Bookverdict.com

An exploded diagram is an image that demonstrates the relationship of component parts. Peet uses this definition as a structure for the story of two young lovers, set against the historical background of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Here the component parts are Clem, a scholarship student living in state housing; Frankie, the daught...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Gr 9 Up—Peet's brilliant, ambitious novel bridges the years between World War II and the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City, but at its heart is a star-crossed affair set during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The titular life is that of 17-year-old Clem Ackroyd, a working-class boy living in British government-assisted housing. The object of his lust, 16-year-old Frankie Mortimer, resides in ritzy Bratton Manor. Despite their class differences, Clem and Frankie launch a torrid (and top secret...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

In this story spanning 1945 through the present, Clem Ackroyd tells of his clandestine relationship with upper-class Frankie Mortimer. ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

A thoughtful and funny multigenerational saga that covers international affairs from the early 1900s onward. The novel closely investigates how world events affected individuals ranging from John F. Kennedy to Clem’s superstitious grandmother and his World War II-veteran father. With succinct descriptions, Mal Peet renders remarkably clear portraits of each character. For instance, Clem’s best friend, Goz, “had black curly hair that sat on top of ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More