dovecott made me uncomfortable (it also made Alex uncomfortable, but he didn't speak out against it), it did totally fit with the time period and the culture of an all-boys' boarding school.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Covers Rock was a difficult book for me to read but it was so rewarding too. I’ve never seen this many layers in a YA novel before and this doesn’t come from someone who hates YA literature. I actually enjoy reading YA books a lot.

Rich in layers and multiple meanings and character motivations, I loved almost every minute of this story. From the mystery of what happened to Thomas to Alex’s own unreliable narration, I really enjoyed everything about it.

Some parts reminded me a little too much of other stories like Catcher in the Rye, which was even mentioned a lot of times in the narrative. But this can be forgiven because of how the narrator worked and his love for all things literary.

This was a book club pick and I can’t wait to analyze this book and it’s many layers with my book club later this month. This is one book, no matter how short it may be, that requires multiple reading because of its many layers and meanings.

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why I didn't expect to like this one. I honestly don't. Maybe it's because it's really thin, maybe it's because the back read like a mix between your typical YA issue book and A Separate Peace (though I made the shelf 'hey it's the chocolate war' because, tbh, The Chocolate War's way better than A Separate Peace, mostly because I can always spell 'chocolate' and not always 'separate' (and that's a joke, I've just only read Separate Peace once, Chocolate War so many times and both have boys at private schools)). I dunno. But either way, once all of our unimportant parenthetical insertions are done, I really loved it. I really, really loved it.

Just the whole plotline, how you gradually realized what was going on and though I still really don't like the whole teacher/student romantic subplot in books, in this one, it wasn't so bad, I don't think. Christ but this was good. It made me want to write, you know? And I think that's a good quality in books. To make you want to write.

But even though this was a very, very thin book, I was intrigued by the characters. And the ending is so vague and it's just - it's got the feel of an older book. It's got the feel of a 20th century novel. It takes place in the '80s, which is cool, that's always cool, but it was published in 2011, which doesn't make sense to me because it's so good. I mean, it feels like it was published in the '80s. Maybe the early '90s. It's got that Cormier feel to it, man. God but Christ this was great.

[myrkasdust · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 i don’t know what i just read honestly, the plot is kind of a mess and it took me a while to understand the context of it but the writing style is really good

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a reread from 15+ years ago. I remember disliking it then, and I still dislike it now. It’s beautifully written, but the characters all suck and are shitty people.

[Deborah Takahashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Stromm is a junior at Birch School, a boarding school for boys. What was supposed to be another year of endless classes and trying to fit in, Thomas, Alex's best friend, drowns in the lake near school. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be an accident, escalates into an interrogation for Alex and his friend, Glenn. In fact, when Glenn, Clay, and Alex were asked what had happened, they did something they never though they would do: they lied. Although Alex is struggling with the death of his best friend, there is a lot more to this incident, which he slowly reveals with each journal entry, which was given to him by his father. This journal should have been empty, but, unfortunately, what happened that day forces Alex to retreat to these pages. Under the pen name of Is Male, since this journal is hidden behind a copy of Melville's Moby Dick, he retells the events that led up to this accident that leaps between the past and present. More importantly, it is through his words that we find out the truth behind the day Thomas died and why he, of all people, is able to move on when he could have stopped what had happened. Moreover, he is being buried to death by a mountain of lies, which brings upon unwanted consequences that will alter his perspective forever.

What I thought was going to be an easy read turned out to be something completely different. In this story, Hubbard packs a lot of tough issues into this tiny story, which, for some, can be a lot at one time. One issue that is well dissected, tested, and proven is the definition of truth. For Alex, the truth is something that cannot be concealed, bended, or denied. The fact that he and his friends were not honest about what happened the day Thomas died conveys to readers how spineless they really are; Thomas wasn't the only one who was drunk that day and because of their lives, his family has to live with the shame with Thomas behavior and actions. Although none of these boys are responsible for the accident, the fear of getting kicked out of Birch has forced them to deny the truth about the that day. Another issue is Hubbard explores is relationships between friends. Thomas and Alex were best friends and, now that Thomas' dead, Alex and Glenn are the remaining witnesses' since, Clay, took the fall for the alcohol that was found in Thomas' system. What is really hard for readers to digest is the drastic measures that Glenn takes to try and discredit a teacher because he is afraid of getting kicked out of Birch. Unlike this deteriorating friendship, Alex and Miss Dovecott's relationship grows since Alex is pouring his heart and soul into his essays and poetry. Alex has an impeccable gift when it comes to writing and Miss Dovecott uses this knowledge to help Alex grieve, grow, and, unfortunately, uses to get to the bottom of Thomas' death. Granted, this relationship is seen as dangerous and inappropriate, Alex's world is turned upside down as he slowly peels away the farce that Birch has built around him. More importantly, knowing the secret that Thomas revealed to him, before he died, might be the key as to why Glenn was holding his hand over Thomas' mouth. Within two months, Alex struggles with his feelings for both Glenn and Miss Dovecott, but, in the end, he knows the true definition of truth and that it's about being honest with himself and realizing that he isn't perfect; he will make mistakes and the only to free himself from the burdens of the world is to admit that he, like every other person in this world, is without sin. This is a really hearty story and teens will have to take a moment or two to process. I will say that readers will not get the ending they are seeking, but we do get an image of a character who has been altered by his circumstances, which, for me, is beautifully tragic. Just like Captain Ahab, Alex will become a great man, but, hopefully, he will deal with the damage that has been done and move on rather than chase a creature that cannot be bound just like truth cannot be conquered.

[Ed]

Hubbard, J. (2011). Paper covers rock. New York: Random House/Delacorte. 185 pp. ISBN: 978-0-385-74055-5. (Hardcover); $17.99.*

Alex is a boarding school student with an ear for language in a school for the elite. Wracked by guilt for his failure to save a drowning classmate, Alex vents some of his emotion through his poetry. Miss Dovecott, his English teacher and object of his fantasies, is a wise and perceptive young educator. She happened to be one of the first adults on the scene the night drunken Thomas dives into the water (instead of jumping) and drowns. In Alex’s writing she senses that there is a part of this story that still remains to be told. Glenn, who was also with Alex and Thomas that night, lives in fear that Miss Dovecott will get them kicked out of school. Glenn hatches a plot to neutralize Miss Dovecott and Alex and his poetry are the bait.

Each year dozens of books feature poetry; this year is no exception and some of these books are featured in this column. Hubbard’s book may win the prize for having the most literate, most well crafted poems published this year:


I nip them at night from the bed
outside the dining hall—daffodils,
hyacinths. In the morning I cradle
them to class in a vase. My students
ask where I got them, they know
I don’t have a yard of my own.
I say I got them from the place
inside me that has to bloom
then die to make room for more green.
They call me a thief, but they smile. (p. 47)

This book immediately recommends itself to literature lovers, both teachers and students. The “paper cover rock” game of chance reinforces multiple interpretations and serves almost as a chorus that frames the various interpretations depending on which element is listed first. It works in the story, even if it also may have the tendency to trivialize the story. While the poetry in this book is excellent, Hubbard captures the sexual tension and anxiety of many teen boys perfectly. The ending is nuanced, believable, and surprisingly predictable (and I mean this as a compliment of the highest order). The inter-textual play with Moby Dick and “Her-man” Melville fits the story, fits Alex’s voice, and adds a rich layer to the novel (and balances the “paper covers rock” game element). The way Hubbard handles Glenn and his motivations is story telling at its finest, and I am so pleased that she does not spoil the book by telling us the answer. This leaves the book open to multiple interpretations, which are supported by the text. Who knows? Maybe future students will be analyzing this book instead of Moby Dick! Did I say that the poetry is top notch! Purchase this for high school libraries and place additional copies in the classrooms of English teachers.

[Cornmaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely intelligent, literary book following a 1980s teen's experience with a tragic alcohol related death, for which he believes himself to be responsible. He keeps a journal under a pseudonym to try to work this out in his mind. It's an inward journey that is poignant and recognizably one about truth in its many forms.

The teen characters are all very believable. I at first had an issue with the young, female teacher (at an all boys boarding school), until I realized she is just barely out of her teens, so she too is not fully formed and experienced. She believes wholly in the power of literature to explain all, and hasn't yet seen the grey in the pieces she has her classes study, or the greyness of life itself. And Hubbard never reveals why she is there in the first place - a Princeton grad, yet this is the only job she can get? Is it her idealism? Is she as flawed as the boys enrolled in the school?

Hubbard covers quite a lot of issues in this book, weaving each one with the other - character, lying, honor, fear, teen crushes (and how they color everything), responsibility, potential improper student-teacher relationships, tradition, homosexuality, etc. And the beauty is that she leaves them all open to question, open to many different responses. She does not tie them up neatly with a bow. The chapters open with quotes from Moby Dick, probably quite powerful to someone who has read the entire book, but then not very many have done that. Maybe that's one of Hubbard's points - life is like that novel - really hard to understand and get through, and you have to take whatever truths you can manage from it. Or I am overinterpreting. She has Alex write poetry, and a lot of it is not bad, especially the last one. I found myself lingering on the poems trying to figure some of them out, and this is a good thing. And I really liked this food for thought: The word, 'forever' as a "word burdened with both history and future." Really something to chew on.

And I also loved her exposure of Thoreau not really totally roughing it at Walden, which requires us then to read his high minded essays with a new eye.

Lots of good discussion points within this story. It won't be for everyone, but I would recommend it to teen readers who like to think.