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Paper Covers Rock

3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 · rating details · 1,296 ratings · 289 reviews

At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Ale...more

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Published (first published June 14th 2011)

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Nov 01, 2011 Crowinator rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2011-reads, literary, queer-characters, morris-2012-short-list, school-hard, historical

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 d...more 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!

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Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it · review of another edition

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 dr...more 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.
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Sep 20, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, glbt, yalsa-challenge-2012, realistic, ya-fiction

Why I picked it up: the author is from my area and the book is set in North Carolina.

The book is in the format of Alex’s journal. Alex is a junior at an all-boys boarding school. In late September, his friend Thomas died by jumping off a rock into a river close to campus. It was supposed to be an initiation, and Alex was one of the boys present at Thomas’s death. And the truth about that day is difficult for him to ignore, even as his classmate pressures him into keeping their cover.

Well, I’m no...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Wendolyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Young adults

Recommended to Wendolyn by: Abby

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is very similar to "A Separate Peace"; the setting is boarding school, where the best friend dies in an accident. There's the loss of innocence. The book seemed basic and predictable but as I review it, I appreciate it's uniqueness.

Themes include ethics and loyalties.The main character Alex is not a rich boy or a disciplinary problem. It is easy to identify and care about him. He is a writer; honest, thoughtful and wise. We read about the aftereffects and secrets come out. We learn abo...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Deborah Takahashi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fiction

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 hi...more 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. (less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-mmm-challenge, e-books, youngadultbooks

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...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Barclay Sparrow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 (...more

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Jul 11, 2012 bjneary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery, realistic-fiction, reading-olympics, ya

This book does a great job of swith the challenges of being a boy in an all boys' boarding school in the 1980s. Alex Stromm is tortured about the drowning death of his friend. He and his friends decide to cover it up since they were drinking at the time but did their new English teacher who happened upon them afterward see anything? The Plan is something Alex struggles with throughout the whole book; at times hating himself (did he do enough to save his friend, did he run fast enough)and then he...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Cornmaven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: high-school

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 b...more 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.(less)

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Feb 10, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bullies, teachers, writing, ncbla

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Alex Stromm, a sixteen-year-old attending a boarding school in North Carolina in 1982, is on the scene when his friend Thomas drowns after drinking and leaping into the water. He and a couple of other classmates were present at the time, and Glenn, one of the school leaders, persuades another classmate to take the blame for being drunk at the time. Glenn is afraid that the school's English teacher Miss Dovecote saw what was going on, and will cause them to be expelled. Consequently, he persuades...more Alex Stromm, a sixteen-year-old attending a boarding school in North Carolina in 1982, is on the scene when his friend Thomas drowns after drinking and leaping into the water. He and a couple of other classmates were present at the time, and Glenn, one of the school leaders, persuades another classmate to take the blame for being drunk at the time. Glenn is afraid that the school's English teacher Miss Dovecote saw what was going on, and will cause them to be expelled. Consequently, he persuades Alex to join him in a pact to find out what she knows. In some respects, that's easy for Alex since he likes the English teacher a great deal; she, in turn, sees something special in him and encourages his talents as a poet and short story writer. Feeling guilty for his part in Thomas's death and remembering the rumors of homosexuality that briefly swirled around Clay and Glenn, Alex journals about his feelings. He hides his writings in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick on the library shelves.

This book reminds me in many ways of A Separate Peace since both books contain unnecessary tragedies and betrayal. It's hard not to like Alex since he means well and would like to do the right thing, and yet, it's clear throughout the book that it's unlikely that he will find the courage to tell the truth. Glenn's utter disdain for the truth or moral responsibility, and his own involvement in the events at the river show readers how complicated a life can become when it is necessary to hide secrets. As the code of silence that often influences how teens behave trumps the school's code of honor, there is little surprise that Glenn will go on unpunished and that Alex is likely to go on punishing himself for the rest of his life. The references to Melville work in some respects, but others such as "Is Male" don't work as well. The same is true of the chapter headings, numbers, and references used at the author at some points. They provide organizational structure, but they also can be quite disorienting. For instance, the numbering that ends on page 2 is carried over into the next chapter on page 13, forcing to go back in the book to figure out what came before it. This is a good read, though, and teen readers are likely to see themselves in some of the characters and enjoy considering what they might have done in Alex's shoes. (less)

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Dec 22, 2011 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mock_printz, realistic-fiction, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I think this is a good example of a book that incorporates a lot of influences, but I'm not sure that it ever really rises above them. It did remind me more than anything else of "A Separate Peace," especially with the gradual realizations Alex has regarding Thomas's death, Glenn's sexuality, and the other factors that were at play in the book's central incident.

I thought the journal device was clever in that Alex is constantly spinning a story throughout his life; he's using writing as a way to...more I think this is a good example of a book that incorporates a lot of influences, but I'm not sure that it ever really rises above them. It did remind me more than anything else of "A Separate Peace," especially with the gradual realizations Alex has regarding Thomas's death, Glenn's sexuality, and the other factors that were at play in the book's central incident.

I thought the journal device was clever in that Alex is constantly spinning a story throughout his life; he's using writing as a way to make sense of his guilt, but he's also carefully crafting a story about what happened during Thomas's drowning to tell his teachers and everyone else.

The book's greatest strength, I think, is in its portrayal of the love of literature, and how it draws Alex and Miss Dovecott together. I was actually much more drawn in by their story. I could just picture how exciting it was for Alex to have her as an engaged reader and to think of his writing as a bridge that would help him make sense of his life and lead him to greater things. That part of the story came through the most clearly for me. I honestly didn't think Alex's poetry was that stunning for how much it was praised in the book, but perhaps that's realistic as it was only college freshman-level writing after all. Also, I think that feedback was sometimes based more on their special relationship and what Miss Dovecott saw in Alex, the potential.

That being said, I didn't feel like the characters came through all that strongly to me. I felt like I was told Glenn was "the golden boy" many times, but I actually found the boys to be pretty interchangeable as far as voice and actions while reading. Of course Glenn's character changes toward the end when he starts thinking Miss Dovecott was working against them, but I feel he is explained too much by motivation and not enough by what the author shows. It was a little lacking.

And as for setting, while I got a strong sense of a boarding school setting, down to the little details like the code of trust where doors were left unlocked, I was never really clear on why the book was set in the time period it was. I thought maybe because it was a nostalgic piece and the author was looking back on her own college days (the book has a nostalgic looking-back feel), and I honestly thought maybe Miss Dovecott's behavior had something to do with it. I was just thinking, in modern times a female English teacher at an all-boys boarding school would be more careful about private student interactions like the ones she had with Alex, and maybe things were different back then. Every once in awhile something from the time period was evoked and it seemed a little distracting to me.

In short, I enjoyed the plotting and pacing, but aspects of the characterization could have been a bit stronger for me. (less)

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Dec 17, 2011 Liza Wiemer added it · review of another edition

PAPER COVERS ROCK had me thinking about the movie, DEAD POETS SOCIETY staring Robin Williams. Perhaps it's the boarding school, the teacher who sees brilliance in a student and mentors him, the passion for dead poets, the private school code of honor. . . And death. N
Jenny Hubbard writes a disturbing novel, one that highlights the flaws of growing up and not wanting to rock the boat and be different. A novel about fear of facing the truth and lack of courage. It's a story about loyalty and betra...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen, grief, poetry, diary, boarding-school

Thomas, Glenn and Alex went to the river to relax, and escape some of the stress of their elite boarding school. Someone had a bottle of vodka, and all of them were drinking more than they should Someone bet Thomas to jump off the big rock. Glenn and Alex jumped, but when Thomas did, he didn't have enough clearance. What was supposed to be an afternoon of leisure, turned into one of horror, as Glenn and Alex realize their implication in their friend's untimely death. And they make a pact to not...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Phoebe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Deborah, Telesa

Shelves: realistic-fiction, ya

A realistic fiction novel set at a boys' boarding school in the 1980s, described from the perspective of 16-year-old Alex, whose year starts off with the drowning of his good friend Thomas. Vodka and camaraderie among Clay, Alex, Glenn, and Thomas turn into a daring contest, with Thomas diving off the huge and dangerously positioned rock and entering the river headfirst. Alex's journal, hidden in the school library, tells the story in bits and pieces, as he permits himself to remember the events...more

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Sep 28, 2011 smoreads rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i think this author has writing chops, but this book didn't work for me as a YA story for (presumably) a largely male audience. the voice of the main character, as many reviewers have already noted, did not ring true for me. he was a wooden boy who skewed much older than 16 & lacked a beating heart. perhaps the author did this on purpose to show a teen boy shutting down in the face of a tragedy, but it needed something more to make me a believer. the author was incredibly creative with inser...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boys, ya

16-year-old boarding school student Alex mulls over the death of his friend Thomas, which he may or may not have inadvertently caused. When an English teacher seems to know too much, Alex is pushed towards betraying her by his friend Glenn who was also involved in the accident.

Poetic and almost stream of consciousness in its style, Paper Covers Rock is a short book with a lot of emotions. The story and the writing were decent, but I had a very hard time believing the voice of the main character...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Kendra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is another book I was pretty excited to read, but I didn't love it like I thought I would. First, it is so similar in plot and tone to A Separate Peace, which I first read (and loved) when I was in high school. I don't know if the unconscious comparisons I was making in my mind while reading kept me from really enjoying this book?! Anyway, like the more famous classic, Paper Covers Rock is set at an exclusive boys preparatory high school. Also like the classic, this book involves a violent...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Emily B rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paper Covers Rock is about a teenage boy enrolled in an all-boys boarding school called Birch in North Carolina. Right away we learn that the main character's best friend, Thomas, dies of drowning. The group of boys who were with Thomas during the accident think they are all alone, until their English teacher Miss Dovecott arrives to the scene. It turns out there was more to what happens rather then what everyone hears. The main character’s name is Alex and he writes about what truly happened t...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Ash rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wrote down the title and author of this book in a notepad after finding it here, hidden somewhere in my suggestions. It interested me because it had been described somewhere, I vaguely remember, as "a modern day version of A Separate Peace".
That alone interested me, was enough to make me want to read it. A Separate Peace is my favorite novel that has ever been assigned to me through school. It is classic, and it is raw, in my opinion. I've never been able to stop raving about it to anyone else...more I wrote down the title and author of this book in a notepad after finding it here, hidden somewhere in my suggestions. It interested me because it had been described somewhere, I vaguely remember, as "a modern day version of A Separate Peace".
That alone interested me, was enough to make me want to read it. A Separate Peace is my favorite novel that has ever been assigned to me through school. It is classic, and it is raw, in my opinion. I've never been able to stop raving about it to anyone else in school who got assigned this novel; I just know that what I expected to be mediocre turned out to be something amazing to me, brought upon by one English teacher's fabulous taste in novels. I loved it so much that, after reading it, I went and bought my own copy. I've read it more than enough times since then.
As any one would do, I naturally went to the local library to find out if I could read this book. And by some miracle - maybe fate, because it does feel a bit like I was supposed to read this book - it was there, sitting in the shelves, waiting for me.
The description of the book is simply an excerpt from page 10. It is nothing that would probably grab any normal person in, nothing that would make them want to keep reading. It is simple, short, and to the point. It feels (felt?) like it was put there deliberately, meant to keep out people that weren't meant to read it, and meant to draw in the people who would dare to give it a chance. (Or, maybe I'm seeing too far in to this, and it was just the description that the author or publishers chose for this book.)
Of course, my story is unimportant and unnecessary to this review, and doesn't really explain anything. I just want to be able to look back on it and remember this when I read the novel again and again and again.

In this "Not-So-Great American Novel" Is Male (or maybe you would better know him as Alex Stromm) is telling the story from his own, poetic justices. He is telling the truth as he sees it, he is writing down every moment he possibly can, and he is desperate to let out the truth somewhere, no matter if someone were to read his story someday or he just kept it to himself forever.
I will admit that not every person would like or appreciate this book. However, that's true of most books; not everyone loves classics such Huckleberry Finn or To Kill A Mockingbird, do they?
I suppose I'm coming off as a bit full of myself in this; it sounds like I'm saying that I was special enough, different from the rest, to appreciate this novel and understand it on a profound level.
Let me say, I don't think that. Not in the general sense of the world. But in the point of view from my classmates? Yes, I guess you could say that I do think that I'm a bit different from them. They go for the obvious action and adventure and romance novels that are placed in every single young adult section in a library. Lately, I've been feeling myself drawn quite easily to the controversial novels, the novels that have some meaning, the novels that are meant to change your life. I love these novels. I can relate to them, I can understand them, I can feel how these characters have felt. They help me imagine a world where these things happen. I like being drawn to the realism of these novels - I keep wondering where and how I can find more like these, and so far the only place I've managed to find them is adult non-fiction, which isn't always easy to comprehend, but it's fun to attempt.
This novel does, in fact, make me feel understood in some ways. The darkness that is held in Stromm's heart, carried from all the plans and emotions and things that he could have done differently that are swirling in his mind and settling in his heart. He is a writer, a "poet", and these things are pulled out of him slowly, taken from thoughts in to words.
This novel is a coming of age novel, and it shares that with "A Separate Peace". It also shares that same, familiar boarding school setting to it. It shares the idea of a "Golden Boy" - Finny to Glenn, for this novel.
But other than these things, there is not much that is the same. Not from a first read, anyway. The coming of age, the growing up, however - it is reminiscent to "A Separate Peace". Because it's not so similar at first glance, it took my longer to read this than it would have if I'd given it a chance based off of nothing but a simple find in my library.
However, despite all of these things, the books surprised me and made me think. I saw the world differently for a while as I read it. There were events that I saw coming, and things I never did, and things I expected but didn't want to happen to the characters regardless. There were moments of realization that brought me to my own moments.

Overall, I thought the book was spectacular. It's not for everyone, no, but it's well worth the time if it is something you're drawn to. The format is different, and enjoyable, and each little bit and every single word helps piece together a puzzle so large with so many overlapping ideas that by the end, you're left with a colorful array of the truth and the events that have happened since. But, just because it is colorful, doesn't mean that it isn't messy - because growing up is just that: messy, colorful, tragic, shocking, and full of truths that we never truly see coming.
It's slow going at first, but the novel picks up it's pace after 50 pages or so, and then you can't put it down. I personally can't wait to order this book online and enjoy it again and again, highlighting the parts I adore and will never forget.(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-contemporary

I thought this book was simply average. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I may think that simply because contemporary isn't my favorite genre though. This book tells the story of a young boy named Alex who attends a boy's boarding school. Alex's friend dies in a tragic accident, and Alex feels partially responsible. When he learns that his English teacher, whom he has a big crush on, saw most of the accident, he and his friend decide it's time for her to go. They scheme to get her fire...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Chopette rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

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

Hmmm what a tough one to review. You have to give it to Jenny Hubbard the way that this book was written was different and pulled off really well. The story is told through the main character, Alex's journal. It is filled with entries about the day his friend Thomas died and entries about the present where he is trying to deal with the guilt and grief. It is also filled with a lot of poems and literary referen...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-or-contemporary-fiction, issues-books, made-me-think, north-america-about-or-setting, shield-your-eyes-kids, death-and-closure-themes, queer-people-themes-studies, issues-with-this, protagonist-i-want-to-slap

I wanted to give this 4 stars, and at times even 5, a lot, but I had several problems with it. If you haven't read this book, you probably won't understand like, half of this review unless you read the description. Go! Do it!

First, I felt like there was a basic weakness in the narrator, mostly with voice. For a boy who's a junior in high school, Alex is surprisingly mature and... not teenage-boy-ish. While there were definitely portions of the book where I didn't question anything, there were th...more I wanted to give this 4 stars, and at times even 5, a lot, but I had several problems with it. If you haven't read this book, you probably won't understand like, half of this review unless you read the description. Go! Do it!

First, I felt like there was a basic weakness in the narrator, mostly with voice. For a boy who's a junior in high school, Alex is surprisingly mature and... not teenage-boy-ish. While there were definitely portions of the book where I didn't question anything, there were the times where the voice was extremely unrealistic and sounded like what would happen if a middle-aged woman attempted to write in the voice of a teenage boy. Which Jenny Hubbard is.

Second, while large parts of this book were gorgeous and Hubbard avoided including bad poetry (I really liked most, if not all, of Alex's poems) for the sake of being cool or different like some other books (too lazy to link to specific examples), there were parts that, for whatever reason, felt pretentious and forced. Again, it wasn't the majority of the book... but it was significant enough to warrant a point.

The third problem I had has to do with Glenn and parts of his subplot and is very spoiler-y. (view spoiler)

The final problem I had is also spoiler-y and has to do with the ending. (view spoiler) So it seems he hasn't grown at all and the "climax" doesn't feel like a climax. Heavy sigh.

I really, really got into parts of this book, but there was just something that was missing. I don't know what, but something that Paper Covers Rock just didn't have. I'm watching Jenny Hubbard, though, because her writing offers a lot of promise and I think I'll enjoy future novels of hers when she resolves these issues. Definitely give Paper Covers Rock a try if you're considering it though. For all of its flaws, it is worth the read. (less)

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Dec 26, 2011 Jennifer Lavoie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: based-on-classics, friends, lgbt, older-teens, public-library, school

I wanted to check out this book and then I got it at the recommendation of the YA librarian at my public library. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I listed it under my LGBT tag because there are some issues regarding homosexuality and some of the characters. I also listed it under based on classics because Moby Dick and many poets come up and are mentioned and discussed in the book. There are some sections where the narrator calls himself Is Male like Moby Dick's "Call me Ishmael."

As t...more

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Sep 15, 2011 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, lgbt, read-in-2011, ya, literary-fic, faves-read-in-2011

I keep on waffling between deciding whether this should be 4 or 5 stars. It's one hell of a novel, incredibly written and dripping with subtext and deep symbolism.

The one issue, and what I think means I'll have to go with 4 stars instead of 5, is that I'm finding it hard to buy that this is supposed to be the voice of a 16 year-old boy. If it were from the perspective of someone looking back upon his time at boarding school, I'd have no issues with it. As it stands, while Hubbard nails the mind...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 pa...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I saw Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard on the new release shelf at my local library and really liked the title, so I brought it home with me.

Set in 1982 at an all-boys boarding school, the story follows sixteen-year-old Alex and Glenn as they try to cope with the drowning death of their classmate Thomas.

Alex feels guilty, like he could have done more to save Thomas, and keeps all of his thoughts in a private journal hidden in the school's library behind an ignored copy of Moby Dick. It's throu...more

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May 19, 2013 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Paper Covers Rock is a well-written and eminently readable novel. Ms. Hubbard weaves shadings of A Separate Peace and The Chocolate Wars within the pages, and like those novels, this was a difficult "coming of age" story for me to read. The characters, especially Alex and Glenn, are well-drawn and though similar to those in the other novels, they, especially Alex, are unique. In artistic expression and creativity, Alex stands apart from these other characters, a student who really "ponders" and...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, fiction, ya

I requested this title to review for SoundCommentary.com and have yet to write the review. I'm torn as this was not my-kind of story. To be honest, there were several literary references which I am usually uncomfortable with- I either never read those classics or do not remember enough about them to fully understand the references. This is an angsty, deep novel where you as the reader are made to be a phsycologist and figure out what it was that happened to precipitate the rest of the story. Whi...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Morgan Elliott rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Laura (booksnob) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, young-adult

"If you are reading this, you have happened upon it by accident. Call me Is Male." pg. 1 Alex is a sixteen year old student at an all male boarding school, who is writing his memoir of an event that changed his life forever. He is also trying to read the great American novel, Moby Dick while at the same time he hides his journal behind it in the school library.

Alex feels guilty because his best friend Thomas died jumping off a rock outcropping into the river and when it came to telling the offi...more

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About Jenny Hubbard

JENNY HUBBARD is a poet and playwright, and has taught English in both high school and college for many years. PAPER COVERS ROCK is her first novel.

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“Read to your heart's content. Though if you are a reader, the heart is never content.” — 21 people liked it

“What I carry in my backpack down to the river, I carry not knowing that in less than an hour Thomas Broughton will be dead. That is not a knowledge I carry yet, but I will carry it soon - the knowledge of my darkest self - and I will carry it forever.” — 4 people liked it

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