Free Radical

by Claire Rudolf Murphy

Luke McHenry loves baseball. After repeated disappointments, he is determined to make the All Star team. Then his mother makes an explosive confession: 31 years ago she was involved in an anti-Vietnam... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618111344
• ISBN13: 9780618111343
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Made me think about justice versus revenge

First of all, I will say I am an adult, but I sometimes read good young adult fiction. I would put this book in that category. There were pros and cons but I think that this is a good book, and am important book for kids if they are thinking about what justice really means. Negatives: The portrayal of Amy, the young woman with a disability, does not really work. The author goes to extremes: either keeps mentioning the world wheelchair all the time or else stressing the fact Amy is super beautiful and can do so many things: these are often the two points of view when people without disabilities see people with disabilities. If Amy had worn glasses, would the glasses have been mentioned in every sentence describing her? It is true that this is LUKE's point of view: not the author's. That LUKE is uncomfortable and uneasy with Amy's disability yet extremely attracted to her and doesn't know how to handle it. But it would have been a better book had the author relaxed more in writing about Amy. The metaphor of the "free radical" was also a little forced. this phrase was mentioned at least once where it kind of hits us over the head. Positive: it is an excellent portrayal of conscience, and how even if we "get away" with things, our conscience will sometimes drive us to do the difficult thing like turning ourself in. Ironically, it was Luke's mother's conscience that initially got her in trouble with the crime she committed. I think the portrayal of Luke is excellent: a young boy growing into a man, being attracted to paintball and other playing at violence, then being faced with the past consequences of real violence and realizing the difference. And growing from needing his mother, and thinking of his own needs first, into becoming the young man who supports his mother at the sentencing hearing. The portrayal of LUke's mother made me think about things we all do, not actual crimes, but unkind words said or written, times we put ourselves and our own needs first, and kind acts we did NOT do: and realize that there are ways of healing the past instead of just dwelling on it/feeling guilty. Remember that today is the first day of the rest of your life, and everyone can change: if we remember that just today we intend to treat others and ourself, with kindness.

Brad's Review

My book is very eccentric!! I think it is entertaining, and most books I read I don't like. So it's perfect for people that don't really like to read because it's very suspenseful. It's also a good book for people that like sports because it has baseball in it. He likes the San Francisco Giants, but the best team is the Orioles all the way. Well one thing that bothered me about the book is how the mother acts and wants to go to prison. She's crazy---I would never let my mom do that. Otherwise I liked it.

My Review

Free Radicals is a fairly descent book, but it's not one of the best books I've every read. I give this book a 4 because there were some things that I really just didn't like about the book, but don't get me wrong this is a well developed story. I didn't like how Luke was all about himself. Like when Luke's mom told him the truth, he didn't want to hear, and didn't care about how his mom felt, he only cared about how he felt, what he was going to do, what he was going to face. That just really annoyed me. Another thing is that if your a person who is always guessing what is going to happen, like me, what you think is going to happen, always happens. Also, the story is built up really good and you wait for something really big to happen, but nothing does, it just ends. This book does have its pluses. The characters are well developed and you know them. Also a person could really relate to it. That's how I feel about this book, so go ahead and read it. It's worth reading.

Very Suspenseful

Last night, I started to read this book as I was going to bed. I read the first 20 pages or-so. Today, I finished off the book. It is very suspenseful & you may just read it as fast as I did. I will say that this is a very interesting book & it is well worth your time. There is just two problems with it:-The last 20-30 pages, you're waiting for something for something suspenseful to happen. But nothing does. That's the reason I gave it four stars. Something huge or radical (nyuk, nyuk) was going to come in my mind.-Luke McHenry, who is the character in first person, is a huge Giants fan. Sorry, bub, but the Angels rock. Can't avoid Halo Magic.Otherwise this is a great book. The characters are well developed & the author puts an interesting twist on the book by placing most of the story in Alaska. It shows that they DON'T live in igloos. They're all just regular dudes up there. A very realistic story. Recommended for people who liked "Zach's Lie" or suspenseful, crime-filled books.