Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard | Book Review

Read to your heart’s content. Though if you are a reader, the heart is never content.

This is a quote from Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbarb.

A book, with lots of poetry and Moby Dick.

Paper Covers Rock is a Printz Winning Book.

Table of Contents

Writing is Convincing

I admit, when I was reading the book I forgot that it is a novel written by Jenny Hubbard. I was reading it as it is, like a diary written by Alex.

Same thing happened when I was reading the Flynn Laukonen series. That book really throws into the brain of the protagonist.

Paper Covers Rock is a story of three friends, Thomas dies at the river when he jumps from the cliff.

Glenn and Alex, they want to save their neck, start saying lies. In between lies, lies a terrific story to read.

Is the death of Thomas was the accident or was the result of the ill judgement ? Or the planned incident to cover up secrets ?

From the beautiful language, to the clever turns of phrase, to the deep exploration of classic issues like guilt, deceit and loyalty, PAPER COVERS ROCK truly has all the hallmarks of a classic.

Suspense Until End

This is questionable up to the end of the book.

Even after you put down the book.

But they are not the only ones at the river that day.

Their English teacher, the only young female teacher at boy’s school’s campus, was also there. Glenn and Alex doubt that she knows more than she is revealing.

Glenn makes Plan that he will create awkwardness and difficult situations for her while Alex will go closer to her.

There will be a chance that might be Ms Dovecott will tell Alex something about that day.

The Question hangs is:

Is Thomas death is Paper that is covering some Rocks?

Read Reviews

Alex and Thomas parallel to Paper Covers Rock

So, the story is great, so is the voice of Alex.

It moves from the past to present to the past to present and so on.. without making it all confusing and irritating.

Good thing is, because of it, we get to know Thomas more precisely.

What I carry in my backpack down to the river, I carry not knowing that in less than an hour Thomas Broughton will be dead. That is not a knowledge I carry yet, but I will carry it soon – the knowledge of my darkest self – and I will carry it forever.

Boys Hostel

Hubbard understands boys hostel’s rules and way of working.

Boys crush on a teacher, their showing offs of their life at home. Lying, abusing, rumours.

There are many poems written by Thomas, which I do not understand because I do not understand poetry, not a single word. That made me angry as poems have a lot to do with the story.

I think there were many subjects hidden in them, which directly bounces over my head.

A drawback.

Moby-Dick references too.

The writing style is poetic and I loved the conversations.

They are accurate.

“You are on my side,” she says.
“What side is that?” I ask.
“The winning side,” she says, and smiles. “The team of the artists.”
“Who are we playing?”
“The barbarians,” she says. “We are always playing them.”

Miss Devcott: Nicely written character

What entertains most is the character of Ms Dovecott. Despite the story, she was a good teacher.

You do not find this quality of teachers IRL.

And this is where story made me the give the book extra star.

Many people did not like the ending of the book but, I liked it.

Ms Dovecott was very nice, supportive and good natured from the starting. What she did in the end, was somewhat according to her personality. She was like that.