Ostrich Boys: by Keith Gray

OSTRICH BOYS

SUMMARY

Ross is dead, and Blake, Sim, and Kenny are furious. To make it right, they steal Ross’s ashes and set out from their home on the English coast for the tiny village of Ross in southern Scotland, a place their friend had always wanted to go. What follows is an unforgettable journey with illegal train rides, bungee jumping, girls, and high-speed police chases—all with Ross’s ashes along for the ride. As events spin wildly out of control, the three friends must take their heads out of the sand long enough to answer the question: What really happened to Ross?

REVIEW

Death is one of the hardest things anyone has to deal with.

It’s maddening, heartbreaking, and pointless. But worst of all it’s lonely.

And when it happens to your best friend it’s so horrible you couldn’t and shouldn’t try to deal with it alone.

In Ostrich Boys Kenny, Sim, and Blake have lost their best friend, Ross. They don’t know what to do but they know it all just seems… wrong. All the people in Ross’s life made him miserable. From his parents’ constant nagging, to his teacher’s unrelenting harassment, to the school bully’s daily abuse, they all beat him down until there was nothing left. And now that Ross is gone they don’t even acknowledge it’s their fault. Because of this, Ross’s friends decide to steal his ashes and set out to the one place Ross joked he wanted to live, Ross, Scotland.

Now with an adventure rivaling Steve Martin and John Candy’s Planes, Trains, and Automobiles three friends travel across the country in effort to resolve their feelings of grief and guilt and to finally lay their best friend to rest.

Ostrich Boys was a truly remarkable book. The emotions expressed in this novel are palpable as the three teenagers fight against the bitter disappointment and sadness that has encompasses them in their effort to deal with their friend’s death.

But what was most shocking to me were the connections I felt to the main characters. I could easily relate to the sense of togetherness each of the boys felt for each other, and had no trouble believing that this ragtag group of friends could form.

Gray clearly spent countless hours honing the interactions between these characters, as this is the essence of the book. Without these lifelike and charismatic interactions between the characters, Ostrich Boys would flounder and fail. But with them they create a relatable coming of age story that will captivate audiences worldwide.

Ostrich Boys is a compelling tale filled with memorable characters, an interesting plot, and emotions galore. Because of this I would recommend Ostrich Boys to boys between 12 and 20. That said, the feelings and lessons within Ostrich Boys are applicable to anyone, no matter their age, and as such I could see people of all ages enjoying Ostrich Boys.

RATING

7.5 out of 10

INFO

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Published: March 23, 2010

Price: $17.99