Book Review: Ironman

Ironman by Chris Crutcher
Click on the cover to find a library copy.

Synopsis (taken from Chris Crutcher's website)

Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. Following angry outburst at his football coach and English teacher that have cost his spot on the football team and moved him dangerously close to expulsion from school, he turns to the only adult he believes will listen: Larry King.

In his letters to Larry, Bo describes his quest for excellence on his own terms. No more coaches for me, he tells the talk show icon, no more dads. I'm going to be a triathlete, an Ironman.

Relugated to Mr. Nak's before-school anger management group(which he initially believes to populated with future serial killers and freeway snipers), Bo meets a hard-edged, down-on-their-luck pack of survivors with stainless steel shields against the world that Bo comes to see are not so different from their own. It's here he meets and falls in love with Shelly, a future American Gladiator, whose passion for physical challenge more than matches his own.

My Review

Ironman was a heartfelt story about learning to accept that you can't change who your parents are, but you can stop yourself from becoming them. That was Bo's worst fear, to end up exactly like his dad. To him there was nothing worse in the world. As he struggles along, trying to make sense of the world, Bo works hard to compete in Yukon Jake's triathlon, pushing against anyone who wants him to fail, even his own father. This was about the third time I've read this book cover to cover and it still gets me every time. The raw emotion and the stories that leave to breathless. There are no sunshine and daises in a Chris Crutcher book, you feel the life these kids live and you wonder, that could have been me. Wonderful read.