i am a grade 12 student and wsa given this book to read as a novel study assignment. The book, i'd say, is like every other novel ive read at school since grade 10. They all touch on the subject of a teenager and his/her life stories, all the hardships followed by all the...happiness? and never once sticking to one situation but following so many that you begin to forget that your only reading one novel. This book is yet another early 1900's book written by some rebel author who decided to write about something that was so taboo and out of line back in the day. All i have to say about this is that this book was boring and dull but for some reason quite interesting. ...?

I have to read a book about how like to live in Canada from someone who is originally from a different country. This book fit that criteria. I was good. Full of imagery. It was depressing at times, because you can see how racially cruel kids can be. At one point the book mood switches to romance. I didn't like this because it throw me off, and i didn't care for how Marlyn wrote it. Other then that the it was interesting.

I too had to read this book for school, but I caught onto a deeper underlying meaning in the novel. The main character is always struggling with what he knows is right, and with what is wrong. Yes, this book isn't pretty, but it's believable. It isn't meant to be a fairytale, but a true to life look at life for a newly landed immigrant family during the early part of the 20th century. The main character, Sandor Hunyadi, who later changes his name to Alex Hunter, to become more Canadian, and less distinct. This book was written to make us look at our own actions, and how we treat others who are different that ourselves. It's about how we, as people, treat each other in respect to our race, sex, religion, and mental and physical capabilities. John Marlyn uses his excellent gift of vivid desciption to draw us into the story, and help us to feel what the main character is feeling, and to sympathize with him. That is why I recommend this book to everyone to read.