Rocket Ship by C.O.B

Sick and tired of their lives, two best friends (Lincoln and Gary) decide to run away by building a rocket ship. However, if you read this book expecting a tale of runaways, you may be disappointed, because the rocket ship only launches at the end of the book, and even then, we don't know how it launched.

While this book initially focuses on Lincoln and Gary, it eventually expands to all the dissatisfied children in the class. It becomes a look at childhood, and whether certain types of childhood pain is unbearable, and what makes it worth staying on in your current life. This added dimension was certainly something that I was not expecting.

However, for all the good points of the novel, there are also parts of it I didn't like. One thing that annoyed me was the style of narration. I found the book slow to start (I only started liking it when the other kids came in), and the way of narration made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters. This is probably because the point of view is strictly third person ( "Lincoln and Gary", "they", not "Lincoln and I" or "we").

Speaking of the kids, my favourite characters were probably Gary (for the optimism) and Jacob (the misunderstood bully). On the other hand, I didn't like Lincoln, because he came across as a bully. Sort of like how the bullied become bullies once they get some power or advantage over others. There are also quite a few other kids, but I don't really remember them because there are too many, and the book is too short for them to make an impression (and it doesn't help that the book is in third person, so I never ever hear the individual voice of each kid).

Overall, this book is interesting. While the characters are all fairly young (I believe they're about 12), the style of this book leads me to believe that it's for an older audience. Lastly, this is a personal preference, but I would have preferred a more direct style of narration (first person please!) and less telling (for example, don't tell me they're 'aghast', show it to me). Those two things were what kept the book from completely drawing me in and captivating me.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book as part of Enchanted Book Promotions Blog Tour in exchange for a free and honest review.