Nyle's life with her grandmother on their Vermont sheep farm advances rhythmically through the seasons until the night of the accident at the Co... read full description
reviews
Aug 25, 2007
Jules
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This book was a guilty pleasure of mine for years. The secret part of you who longs for a disaster to happen so you can go help people to make yourself a useful, charitable person will like this book.
It's the story of a girl who lives near a nuclear power plant. There's an accident, and her family must take in a survivor who's essentially dying of leukemia. As fate would have it, this survivor happens to be a young boy who is just what this girl is not looking for, someone to help he More...
It's the story of a girl who lives near a nuclear power plant. There's an accident, and her family must take in a survivor who's essentially dying of leukemia. As fate would have it, this survivor happens to be a young boy who is just what this girl is not looking for, someone to help he More...
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Dec 28, 2011
Melanie
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Though I haven't read this book in YEARS, it used to be one of my favorites in school. I cannot tell you how many times I signed this book out of the library, and read it with a box of tissues.
December 2011: I got this book as a Christmas gift because my sister knew how much I loved this book and wanted a copy. I re-read this and loved it just as much now as I did back then. While it's juvenile fiction, nothing about it reads that way. It's a beautiful story of first love and lo More...
December 2011: I got this book as a Christmas gift because my sister knew how much I loved this book and wanted a copy. I re-read this and loved it just as much now as I did back then. While it's juvenile fiction, nothing about it reads that way. It's a beautiful story of first love and lo More...
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Jun 11, 2010
Ethan
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Ethan Samowitz
707
6-11-10 Phoenix Rising
In the story, I'm starting to notice that Muncie and Nyle's friendship is starting to break up.
The reason why is because, when Muncie was visiting Nyle at her house, she was talking about the incident that happened with Ripley. Nyle was saying that Muncie is now scared of Ripley. She got real upset that she said that. She thought Nyle was calling her a baby, so Muncie punched her More...
707
6-11-10 Phoenix Rising
In the story, I'm starting to notice that Muncie and Nyle's friendship is starting to break up.
The reason why is because, when Muncie was visiting Nyle at her house, she was talking about the incident that happened with Ripley. Nyle was saying that Muncie is now scared of Ripley. She got real upset that she said that. She thought Nyle was calling her a baby, so Muncie punched her More...
Jun 29, 2011
Kenny
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Dec 16, 2008
Jose
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Phoenix rising is a great book. Author Karen Hesse makes it really interesting the way how she makes you feel the pain and how scared is Ezra about the radiation after a nuclear explosion killed his dad. This book is really amazing when you start reading you can’t stop. Karen Hesse uses very good writing skills. One of those skills is characterization. One good example this in the other bed a boy with dark curly hair laid on his back. I think that Karen wrote this book for one purpose. That p
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Apr 12, 2010
Arlie
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Hesse remains one of my favourite young adult authors. Her books are full of hope and deep emotion; they are original and approachable. Hesse's writing is often beautiful (in 'Out of the Dust' she writes in lovely free verse.) 'Phoenix Rising' follows a young girl after the area south of her has suffered a nuclear meltdown. The effects of the radiation are devastating to the area both economically (the entire area more or less shuts down) and personally. Not only is Nyle's cousin very sick from
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Jun 06, 2010
Eric
rated it:
This book revolves around a nuclear crisis in the 1960. It evaluates the morality of the use of nuclear energy in power plants to produce electricity, as well as explore the consequences of the use of nuclear energy.
A girl named Nyle Summers and her grandmother lives on their farm in a village that is not so far from a city that has just experienced nuclear exposure. The nuclear waste began to spread and affected many people, and contaminated the air. One day, a boy named Ezra and her mot More...
A girl named Nyle Summers and her grandmother lives on their farm in a village that is not so far from a city that has just experienced nuclear exposure. The nuclear waste began to spread and affected many people, and contaminated the air. One day, a boy named Ezra and her mot More...
Apr 06, 2011
Amber
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This was a timely book to read with the current nuclear meltdown that Japan is experiencing. In this book a nuclear plant in America has had a major disaster and now radiation has devastated much of the country. Nyle and her grandmother live on a small sheep far that is upwind of the radiation. That does not stop the disaster from drastically changing their lives. Life gets even harder when a couple of the survivors suffering from radiation sickness come to live with them. Almost everyone Nyle h
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Apr 12, 2008
Megan
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Everyone should read this book. It made me cry. The characters are very real because of the complicated emotions they have. The plot about the radiation was relatable because although it's not as bad today, people still have horrible cancer. This book is really touching.
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Feb 12, 2008
Rebecca
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I am currently on one of my reading sprees. One every two days. This was by the same author as A Time of Angels. Another historical fiction novel that was a quick read. Gives you a picture of what living in a nuclear age can do to people. Good book.
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Jan 04, 2012
Kayla
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This book was recommended to me by my sister and I'm so glad I listened! First, I love Karen Hesse's style and have read at least one other book by her. I like that her books have relatable and lovable characters and that they read rather quickly. I loved that something Nyle was so afraid of ended up being something she loved very fiercely toward the end of the book. I loved the progression of Nyle and Ezra's relationship and I found myself on pins and needles at the end of the book when Ezra's
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Jun 11, 2008
Jennifer
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I was pulled into this book! It is a fast read! I read it in one evening. I just love the charaters of the story they got me hooked. I love books that just pull at me emotionaly like this one did.
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Oct 03, 2007
Lizzette
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This book is really sad, and it's about a girl named Nyle who her Mom, and grandfather died. Her dad disappered, and when she decides to care about someone else they also die.
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Aug 26, 2008
Katie
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I've had this book for nearly 15 years and I've read it dozens of times. And each and every time...I sob. Amazing book.
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Oct 16, 2008
Erin
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A cautionary tale about the dangers of nuclear power. Trite and preachy at times but with a touching story line.
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Apr 09, 2009
Josiah
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I might actually give this book four and a half stars. It is kind of hard for me to review it, as I see it as such a masterful story that I'm afraid I will not do it full justice.
Karen Hesse just blew me away in these pages, coupling multiple storylines that are all equally compelling and heartrending. The pacing is quiet and perhaps understated, but the emotions all ring true and very powerfully, throughout the entire book all the way to the breathtakingly engineered climax and ending. More...
Karen Hesse just blew me away in these pages, coupling multiple storylines that are all equally compelling and heartrending. The pacing is quiet and perhaps understated, but the emotions all ring true and very powerfully, throughout the entire book all the way to the breathtakingly engineered climax and ending. More...
Jul 08, 2010
This Book Is About A Girl Named Nyle. She Is Shy But A Little Agresive And Not Afraid To Take Up For Her Friend.She Live In The Town Of Cookshire And Just Been A Nuclear Power Plant.This Mean That The People Of The Town Have To Wear Mask Because Of To Much Radistion.Nyle Is The Only Child And Mostly Lonely,Until She Meets Ezra And His Mother.They Move In With Nyle And Her Grandmother(Gran).They Are The Accident Survivors.Ezra Is Sick From The Radiation,But He I Getting Stronger And Stronger By T
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Jun 20, 2007
Emily
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This is probably one of my most favorite books ever. It's a hope-inspiring story.
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Feb 06, 2012
Jeannie
rated it:
I can't give it 5 stars because I have issues with authors who use children's literature to push their political agendas. The story of love and loss and learning to let go captured my heart, but Hesse spoiled some of the magic with her sometimes not subtle political preaching. I got through those passages by looking through my science fiction lenses. I don't even know whether I completely disagree with her. I just didn't like so much of it in the story. Some was necessary to make the setting rea
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Dec 15, 2009
Brandon
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The book is a sad story but you keep reading because you want to see who is O.K in the end.It was touching and dissapointing but also a mystery of who will survive.It sounds mean but that`s what keeps the readers reading this book.Read it if you like touching stories about sad times.I would recomend this book to anyone 10 and up because that`s when the book would really count i think.Read the book if you like to realize what the worlds can be right.
Brandon Lee
Brandon Lee
Jul 29, 2011
Snoko
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Jan 08, 2010
Cami
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This is a dystopian novel of sorts . . . more like what would happen in the even of a nuclear plant leak in today's world. A teenage girl has to live through the death of her loved ones, and then deal with refugees from the city who have radiation poisoning. It begs the question, is it worth becoming close to someone you may lose? And the answer is not an easy one. It was mature and interesting, dark but hopeful. Pretty good.
Jun 25, 2011
Young Nyle struggles with loss in this sad, touching book, both personal (dealing with the death of family) and community (dealing with aftermath of an accident at a nearby nuclear power plant). She also discovers new feelings stirring in her, as she gets to know Ezra, a young man, and refugee, staying at her grandmother's farm. A great story both for teens and adults.
-- Louisa --
-- Louisa --
Nov 22, 2010
Joanna
rated it:
Phoenix Rising is about a girl who is living in a town not to far from an nuclear power plant. Her whole life changes when it suddenly explodes and sends radiation everywhere. Now she has to wear masks and she has to check almost everything. When she suddenly finds that her grandma has taken in refugees from Cookshire she knows that she will not feel for them in anyway.
Feb 18, 2010
Linda
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Such a good writer, so varied in subject matter and setting and all just leaving you more than satisfied. This one focuses on the aftermath of a nuclear accident, sheep farming, and loss. One of the more valuable parts for younger readers is tracing the effects of nuclear accidents throughout all the elements of life, water, food, air, etc. without being preachy or didactic.
Jun 29, 2010
Jen
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What an interesting novel of a young girl in a New England that has just suffered from a nuclear plant explosion and radiation exposure. A world where radiation masks and detectors are part of life and Boston no longer exists. I found the imagery of this world more interesting than the story line itself ( a girl whose family takes in 2 survivors, one of whom is a young man that she brings back to health and falls in love with). This might be a good novel for chemistry students to read in conj
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Jun 11, 2009
Cc
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Phoenix Rising was a good book. It was real because of the ending and the whole contamination story line. I found the ending sad though. But that's what I like about books. The realism. I like books with happy endings, but at the same time I don't. It just depends on the book. And Phoenix Rising is a great book with a sad ending, that somehow I like.
Nov 27, 2010
Jennifer
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I read this book as a child, it made me cry then, and makes me cry now, years later. It is a woonderfully written book that will tug on your heart strings. You will fall in love with these characters. I do recommend that parents read it with their children, or read it before letting them read it, because it is a very sad book.
Mar 10, 2010
Morgan
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I loved this book. It was moving and touched my heart. I would reccomend this book to people who love realistic fiction books that have you wraped up in its emotional story. However, people who favor action packed books should back away from this one. This book was inspiring and had me turning its pages as fast as i could.
Nov 02, 2009
Anny
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I read this book. It is very sad. There isn't much happiness in this book. Mainly there is alot of death. Other than that there was some comedy. I believe this book is mainly about a boy that has the disease of death and one day he will die. A Pheonix is the bird that represents him. He will die and rise from his ashes.
