Crash and Burn

Mar 06, 2013 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-by-guys-for-guys

I haven't been this conflicted over a book since Libba Bray's The Diviners - and for pretty much the same reasons. Crash and Burn is definitely something that I wouldn’t hesitate to call indisputably well conceived and written, yet at the same time, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t aspects to Michael Hassan’s debut novel that didn’t bother me. Don’t get me wrong, I for one totally appreciate how Hassan’s written an incisive contemporary that really speaks to me as a twentysomething guy and n...more I haven't been this conflicted over a book since Libba Bray's The Diviners - and for pretty much the same reasons. Crash and Burn is definitely something that I wouldn’t hesitate to call indisputably well conceived and written, yet at the same time, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t aspects to Michael Hassan’s debut novel that didn’t bother me. Don’t get me wrong, I for one totally appreciate how Hassan’s written an incisive contemporary that really speaks to me as a twentysomething guy and needless to say totally loved the concept behind and writing of the book, but Crash’s narration also struck me as excessively long, convoluted, and just dragged on and on and on. So my status after reading this? It's complicated.

I know the length and style is a conscious decision on Hassan’s part - Crash getting a book deal to sell his story’s used as a framing device to explore not only his character but also the character of his - close acquaintance? not quite friend? frenemy? something? - Burn (yeah, it’s a complicated relationship... no, of course it is) and is fine on its own, but add to that Crash’s ADHD and his tendency to tell the story in a massive spew of information, current relevance be damned, and I just couldn’t make heads or tails of a lot of things for most of the book. Not to mention the somewhat confusing tendency to skip between events with no warning. I certainly wasn’t bored - even though the majority of the story is about Crash and not about what Burn does or why he does it, Crash’s irreverent style and flippant attitude towards drugs and getting laid definitely is the kind of (crass) male point of view that I’ve sorely missed after reading so many female young adult authors trying their hands and failing at coming up with a relatable guy narrator, and - nah, that’s just it, guys are crass. Sorry. And it works too because I'm pretty sure only a male author would know to include a constant stream of nineties pop culture and gaming references that brings back so many fond memories, like take for example the origin of the nickname Crash (you may be thinking Stephen Crashinsky, duh, but...):

The one thing was: PlayStation had a new game that was, in fact, the best game ever, a game that I would become closely identified with.

The game in question had come out a few months before and was about a red-and-brown, two-legged dog-thing that kept running and running and running and running, jumping over ditches, spinning around turtles, popping on them, sending them hurling into space, and then running while being chased by humongous boulders and having to jump over pits, while spinning through crates and breaking things, never stopping, except to get an oingaboinga and otherwise stop and you’re dead.

Yeah, I’m guessing only a guy would go ‘Crash Bandicoot!’ so I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a certain kind of reader to ‘get’ Crash, to understand why a guy would identify with a video game character, but I swear, it’s a brilliant take on a brilliant character.

Unfortunately, not everything hits right away like the double meaning behind Crash's nickname - the point of Crash’s relationship with Burn’s sister Roxanne for example eluded me for most of the book. In retrospect, not only should I have seen what happens to her coming, but it works (and hits like a ton of bricks when it does) because I wasn’t anticipating it - it’s so unexpected and unexpectedly written - especially with how it pertains to the hook of the book, the secret Burn shares with Crash when he takes the school hostage. Still, the way Hassan does it, by drawing out this messy, convoluted, strange relationship, left me deeply dissatisfied; I guess I just don’t like being left grasping for straws for most of the book trying to figure out Roxanne’s role when it was so obvious at the end. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel Hassan takes too long getting to a point where everything makes sense and a lot of the beginning could and should have been edited out. And even now that I've made sense of it all, I still feel while I understand Crash's character quite well, maybe even completely, I don't think I fully understand Burn. It's obvious he's always been disturbed, Crash makes that quite clear with the nickname and the fox incident and his constant paranoia at Burn doing things, but I'm trying to figure out if Hassan's saying a combination of Burn's father dying on September 11, his mother dying of cancer, and then what happens to Roxanne pushes him over the edge... and I guess I see it but it feels sort of flimsy for what he ultimately does. Maybe it’s because there are still connections, like Christina, that I feel are still outstanding, or maybe it’s because it seems like even Crash's sister Lindsey gets a better lesson out of what happened to Roxanne, but either way I felt there was just something missing to Burn.

Really surprisingly, the most interesting part (at least for me) of Crash and Burn isn't Crash's (sort of) relationship with Burn, which is kind of hit or miss with some great scenes like the poker game or the Thanksgiving dinner but a lot of filler as well, but another tangential part of the story, Crash's relationship with his father Jacob Crashinsky. Parental hypocrisy is not a topic that's usually covered in young adult, and rarely well, so the entire storyline with Crash's father disapproving of his marijuana use while himself using marijuana was... really hilarious. See this exchange about getting high while high:

Newsguy: “So then are you advocating that people with ADD smoke marijuana?”
Me: “No, I’m not whatever-you-call-it for anything. Look, I’m just an eighteen-year-old kid looking to have a little fun in my last summer before college. Clearly, those pictures show a few people having a good time. When was the last time you had a good time?”
Newsguy: “This isn’t about me.”
Me: “Yeah, but when was the last time you smoked weed? The truth. If you’re gonna ask me that, then don’t I have a right to know about you?”
Newsguy (definitely uncomfortable, so I’m thinking maybe I got him and he can be the news story instead of me): “Steven, what I’m hearing from you is that you’re making light of your use of what is currently an illegal substance. And that while you began this interview with apologies, it seems that you are unrepentant.”
Me: “Actually, it seems to me that you are making a big deal out of nothing. Like every kid, virtually every kid in my high school, has gotten high from time to time. And it’s just not in my school, it’s every school throughout the country. And it’s every college. And it’s probably every office and business too. If you polled the people around us right now, like probably half of them are still getting high. Probably even you, like I said before. Even my father still smokes weed now and then. Even at his age. So why are we making such a big deal out of these pictures?”
OK, here there is a superlong pause. Long enough to fit an entire commercial between what I just said and the next sentence.
Newsguy: “Are you saying that your father smokes marijuana? How do you know this?”

Let’s just say I don’t know where else I would ever read about marijuana use so plainly that still involves a kid discovering his father’s pot stash, nicknaming it Jacob’s Gold, and then raving about it whenever he takes a hit, but there’s just something totally irreverent to the whole thing that has Crash making a serious point yet being completely flip while doing it - it’s definitely extremely clever and worthy of the Pineapple Express comparison. Still, that’s also the problem with the book, I don’t think this really is a book about Crash and Burn, Burn’s role is almost too simple in the grand scheme of things, and between how Burn comes in and out of events and the focus on tangential aspects of the story like the drugs, it’s really a book about Crash.

Sure, that’s not a bad thing, but it’s still a problem - there’s just too much filler that, while enjoyable, has nothing to do with what’s needed to make Crash and Burn work. And that's why I’m conflicted, there’s just too much about Crash being Crash and not enough about Crash and Burn.(less)

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May 15, 2013 P.E. at Tantalizing Illusions rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've given Crash and Burn some honest thought, and I think I love it. The operative word being "think" because there's a lot to hate too, and I can see why some people didn't enjoy this book.

But in this review, mine is the only opinion that matters and I'll do my best to explain why this book messed me up so bad.

See, I thought the writing was refreshing. It's not artistic and pretty. It's not stupidly plain. The writing has a voice and so when I read this book, I could imagine Crash talking. T...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012

2.5.

Steven Crashinsky -- Crash -- was the person who talked David Burnett -- Burn -- down when he held his school captive. But what was it Crash said to get Burn to stop?

Unfolding over 540 pages is Crash's growing up with and without Burn in his life. The two of them were never friends, but they spent a not-insignificant amount of time with one another. Crash tells this story through his ADD-afflicted mind and it's told as though he's writing a book. But it's not entirely linear, as the story g...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Spenser Rush rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic book. It is a very realistic representation of teenage problems and the realistic possibility of losing yourself. This novel sheds light on medical labels and their damaging effects. Being as this is Michael Hassan's first novel, I sincerely hope he writes more.

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May 18, 2013 Janie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-stars, cool-covers, high-school-setting, issues, mental-illness, missing-mom, no-parents, psychological

Steven Crashinsky saved his school from blowing up at the hands of a super psychotic kid. And he's a complete asshole. Told from his point of view, he is working on writing a book based on his life and what actually happened that fateful day, and the narrative goes back and forth. It's bizarre. And pointless. It's boring. And repetitive, and HE'S SO UNLIKEABLE. Plus, Burn (I forgot his full name), is also TERRIBLE. I mean, sure he's the one who threatened to blow up the place, but SERIOUSLY. I h...more Steven Crashinsky saved his school from blowing up at the hands of a super psychotic kid. And he's a complete asshole. Told from his point of view, he is working on writing a book based on his life and what actually happened that fateful day, and the narrative goes back and forth. It's bizarre. And pointless. It's boring. And repetitive, and HE'S SO UNLIKEABLE. Plus, Burn (I forgot his full name), is also TERRIBLE. I mean, sure he's the one who threatened to blow up the place, but SERIOUSLY. I hated him so much. Every time he appeared, I was put on edge. I have no sympathy at all for him despite (view spoiler) That may have messed him up, but he’s EVIL. I hated Lindsey; I even hated Jamie. Yep, so completely freaking normal to sit around watching Nickelodeon all day. And his mother was on board with this? What IS Jamie's character? She simply doesn't give a shit about anything other than television? For crying out loud there isn't a single likable character in this book. Steven's dad? The worst father ever to be conceived of in fiction (well, maybe not the worst in terms of actions; he didn’t beat his kids or anything, but seriously) He is such a BASTARD. Felicia (the absolutely perfect perfect woman ever who always says the right things, super nice, "super-hot" etcetera etcetera)? I hated her because she's freaking marrying him. WHY? WHY WHY WHY?
When Crash isn't hooking up with girls he's planning cheat on and/or break up with as soon as the affair is over, he's getting high, complaining how scarily psychotic Burn is (and he IS), or gushing about how amazing Roxanne was (view spoiler). Hell. Even the last line was about freaking (view spoiler) I hated Steven so much. All he can talk about is how he’s fantasizing about girls, hooking up with girls while thinking about others, etcetera. The last part of the book when the narrative finally goes into exactly what went down that fateful day was fine. But the 500 pages of sheer idiocy I had to slog through was NOT WORTH IT.
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May 14, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

3 or 4 stars? not sure which to go with. I suppose I could go 3.5. How do I explain my feelings about this book? I ordered the book with reservations. I had read the reviews, and the mixed emotions expressed by so many people had me a little worried. Especially since I was ordering the book for the school library. But I took my chances and ordered it. And as soon as it was put out on the shelf a student took it out. This particular student is an avid reader, but a student who enjoys reading book...more

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May 09, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Summary:
Steven "Crash" Crashinsky is an 18-year-old hero. He has just saved his school from David "Burn" Burnett who took hostages and threatened to blow up the school. Because Crash managed to stop the mass murder, he has been thrust into stardom. He even received a book deal about it. The problem is, Crash actually has to write it. While Crash is attempting to write his story, he goes back and forth between investigating his relationship with Burn in elementary school and his present life tryi...more Summary:
Steven "Crash" Crashinsky is an 18-year-old hero. He has just saved his school from David "Burn" Burnett who took hostages and threatened to blow up the school. Because Crash managed to stop the mass murder, he has been thrust into stardom. He even received a book deal about it. The problem is, Crash actually has to write it. While Crash is attempting to write his story, he goes back and forth between investigating his relationship with Burn in elementary school and his present life trying to write the book.

Crash also has ADHD, so the book moves through several topics. He hates his father, but has a strong loyalty to family. He drinks, smokes pot, and has sex. He also is very conceited and is not afraid to talk/think about how awesome he is. This is all mashed up with details about the siege, reflecting about his own life in a very honest way, and connecting himself with Burn.

My thoughts:
Wow! This is a very raw book. Everything is poured out for the reader. Crash is not necessarily likeable, but he is extremely realistic. If you've read my reviews before, you know how much I love character development. Hassan gives me a character that I feel like I know. Crash could definitely be in one of my classes. I've read student journal entries that reflect several aspects of Crash. It's amazing how much he comes to life and in so many different ways. The plot becomes secondary when you have a character that is such a showstopper. The added aspect of ADHD makes the reader feel like they are with Crash. It gives the reader a very realistic way on how someone with this disability might feel/think/learn.

I would have liked a little more about the siege itself. Working in schools, I want to understand the ins and outs of school violence. Even though this is fiction, it feels like a real life memoir. Because of that, I want to know more so that I can explain it better in my head. As a teacher, I want to prevent and prepare.

Finally, I would have no problem handing this book to my juniors or seniors. I actually know several students that have already read it and loved it. I'd be hesitant to hand it to younger students. It is very descriptive with more bad words than can be counted. A younger student would have to have a very understanding parent before I would consider passing the book over myself. I would hate to have the backlash if a parent came back to me complaining that I was encouraging children to read about sex, violence, and f-bombs galore! (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Whitney rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stayed up kind of late to finish this book, because I had to finish it fast. It was heavy. Obviously, I mean it deals with an almost school shooting incident, as well as a lot of other issues that, as a kid in today's world you would encounter. I was impressed with the narrative style--brilliant writing, perfectly capturing the ADHD nature of Crash and his world. I appreciated how the writing totally opened a window on kids dealing with ADD/ADHD--and not that I have it myself, but I've worked...more I stayed up kind of late to finish this book, because I had to finish it fast. It was heavy. Obviously, I mean it deals with an almost school shooting incident, as well as a lot of other issues that, as a kid in today's world you would encounter. I was impressed with the narrative style--brilliant writing, perfectly capturing the ADHD nature of Crash and his world. I appreciated how the writing totally opened a window on kids dealing with ADD/ADHD--and not that I have it myself, but I've worked with kids that do--and I feel he portrayed it pretty accurately, and because of that it's revelatory and eye-opening. Everything from the paranoia, anxiety, difficulty learning or focusing to the need to move physically is spot on. Also, switching back and forth between present and past was also a narrative move that worked well.

I skipped some parts, because the content was a little much for me. I liked the parts where he talks about things other than than just smoking and drinking and getting with girls--those other parts (mostly with Burn) were more formative and definitive for his character and the story, I think. Really, if some of those partying scenes were cut out, I think the book would be shorter and better. It was definitely on the long side--but I feel like some of that length was needed in order to build up the characters and the story so you would understand, and really feel, the moment in the school between Burn and Crash that everything leads up to. I just think a few less (filler) scenes of him smoking/drinking/getting with girls would have been nice and wouldn't have taken away from the story.

And wow, this book is intense. Not just because of the culminating moment, but really a lot of other moments that lead up to it, and that make your heart hurt for some of these characters. Certain scenes are just wonderfully plotted and achingly intense. The male point of view is also perfectly done--I haven't seen a book from the boy's POV done so well in a long time. So I go back and forth--it's such a long book with some content that I would have a hard time recommending to some audiences, but on the other hand, it's a perfect picture of today's teenage boy. The issues it addresses (mental health, 9/11, school shootings, education, etc) are so incredibly present. It's got a lot of appeal because of the narrator, and I really enjoyed getting into those issues with Crash. Plus, it's got some pretty great nineties nostalgia going on. So really, I don't think this is a book to be missed--for the YA audience or for adults.

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Mar 22, 2013 Paul Lunger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every so often there comes a book that may be the most important book you may not ever read. In 2013, that book could very likely be Michael Hassan's "Crash and Burn". This is the story of Steven "Crash" Crashinsky who becomes a hero when he prevents his friend David Burnett from blowing up their high school on 4/21/08 in Westchester, NY. The story is told as a series of flashbacks from the present with Crash who is writing a book about the events of that day & events in the present which sh...more Every so often there comes a book that may be the most important book you may not ever read. In 2013, that book could very likely be Michael Hassan's "Crash and Burn". This is the story of Steven "Crash" Crashinsky who becomes a hero when he prevents his friend David Burnett from blowing up their high school on 4/21/08 in Westchester, NY. The story is told as a series of flashbacks from the present with Crash who is writing a book about the events of that day & events in the present which show the events post-4/21. The flashbacks are interesting as we see the evolution of the relationship between Crash & Burn as they eventually become known & the sane & insane sides of each others personalities. There are signs that Burn is capable of what he eventually ends up doing & yet nothing is ever realized. Hassan's story is one of ADHD & medications for it, love & a lot of marijuana smoking across their growing up. We've also got a case of controlling parents, suicides, & lots of loss as well as a lot of adolescent behavior that in this day & age is more common than not.

What makes this book important is the subject matter especially the climactic moment between David & Steven at the school as the big secret that's hinted at in the beginning is revealed & we the reader learn exactly what can cause someone to snap. Hassan's characters are typical teenagers that could be anywhere in the US & the school could be any school in America. The book is a bit long & detailed which may detract some readers & the covers is a bit more than you think at first glance. Also being geared for the high school crowd is appropriate due to the drug use, sex & drinking amongst other things. However, adults as well should pick this up & read it to learn which behaviors to watch for in their kids. This is a book that may in it's own right become a classic as long as we continue to have incidents like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Chardon & Newtown. An important book in an important age & one not to be missed.(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Kacunnin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Michael Hassan's CRASH AND BURN is one hell of a fantastic novel. It's witty and brilliant and funny and terrifying and damn near impossible to forget. Eighteen-year-old Steven Crashinsky is probably the most absolutely real, totally authentic teenage protagonist since Salinger's Holden Caulfield, and that's saying something. It was actually hard for me to imagine an adult writer creating this character - it was as if Hassan were channeling a real kid, with all his quirks, his weaknesses, his ou...more Michael Hassan's CRASH AND BURN is one hell of a fantastic novel. It's witty and brilliant and funny and terrifying and damn near impossible to forget. Eighteen-year-old Steven Crashinsky is probably the most absolutely real, totally authentic teenage protagonist since Salinger's Holden Caulfield, and that's saying something. It was actually hard for me to imagine an adult writer creating this character - it was as if Hassan were channeling a real kid, with all his quirks, his weaknesses, his outrageousness, and his magic. Because yes, Steven Crashinsky - "Crash" to his friends - possesses an uncanny sort of magic that enables him to connect with others in a totally inexplicable way. It's this "magic" (whatever it really is) that helps him see who David Burnett really is. And seeing who David Burnett really is allows Crash to save hundreds from a horrible death.

CRASH AND BURN is on one level the story of how Crash saves his upstate New York school from classmate Burnett (who earned the nickname "Burn" during an incident when he was eight). When Burn takes hostages and threatens to blow up the entire school, Crash somehow manages to save the day. Which makes Crash an instant hero, with tons of newspaper and magazine stories written about him, and a huge book deal, which means he can buy a BMW (which would be cool for any teenager). But it also means he has to actually write a book about what happened that day at his school . . . which means he also has to figure out what the connection really is between him and Burn. And that's not an easy thing for anyone to do.

But on another level, CRASH AND BURN isn't about the siege at the school at all. It's about kids growing up and experimenting and getting in trouble and trying to figure enough things out to make life livable. And it's about how damned hard it is to look at things honestly without totally falling apart.

Crash is not a particularly admirable character. He's into video games ("Crash Bandicoot" was his childhood favorite), weed, cheap vodka, and sex, not necessarily in that order. He's either stoned or drunk more often than he's not, and it's impossible for him to go five minutes without uttering the kind of language that would make his mother cringe. He hates his father (really, truly hates him, and maybe for good reason), but he's dedicated to his "boys," the group of friends on which he has depended for years. He has no clue about love, and sees most girls as challenges that can be won with a cute smile and a little liquor. He's not the boy most parents would like to see in the company of their daughters. But at the same time, he's a genuinely good guy who cares for his family in ways more profound than he can comprehend - he even admits he'd give his life for his father, in spite of how much he despises him. He forms a complex and real relationship with Burn's damaged sister, Roxanne. And, surprisingly, he is a good friend to Burn, a kid with more baggage than any ten of his friends, even though Crash has been afraid of Burn, in one way or another, since third grade.

Crash also suffers from ADHD, and one of the most amazing things about CRASH AND BURN is Hassan's ability to get the reader to experience just what it's like for a kid who can't think and learn the way the rest of us do. Crash lives in a world in which he's expected to do things that are just impossible for him - and the drugs his parents give him to help just make it worse. There is so much about this character that made me feel I was seeing kids like Crash for the first time, and I was a high school English teacher for many years. This was an eye-opening book for me, if only on that score.

But it's eye-opening in many, many ways. I was profoundly moved by CRASH AND BURN, even devastated by parts of it. And I came to love Crash, with all his destructive behaviors, his stupidity, and his rejection of authority. He is such a real, wonderful, perfectly believable character that I accepted everything about him as true and genuine, flaws and all. He is who he is. And he is a hero in spite of it all . . . or maybe because of it.

I will warn parents that this book is not typical of most YA novels - it is overflowing with profanity, drug and alcohol use, and sexual content. That's probably why it rings so true. Hassan pulls no punches - Crash and his friends are real, twenty-first century kids. The suggested audience for CRASH AND BURN is ages 14+ (or 9th grade and up). It might be a bit edgy for most 9th graders (whose parents balk at their reading I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS). But I can't imagine any teenager not getting instantly pulled into CRASH AND BURN. And for that reason alone I recommend it. But I also recommend it because it's brilliant and honest and absolutely gut-wrenchingly perfect in its portrayal of what it's like to grow up in today's world. Read it for that. Or just read it! (less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Richie Partington rated it 5 of 5 stars

Richie’s Picks: CRASH AND BURN by Michael Hassan, HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, February 2013, 544p., ISBN: 978-0-06-211290-3

“We all stood up, and Obie stood up with the twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures, and the judge walked in with a seeing-eye dog. He sat down, we sat down. Obie looked at the seeing-eye dog, and then at the twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one.
And he began to cry ‘cause Obie came to th...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Culmination of crisscrossing of paths takes place on April 20 (420)

"Crash and Burn" is one of the best books I've read. It is evocative, daring, heartbreaking. It tells the tale of two young men who met in elementary school and have had their lives intertwine ever since.

Steven "Crash" Crashinsky is a stoner with a learning disability, having a terrible time making his way through school, but having a (mostly) great time during his non-school hours.

David "Burn" Burnett is the same age as Crash, a...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once you get into the book you simply cannot put it down, this explains me posting a poorly written review at 2:30 on a Sunday night. One of the things that really gets to you is that beyond the intensity of the school shooting, which I think Michael Hassan handles extremely well but does not put it delicately, there is that aspect of teenage life so far from that intensity that adds another dimension to the book. Frankly at times I found my self much more interested in present day crash than th...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Kelly Hager rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, a warning. "Crash" isn't the easiest character to like. He's one of those people who tends to appreciate people more for what they can do for him (generally involving sex or drugs or both) as opposed to who they are. And since he's the narrator, we spend the entire book in his head, which isn't the most fun place to be. But even though I didn't like him, I was immediately drawn into his story and I wanted to find out the truth about April 21 and what happened to lead up to it and in its a...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Diane rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: alcohol, bullies, drugs, fathers, young-adult

OK. I admit it I did not finish this book. I stopped just beyond the half-way point -- at about page 300! Perhaps I should also say that my "one star" rating is not really based on the writing, but based on whether I think it's appropriate for high schools students. As a high school librarian, I have to weigh the quality of the writing (plot, character development, readability, teen appeal) against the appropriateness of the content.

"Crash" and "Burn" are teen boys, now seniors, and they have s...more

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Dana I say this with all due respect but as a high school student this book is more than worth having on the school's shelves and I strongly urge you to fi...more
Apr 07, 2013 11:48pm

Diane Dana, thanks for your comments. It's always good to hear a teen perspective, especially since that's the target audience for the book, not a middle ag...more
Apr 09, 2013 09:21pm

Dana I can see how you found few redeeming qualities, you had to look to look pretty hard to find them in Crash but his friends seemed to have a few believ...more
Apr 11, 2013 04:45pm

Mar 08, 2013 Katelyn Fiery rated it 4 of 5 stars

Guys, I finished it.
After being told to read this "fantastic, perfect book" by all of my bookish friends, I finally decided to!
I just want to say that this probably does deserve 5 stars.. but lately i haven't been wanting to give anything 5 stars so...

Let me start off with saying this is such a poweful book. This is not the kind that is easily forgotten or even close to light material.
There are so many topics and themes in this story it's crazy! I thought the author handled them all very well...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Crash and Burn is an incredibly powerful book that covers a variety of topics. I picked it up because it was about a failed school siege. School shootings are a subject I have carefully avoided in my reading because it's just so sensitive and I didn't want to see it done badly. I figured that since the shooting never happens in this book, it might be a little safer. It was not safer. There's suicide, drug use, plenty of profanity, a little kidnapping, sex, and learning disabilities. This book c...more

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May 18, 2013 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-qge, current-society

This book truly shocked and upset me, made me feel like times and people may have changed more than I can understand. It also impressed me mightily with its craft and voice. I cared deeply about the characters, both Crash, who seemed on the road to finding a positive way of being himself (maybe) and Burn who had lost his way. The teenage boy perspective of wanting and not acting or seeming ashamed of wanting sex from as many girls as possible without really respecting the girls' feelings or need...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley

It’s day three post Crash and Burn and the words ~~still~~ no longer elude me. What aspect of this held me? It certainly wasn’t any of the characters as they were all worlds away from perfect. Crash particular was a douche.. no doubt about it. Hero status notwithstanding, all the cruising and the boozing, the cussing and name dropping with his boys and the girls, the hooking up and the what not… made this almost too dark but with a a lack of depth. There seemed no reason for all of it, save to shock...more It’s day three post Crash and Burn and the words ~~still~~ no longer elude me. What aspect of this held me? It certainly wasn’t any of the characters as they were all worlds away from perfect. Crash particular was a douche.. no doubt about it. Hero status notwithstanding, all the cruising and the boozing, the cussing and name dropping with his boys and the girls, the hooking up and the what not… made this almost too dark but with a a lack of depth. There seemed no reason for all of it, save to shock. Oh, look at that, young kids all doped up. Oh, look at that heedless treatment of another! There’s a lack of reason for the way they all behaved save the young being reckless. And reckless they indeed all were. But the worst thing - and most accurate thing - here lay in how Roxanne summed him up: his mediocrity and failing to be more is related to his fall back position. He feels himself go nowhere, lead nowhere because he isn’t as smart as others and couldn’t possibly be as ‘good’ as others… so why bother? It irked me… this thinking, because a lot of it led to detailed description of reckless behavior.

He’s not alone as the lot surrounding him was terrible (some more than others…) from his father, to Burn, to Roxanne… disappointment and heartbreak followed. It’s to his father that I thought reason might follow. That his being a douche was some sick twisted version of tough love; that in fact, there was love somewhere buried deep, deeeepppp down. I was wrong. While Crash himself could act atrociously time and again, in acting thus, I at least knew more of him. I confess to not liking him but at least I knew him and his reasons (no matter how self serving/ a bit lazy feeling I felt they were.) His father though? Why such douche behavior, douche? The man’s actions and words made zero sense to me. Perhaps he’s one of those characters? You know, the one written simply to be hated? If so, it worked. I loathed the ass.

Another thing that had me going was the switch back and forth FROM CRASH’s past of not quite popular boy (but getting there) TO his present version floating on his hero status (aka the douchey dude I wanted to punch). The past reveals him to be less the douche experiencing first loves and one disappointment after another while it’s the present that reveals him to be more often than not as self-serving, this despite heroic acts. In fact it’s the aftermath of the heroic act in question that propels him further into douchedom. But if anything it’s this aspect that allows for some of their reasons to seep through. Reasons for someone’s seemingly selfish act or for another’s self-destructive behavior… it doesn’t all make complete sense… except maybe they do kind of make sense a little. It’s difficult but we see the connections they make with another and how one may be deeply affected the same thing barely touches another. These connections they made to each other AND THEN the things that these connections had them doing, the consequences ranged from heartbreaking, frustrating, disappointing, to terrifying

But it’s BURN’S part in this that has me split. At first, I was feeling things a tad simplistic; that tragedy begetting tragedy became his theme, but the longer things are considered, the clearer it is that there’s truth in it, no? That one sad thing then another sad thing, then another… then what follows at his hand makes sense, in a tragic sort of way. Maybe it’s a bit simple to say that one sad thing (more than one sad things) leads to the same… but maybe that just isn’t the case. The point I’m trying to get at is... he isn’t just the broken guy doing this terrible thing, but he is just as much a victim as the rest.

DARK then darker with each page so that it’s the ending that leaves me slightly disappointed. It felt almost to HEA considering everything else in it.

THANK YOU, EDELWEISS!
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Feb 27, 2013 Jill Pickle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I know this kid. Many of you know the ADD-riddled, crass, bullshitting, seemingly-insensitive, party-happy, self-absorbed douche that is the main character. And one of the greatest strengths as an author is writing Crash as a completely authentic, recognizable character of guys in high school today AND making the reader care about him. Even if say, this reader may have been burned by those kinds of guys in the past. So let's just say it's a FEAT. Anyway, I loved this book, despite it's somewhat...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Raeleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, sexy-cover, favorites, 2013, mature-ya

This book can basically be described as INSANE.
1) because one of the characters is actually mentally unstable.
2) because so many FREAKIN' CRAZY THINGS HAPPEN YO.

Steven (Crash) Crashinsky and David (Burn) Burnett are two characters that I feel will leave an impact in the world of fiction. Most of the time after finishing a book I don't really have lasting impressions of their characters, unless of course it's The Hunger Games or Harry Potter. However, I will never forget Crash and Burn and the c...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mental-illness, coming-of-age

The publication of Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan is very timely. The narrator, Steven “Crash” Crashinsky, relates how he managed, on April 21 of his senior year in high school, to stop a fellow classmate from blowing up the school and killing hundreds of people.

Crash has known the potential shooter, David “Burn” Burnett, since grade school, and in a slow, meandering narrative, Crash details their relationship over the years leading up to the fateful day that Crash became a national hero.

I ha...more The publication of Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan is very timely. The narrator, Steven “Crash” Crashinsky, relates how he managed, on April 21 of his senior year in high school, to stop a fellow classmate from blowing up the school and killing hundreds of people.

Crash has known the potential shooter, David “Burn” Burnett, since grade school, and in a slow, meandering narrative, Crash details their relationship over the years leading up to the fateful day that Crash became a national hero.

I had trouble putting down Crash and Burn. The narrator is a very flawed character, and the book is filled with unabashed teen-aged sex, drinking, and drug use. Part of Crash’s charm is that he knows he is not the hero he has been painted in the media. Crash has a very troubled relationship with his father, as well as a complicated relationship with both David Burnett and Burnett’s older sister. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in Crash and Burn, but that helps make the story feel like a memoir rather than a novel. There are a lot of people in our lives, and they don’t have to play a big role to be an important part of our story.

The book was not quite what I expected. Only a short portion of the book deals with the actual day that David Burnett took the school hostage (and that portion is tense and chaotic). But the details about Crash, Burn, their families, and their schoolmates that lead up to that day are also compelling. I winced at many of the exploits of Crash and his friends. I sincerely hope that all high schools today are not like the high school depicted in Crash and Burn. But I didn’t feel that the exploits were unbelievable.

Crash and Burn covers many timely topics. Crash has been diagnosed with ADD and struggles with his studies. Every student, weird, popular, or smart, worries about fitting in. The kids play a lot of video games, and watch a lot of stupid and violent movies. A girl is involved in internet porn. Everything is woven together in a credible way, and Crash has a strong and likeable voice. The circumstances that lead Crash and Burn to the faculty lounge on April 21 are messy, with no pat solutions offered.

Crash and Burn is a great read on an extremely relevant topic. Anyone who enjoys psychological fiction, plots that keep you guessing, and strong character development may enjoy reading it, and it would make a good book club selection.

I read an advance reader's edition. It is scheduled to be published in February 2013.
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May 04, 2013 Sudi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steven "Crash" Crashinsky is the least likely guy you would expect to be a hero. Since elementary school, he has struggled with ADD, a father who actively dislikes him, a family that doesn't understand him, and a real-life arch nemesis: David Burnett. David is a super genius who has his own struggles and he believes that he and Crash are inextricably tied together by destiny, so when Burn holds the entire school hostage, Crash is the only person who can stop him.
This is a thoroughly absorbing t...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Eileen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, contemporary, owned, physical-book, young-adult

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

After many positive reviews about Crash and Burn, it was easy to say I was really excited to start. However, after I turned the first few pages, my enthusiasm started to wane. And wane.

The very first telltale issue I had with Crash and Burn was the writing. Theoretically, it was great, really easy to follow, and I had no problem with it. Grammatically, it was stellar and the story was executed well. Technically, it was all ov...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

After many positive reviews about Crash and Burn, it was easy to say I was really excited to start. However, after I turned the first few pages, my enthusiasm started to wane. And wane.

The very first telltale issue I had with Crash and Burn was the writing. Theoretically, it was great, really easy to follow, and I had no problem with it. Grammatically, it was stellar and the story was executed well. Technically, it was all over the place. There were constant tense changes. One minute our protagonist Crash was in the present and the next he was having a flashback and sharing a memory with us. What Hassan was most likely going for was probably to show the aftermath of what had happened in the present, with Crash struggling to write a book documenting his experiences and how the whole incident had affected his life. After a while, I eventually reasoned out that the flashbacks of Crash's life were supposed to be in past tense and the aftermath the present. Normally, that would be perfectly fine. But in this case, during the present while Crash was at a party, his friend "says" something, and then a word after he would have "laughed" at something else. After a few chapters, it flattened out to just regular past tense but the first few chapters were extremely bumpy and choppy.

Something I found endearing was how realistic Crash's character. A ton of high school boys smoke and have a lot of sex and booze, it's something you've come to accept. Crash was achingly and wonderfully insane, in his special way. However, the way Hassan approached Crash wasn't something I was a fan of. I expected Crash and Burn to cover more of Crash's relationships with his friends and family. His sisters, his mother, his dad, his dad's wife, Roxanne, and most importantly Burn. All Crash talked about was drugs and alcohol and sex. There were significant and emotional scenes, I will admit, but I wanted more of them. I didn't want to constantly hear about his hormones; I wanted some of that as well as getting to know how deep his relationship ran with the people around him. It's okay if he DID do all those things and they dominated most of the book. As long as there was a good amount of character building, I was fine. Unfortunately, I found that aspect lacking.

My favorite character was, by far, Roxanne. You got to see her impact on Crash's life in full detail, one of the very few people who were elaborated on besides Crash himself. We got to see her story arc, from her insane beginning to her fall from grace. She cared about Burn, and Crash as well, and was compassionate when her behavior didn't puzzle me. Not as a bad thing, I loved seeing the care-free Roxanne who did whatever she wanted.

Overall, while very intense when it wanted to be, Crash and Burn didn't deliver my expectations as well as I had anticipated. If I got to knew how close Crash's friends and family were to him, then I would've liked it much better.(less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full review on my blog http://ashhreads.blogspot.com

This book is told from the main character Steven's (Crash) POV who has just finished his senior year of high school, but he also stopped one of his classmates David (Burn) from blowing up the entire school. Everyone considers Crash a hero, but Crash has a story of his own to tell. Him and Burn have been "frienemies" since elementary school, and while Crash is certain Burn has always been out to get him, some how they always end up in each othe

...more Full review on my blog http://ashhreads.blogspot.com

This book is told from the main character Steven's (Crash) POV who has just finished his senior year of high school, but he also stopped one of his classmates David (Burn) from blowing up the entire school. Everyone considers Crash a hero, but Crash has a story of his own to tell. Him and Burn have been "frienemies" since elementary school, and while Crash is certain Burn has always been out to get him, some how they always end up in each others paths and are connected some way or another. There is also the big mystery of what Burn whispers to Crash right before Crash convinces him to stop what he is doing. So suspenseful!

This book really grabbed my attention in the beginning, and it switches back and forth from present time (after Crash stopped Burn from blowing up the school), and past time from when he first met Burn and how their lives where leading up to what happened. The story is kind of slow but I didn't really find it to be boring because I was so interested in what was going to happen later so the story held my attention. This book is very, very detailed for a YA novel, almost too detailed. However, as the story being told from Crash's POV and he has ADHD, it is very well written for it being told in his voice. I also really enjoyed reading from Crash's POV. A lot of the time I have a hard time getting into a book if it's told from a male's POV but I really enjoyed this one.

So this book deals with a lot of serious and intense topics; there is a lot of mental illnesses, drugs, sex, suicide etc. If you can't handle reading about these things, then this book is definitely not for you. In a nut shell, Crash has had ADHD his whole life. Burn suffers from a lot of anxiety, depression, and bi-polar disease but that is not even the half of his problems. Crash and Burn have a really interesting relationship. They aren't exactly friends, but they've always been in each others lives. They understand each other, but at the same time they don't. Crash is somewhat afraid of Burn, and for good reasons. Crash has always been there for Burn though all his hard times though. I really enjoyed a lot of the characters in this book. Crash probably has become one of my favorite male lead characters. I really love a lot of the relationships that he has built. You know he cares about his family and friends, and even Burn. I could not stand Crash's father, though. He has definitely topped my most hated parent character. He is such a jerk and treats Crash like crap for no reason. I wanted to slap him.

Burn was a character that was a lot different from any character that I've read from. Like I said before, he has a lot of issues. And by a lot, I mean a lot. Not only is he dealing with all of those issues above, (spoiler alert!!!) his father was killed during 9/11 and that made a huge impact on him. Also he loses his mother to breast cancer later on in the book, which he does not handle well at all. Some of the time during the book, Burn does seem pretty normal (almost) but he has a lot of ups and downs from his depression and the medication he is on. Crash describes this as "When he's up, he's really up. And when he's down, he's really down." And when Burn is down it is quite scary during a lot of the book.

I really liked Roxanne in this book as well. She is Burn's older sister and they are both protective over one another. I really enjoyed Crash's relationship with her. He sees her for who she is, and not who she tries to be or who everyone else thinks she is. I liked Crash's younger sister Jamie, and also a lot of Crash's friends in the book. There isn't too much to say on the characters who didn't play a big part in the book, though.

In the last 60 or so pages in this book (when Burn goes ape shit) , Crash warns you that you will not want to stop reading so don't even try. Which is so true. The ending of this book was so intense and gripping, I couldn't even handle it. Well, I could but you get the picture. Even though Crash saved everyone and it was a 'happy ending', this book made me feel sad. Even though Burn is completely crazy and tries to kill everyone including himself, It's really hard not to feel pity for him. This is the type of book that will stir a lot of emotions in you while you read it. When I finished it, my first thoughts were "omg this is such a great book", but the more I thought about it the less I thought so. Don't get me wrong it WAS a great book, but this is the type of book that leave you feeling really unsettled. This story seemed so real that it was almost heart breaking. Also when you find out what the big secret is of what Burn whispered to Crash at the end, I was so sad. I was completely heart broken at what was revealed. This is one book that I will definitely never forgot, and I'll never forget these character either. I'm not exactly sure if it is a good thing because this story just felt so heavy on my heart after I read it. None the less, I am glad to have read it because I do enjoy books that have an impact on me.

This concludes my review, I hope you all enjoyed and thank you for reading!

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Mar 17, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: junior-library-guild-reads

Impressive book from a debut author. The voice of Crash is so genuine and his storytelling seems effortless. What's amazing that at the center this is a love story, with an anti-hero sort of hero and a bad guy who was ultimately just another guy.

At first I was overloaded with the alcohol ridden sex, excessive drug use and alarming casualness of teenage nihilism, wondering if it's a commentary on today's youth in a post-9/11 world blah blah blah. Then the next day caught the movie "Heathers" whi...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Erin Sterling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013, story, character, language, teen-fiction, teen-realistic

It's engaging, well-written, has great characters, an often suspenseful but also realistic story--if only I could purchase it for my library! Unfortunately, the copius drug use, cursing, and sexual situations does not make this appropriate for a middle school collection, and would be better suited for high school. Crash is a popular, outgoing student with ADD who doesn't like school. Ever since elementary school, he's had a tenuous friendship with this kid nicknamed Burn because at age 8 he trie...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Brain Annex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-05, debut, lead-boy, printz-worthy, ya, gritty

I don't even know where to start with this one. Overall, the story is good and it's hard to know if the issues I have with the book are my personal tastes or if the book itself is less than it could be.
Pros:
realistic male protagonist, imperfect but not unredeemable
good tone for pov
Cons:
too long
too scattered

I think the target audience for this type of book may not buy into a 500+ page book from a relatively unknown author. The best parts of the book are in the last third of the story and, while...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Melissa E rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemp

Plot: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Setting: 4/10
Pacing: 2/10
Style: 3/10
Cover: I love this cover. The matches look like the twin towers and go perfect with the title and story. I remember seeing it at #TeaTime and immediately adding it to my goodreads.

22+50=72 (3 Stars)

Imagine The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the movie Remember Me had a baby, but they were smoking crack during the pregnancy...the result is Crash and Burn. While it realistically captured High School and mental illness like Perks, I felt...more Plot: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Setting: 4/10
Pacing: 2/10
Style: 3/10
Cover: I love this cover. The matches look like the twin towers and go perfect with the title and story. I remember seeing it at #TeaTime and immediately adding it to my goodreads.

22+50=72 (3 Stars)

Imagine The Perks of Being a Wallflower and the movie Remember Me had a baby, but they were smoking crack during the pregnancy...the result is Crash and Burn. While it realistically captured High School and mental illness like Perks, I felt the drug use, sex, and f bombs were a little excessive. We get it Crash, you're a stud. I think the reason I didn't let myself DNF it was because it's told from his POV like a conversation and he is very conceited so it would make sense that he'd try to make himself seem cool every five seconds. But if any of that bothers you, you might want to skip this book.

Crash's verbally abusive relationship with his dad reminded me of the one in Remember Me. I wished I could reach through the pages and bitch slap his dad multiple times. I was kind of frustrated though because their relationship never truly develops. In fact, it felt like none of the characters really developed or changed. Felicia was my favorite character. I pictured Sophia Vergara every time! David reminded me of this kid I went to elementary school that threw desks, kicked the principal, and snapped highlighters. So I understood Crash's fear. Crash has ADHD and he just accepts that he has a hard time learning and struggles through life. I liked that the author showed how hard school can be fore kids with this and how dr.s and teachers just pump them with meds these days.

Each chapter rotates between the past (starting from elementary school: Crash meeting David Burnett) to the present (Crash trying to write the book about the siege). But I think because the author and his character have ADHD his story was very scattered. It was hard for me to focus and keep things straight. I felt like I had ADD to be honest. And it didn't help that the font is extremely small and there are 532 pages. At least there were constant surprises I wasn't expecting that keep me reading. Still, I went into the book thinking it would be all about the siege when really that was only like two chapters worth of the book at the very end. I felt like I was reading forever--like I was running towards a mirage in the desert...never getting any closer to the end.

If you're looking for a male point of view that touches on realistic raw topics like mental illness, drug addiction, abusive relationships, death, etc...then this is the book for you.

Also, if you're a boy and read this book can you please tell me if it is realistic? Are guys really that much of pigs? P.s. Mr. Hassen- I did not appreciate that comment about Jersey girls being easy. We may not pump our own gas and we spend the summers at the shore, but we are not all the cast of that show The Jersey Shore!

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Apr 22, 2013 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a headache after reading this book. It was that good. Or that unsettling. Part of it is because maybe some of it seemed a little too real, a little too possible, especially working in a high school. The other part is just weird coincidence. I finished reading the book on 4/20. The events in the book take place on Monday 4/21. And in the end, one of the main characters inexplicably (to the reader and other characters) shouts something about Boston. This book takes place in NY. There is no...more

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