Gentlemen

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Michael and his friends are treated like Gentlemen by the one teacher in school who might understand them. They're a bunch of misfits who dislike school. One of Michael's friends gets himself into trouble during class. He disappears from the classroom - and from town.

No one can find him and he's not picking up his cell phone.

The boys are worried - especially given the lesson from their English teacher the day before. He brought in a heavy barrel and invited the students to lift the barrel and guess the item inside it as a precursor to the new novel they'd be reading. He never revealed the barrel's contents and the boys came to some of their own conclusions.

Could it be possible that Tommy's been murdered? How can they discover the truth behind his disappearance?

GENTLEMEN is a chilling novel that starts out a little slow but ends with a bang. The cover alone will draw readers in, but the story will make them linger even after the book has been finished.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

five stars

This book is creepy, but it has just enough to keep you completely hooked. This book has this sort of dread to it...and the suspense is painful (in a good way). Despite it being somewhat brutal, I found it quite humorous at times. Most suprising, loved the ending. Excellent read, highly recommended.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great book!

Gentlemen is a book of wide proportions that you must open your mind in order to see outside the box. The story was compelling and one I had yet to see. The uniqueness of it I loved. So I can't imagine why so many people gave this book 3 stars? I thought this book was one heck of a read.

The moment I began this story I admit it was slow. It took a while for the build up to come and boy did it ever. Bones, Michael, Tommy, and Mixer are all good friends. They are all alike and troubled. Most teachers don't even look their way or even try to help them. When one teacher decides to open their minds he has no idea what can of worms he just let out.

I can say that I understand these characters completely. For one, I was not a trouble maker in school but when I dated one, all of a sudden I could not be trusted. It was like all the teachers just changed. It was weird. Just because you are "troubled" doesn't mean anything. I like the fact that they teacher tried to help the boys. I was glad that he was able to reach the gentlemen when no one else had. Now, the way it all turned out, well, that I did not see.

The ending was,... how can I say ironic? Here was this teacher only trying to help and it turned on him. But the teacher did succed in getting the boys what he wanted them to do. They read the book. They learned. And even at that the teacher held no ill will againist them. And for that he is a great teacher. I still wonder why would he put on a show like that? Hmmm...

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pretty good

The book started off great....suspense..drama....all that good stuff. The plot played out throughout the whole book and then just in time for the ending....the story line fell flat. That's it, it just ended. The whole book lead up to nothing and I was quite disappointed :(. Nevertheless, I WOULD recommend this book to a friend.

It wasn't what I thought

The first thing that got my attention was, the protagonist. It's being told by a point of a view of a guy. But not just any guy. Most of the male characters I've read in the majority of YA literature are..let's say sugar coated. They're there to attract the girl readers and make us into fan girls. (Yes, it's true. I have several crushes on some of them). In this case, it's different. Micheal (main character) is, acts, well, like a normal guy. The way he talks, the way he tries to get a girlfriend, his behavior with his friends and his attitude towards school, all of it is so realistic and well written. His friends are equally the same way so this part of the book, I thought was good.

Getting onto the plot is a different story. First, the pace is a little slower than I thought. Also if you're looking for a super thriller, you won't find it here. There's really nothing thrilling or suspenseful about it. Which is disappointing as I was expecting something that packed a punch or at least with something that has a shocking twist. There were also several mini plots throughout the book and none of them contributed to the plot whatsoever. One that particularly irked me was Micheal's internet moments. He periodically checks back to see if he gets any responses from a potential girlfriend, and what this has to do with anything is beyond me. I thought it was terribly pointless and a page filler, which does nothing to advance the main plot.

The ending climax is, well anti climactic. Tommy's end result wasn't anything special and you're left wondering if you've read the entire book for nothing. However, there's one particular moment when the students confront Haberman, the mood and tension between all of them was well written and felt. Otherwise, once the mood is over, everything just seems to come back to normal again. It's frustrating as some parts of the story was good and some of the writing is well done but the plot could have used a lot of work.

The cover was a job well done, but I don't know if the book is really worth a read. It is pretty short so it can be covered in one sitting but it ends up being frustrating because with such an anti climactic ending, you feel as if you wasted your time. I'd say take it or leave it. Your choice.

A Well-Crafted, Suspenseful and Chilling Tale!!!

In this extraordinary debut novel, Michael Northrop offers a well-crafted, chilling tale, full of mystery and suspense. Told in the first person, the story nicely balances the narrator's affable, almost innocent, tone with the darker side of human nature. Suitable for teens and adults alike, the story will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat as it navigates the twists and turns of a friendship thrust into the middle of most peculiar mystery. I highly recommend it!

A great book for guys!

This is a book about three teens trying to figure out what happened to their friend, who goes missing at the start. Micheal, Tommy, and Mixer are tough kids trying to figure out the mystery. They start to suspect their English teacher is involved, and things go downhill quickly from there.

The book gets pretty dark, but it's also about friendship and loyalty. It's very realistic and gritty with some action and mystery thrown in. All in all, it's an excellent book for teens who like a good, gritty read with maybe a little hope at the end.

One of the worst books I've ever come across!

I've had this book sitting bedside my bed for months now. I'm four chapters in and cannot stand to look at it near my other book si'm currently reading, you know the ones with substance and character. This book is worse than even some of the horrible books I've revied on B&N becasue at least those ones i finished! I cannot bear reading any more of this book and will probably end up throwing it away.

I won't give or sell or recommend this book to anyone...i wouldn't even donate it to my local library because i don't want anyone wasting their time reading such horrible fiction. It's so bad I want to e-mail Scholastic Press and ask them what they were thinking when they allowed this man to publish such a crappy piece of literature!!! WHY DID I WASTE MY MONEY ON THIS!??!?!

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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