The Book of Michael

by Lesley Choyce

YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List, 2010 nominee White Pine nominee 2010 Michael Grove was sixteen years old when he was convicted for the murder of Lisa Conroy, the girlfriend he loved very much. The circumstances surrounding her final hours attract considerable media attention, especially because Michael and Lisa had sex just prior to her death. A public outcry against light penalties for young offenders ensures Michael is tried as an adult; he receives a harsh and severe penalty. Six months into his imprisonment, the true murderer confesses. Michael is released but quickly finds that the stigma of imprisonment and the (wrongful) rap for murder is not an easy thing to escape out on the streets.

Genres: Young Adult, Teen, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2008

About the author

Lesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.

Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.

His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first three-quarters of this book, perhaps more, are captivating. Michael was a strongly drawn character, one with whom it was easy to sympathize. His voice was strong and drew you into the story. And I understood why he did what he did at the end -- it fit with his character. I just didn't like it. Still, I was compelled to read to the end.

[Noe Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Lesley Choice, mainly caught my attention since I assumed it would be a horror book about a psychopath that roams around everywhere and murders people, similar to the movie of Michael Meyers. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The Book of Michael was actually about a 16 year old, when his ex-girlfriend Miranda confesses to the crime, Michael gets released from prison after serving six months in jail for the murder of his lover. Michael quickly discovers that, even though his criminal record has been cleaned, public opinion is more difficult to change. Michael, with the help of both his grandmother and I Ching proverbs, investigates his own healing path even as he gets a new bond with Miranda. The different and sincere responses to Michael's decision to live with Miranda help to calm the otherwise dramatic conclusion. Michael's mentors offer guidance on acceptance and growth without turning to problem-solving or practice moralizing. Michael's narrative voice naturally expresses grief and despair, while these feelings are real, they occasionally overtake the plot. What I liked about this book was how it created suspense, because before it was known that Miranda had murdered Lisa, I was so anxious to know who actually killed Lisa. What I did not enjoy about this book was the inappropriate language the author uses in the book. Which I would say is age appropriate and not recommended for children. In brief, the book wasn’t as interesting as I thought it would be. For these reasons I suggest not reading this book.

[Kim Baccellia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael is accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend and sent to prison. Only later does the real killer confess. Michael is released but finds the stigma of being a murderer still follows him.

This story is very powerful. The narrator's voice is chilling and haunting. I couldn't put this book down.

[Cyan White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending is just no.

[American Mensa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six months ago a jury falsely convicted sixteen-year-old Michael, a high school student living in a typical modern-day American town, of the rape and murder of his girlfriend Lisa, also sixteen. Nobody doubted his guilt and he was put in jail. However, half a year later, the real murderer confesses to killing Lisa, allowing Michael’s release from prison. His family gratefully welcomes him home, but Michael has trouble adjusting under the glare of the community. Despite the real killer’s confession, the public still suspects Michael’s involvement. Many know Michael and Lisa were often intimate and people choose to believe it was not consensual. Both Michael and Lisa were under the age of legal consent so the public preferred to use this fact to accuse him of rape and make him less believable in court. Unfortunately, Michael also has a history of drug use. Some draw the conclusion that the drug use led to him killing Lisa even if he did love Lisa as powerfully as he claims. Finally, and most emotionally taxing to Michael, the confessed murderer is Miranda, Michael’s ex-girlfriend. Michael goes through stages of grief and depression, but with the help of his family and friends he finds a way to face the world. I rate this dramatic fiction novel 3 stars because I liked the theme, fighting through false accusations even after legally being declared innocent, but I did not feel like the author adequately supported the feelings of the main character. Michael’s internal conflict does not always reflect the words and actions of the other characters. The people in his community are sometimes interested and curious as opposed to hating him as he assumes that they will, while the author tries to portray them as attacking him but ultimately fails to provide compelling situations. I would recommend this book to 7th grade and above since there is a reasonably heavy amount of swearing and multiple sexual references, though no graphic sexual scenes.
Reviewed By: Alex F., age 17, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa

[Sam Hynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Lesley Choyce’s fictional thriller “The Book Of Michael” a sixteen year old boy, Michael Grove, gets caught up in situations and a lifestyle he probably shouldn’t be in. When tragedy strikes in the town of Severton, his reputation matches to someone who would commit such a crime and drags him into the mix. When Michael’s life gets taken away from him entirely is where he realised just how much he needed change.

The passage I have chosen is when Michael is debriefing and informing us on the prior events in the story. This part of the story is said a long while after all the events truly happen. Michael tells important details like his history with Miranda, the ups and downs between them, the bad path she took him down and much more. People should also know about Lisa, and how she changed his life, and how much he loved her. This is an important passage to read because it explains how even though everything worked in his favour, he was still never the same, and he will never forget how tragic this time was.

The novel was truly a great read, the author hit on so many ques and really related the book to things that happen in real life, whether you believe it or not. Truthful things in the book include how many people get wrongfully convicted and how many people never live the same life. Other things like how love can cause you to do some crazy things and even go against your will. Choyce does a great job at using things that do happen in real life and using them effectively, really keeping readers engaged and interested, always wanting to read more.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just as a heads up, for whatever reason I always tend to dislike all of my independent study project books; this book is no exception, and as such, this review is strongly biased and may not be rated the stars that it might actually deserve.

That being said, to start off my review, I'm going to be as honest as I dare being while trying not to sound rude. The only reason I read this book was because there was no other book left for my independent study project that really appealed to me. This book was not on my top-ten I-really-want-to-read-this list, but since I needed to have a book, I ended up choosing and reading this book. I didn't expect much, and as the way things tend to go, I wasn't given much.

The only reason I can think of that this book had any serious appeal to me was because the librarian had introduced this book with having "an unexpected ending". True to her word, the ending was so unexpected that I wanted to put the book down and tear my hair out in utter frustration (I'll touch base with this later). I was not extremely disappointed though, since I honestly did not have high hopes for this book in the beginning.

Before I describe in more detail the things I did not like, I'll mention one thing that I liked very much, that being Phyllis, Michael's grandmother. I enjoyed Phyllis' character very much, even more than Michael's. She had an attitude that was down-to-earth, and simultaneously very straightforward and wise; she was described as swearing at the judge when Michael was declared guilty (Choyce 16), cheering up Michael with a light-hearted prod to Darth Vader when her lungs were failing (Choyce 63), and constantly giving Michael advice on just about everything with hexagrams from her "I Ching" book. Frankly, she is the reason I can rate this book at two stars, and not just one.

Now, onto the things I did not like. I really want to rant about the ending, but I'll save that for later.

Firstly, the romance between Michael and Lisa. Romance is definitely not my genre, and this book has confirmed it for me. Michael and Lisa were described as having loved each other deeply, further reinforced with Lisa's journals, her poem, and the few bits and pieces of Michael's memories of her that are scattered throughout the book. I know this is extremely biased on my part, and in all fairness, Lisa is dead when the majority of the story takes place, but I felt like their relationship was extremely, well, cliché. Michael, the bad kid (but in his defence, he didn't want to be a 'bad kid' anymore), Lisa the good kid, they get together, they make love, Michael changes into a new person, yada yada yada. There was more than one time when I wanted to roll my eyes at how often Michael mentions her, but again, in all fairness, Lisa is dead and Michael will never be able to be with her again.

Secondly, the pacing of the story. Specifically, when Phyllis dies. I guess it was obvious that she was going to die eventually, but I did not like how it was executed. One paragraph Michael is himself, talking about summer school, and, guess who, Lisa, when out of the blue he mentions "I almost gave up on summer school when my grandmother died. I almost gave up on everything." (Choyce 205). My initial reaction was "...What??", and then re-reading that line. I don't really know what I was expecting, but I was expecting something with more oomph to it, you know? I wish the way that this was executed could have been explored more, seeing as how Phyllis was a very important person to Michael.

Thirdly, Nicole. I don't really have a huge issue with her, but I still want to mention her. I know that she is important in terms of plot and helping Michael develop as a character and moving on, but I felt like her reason for being there was shallow and not well-explained. I don't remember the book mentioning if they knew each other before Lisa's death, but if it isn't, I think it should be. I also don't remember if Michael notes any doubt he has about dating her. I mean, you're dating your dead girlfriend's friend, over a mutual feeling of missing your girlfriend. Doesn't that sound odd?? Like, at all?? This really irked me, and kind of creeped me out honestly.

Lastly, the ending. The. Ending.


Hoo boy.

I have no idea where to start. I'm already feeling frustrated just thinking about it, so I'll try my best to keep this short.

Assuming you have already read the book (since this is hidden as containing spoilers...), we all know that Michael ends up living with Miranda.... Why?? I re-read the ending three or four times, and I still have no idea why. Even Michael doesn't seem to know why! I don't understand how Michael could stand even being around her. His character is radically different from mine in this aspect, and I don't think I will ever understand why he did what he did. The reasoning (from what I collect) is that Michael has this desire to protect Miranda, to be with her, and that he needs Miranda to be there for him. This reasoning just seemed extremely flawed, and I will remain forever frustrated at this ending.

So, in conclusion, The Book of Michael is an okay book. There are some perks and also downsides, and for me the downsides were more obvious and made the book overall a disappointment. I think this review is kind of unfair, because I strongly dislike this genre, and it was a project so I was required to read this. The ending was undoubtedly the most frustrating part of the book, probably because I had in mind a completely different ending for Michael. I would tentatively recommend this book to others if romance and learning to move on is their sort of genre, but it would not be the first book to come to mind.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

the ending <--- why?????!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book Of Michael, by Lesley Choyce.
In my past I have always been an adamant reader of solely science fiction dystopian stories none other genre had appealed to me be it horror realistic fiction or fantasy. However this all changed with the introduction of the book The Book Of Michael. This Novel by author Lesley Choyce is an utmost home hitting masterpiece that weaves the tale of Michael Grove a young teenage boy who is charged with the murder of his beloved girlfriend, Lisa; who had helped turn his life from the dive to destruction he had formerly been headed for. It is a shocking endearing mix of a story that introduces the inequality that society can have. The story of Michael brings into light the themes of justice or injustice, redemption and understanding, coupled with the need for healing. Condemned by the society as a young murderer and a beast Michael is forced to serve prison time until the day it comes to everyone's surprise when the true killer, haunted by grief steps forward. Michael is forced back into his old life, but finds that in many eyes he is still the killer and that the reputation as one will forever precede him in a society that is riddled with prejudice and unfairness.
In the laws of society all are to be tried equal, however in The Book Of Michael, The author makes obvious that if interpreted by human eyes, the partiality of law will always be manifest. Michael when first restored into the society is subject to emotional abuse and misunderstanding by all sides, his “friends” abandon him and most others simply avoid him. However the theme of healing eventually wins over with Michael learning to accept the past, to not forget it but to let it go precluding into a shocking but understandable ending that will leave the reader to ponder what can happen next.
The novel is a well constructed book that merges a work of fiction with real world issues of wrongful imprisonment and the unjust society; truly showing that genuine justice is not something that can simply be found or sentenced in courts today but something that we must all strive and look for. Lesley Choyce understands the nature of children growing up today and writes the ideals of a new generation into her novel reflecting the life of a growing teenager from both sides of the spectrum of “good and bad” children. The cynical young antagonist Michael can be connected to, I feel many of the readers of this novel, his rough on the edge life bordering vandalism and alcohol abuse is prominently as thought of “cool” by the budding new generation consequently this book follows as a teaching tool to describe that life is short and that wasting it is certainly not the key.
The appealing aspect of reality and true issues is something that attracted me to the novel. Though a work of fiction the events came to transpire can occur in any real life. Lesley Choyce recognizes the value of learning and makes it apparent that mistakes will and forever will be and imminent factor of life in which a person can only learn from.
“You can never plan the future by the past” by Edwin Burke, is a constant reminder to Michael about his actions and his need to remedy which is an alluring aspect of this realistic novel. The constant usage of references to different great philosophical and idealistic novels and writings, are used to Michael and the audience of the book about the importance of reading and learning and how it can lead to healing. Such authors and thinkers like ‘Chekov and Orwell’ are mentioned as connections to the lessons that Michael has learned through his ordeal.
All in all The Book Of Michael is an exemplar novel of a host of attractive qualities that I believe should be evident in all novels today, and that the lessons learned are key to the life that we as humans live. This book is exceedingly memorable and is one that I will not forget soon.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Michael was an overall great book. I adored the teen-appropriate themes in this novel, I loved the cliff-hangers and twists, but most of all I was thoroughly engaged by how Choyce used such descriptive, powerful and eloquent words that made me feel as if I was really there, and helped me tap into my visualization.

The story begins with protagonist, 16 year old Michael Grove, being convicted of murdering his girlfriend Lisa Conroy. Right off the bat, Lesley Choyce threw in a twist to this novel by making Michael innocent. Michael loved Lisa, they shared an unconditional connection that words could not speak, but Lisa was murdered and there was nothing Michael could do about it. He spent a torturous six months in prison for doing something that was unthinkable to him. Abruptly, the real murder showed her face, and it was Miranda, Michael’s ex girlfriend.

This story is outstanding, and Choyce made the incredibly clever decision of writing this in first person (Michael’s point of view). By doing this, we see Michael’s life in his eyes. We get a chance to feel every emotion he felt, and although he was set free from prison, he didn’t feel free. If anything, he felt trapped. The love of his life, someone he would catch a grenade for, someone as pure and sweet as Lisa was dead and he was alive.

Another reason I adore this book is because at the beginning, Michael was a “bad-ass”, rebellious teen who didn’t have any descent morals considering his pass-time of drugs, and sex. He seemed worn-out, on the verge of breaking, until he met Lisa. Lisa was the kind of girl you
stop to look at passing you on the sidewalk. Choyce describes her in a way that she had this luminous glow about her, a stellar student wanting to save the world.

I found it so intriguing that Michael and Lisa met and connected with such an unbreakable bond. After Lisa died, Michael became sort-of depressed and lost. Fortunately, he met a few friends on the way that helped him through everything, and by the end of the novel, he becomes a completely differentguy. He never let Lisa go, but he was happy. He found another girl, went back to school, got a job, and became a very likeable character. My point is that I adore how much the protagonist
changed. I loved reading about him being a rotten, hooligan, and blossoming into this mature, fine young man.

I don’t have many negative comments about this book, but one of them is that I found some of the chapters a little too graphic for my liking. I understand Choyce was using descriptive words to help us visualize the situation, but certain moments, whether it was about sex, or drugs, kind of pulled me out of the book a bit. I think we got the idea he was a bad kid, and made some wrong choices, but I don’t think Choyce had to go through such detail as she did.

Another thing that sort-of threw me off was there parts in the novel that happened so quickly, it took me a second to let it prossess it in my head. For example, Phyllis, Michael’s grandmother, passed away and Choyce introduced it very subtly. It was in the beginning of a random paragraph and I never saw it coming, it caught me off guard and I wish Phyllis’ death was more dramatic, or more of a special moment because she was such an important person to him and the way the author made her die disappointed me.

Overall, this book was a blast to read, a book like no other. I had never read anything like it and I would definitely recommend this book to any teens interested in novels with murder, relationships, and a little mystery. I made many connections throughout reading this
novel because Choyce wrote it in the perspective of a teen, which I must applaud her for. This book was a page-flipper, and although there were a couple flaws in the author’s thought process, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Zoe Siskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I though this novel really put out an image that will positively affect people who read it. It was very well written but, it was very repetitive and after three quarters of the novel, it got too confusing. The one thing that really confused me was the ending of the book because I don’t think that it linked well at all.
The book of Michael had a very interesting theme behind it but, I felt like it just kept going on and on about things that weren’t relevant to some parts of the novel. This was because the book kept going back and forth from the past to future very quickly which made everything more confusing and hard to keep track as to what was going on at that point of the book. If Lesley Choyce would have kept the whole book just in the past, then it would’ve made the novel a lot better and more interesting to read.
The theme of this book was around trust and how Michael was convicted into murdering his girlfriend, Lisa. This played with the family and did let everyone turn against Michael even when he got out of jail. With the author really portraying this all throughout the novel which I really thought was a good idea just because it helped me as a reader know how one person can change your life forever no matter how important they are to you. This theme was easy to connect to as well as understand where Michael was coming from because everyone feels betrayal when nobody trusts you other than your family.
The author, Lesley Choyce put a lot of negative images in the novel to help you relate to what Michael turned into after he became Miranda’s boyfriend. For example, some things that Michael had heard what others have said about him, “Lock him up and throw away the key.” (8) No matter what he was put in jail for, being accused for killing her girlfriend, which he hadn’t, or for going all the drugs he did because of Miranda. Everyone still hated him no matter what and Lesley Choyce really made that evident throughout this book which made it easier to connect to him, and knowing how he feels about all of this.
“Please, God: just let this all be over. That was my prayer.” (9) This one sentence is very powerful and lets you know that Michael is in the worst point of his life right now and is calling God for some help. Be knows keep inside that even though he is where he is right now, but something is going to turn and he’s going to get out of this nightmare and everything will happen for the better.
There was a very big turnaround at the end of the book, when Michael goes back with the person who actually murdered his girlfriend. This was a huge shock for me as well as other reviews I’ve read about this book. This was the biggest mistake that the author made when writing this book and I think without it, the novel would’ve been a lot better. This is because it left me with a bad impression on the novel but, overall I really enjoyed everything else in it.
I think that this is an amazing book to read if you’re interested in knowing a story from two different perspectives because this is exactly what this novel was about. I would definitely recommend this to anymore because I found it really interesting and fun to read as well as not wanting to put it down, wanting to know what was going to come up next.

[Angus Wan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I’d like to say that this book is probably one of the best books I’ve ever read. Its plot and characters completely caught me off guard as I continued to flip through the pages viciously. It is about a teenage boy named Michael who is falsely accused of killing his girlfriend. He had to spend time in jail until out of the blue, the true killer confessed to the crime. This story takes the reader through Michael’s journey of recovery after spending six aggravating months in prison. “Some people think I killed her. Despite the evidence. Despite everything,” is the first sentence of the book and it basically describes what the whole plot of the story is. More importantly, it is an instant attention grabber as it totally hooked me into the book immediately. The writer had a great start and continued to propel its interest as the plot got explained in more detail.
I very much enjoyed the quotes taken from the various books Michael has read, and then applied to the current situation he was in. The events were explained to the reader first and then a related quote would be fitted in perfectly. In one passage of the book where Michael’s grandmother, Phyllis, was really sick and was reaching the end of her life, he quoted her “I Ching” book: “Whatever is lost will return when the time is right. Remaining open to that possibility is the key. (205)”
Also, the way the author articulated the events came out very surprising. For example, the death of his grandmother was mentioned out of the blue and I was not very prepared for it. “I almost gave up on summer school when my grandmother died. I almost gave up on everything. (205)” It was said so quickly and randomly that it shocked me and it took some time for me to process that information properly. I really like this element of surprise that author Lesley Choyce has incorporated. It makes the reader stop and think for a moment, and interpret what is going on in the story.
The characters in the book were introduced and described in much defining details. Miranda, the ex-girlfriend and the “killer” of Michael’s girlfriend, Lisa, was given an appearance as a badass girl. Drugs, sex and the misbehavior were very well illustrated and all of it made sense when I first read it. The details were as so exquisite, the scene was quite imaginable on the spot. “She too was not of her time and place. She wore tight black jeans. She had big hoop earrings. She had a tattoo on her ass that said, “Screw you.” She had long, dark hair that fell straight to her shoulders. She wore dark mascara makeup around her eyes that made her seem dark and mysterious and, yes, dangerous. (27-28)”
Overall, I find nothing that really affected the perfection of this book. First person narration is exactly how these types of books, an experience or an event in life of a person, should be told. This book was just amazingly written.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Calvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, The Book of Michael was a terrific book; it had kept me reading for hours at a time just so I can see how it would end. This book had the ability to hook you on from the start to the climax easily. Another aspect that I really enjoyed about the book was how it slowly unveiled what brought Michael to be the person that is blamed for the murder instead of bombarding the reader with all the information at once. However, after the climax, the story lost its momentum because I felt that the author conclusion of the book was not satisfactory to many readers including me.

One thing I really enjoyed about the book was how the choices the protagonist made were manipulated to hook us on to continue reading. For example, after Michael was released from prison, Mr. Hawker his lawyer came to his house and said, “ What you’ve been through… this miscarriage of justice. You deserve compensation”(Choyce 99). As Michael did not flatly reject Mr. Hawker’s proposition, his choice became a hook for me because it made me unwilling to put the book down, as I wanted to see if Michael would take the money and have a happy ending.

I believed that the pacing of the book was just right; it slowly talked about the life Michael was living before and the decisions he made that almost cost his entire career. The author took the time in the first several chapters to show how everybody in the world came to misjudgment of Michael because of his “ long scraggly hair… my bad-ass clothes. My attitude” (Choyce 32). After the authors description of Michael’s past, Lesley Choyce went on to unfold how he has to deal with his life now that he has a new “beginning”.

However, there was one thing that I disliked about the book. The issue was how the author ended the book. From reading other people’s review of the book, I believe that we all agree that the ending of the book was not as the best and that the author ended it in an awkward fashion. The reason why I think the ending was awkward was because Michael decided to go back with Miranda even after he said “I hated Miranda, I knew that. I hoped she’d stay locked away for a long, long time” (Choyce 95). I believed that the author did not explain the clearly enough about the reasoning behind Michael’s decision to reunite with Miranda after she ruined his entire life even after he was released from his imprisonment. Overall, I still think that The Book Of Michael is a great book for anybody that is interested in human interest stories as it shows Michael’s struggle to get back to a life he no longer belongs to.

[Herb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life has always been within our grasp, it nourishes and is cruel but what happens when we suddenly lose our life? Is it possible to pick up life from where it was left off? The book of Michael by Lesley Choyce is a book that exploits such a question. After being wrongfully accused and convicted to the murder of his girlfriend Lisa, Michaels teenage life has ended right before him. After 6 months the killer was over compelled by the guilt and confessed and Michael was released. Freedom however for Michael was far from what he’d thought. His innocence was still being widely denied by people’s eyes. Forcing Michael to live in grieve in the very society that condemned him to prison for a crime he never committed.
The book of Michael was a very good book as it had kept me reading for hours at hand from the beginning all the way till the end. Several elements I really about the book enjoyed was were Michael would be deep and compassionate in his reflections upon the choices he’s made in the past and present ultimately questioning all aspect upon what it meant to live as a student and as a human. Something else I liked about the book was that it contained many references of quotations of great books containing many ideological thoughts and ideas that makes Michael even more so troubled with all these knowledge.
The book ended in a twist that deeply troubled me and thought was something extra. Its demonstrated that redemption and justice isn’t something that is to be given by judges and lawyers. It is something that has to be give to ourselves internally to free ourselves of the dogma as Michael has done for himself. “and at such times the world is not such a terrible place after all. It has given us permission to get on with our lives as best we can. And I am convinced that this is enough.”(Choyce 267). While not my most favourite book it has become a memorable one.

[Katerina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Michael Review
-Katerina Coliviras
May 9, 2012

The book of Michael, written by Lesley Choyce was one of my favourite books. The story line covered real issues with the justice system and showed how this wrongful conviction damaged Michael even after he got out of prison. Throughout the book Michael s cynical views on the world began worrying his family and friends. “misfortune can no longer be avoided it had to be ended” This quote seemed very appropriate once Michael started putting effort into making his life more positive even after the death of his beloved girlfriend. I Found the plot interesting and how it included many life quotes which helped explain him as he developed as a character. I found at the beginning of the book Michaels character was weak even before he was sent to prison, he seemed to have no back bone and was not very responsible for his actions. Although I did not like his character I found it quite relatable to the average teenager. This book covered many issues that the average person can relate to, such as break ups, drug usage, jealousy and even the death of a loved one. Lesley’s simplistic writing style was enjoyable, it was straight forward and made the book a breeze to read. I found that throughout the book it was suspenseful but the end made the whole story, it was unpredictable and almost out of character for Michael to have ended up where he did. This I found intriguing because as I read through the book I noticed how Michael was developing and growing, He had many realizations and by the end of it he became a stronger, more experienced character. I respect how such a misfortune in someone’s life became a great lesson to learn from and progress. I noticed for a long time Michael was not able to let his past go but once he did, he was able to move forward and live peacefully.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an amazing book. It is about a sixteen year old Michael Grove serving half a year in jail. He was convicted for murdering his girlfriend Lisa Conroy. Michael was in love with Lisa, so he wasn’t able to kill her but no one believed his innocence. He was released when the real murderer of Lisa Conroy confessed. The real murderer was Miranda, Michael’s ex-girlfriend. Since he was released Michael realized that being wrongfully convicted person cannot escape from what people will still think you did.
Honestly, this was the first book that made me want to keep reading. It was just a great book for many teenagers to read. My favourite part of the book is when Michael was convicted of murder on his girlfriend Lisa Conroy. I was thinking to myself how the author is going to convict Michael when we all knew Michael couldn’t murder Lisa. Michael and Lisa had sex earlier before the murder and there was D.N.A from Michael on Lisa. The author had some smart ideas about how Michael could be convicted. Also, I liked that when Michael was released, he was still kind of locked up. The society he was in didn’t accept that he was wrongfully convicted and he was still a criminal in the minds of the other people.
There was one part of the book I didn’t really like. It was towards the end. I didn’t like that Michael wanted to have a relationship with Miranda after what she did to him. Miranda murdered Michael’s girlfriend Lisa who he was in love. Also, Miranda was the person who got him convicted of murdering Lisa and spending half a year in jail. I don’t know why he would go back out with Miranda after she basically ruined his life. Overall this book was an amazing book.

[Alysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this novel was really great and unique because it is not similar to any of the other books I have read. One idea in this book that I really enjoyed was that the author, Lesley Choyce added an unusual twist to the book. When I found out that Michael moved in with Miranda, I was shocked. I didn’t even see it coming. In a way, I was disappointed that Michael had chose to live and have a relationship with someone who murdered his girlfriend, Lisa. “And maybe you still can’t comprehend how I ended up in a relationship with Miranda. With someone who murdered the girl I loved. Maybe words can’t do the job I want them to do. Maybe you just have to accept it. Accept it as a possibility in the realm of infinite possibilities” (pg.262). In this line, it shows how even Michael does not know how to share his feelings about why he chose to live with her. This was a great end to the book because it left the reader wondering why anybody would even think about making the decision Michael made.
One thing that made this novel interesting and pleasurable for me was how the book took place in the past. It was Michael looking back at things that were related to the situation he was in, at that moment. This is evident in the line, “I had trained myself to read any book I could get my hands on. Lisa had been the one to teach me about leaping. ‘Pick a book that seems like the least likely book you’d want to read and give it a try. Just make the leap.’ She had loaned me several” (pg. 93). This was a great book with unexpected actions from the protagonist.

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Michael Grove endured the unimaginable when he was sent to adult prison after being wrongly convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, Lisa. Deprived of the girl he loved, the respect of everyone in his town and his own freedom, Michael still found ways to survive in jail. When the novel begins, the real killer has confessed and Michael is free – but liberty is hard to enjoy when the reception at home is so chilly. Almost everyone acts as if he is guilty of something and it takes all of Michael’s courage to get on a bus, let alone return to school. Eventually he does settle into a new, guarded routine and finds a few people who can help him move forward with his life. Michael has the benefit of a couple years of hindsight as he looks back on the period following his release, and his narration touches on many mature topics including sex, drugs, prejudice and violence. The story behind Michael’s rebellious youth and wrongful incarceration is compelling and unpredictable and it illustrates how often people judge others without understanding the reality of their lives. Michael’s psychology is explored in depth and while readers might disagree with Michael’s choices, Lesley Choyce certainly gives us the opportunity to understand them. Michael’s struggle to recover from a tragedy that was not his fault is a wrenching story but, more broadly, it also addresses the struggles of many children who deal with situations that they do not create or control.

Reviewed by Kris Rothstein in Canadian Children's Book News
Winter 2009 VOL.32 NO.1

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense journey for Michael that I just couldn't put down. His struggles of the stigma from the people around him that still believed that he killed Lisa, his girlfriend that he truly had feelings for. This was hard for Michael when he was released from prison after his wild fling girlfriend confessed that she killed Lisa while high and in a jealous rage and she wanted Michael for herself.

This is a strong on how it takes people a lot to forgive themselves for passed mistakes, but when they are willing to do that. They can also start to forgive others for what has happened towards them.

The ending was a bit of a shock. I didn't see that coming, but this was a fantastic read. It really makes you think back if you are holding any grudges yourself in your own life.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and it took me a while to get to, but eventually the plot drove me to pick it up (despite being in the middle of about 5 other books). A teenager accused of killing his girlfriend, sentenced to life in prison, later released because the actual killer confessed. Michael's journey to accepting his life now was unexpected, especially in regards to the prejudice he feels from people who still believe him to be guilty. The dialogue felt a bit stilted/scripted sometimes, but overall this story really made me think about things like capital punishment and guilt vs. innocence.

[Diane Mankowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Ned Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny Story will likely find this one intriguing too.
Wrongfully committed of murdering his girl-friend, Michael served 6 months of his sentence as an adult, at which time, the real murderer confesses. Michael tells his compelling story of trying to rebuild his life when his changed verdict does little to alter people's attitudes toward him, as well as, to cope with the loss of his girl-friend and the guilt, even responsibilty, he carries at being the last person to see her alive.
The ending left me shaking my head, not because it didn't fit with his charater, but because I had a completely different, albeit happier, one in mind for him.

[Sasquatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Returning from prison as we can all imagine, is never easy. But what about when you were wrongfully convicted of the murder of your girlfriend and everyone still thinks your guilty.
The characters of this book were very realistic and each one brought something to the story. Louis, his grandmother, Nicole and Miranda all felt like they could have been real people.
This book is all about the realisations Michael, the young protagonist comes to. The ending shocked me and didn't seem likely at all but it makes a point. In life you need to do what you feel is right. No matter what you od there will be controversy.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to grab me from the beginning. It moved at a quick pace and there were definitely times that I really felt for the main character. It definitely did not have a predictable ending! I would recommend this book to teens who have an interest in self-discovery or who may like to see what the effects of prison life can have on a person.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books about life from the perspective of someone who has been in a situation you've never been in and so this one had me hooked the whole time.

[Nightfalltwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird book.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

And so begins an exploration of the world of YA

Onward!

[Amy Mathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://amysmarathonofbooks.ca/the-boo...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, it showed perspective from a wrongly accused person and their struggle to fit back into society.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niiice, didn't see that coming at the end