It’s Erin, and I have a more informal review for you today. Let me know what you think!
I read The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt last year for school, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s not a book I would normally pick up and read, but I assure you, this book is incredible.
Of course, a friend of mine recently pointed out that I keep recommending Newberry Honors, so maybe I like it because it was so good it won an award? I don’t know. *shrugs*
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The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt is a story of a young boy’s coming-of-age, of family loyalty, of discovering oneself. It is a story of love through a humorous retelling. Throughout The Wednesday Wars, the story is narrated by Holling Hoodhood, a seventh grader who is convinced that his teacher (Mrs. Baker) hates him. Truly, he does not realize that Mrs. Baker actually has his best interests at heart and eventually appears to take the place of his parents. Actually, the antagonist turns out to be Mr. Hoodhood, Holling’s father, for many specific reasons. Holling and Mr. Hoodhood are truthfully not that much alike, but there are quite a few differences between them.
While there are not that many similarities between Holling and his father, they are both incredibly good at drawing up blueprints. Mr. Hoodhood is an architect, working for Hoodhood & Associates. Expecting his son to take over the architectural company one day, Mr. Hoodhood puts a lot of pressure on Holling and frequently makes him feel bad when he does not appear interested in the family business. Holling is talented at designing buildings, but he is not sure if that is something he would want to do for the rest of his life. By the end of the book, Holling learns that he does not want to be an architect like his father. He desires to be his own person, someone free of his father’s reign.
Frankly, Holling and Mr. Hoodhood are more different than alike. Throughout the course of the book, Holling learns that he is loyal to the end to his sister, Heather. When Heather is about to be hit by a bus unawares, Holling utilizes his running skills and pushes her out of the way, getting hit himself. When this occurred, Mr. Hoodhood did not even check on his son at the hospital; instead, he entrusted Mrs. Baker to do so. Furthermore, Mr. Hoodhood forgets when he promises to take his son to specific events and never attends his son’s activities. He demands perfection from his children so that the family’s reputation stays intact, but he is far from perfect himself.
In The Wednesday Wars, it is clear that Holling is the character that changes the most. He has discovered what it means to be loyal to one’s family, and he has learned to appreciate his big sister, Heather, through her running away and needing help coming back. Holling discovers he does not want to be his father, and that becoming a man is not through inheriting a business inheritance like his father believes. To Holling, one must choose whether one is a man or not.
In my opinion, Holling is the character most relatable to me between him and his father. Through trial and error, Holling discovers that he loves his sister and cares about what happens to her. He would protect her at all costs, even when it puts himself in danger or his father’s disfavor. He is loyal to her. Furthermore, Holling discovers that Shakespeare is an enjoyable read though difficult. I also enjoy reading Shakespeare because it is tragically humorous though challenging to read. The Wednesday Wars was a truly enjoyable read for me.
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I’m sure you understand what I mean by it being more informal. This book is incredible, as is the sequel. I have yet to read the third book, but I am really looking forward to it!
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