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by: Robert Cormier  Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Binding: Mass Market PaperbackEAN: 9780440229711 ISBN: 0440229715 Label: Laurel Leaf Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 176 Publication Date: May 13, 2003 Publisher: Laurel Leaf Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: May 13, 2003 Studio: Laurel Leaf Related Items: Alternate Versions: Click to Display Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com: This final novel from the grand master of young-adult fiction is one last jewel in the literary crown of Robert Cormier, who died in November 2000. In it he continues to explore the themes that are so characteristic of his work: guilt and forgiveness, misuse of authority, and the corruption of innocence. But a new book from Cormier is always a surprise, and here he gives us a brilliant evocation of the detective story, in a narrative that centers on the interrogation of a murder suspect. A 7-year-old girl has been battered to death, and there are no suspects, no leads. The police, under political pressure to make an arrest, bring in Trent, a cold, ambitious professional interrogator who prides himself on his ability to extract confessions. His victim is 12-year-old Jason--the last person to see the girl. We know that Jason is innocent, and halfway through the interrogation Trent realizes it, too, in "a blazing moment." But like a medieval torturer, his goal is confession, not truth, and so he stifles his impulses for good and proceeds with the job, with deeply ironic consequences. The interrogation itself, which forms the centerpiece of the novel, is dazzling in its elegant thrust-and-parry, its subtle twists and turns, as Jason frantically tries to escape, like a mouse caged with a python. The point of view snaps back and forth so that we are intensely aware of the shifting emotions of both participants in the deadly game. And once again, Cormier has given us an ending that seems provocative and uncomfortable--until we remember that the center of his moral universe was always summed up by the words "if only." (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell Product Description: Twelve-year old Jason is accused of the brutal murder of a young girl. Is he innocent or guilty? The shocked town calls on an interrogator with a stellar reputation: he always gets a confession. The confrontation between Jason and his interrogator forms the chilling climax of this terrifying look at what can happen when the pursuit of justice becomes a personal crusade for victory at any cost. From the Hardcover edition. Download Description: Twelve-year old Jason is accused of the brutal murder of a young girl. Is he innocent or guilty? The shocked town calls on an interrogator with a stellar reputation: he always gets a confession. The confrontation between Jason and his interrogator forms the chilling climax of this terrifying look at what can happen when the pursuit of justice becomes a personal crusade for victory at any cost. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - A rapid readingThis book is easy to read, and not boring, I hope to read some other books by the author Rating:  - The Rag and Bone ShopI purchased a class set of this novel for my freshmen class. The enthusiasm for it was overwhelming and although it is a tragic topic, the resolution was appropriate for this age level. It is an easy read and allowed for most reading levels. Vocabulary is fairly basic and the concepts were clear. I highly recommend it as an independent reading book which can also be easily summarized and critiqued by the students Rating: - Exploring the Human Condition with R. CormierWhen seven-year-old Alicia Bartlett is mysteriously murdered, Trent, a relentless ace investigator for the police department, finds himself faced with a difficult and irresistible moral decision. Is it worth the risk to sacrifice truth for the sake of his impeccable reputation? As Trent interviews Jason, a thirteen-year-old friend of the victim and the last person to see her alive, he questions whether or not the innocent, naive boy, too, is expendable. With no clues as to the identity of the murderer, ... Read More Rating: - Guilty Until Proven InnocentRobert Cormier, the Godfather of YA Lit, gave us one last effort with THE RAG AND BONE SHOP, and this troubling, novella-length book aims squarely at a favorite Cormier theme: the misuse and abuse of authority. The intriguing title comes by way of a W.B. Yeats poem with the lines "I must lie down where all the ladders start/In the foul rag-and-bone shop of the heart." Foul? There's plenty to go around in this economic cautionary tale (like a short story, it can be read in one sitting). First ... Read More Rating:  - Bad EndingWhen I saw this book, I was very interested in reading it. The plot sounded interesting and I couldn't wait to see the outcome. Jason is a 12 year old boy who is accused of murdering Alicia, the 7 year old sister of one of Jason's "friends". Trent is the interrogator hired to interrogate Jason and make him confess murdering Alicia. I read this book in one day for the same reason I decided to read the book: to see the outcome. It wasn't the most exciting book to read and I found myself confused during Trent and ... Read More 
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