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The Always War

3.31 of 5 stars 3.31 · rating details · 991 ratings · 206 reviews

For as long as Tessa can remember, her country has been at war. When local golden boy Gideon Thrall is awarded a medal for courage, it’s a rare bright spot for everyone in Tessa’s town—until Gideon refuses the award, claims he was a coward, and runs away. Tessa is bewildered, and can’t help but follow Gideon to find out the truth. But Tessa is in for more than she bargaine...more

Hardcover, 197 pages

Published November 15th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published November 1st 2011)

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Aug 12, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-baby-ya, x-2011s

WHY WASN'T THIS BETTER?

I am convinced that Ms. Haddix is a master of pacing . I've read several of her books, in several different genre, and she is absolutely fabulous at keeping the tension garrote-tight, until you almost feel like you will not be able to breathe, goddammit, until you get to the next chapter . The Always War has that tension and suspense . . . but the plot falls apart midway through.

I feel like this wasn't very well thought out, and that publishing was probably rushed to keep...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 31, 2011 Phoebe added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, dystopian, sci-fi, intergalactic-academy-reviews

Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

In my last review, I wrote that Ally Condie suggests a bit of the “we have always been at war with East Asia” themes of 1984 in her new novel, Crossed. In a weird bit of synchronicity, Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Always War takes those slight, thematic elements of Crossed and expands them into a novel of their own.

Fifteen-year-old Tessa’s society really has always been at war. In a futuristic, but impoverished America, she’s stuck scrubbing hospital fl...more Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

In my last review, I wrote that Ally Condie suggests a bit of the “we have always been at war with East Asia” themes of 1984 in her new novel, Crossed. In a weird bit of synchronicity, Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Always War takes those slight, thematic elements of Crossed and expands them into a novel of their own.

Fifteen-year-old Tessa’s society really has always been at war. In a futuristic, but impoverished America, she’s stuck scrubbing hospital floors while her neighbor, a gifted military student, goes on to be a hero. The novel’s first half is richly rendered, and reminded me a bit of the Molly McIntire American Girl books in their accuracy. The society of The Always War has been touched by perpetual wartime at every level–people’s aspirations are directly tied to the war effort; technology is designated solely for military use; and normal people are expected to push up their sleeves and contribute themselves, no matter the color-draining effect this has on their lives.

I loved the beginning of this book, though I must admit that I was a touch unsettled by the extreme youth of Gideon, one of their war heroes (he’s in his teens), and the heroine’s own very young voice and nature. Unfortunately, as The Always War developed, these problematic elements were thrust to the forefront, and compounded by the presence of Dek, a prepubescent rebel said to be only eight or nine years old. She’s trading goods on the black market and knows how to pilot and repair aircraft and all of this stretched the bounds of credulity for me.

As did the core premise as revealed in the last half of the book. Some of this is suggested by the title and the book’s Orwellian, throwback nature (of course the war isn’t real; we suspect that from the first page), but the ultimate revelations struck me as incredibly improbable, as did the fact that these revelations came to all hinge on the actions of a bunch of children. And it’s not as if I’m averse to kids being heroes–it’s only that here, I never quite believed it.

Still, I could imagine eating this book up if I were, myself, a younger reader. I suspect the target audience will enjoy the sparse, survival-oriented details of Haddix’s society, as I once enjoyed Changes for Molly, and I doubt they’ll be as bothered as I was by the twists and revelations.(less)

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Nov 01, 2011 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: galley-grab-arc, dystopia-or-postapocalyptic, sci-fi, reviewed, 2011-reads, 2011-reviews, arc, middle-grade

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

This was actually a mistake of mine: I downloaded Ms. Haddix's novel clearly aimed at young-adult/middle-grade novel while attempting to receive another galley. Once it was downloaded and I read the short blurb about a never-ending war with no known cause, I was interested enough to give it a try and it made for two hours of enjoyable reading. Though by no great shakes a complicated or dense novel, The Always War is action-packed, fast-paced adventu...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

This was actually a mistake of mine: I downloaded Ms. Haddix's novel clearly aimed at young-adult/middle-grade novel while attempting to receive another galley. Once it was downloaded and I read the short blurb about a never-ending war with no known cause, I was interested enough to give it a try and it made for two hours of enjoyable reading. Though by no great shakes a complicated or dense novel, The Always War is action-packed, fast-paced adventure that (much) younger readers will have a great time reading. It is quite simple and thus incredibly easy to read but no less adventuresome or intriguing for its youth and simplicity. Accordingly, some of the solutions/twists Haddix offers up for her novel can be predictable and almost deux-ex-machinas, but it's easily glossed over in favor of the age group this particular novel is geared towards.

Tessa is not the most developed of characters, but since this a novel aimed at kids half my age at the most, it's easy to forgive. She's a kind, selfless girl; the kind who sees hope in a down-beaten, war-weary and repressed Eastam. This is a girl that finds beauty in a n ethereal spiderweb; a girl who won't give up. In a country that has been at war with the enemy nation of Westam for over seventy-five years, Tessa aspires to more: to be more, to do more. In a world where entering the military makes your family elite, Tessa has to struggle with the knowledge that her life will never, ever improve. Stuck in an endless cycle of school and then work, Tessa and her eagerness are easy to understand. Even her adoration of her former neighbor Gideon is understandable: in a world where war is the answer, those who kill the most are the "heroes."

Gideon, the aforementioned hero, provides a nice change from Tessa's wide-eyed dreams. While I did find the ages of all the characters to be unsettlingly and unbelievably young (Gideon is only a teenager), I doubt younger readers will have the same issues. Gideon himself is a self-tormented young man who cannot forgive himself for dropping a bomb on over 1,000 people. The only one in Eastam bothered by what he did, Gideon considers himself a murderer, a coward, a killer. While he seems to have just the right set of skills to do what he needs to, I liked Gideon's decisiveness. I didn't like his interactions with Tessa very much (I like harmonic characters rather than bickering ones) it was an accurate representation of what I think a young man would do in his situation(s). The other main character, that of Dekaterina Pratel aka "Dek", both worked for an undermined the story of The Always War. While I did find her alternatively amusing and annoying, it is completely unrealistic that this 8/9 year old would know how to disable and fly a plane ON HER OWN. It's just too much: I understand Haddix wanted this to be a novel of just youngins saving the world, but Dek is so far out there it throws off the novel. I appreciated that she grounded Tessa's optimism/dreaming with blunt honesty and that she was mature enough to not let Gideon wallow in self-pity: surely she could've been aged at 13-14 for a better representation of the character?

I did like what little the author did to establish the setting. I'm BIG on setting: place-as-character goes a long way for a novel when it's done well. Unfortunately, Haddix barely sketches out a locale for her players to operate within. Just the essential enemies "Eastam" (formerly Eastern America) and "Westam" (Western America) are supplied, along with random mentions of former landmarks. I certainly wished for much more atmosphere, but I will admit I got a chuckle of the "Santl Arch" the three adolescents use to acclimate themselves. Those less-than-subtle allusions to the modern-day United States make the war in novel even more personal and extremely relatable to a modern audience itself going through a seemingly endless War on Terrorism. I definitely recommend this to a younger audience than myself: I think ages 10-14 will love Tessa, and Dek's attitude and Gideon's plight will affect them much more than it did me. I did enjoy the final twist Ms. Haddix pulled for the war/countries: a satisfying conclusion to an enjoyable novel. (less)

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Apr 18, 2013 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SUMMARY:

Tessa lives in a dark and dreary world, where everyone is depressed and fighting all the time due to her country being at war for more than 75 years. One day her idol and next door neighbor, Gideon, is awarded for killing over 1,000 people in a bombing raid. But before he can recieve the award, he runs off saying that he was a coward. Tessa follows him, and ends up on an airplane being flown into the war zone, where she learns a secret about the war that no body else knows.

PROS:

1. It is...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Katy Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok, maybe 2 1/2 rating.
1. The characters were under developed and flat. Dek's home life was explained the most and she wasn't even the main character. Gideon was a whiney 18ish year old. Tessa was supposed to be smart because she read books but she wasn't that resourceful. Dek appears out of nowhere and is all the sudden a semi-main character. The love story between Tessa and Gideon wasn't even believable because there was no evidence of reciprocation from Gideon the entire time. Dek says that...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Leslie Raddatz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gideon comes home from the war and at an award ceremony confesses to everyone that he is not a hero and refuses the medal for courage. His childhood friend Teresa went after him, as he leaves the stage. The military called it combat fatigue, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Teresa sees him as a hero and presses him for answers of why he felt different. He shows her some classified video of a bombing of a village where 1,632 people died because he bombed them. He tries to set things right by flyin...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first, I thought The Always War didn't really have anything to do with the war, but I was quickly proved wrong.

Tessa is excited to see the latest war hero, Gideon, receive his medal. Gideon grew up in the apartment next to her and they played together as children. When Gideon refuses to accept the medal, claiming he is a coward, Tessa can't help but try to find out why.

The war, which apparently takes place between a future eastern United States against the western United States, has been goin...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Andy Hollums rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juv, ya

Read Ender's Game or The Virtual War instead.

Advisory:
This book would definitely be rated no higher than PG, possibly G. There are no language or sex issues. And despite the title, there's no violence either.

Review:

I love a good dystopian novel. Give me a protagonist ready to break through the drab, gray malaise of her life and defy a tyrannical government and I'm usually hooked. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those times. Especially given the current state of our own society - groping TSA ag...more Read Ender's Game or The Virtual War instead.

Advisory:
This book would definitely be rated no higher than PG, possibly G. There are no language or sex issues. And despite the title, there's no violence either.

Review:

I love a good dystopian novel. Give me a protagonist ready to break through the drab, gray malaise of her life and defy a tyrannical government and I'm usually hooked. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those times. Especially given the current state of our own society - groping TSA agents, inane terror alerts, etc. - I was excited to read a story about a society governed by the constant fear of enemy attack and mandated vigilance. Haddix does manage to capture the malaise, describing a people broken down by war weariness. Many of the scenes are, however, a little too unbelievable. To the extent that there are any adults in the story, they are unrealistically incompetent. The child protagonists are, on the other hand, far too sophisticated. Tessa and Gideon are, at best, high school aged and Dek is viewed by them as a mere child. Yet these three are much more intelligent and capable than any of the adults they encounter. There is simply no satisfactory explanation for why this should be the case. There are really no adults in the society who were as capable as the children of finding out the truth?

The characters don't really grow throughout the book either. Tessa's self-confidence does grow by the end as she begins to trust her own knowledge and abilities, but Gideon and Dek don't really grow much at all. Granted, the story occurs over a short period of time, but there just isn't a whole lot of depth to those characters.

According to the publisher's website, The Always War is aimed at those 7th grade and up. I think they've got that backwards. It should be 7th grade and below. There's nothing objectionable for younger readers and I think older readers would not find the plot credible. This could be a decent dystopian for upper elementary/ lower middle grade readers. It's similar to The Virtual War by Gloria Skurzynski or Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, though it's more tame than those books. But I would definitely choose those titles over The Always War. I'll give it three turntables. I'd rate it lower for myself, but since it's geared for a younger audience, I think it's decent for that age group.(less)

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May 04, 2012 Cornmaven rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile, middle-school

Very disappointing offering from Haddix. Pros - this book is basically a version of the movie War Games, but set way in the future but with a twist, where current place names and such have been distorted by the lack of access to real world information. I liked the idea of someone probing the folly of "thermonuclear war" again, the power of computers in our lives, especially for a new generation.

Cons - the cons outweigh that noble theme.

First - Haddix uses the question format to advance the plot....more Very disappointing offering from Haddix. Pros - this book is basically a version of the movie War Games, but set way in the future but with a twist, where current place names and such have been distorted by the lack of access to real world information. I liked the idea of someone probing the folly of "thermonuclear war" again, the power of computers in our lives, especially for a new generation.

Cons - the cons outweigh that noble theme.

First - Haddix uses the question format to advance the plot. If there's one thing I hate, it's authors having characters ask themselves questions instead of creating scenes and incidents to allow the reader to formulate those questions. Now, indeed, Tessa is being exposed to things that would cause her to start questioning everything she's learned up to this point, but that doesn't have to be done on every single page in every single chapter. I consider it lazy.

Second - This is not well-defined dystopia. There are hints of how the societal structure is basically military rule, but not enough detail about the oppressiveness of it. I can't believe that Gideon is the only pilot capable of the uber tech computer skills/hacking, so there should be more involved in ferreting out the truth and setting up an underground resistance. The whole thing felt rushed, as if Haddix needed to get this done for an assignment due on Monday and she started it on Saturday night. The tension build in dystopian fiction appears only sporadically because it doesn't have enough depth.

Third - I personally hated the name of Gideon for the pilot.

Fourth - There should have been more extensive discussion about the restriction to information that Westam imposed. Tessa's the only one who has read print books, and even has a collection of print books. Haddix could have done a world of good in terms of educating younger readers about the right to read.

Fifth- An implausible moment occurs when Tessa just HAPPENS to have all the right computer parts to break out of the jail cell, allowing Gideon to save the day, bring about the downfall of the scheme. Again, it felt so fake and rushed.

While this got good reviews, I don't think kids will start a book buzz like they did with Hunger Games and other dystopian novels.(less)

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Jan 04, 2012 Karen Yingling added it · review of another edition

As long as Tessa can remember, Westam has been at war with Eastam. Life is grim as people slog to factories to make weapons and slink home to their tiny apartments. One bright spot in Tessa's life is Gideon, a childhood friend who was accepted into the elite military program and is now a war hero. However, Gideon is traumatized by his latest action-- bombing and killing over a thousand people. He buys a plane to try to make amends, and Tessa (as well as Dek, who is trying to steal back the plane...more

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Jan 02, 2012 J rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school-fiction, post-apocalyptic

Tessa's world is bleak. Everything is gray, broken, and worn down, including the people after over 75 years of non-stop war. When hometown boy Gideon Thrall comes home a hero, everyone's spirits are lifted. Except Gideon won't accept the honors they want to bestow upon him for killing over 1,000 people. Instead, he escapes and buys a plane on the black market so he can fly to enemy territory where he hopes to apologize and make amends for what he did, even at the risk of his own life. He wasn't...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Jessica Bronder rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tessa is barely surviving. She goes to school, where everyone doesn’t like her, then cleans at a hospital to get by. Her parents have given up a long time ago and barely leave their bedroom. She attends the award ceremony of Gideon, a childhood friend. But things don’t go as planned when Gideon panics about not being a hero and runs.

Gideon was sent to the military school and is a pilot that dropped a bomb on the enemy. But he hacked into the system and learned that he killed innocent women and...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I love everything Haddix writes, and this is a good book for an older elementary/younger middle school student; however I have to say that this is one of the weekest books of hers I have ever read from an adult perspective. The characters lack any real depth that her characters usualy exhibit. The plot is rather week with no real passion which was odd since her stories are always about people with passion and courage. Perhaps this would have been a much better story if it had been a larger book...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Summer Szell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book definitely had an interesting concept and really drove home the point Haddix was trying to make to the reader. Although I read Haddix books knowing I'm not going to fall in love with the characters, which for me is always a struggle being a character fan, her plot lines normally more than make up for the lack of character depth. However, this plot was not strong enough to overcome the strong dislike I had towards the character of Gideon. At times this character was downright whiny, pat...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, dystopia, science-fiction, post-traumatic-stress-disorder, survival, heroes-heroines

Tessa is so proud to see her childhood friend get a hero's welcome and medal for courage. He is being honored for a successful military attack on the enemy, killing "one thousand six hundred and thirty-two people." Just before receiving his medal, though, he blurts out that he isn't a hero...he's a coward. Tessa is appalled, confused, and hurt.

She catches up with him eventually and realizes that he is regretting the action he took...when it killed not only military people, but ordinary civilian...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Rogier rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, dystopian, reviewed

my thoughts

cover: it is not my all time favorite. but it has appeal.

book: found it in my monthly galley grab. looked it up on goodreads. the synopsis looked interesting.

we get thrown in a hero awarding ceremony. Gideon Thrall is being awarded ,our non romantic leading male[that's new] and suddenly runs away. Yep that's the beginning

Tessa is in awe of him, his heroism. But secrets of the war, of him come to light and things change. with the result that they see everything and each other different...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Teacher 007.5 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Always War was a really easy read. I have not read the work of this author before so my experience with the story will be different from fans of her other work. I thought the story resembled a Star Trek episode where the "war" was a computerized fake war and people were selected to die in fake war attacks. This was similar. The characters were defined and developed although I really did not like Gideon. He truly was cowardly in nature but when he had to step up to a challenge he did. I liked...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Jennavier rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My feelings are pretty mixed on this one. I love this author and I was so excited to read this book. Maybe I had too high of expectations.
The story is told through the eyes of Tess, who starts off trying to help a childhood friend to not kill himself in a fit of battle induced guilt. That leads her to discover that the generations long war her society has been mixed up in is chalk full of lies.
One of the big things I love about Haddox is how her stories tackle big issues. Tessa has to face a lot...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Kristin Lundgren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, ya-sci-fi, ya-teen, dystopian

A slim volume,, and it isn't clear if there will be more in a series, as this one ends like it could be a stand-alone. It is the story a poor girl, Tessa, in a dystopian society in the future, where all resources go to keep the war going - a long-standing war between two countries. One day her childhood friend Gideon comes, and is to be awarded the highest medal of her community for his bravery in bombing a city. But at the last minute he refuses the honor and dashes off stage. Tessa follows, an...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian

2.5 stars
"The Always War" is a very short, simple dystopian. When I began it I was under the impression it was aimed at readers of The Hunger Games, and Divergent. After actually reading it, I've come to the conclusion that its target audience must be quite a bit younger, maybe twelve or thirteen at absolute oldest. When looked at through that lens I see the Always War as a fairly well written, slightly rushed book with a message about the value of hope. Nothing too individual, but it's not awfu...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Mrs. ReaderPants rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, galleygrab

More reviews at http://readerpants.blogspot.com

OVERALL RATING: Recommended, 2 of 5 stars

SUMMARY: Three young people from the future accidentally enter enemy territory and discover the truth about a war that has shaped their lives and has continued for more than 75 years.

POP CULTURE COMPARISON: Isn't there a Star Trek episode where two planets are at war and people go to die by a lottery system? There is no actual war, just people selected to die to simulate the war on both sides. It's been going...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Katie Joiner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An excellent book by an excellent author, THE ALWAYS WAR was beautifully written and honest. I was way in the wrong age range for this, though; I think it would have been better suited for my 12 year old brother, although even he might have been a little mature. The straightfoward plotline still gave value to what kids understand, and the story itself was engaging and unique.
However, it was short and not in my age group, so at times I wanted a little more depth. For kids, though, it's perfect....more

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Feb 18, 2012 Summer Lane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Short books are pretty fun to read, and I settled down with this one on a Saturday afternoon. It is the story of an ex-military pilot named Gideon, a girl named Tessa, and a kid named Dek who get stranded in the enemy's territory - and discover that the war might not be exactly what they think it is.

This book drew me in (I saw it in the library and the premise sounded awesome) and while the writing itself was great, there was a lot of confusion going on. I had the mystery figured out 1/4 of the...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Kimathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia

As long as Tessa had lived the war has been waging. But over what? Tessa doesn’t really know, nor anyone else. Then, a hometown soldier, Gideon Thrall, when being given a hero award runs away from the ceremony, declaring that he isn’t the hero they thinks he is, but a coward. Now, as Tessa stows away on Gideon’s plane, it is up to them and another, a rough and tough girl named Dek to find out what the military isn’t telling the public.
I have liked to read Haddix’s works since the fifth grade w...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Ken Kugler rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Imagine a world always at war. I mean the 30 years war had nothing in this one.
Gideon was hailed the local hero by the government and at his medal he claims that he claimed he was a coward and ruins the good feelings for Waterford City. Waterford was a nothing town that finally had something to be proud about, Gideon. Tessa, a girl who knew Gideon when they were children for some reason decides to get involved and find out what had happened. What follows at first reminded me of a Star Trek episo...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Kristen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, waste-of-time, disappointing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I might give this one a 2.5 rating, just because I thought the idea was interesting and the characters were likable. But they were also stupid and underdeveloped. The story dragged and took entirely too long to get to the point, even though it was only a total of 197 pages. I felt like it was about 97 pages, too long.
And, quite frankly, I found the entire premise unbelievable. Seriously, every single person in the world is supposed to buy into this mysterious war, which never ends, never encount...more I might give this one a 2.5 rating, just because I thought the idea was interesting and the characters were likable. But they were also stupid and underdeveloped. The story dragged and took entirely too long to get to the point, even though it was only a total of 197 pages. I felt like it was about 97 pages, too long.
And, quite frankly, I found the entire premise unbelievable. Seriously, every single person in the world is supposed to buy into this mysterious war, which never ends, never encounters any enemies, never gains any ground, and never receives any casualties or retaliation for all their 'bombings'? Really? I mean, sure, a good chunk of people probably would have gone along blindly for a while, at least. But I highly doubt so many would have for even a few years. Let alone 75! You would have underground groups, bent on exposing the truth and people venturing out into the 'dangerous war zone', to see for themselves. Or, at the very least, rumors.
I think it would have been much more interesting and believable, if when they are in the 'war zone', they encounter a civilization living peacefully, who's ancestors escaped, and sort of group together with them to expose the fake war.
And it would have been better if it were a whole government conspiracy thing. Like if some people at the top knew the whole thing was a farce and kept it going for whatever reason. Because, I'm sorry, but I find it VERY hard to believe that so many supposedly intelligent military personnel wouldn't have found it mysterious that they never seem to gain anything with all their raids. I'm assuming at some point in those 75 years, there would have been a 'safe' area to go explore. You know, after they annihilated everyone within 100 miles or something. Also, wouldn't they thought it odd that they had absolutely no communication with the enemy for as long as anyone can remember? No attempts at peace and negotiation? Or are they just all supposed to be horrible leaders?
I also find it unrealistic that after everyone believing there was this never-ending war, all their lives, that they would have just accepted what these kids said. On tv of all things. They've been completely convinced of this war, and having no previous inkling that it might not be real, suddenly all just believe what their told. Again.
The people in this future world are apparently incredibly stupid and naive.
This story had so much potential, but just fell flat.
Actually, I think I might take back my extra .5 rating. It was a very disappointing book...(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Kris Dinnison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This stand-alone title by Haddix addresses the power of fear to control society. When Tessa sees her hero and former neighbor Gideon reject a medal and call himself a coward in front of the whole country, she needs to understand why. Soon she's caught up in Gideon's dangerous plan to fly himself into enemy territory and make amends for what he's done. But when they get there, they find out everything they've been told about the enemy and the war is a lie. When they end up back in the hands of th...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Andrea rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juv-fiction, 2011

I felt it was not Haddix's best work. The premise is a war that has been going on for a least 70 years and the destruction it causes to those on the front lines and on the home front. Growing up in a physically and emotionally war ridden dystopian world leads three seemingly unlikely people, two teenagers and a child to uncover the secret of the war and their subsequent fight to bring peace. The characters, unlike Haddix's other works, are more symbolic than real. There is no real bond forming m...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Drake Vanmeter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Always War
Margaret Peterson Haddix
This is a good book for anyone that likes war books. It’s got action and everything else. It starts with Tessa and Gideon and Gideon wins an award but does not accept it. He says “I do not deserve an award, I’m a coward”. He says stuff like why should someone that kills people deserve an award and stuff like that.

My favorite past is when Gideon is talking to someone and Tessa is listening and then she jumps into a plane and Gideon doesn’t know she does so th...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this not too distant future the civil war has reignited, onlt this time its the east vs west. I enjoyed the set up and characters, but at only 197 pages it all seemed way too rushed. Yes, I'm going to say I wish the book was longer. There, I did it.

The characters, especially Gideon, were well drawn and explained. Haddix portrayed PTSD very well. It was also a relief to see the computer as the good guy, just trying to save man. The HAL/Terminator let's kill all humans cliche is just about to t...more

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About Margaret Peterson Haddix

Margaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danvil...more

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Books by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Impostors (Shadow Children, #2)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10637808-the-always-war?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1304785453l/10637808.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10637808-the-always-war?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix[/url]

The Always War

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