Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Catcher, Caught by Sarah Honenberger


A few months after doctors tell him he has only a year to live, a precocious 15-year-old from a small town in Virginia has an intense reaction to The Catcher in the Rye. Deriving inspiration from Salinger's narrative, Daniel Landon begins to question the intentions and authority of those around him in his own search for identity as he faces death. Tired of his cramped surroundings and hippie parents' alternative approaches to his treatment, he follows the footsteps of Holden Caulfield to New York City in search of the same eternal truths, only to discover the importance of home when death looms. A coming of age story, a love story, and a new classic, CATCHER, CAUGHT will engage the imagination of more than one generation, searching for lasting values.

See, this book is a perfect illustration of everything that is wrong with the publishing industry. It boggles the mind that a book that is as wonderful as this one is has not received the recognition it deserves.

I can’t say enough good things about it. The writing is top notch, with the fluidity that is telling of a talented writer. The main character, Daniel, is someone who stays with you long after the last page, you worry right alongside his parents for his health to return. His voice is so fresh, so young and yet surprisingly wise.

There is always a danger when writing a book about someone with a terminal disease, that it can get melodramatic, but the author never fell into that pitfall, always managing to maintain the breezy tone going.

The storyline is tightly crafted with no un-tucked threads to leave you wondering. All the characters are lifelike and people you can sympathize with even if you don’t agree with everything they do.
This is a book I long for everyone to buy and read. It was a revelation and I am very glad I was lucky enough to get a chance to read it.



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