Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

his book really made me think about life and people. I enjoyed reading it very much. I just finished another great book called, " Up From Corinth: Book 2 of Journey Into Darkness" by author J. Arthur Moore. Duane Kinkade enters the Civil War at Shiloh in search of his father, but finds the mind-numbing chaos of battle, fear, the loss of a friend, and his own wounding; leading to an unexpected new and deep friendship in the other army as he is cared for after the battle. http://www.upfromcorinth.com/

Reader reviewed by Adam

This book is very good. It is very emotional, and makes you think about the racial issues of a small town in a rural part of the country in the early 1900's. You get so addicted to reading this book, you can hardly put it down!

The characters' personalities are all different, and you soon choose your favorite characters and your least favorite characters. Probablt the thing I liked the most about this novel is the changing of events. One page your on Turner (the main character) thikig about his new life iin Maine, the next page he is towering on a cliff over the green sea below. Sometimes the changes are so dramatic you shout out "What!!"

If you like consantly changing events and a growing history and storyline, you'll love this book!

Reader reviewed by plentyo'moxie

From the description of this book, I didnt really think I was going to like it. I read it because it got some literary awards. So once again, I should say that I learned my lesson not to judge a book by its (back) cover. Though of course, I havent really learned that lesson yet.

So the story is set back in the day in a rural Maine community. Turner, son of a preacher man, is the main character. Hes just moved from Boston, where people are more liberal and there are more people in general so he doesnt feel so much like the entire town is watching him to make sure he never slips up. (Of course he does, and there are some side plots about that.) Lizzie is his friend, a really good friend (but not a special friend, at least it doesnt seem like it goes that far.) but she is black, a member of a community founded by ex-slaves. Some of the townspeople hate having the black people there, and convince Turners dad to help oust them.

Things happen houses burn, people die you know. What I most recommend this book on is its solid writing, believable and deep characters, and fluid plot-line. Really good.

Reader reviewed by bookworm9

Turner Buckminster III isn't excited about his familiy's move from Boston to Maine in 1911-- he's sick of being a minister's son, and he doesn't want to live in a place where even baseball isn't the same. Then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffen, an African American girl from a nearby island, and Maine doesn't seem so bad after all. But when the local parishoners want to evict Lizzie and her neighbors to the island can become a tourist haven, Turner finds himself in the middle of a battle and feels that everyone, including his straight-laced father, is against him. Then Turner learns that not everyone is as they originally seem, and bonds can form in the most unexpected ways...even in times of sadness.

This is an interesting story that explores both a unique friendship and a unique father-son relationship. The text is a bit dense, and the story is perhaps overly traumatic, but it's still a good story with a strong message about human nature.