Basic plot
John Fenton's life is hard. Mostly because his father uses him and his mother as punching bags. Pushed to his limits he finally stood up to his old man, only to find himself torn away from his home and sent to a place where all young delinquents find themselves, an 'approved school'. Even the horrors of his life at home paled in comparison to what St Vincent had to offer. John Fenton endured unspeakable situations and found that surviving was an almost impossible task.
What I liked and disliked about this book
The language used in this book is very simple, and straightforward. Everything was told almost in a matter of fact way that made each unbelievably atrocious event that he suffered seemed even more horrifying. Knowing that the story is a true one left chills down my spine. It also shows how easily some kids can slip through the cracks and how easily bad things can happen. The main character comes off as so very human, with his own faults and merits, surrounded by people or more aptly, monsters, in authority. Beware of the strong language, swear words are strewn over each page. The ending was slightly too abrupt but since the main focus was his journey, the author probably did not put much emphasis on the destination.
A quote I liked from the book
"I don't get bullied. I fight back."
Rating: 4/5
