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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “Wow...I didn't want to read this... This is really not my type of book. I am sooo glad I read it. These true, first hand accounts of teenagers (some of whom are now adults) on death row are shocking, gut-wrenching and touching at the same time. Kuklin does a great job of keeping her voice out of...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “The book no choirboy is about several teenage young men that are on death row in prison. the book gos into the lives of these men and it talks about the crime that they commited that ended them on death row. this book is a quick read and vert interesting.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“Wow...I didn't want to read this... This is really not my type of book. I am sooo glad I read it. These true, first hand accounts of teenagers (some of whom are now adults) on death row are shocking, gut-wrenching and touching at the same time. Kuklin does a great job of keeping her voice out of the text, only inserting transitional elements or explanations where needed. The words/verbage are from the inmates themselves. They don't ask for forgiveness nor deny guilt; they explain the circumstances that led to their imprisonment.
CandyLea wrote this review Monday, October 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I can't say I loved this book as I can about others, but I can say that I'll be recommending to everyone as a thoughtful, provocative read.”“The book no choirboy is about several teenage young men that are on death row in prison. the book gos into the lives of these men and it talks about the crime that they commited that ended them on death row. this book is a quick read and vert interesting. ”
Jared T wrote this review Friday, September 25 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“its a good book”
Dylan G wrote this review Thursday, May 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“In this award-winning nonfiction book, the author presents her interviews with young men who are serving sentences on death row for crimes they committed when they were younger than 18-years-old. Their portrayals of life on death row and in prison are descriptive and riveting. This book is hard to put down!”
Suzanne S wrote this review Monday, April 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book takes an intersting look at the death penalty and teeangers by talking to teens who actually have spent time on death row or are going to be spending their lives in prision. It also deals with the story of a teen who had already been executed, family of a murdered teen and a lawyer trying to do some good and provide legal (and other help) to teens and other affected by the death penalty and life terms. What infuriated me the most was how much question there was in the cases about who actually commited the murder! And how many people walked away free and clear for ratting out somebody else.”
Erin F wrote this review Monday, February 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“First-person interviews with teens on death row or in prison. I felt like I gained more of a perspective on what life might be like in prison--pretty grim. Pictures with stories and vernacular, helped paint interesting portraits of teens--exploring the death penalty from a different perspective. ”
Amanda M wrote this review Wednesday, January 21 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a no-holds-barred depiction of prison life as described by death-row prisoners who committed murder as teenagers. It's rounded out with interviews with victims of violence and a lawyer who fights for the rights of death-row inmates. Fans of gritty street reads will get into the inmates' true stories but the realities of life for inmates and victims will give pause. A literary "Scared Straight."”
Salsabrarian wrote this review Tuesday, November 25 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a fascinating, easy-to-read book that you don't want to put down once you pick it up! It tells the stories of death row inmates, family members of inmates, and family members of victims in their own words. It includes photos of the people involved, and artwork by one of the prisoners. It opens you eyes to what prison life is really like. I was surprised by a lot of what I read.”
Donna B wrote this review Monday, November 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I think my exploration of the death penalty started with Wally Lamb and then I read Sister Helen PreJean and others. This book looks at a very particular aspect of capital punishment- mainly the lives of teenagers sentenced to death or life in prison. The author gained access through their lawyers and was allowed to interview these boys about their lives inside and their feelings about their crimes, trial, sentencing, and debt to society. Common in each story are the overwhelming grimness and brutality of prison life and the horror of what these kids are forced to learn to do to survive. I think this would be a real eye opener for any young adult reading the book. For me the thing that stuck out was how little the prison system does to try to rehabiitate or reform any of the prisoners in its care. Punishment seems to be the primary function. Even the attempts described by several of the inmates in the book to better themselves are blocked or made more difficult. If indeed, as one young man says, the only purpose of the prisons is to warehouse offenders, then we can't really be too surprised with their total inability to reintigrate into society upon release and the corelating high recidivisim rate.”
Michelle L wrote this review Monday, October 20 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Ever wonder what hard time is like? The author of this non-fiction work was curious, especially since these teens were sent to death row. An inside look at the criminals, the lawyers and the victims on both sides of this controversial topic.”
Naomi B wrote this review Thursday, October 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
