Review Detail

To me, this book was a great blend of comedy and drama. Stanley falls into a terrible situation, the victim of a wrongful conviction, that sends him to a juvenile detention camp. Between his oddball fellow campers, the malevolent counselors, and the larger than life figures from the past that are affecting the present, we get to read about some very memorable characters.

I love the whole curse aspect, and the way Stanley is always fighting against that, and Kate Barlow's "you'll never get the best of me" attitude, with the way she hides her treasure, is awesome. You want so badly for Stanley and the other kids to find a way to defeat the counselors, and take the camp down, and that back and forth struggle feels very real in this book. There are ups and downs and an ending that is very well done.

--Alex