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Journal Entry 1 by choclaholic from San Antonio, Texas USA on Saturday, July 17, 2004
 I saw this book at a library book sale, and with my screen name, I just had to have it :) Will read, review and release.
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Journal Entry 2 by choclaholic from San Antonio, Texas USA on Wednesday, June 01, 2005
2005/32
I finally got around to reading this book, and I have come to find out that this is the fourth most banned book in America (as recorded by the ALA between 1990 - 2000). Although it did have scenes of mild violence, mild descriptions of young sexual fantasy, and some "wanking" (masturbation), overall, I thought it was a good book for older middle-school readers and/or young teens; especially boys.
This is primarily the story of Jerry Renault, a freshman at an all boys Catholic High School. Jerry's adversaries include Brother Leon, a teacher whose character I found rather disturbing, as he craves power and glory at the expense of breaking laws or humiliating the youth in his charge. Jerry's other opponents include Archie, the leader of a gang called The Vigils, and a grunt under The Vigil's control named Emile.
And so the story goes: Brother Leon, in his quest to become Headmaster, has rather questionably procured some chocolate candies for the school fundraising sale. Leon attempts to bribe The Vigils to make sure the sale is a success. But the Vigils, always the pranksters, have back-stabbed Brother Leon, and in an attempt to initially frustrate the guy, (though not go so far as sabotage it), they chose Jerry to stand up and refuse to sell any candies.
Jerry, a good student and athlete, but already troubled by the recent loss of his mother, is discovering for himself how to "Disturb the Universe", or so his locker room poster of a poem by TS Eliot exalts. Jerry ends up defying both Brother Leon and The Vigils by carrying his refusal past the limits, and thereby breaking the school out in a virtual war over an individual's right to choose whether or not to participate in the fundraiser.
Brother Leon persuades The Vigils that it is in their best interest to rekindle the sale, and they choose a dark path for this. In the final showdown scene, involving a "raffle of violence", Jerry makes up his own mind about this whole mob mentality thing. I don't know if I totally agree with Jerry's final conclusions, but I don't totally disagree with them either. At least the author is not preachy; he is very realistic and true. I saw at the back of this book that Cormier wrote a sequel: Beyond the Choclate War. This next book may further explore Jerry's mind set. I thought I'd just mention that as food for thought for the next reader; personally, I choose not to seek it out.
This is available for Wild Release.
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Journal Entry 3 by choclaholic at Dave & Busters at the Crossroads Mall in San Antonio, Texas USA on Friday, June 03, 2005
Released 6 yrs ago (6/3/2005 UTC) at Dave & Busters at the Crossroads Mall in San Antonio, Texas USA WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
I left this in the front lobby near the front door, on a ledge behind the trash can.
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The Chocolate War
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
