Slalom

by S.L. Rottman

When avid skier Sandro Birch's real father--an Italian-born Olympic hopeful--returns to his mother after seventeen years, Sandro believes this is finally his chance at the ski team, a girlfriend, and a real family, if he can just get over the anger of his father's abandonment.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2004

Reviews

[Isaiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book adout a teenage boy named Sandro that loves to ski and his mother and the fother that ran away and then came back.

[Jacob Mahe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly I got this book because I’m a ski bum as well, and I have to say I’m happy about most of the skiing things in this book, most of it felt accurate and didn’t come across as wrong, but the story telling did have me, confused. At times plot points are added and under developed in my opinion, and times it felt like it was rushed extremely quickly, like the ending, because he condensed what I’m used to being 40-60 pages down to just 20, and the whole story felt off at times, maybe it’s just me. Other then that it was a decent book.

[Dylan Pirie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slalom is a book about a boy named Sandro Birch, 17, who lives in the ski resort town of Borealis, CO. Sandro grew up listening to his mother Tiffany tell of her spring break romance with Sandro's father who is a handsome, mysterious Italian Olympic skier named Alessandro Scarpettarini. Alessandro left Tiffany with hefty bills and unknowingly pregnant. Tiffany raises Sandro in Borealis in hopes her true love will return one day and they can become a happy family. Sandro is angry with his mother and father he has never met, so he retreats to the mountains to become an expert skier. The theme of fate plays a role throughout the book and when his father returns 17 years later

[Taylor Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. When I started reading this book i though, I never wanted to stop. I though it was great and I was into the book the entire time.

2. The best part of the book is when he is excepted to be in the state race.

3. I would definitley recommend this book to my friends, i though it was amazing and that they would like it.

4. People who love to read books about snow and action sport this is the book for you. You will love it.

5. I want to remember the authors message about forgive from the past like he had to do.

[Wisterious Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a fun read. I love the excitement of books about athletes competing. It also faces the reality that there are lots of kids growing up in poverty that can't have all the newest stuff and have to work a job to help pay the family rent. A lot of teen fiction is about the rich kids on a fun ski vacation not the guy behind the counter renting them skis. There is also an interesting thread in the story about how his mom believes the 'love at first sight' baloney from Romance novels. This affects his own relationship with girls his age since he doesn't believe in fate.

[Snapback.Sapphic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rottman really surprised me on this one. I read Stetson and wasn't too impressed, Slalom was amazing. Really relate-able characters with sardonicism thrown in. Great Read.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

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