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HELL: Warning: Contains Strong Sexual Content, Language, Violence, and Drug Use. Not for Young Adults Under 17
These are the best years of your life: Football games. Dances. Drugs. Parties. Sex. Murder.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 10, 2014
I don't know where to start on this review, but I can tell you that this book is raw, dark and leaves nothing to the imagination. The author tells this story through the eyes of his various characters, thus, changing the tone of the story with each one. We get to see inside the heads of bullies, victims, jocks, popular girls and those students hiding in the shadows - their arrogance, fear, regret and thoughts of revenge. Mr. Lindensmith covers it all in this book: different social groups, drugs, drunkeness, rape, incest, sexual preference, sex, sex, scandal and did I say sex...each occurrence is ravenous and detailed, but when is it just too much to read?
We later discover that the high school staff supports these delinquents in their bullying of other students and are just as guilty as the students, victims are on their own and have to fend for themselves. At the fall dance, the principal calls out one of the students in front of the attendees, alleging that the male student is a self-proclaimed bi-sexual. This so called prank causes the couple to split up on the spot. The attention and badgering during the following week is too much for the girl - she commits suicide!
Other students also commit suicide and die in drunken car accidents or drug overdoses during the schoolyear, but it's accepted throughout the community as a normal part of adolescence. I really wanted to stop reading this book halfway through as the story became redundant...however, some mysterious force kept me reading. I think it was to see how this whole story played out. Was there revenge in story for the guilty? Will the adults pay for their betrayal? Is this what happened at Columbine? Does "Carrie" come to the prom? I had mixed emotions at the end and don't know if I was truly happy or saddened! If this is the way of our current generation, then God help us all!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
We later discover that the high school staff supports these delinquents in their bullying of other students and are just as guilty as the students, victims are on their own and have to fend for themselves. At the fall dance, the principal calls out one of the students in front of the attendees, alleging that the male student is a self-proclaimed bi-sexual. This so called prank causes the couple to split up on the spot. The attention and badgering during the following week is too much for the girl - she commits suicide!
Other students also commit suicide and die in drunken car accidents or drug overdoses during the schoolyear, but it's accepted throughout the community as a normal part of adolescence. I really wanted to stop reading this book halfway through as the story became redundant...however, some mysterious force kept me reading. I think it was to see how this whole story played out. Was there revenge in story for the guilty? Will the adults pay for their betrayal? Is this what happened at Columbine? Does "Carrie" come to the prom? I had mixed emotions at the end and don't know if I was truly happy or saddened! If this is the way of our current generation, then God help us all!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
February 20, 2014
Really disappointed that I read this.
The author tried way too hard for shock value and just produced a piece of shit not worth the time to read.
The author tried way too hard for shock value and just produced a piece of shit not worth the time to read.
February 22, 2014
Glad I didn't go to this high school
September 23, 2014
wow, what a scary reality. I really enjoyed the book and the writing. Leaves a lot to think about.
August 26, 2021
Unfortunately read this book when I was 11... Not for the faint of heart, not sure who it's for, really. You see the point of views from some of the worst human beings at the worst high school. Don't expect any happy endings. Or any happiness at all.
April 9, 2019
This is a dark, raw, gritty book that is definitely NOT for the faint hearted. Yes there is a lot of sex, violence, swearing, drug use but although those come up a lot in the book there is more to it than this.
There is an underlying tone of what the 'Hell' is going on with the world today, yes this is probably an extreme example of and each element of life, but every now and then there was a bit that made you think about this world we are living in.
The book is told from multiple characters point of view, and although it takes a bit of getting used to, it makes the tone varied and interesting. You have the stories of the jocks, the popular kids, the emo kid, the bully, the bullied, the Christian believer, the sluts and in a few instances the teachers. They are all part of Hell High, and how their lives intertwine. How you can push someone to the point of no-return and the impact that will have on your life and the lives of those around you. If you are looking for a happy Hollywood book don't read this.
If you look beyond the swearing and sex, this is about the weak and the strong, the top of the food chain vs the so-called bottom feeders. It's about the emotions they both go through, and you realise: are they actually so different from one another? They think they are so different, can conquer the world, but in reality they are all sheep, they are all empty inside. They try and hide their emotions, play at being happy with their lot, but they all empty inside, pretending for the sake of......well they don't even know.
Never judge a book by it's cover, you'll be surprised to know that when you get to it's heart it has an interesting story to tell.
There is an underlying tone of what the 'Hell' is going on with the world today, yes this is probably an extreme example of and each element of life, but every now and then there was a bit that made you think about this world we are living in.
The book is told from multiple characters point of view, and although it takes a bit of getting used to, it makes the tone varied and interesting. You have the stories of the jocks, the popular kids, the emo kid, the bully, the bullied, the Christian believer, the sluts and in a few instances the teachers. They are all part of Hell High, and how their lives intertwine. How you can push someone to the point of no-return and the impact that will have on your life and the lives of those around you. If you are looking for a happy Hollywood book don't read this.
If you look beyond the swearing and sex, this is about the weak and the strong, the top of the food chain vs the so-called bottom feeders. It's about the emotions they both go through, and you realise: are they actually so different from one another? They think they are so different, can conquer the world, but in reality they are all sheep, they are all empty inside. They try and hide their emotions, play at being happy with their lot, but they all empty inside, pretending for the sake of......well they don't even know.
Never judge a book by it's cover, you'll be surprised to know that when you get to it's heart it has an interesting story to tell.
April 6, 2014
This book was somewhat depressing... nihilistic in character; full of sex and violence. But I felt it had something to say and said it well. I've read a number of negative reviews of the book, and so felt that I owed it to the author to support him. First he presents those who just go along with the crowd; those that don't have their own value system; those who're looking for a good time, or an easy way to pass through obligatory education. But given that the place is hell, a virtual modern day Sodom, He also questions, what happens to good people... to religious people, say, in a totally corrupt society? He doesn’t suggest that all American high schools are like this. In fact, there is another highschool in the same area that is a lot more normal. There are alternatives. But this is the example of what can happen when one takes permissive education ‘all the way’. This is definitely not a book for readers sensitive about a comma in the wrong place, or those who object to a dirty word. But this book does present a problem, and I believe it is written well. There is something poetic about his descriptions.
August 12, 2014
This book was free on my Kindle Fire, and I figured, why not? It was mostly surprising, psychotic, sadistic, and most of the time, raunchy. The characters had no basing, in which two of the characters commit suicide, another drinks and drives, killing her passenger, and is sent to jail. Multiple of the characters contract STD'S and then give them to everyone in the school. The coach kills his wife in an alcoholic rage. In the end, one of the strange, psychotic characters kills his entire class during the prom and then commits suicide. I could say that this book was surprising in the end, but it was mostly disturbing and makes me want to wish that I had never picked up the book in the first place. I would never recommend this book and am not going to about saying what I loved and hated, because I hated the entire thing. It just wasn't good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2014
High school is hell.
Very exaggerated story of the high school years of today. Very drawn out and would have been better about half tthe size it is. It does show a true depiction of what high school could be like for some people though even though the teacher participation is pushing it. Very hard to finish the whole book.
Very exaggerated story of the high school years of today. Very drawn out and would have been better about half tthe size it is. It does show a true depiction of what high school could be like for some people though even though the teacher participation is pushing it. Very hard to finish the whole book.
March 1, 2014
Way to rough for even me. I usually like the young adult books that have more realistic teenage dialogue..But holy crap.. I only read about 6 pages and decided it was way to rough for my taste. I cant say if the book was or is bad but unfortunately I will never find out. no offense to the author or the people who liked the book. just way to rough for me to finish..sorry cant say rough enough.
August 1, 2015
Let's just start this out by saying that I'm an equal opportunity reader. I will pretty much read shampoo bottles if there's nothing else around. This was awful. I have never read so much trash in my life. The warning didn't even come close to describing how gory and awful this book is. If I never hear the word "p*ssy" again, it will be too soon. Don't waste your time and brain cells.
February 20, 2014
Okay I guess
Okay I guess
It was different and about as graphic as the title suggested. Hell keeps you interested even when it's saying something that doesn't even need to be in the book.
Okay I guess
It was different and about as graphic as the title suggested. Hell keeps you interested even when it's saying something that doesn't even need to be in the book.
March 11, 2014
bad, written for shock value & even then it didn't work, gave up half way through, rubbish
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews