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More on The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Another follow-up on the audiobook I'm currently listening to, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. (My previous post is here.)
I'm loving the author's reading of his novel, but I also picked up the print copy at the library and discovered that it's illustrated! Junior, having observed that the only Indians who are famous are artists of some type (including actors and writers as well as artists of the traditional sort), has decided to become a comic book artist, inspired partly because of his love of comic books. The print version of the book is illustrated by Junior's sketches and comics, so I've decided to have the best of both worlds and read the print book along with the audiobook.
As for the story, I'm about two-thirds of the way through the CD set, and Junior is doing better at his new school than I had thought he would. He was initially met by the expected snubbing and bullying, as well as being treated like a traitor by people on the reservation. But after being pushed too far with racial slurs by the alpha dog of the school, Roger, Junior fights back and slugs him in the face. Strangely, instead of beating up Junior in revenge, his bravado earns Roger's respect and the two eventually become friends. Coincidentally, Rowdy, Junior's best friend on the reservation was also a bully.
So far, Junior is far from being the most popular kid at school, but he's made a few friends, including the beautiful Penelope, who becomes his sort-of girlfriend. So he's found some happiness and hope at Reardon, but at the same time, he's well aware of the poverty that divides him from his classmates, and hurt and angered by the way most of the people on the reservation have turned against him for daring to wish for a better live. His estrangement from Rowdy hurts the most, and it's obvious that Rowdy is hurting too, though he won't admit it.
I'm really caught up in this book, and I'm loving it so much! I'm eager to finish it, while at the same time, I'll be sad to see Junior's story end once it's over.
I'm loving the author's reading of his novel, but I also picked up the print copy at the library and discovered that it's illustrated! Junior, having observed that the only Indians who are famous are artists of some type (including actors and writers as well as artists of the traditional sort), has decided to become a comic book artist, inspired partly because of his love of comic books. The print version of the book is illustrated by Junior's sketches and comics, so I've decided to have the best of both worlds and read the print book along with the audiobook.
As for the story, I'm about two-thirds of the way through the CD set, and Junior is doing better at his new school than I had thought he would. He was initially met by the expected snubbing and bullying, as well as being treated like a traitor by people on the reservation. But after being pushed too far with racial slurs by the alpha dog of the school, Roger, Junior fights back and slugs him in the face. Strangely, instead of beating up Junior in revenge, his bravado earns Roger's respect and the two eventually become friends. Coincidentally, Rowdy, Junior's best friend on the reservation was also a bully.
So far, Junior is far from being the most popular kid at school, but he's made a few friends, including the beautiful Penelope, who becomes his sort-of girlfriend. So he's found some happiness and hope at Reardon, but at the same time, he's well aware of the poverty that divides him from his classmates, and hurt and angered by the way most of the people on the reservation have turned against him for daring to wish for a better live. His estrangement from Rowdy hurts the most, and it's obvious that Rowdy is hurting too, though he won't admit it.
I'm really caught up in this book, and I'm loving it so much! I'm eager to finish it, while at the same time, I'll be sad to see Junior's story end once it's over.