Bought this at a library used book sale.

I read a copy of this I bought at a library book sale, because I remember my BookCrossing friend, ResQgeek, speaking well of it at a book festival. After finishing it, I discovered a copy of this book has been on my BookCrossing bookcase UNJOURNALED for years now! Oh no! I'm glad to have finally read it so I can pass it on.

This is a novelization of a teleplay based on a short story based on a real event. I'm sure somewhere in there details got excluded or overdramatized. But I certainly don't have any trouble believing some version of this did in fact take place in a high school (knowing so well the way students behave and feel). To watch these confused and vulnerable students get swept up into a group proporting to make them better and do good things for others and then to have that snowball into something less than healthy certainly makes it easier to understand how the Hitler Youth gained such popularity. Society gets dangerous when people stop questioning; I'm just glad the teacher was able to stop it before this social experiment got even further out of control, in this case.

I felt the writing was a little simplistic and didn't really get to the core of emotions for each of the characters--teacher or students. I would also have liked more points of view, such as that of Robert Billings (who changed so dramatically and had others' opinions about him change as well) or of the students who get victimized by members of The Wave, not because the story needed it but because it would be nice to get into their heads as well.

I did enjoy the book, and it gave me a lot to think about.

Pop Sugar Reading Challenge: A book you got from a used book sale

One of many books given away at the Kensington Day of the Book Festival for a new reader to find & enjoy!

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Making a journal entry here lets me know the book has been found and is safe in your hands. The book is yours now! Read it, give it to a friend, pass it on, or keep it forever--it's your choice.

If you pass it on to someone or leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, please make another journal entry or release notes here to explain that it's travelling to find another home.

You can remain anonymous on the website or join BookCrossing. Joining is free, safe, and spam free and you'll get an e-mail every time a new person finds this book. You'll be able to watch it move around and find out what other readers thought of it.

I hope you enjoy the book. Happy reading!

One of many books given away at the Gaithersburg Book Festival for a new reader to find & enjoy!

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Making a journal entry here lets me know the book has been found and is safe in your hands. The book is yours now! Read it, give it to a friend, pass it on, or keep it forever--it's your choice.

If you pass it on to someone or leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, please make another journal entry or release notes here to explain that it's travelling to find another home.

You can remain anonymous on the website or join BookCrossing. Joining is free, safe, and spam free and you'll get an e-mail every time a new person finds this book. You'll be able to watch it move around and find out what other readers thought of it.

I hope you enjoy the book. Happy reading!