[.ca] Tangerine (ISBN 0439286034)

From Amazon.com:
So what if he's legally blind? Even with his bottle-thick, bug-eyed glasses, Paul Fisher can see better than most people. He can see the lies his parents and brother live out, day after day. No one ever listens to Paul, though--until the family moves to Tangerine. In Tangerine, even a blind, geeky, alien freak can become cool. Who knows? Paul might even become a hero! Edward Bloor's debut novel sparkles with wit, authenticity, unexpected plot twists, and heart. The writing is so fine, the story so triumphant, that you just might stand up and shout when you get to the end. Hooray!

Tangerine is a dream!:
This book is a wonderful read for any student grades five to 10. The book looks at many issues facing the youth of today, insluding sibling rivalry, moving and changing schools, death, teasing, fitting-in, etc. This book kept me interested and motivated to keep reading. That says a lot because I do not read much.

Tangerine (fiction):
By: Edward Bloor Twelve-year-old Paul Fisher is the brother of Erik Fisher, a high school football start. Paul knows Erik has some dangerous secrets and the move to Tangerine, Florida strengthens his theories. But he, himself, has enough on his mind to keep him occupied; a new school, a new house, and the War Eagles. Soon, Paul is having a blast with his new life, but after a horrible incident, Erik is back into Paul's thoughts. Can Erik be as dangerous as he seems or is he just a football start craving for attention? I enjoyed this fictional book because it's interesting and you never know what's going to happen next. I recommend this book to anybody who loves a good mystery, interesting facts about fruit trees and a story about the life of a soccer lover. For grade six and up, for violence and maturity reasons.

Let down by the touted Tangerine. WARNING: SPOILERS!:
I finally read this after having many people recommend it to me. I was pretty disappointed in the book for several reasons. One, I did not find the writing that great. I felt it needed to be edited, probably by 100 pages or so. There are so many repetitive passages, such as Paul trying to remember over and over how he became legally blind as a small child. Also, the plot wanders at many times, with too many quirks. Mud fires, lightning, and sinkholes all occur in this small town much too frequently, leading the reader to wonder, *WHY* would anyone ever move there?! The main reason I was disappointed in the book, though, was the plot line with the older brother, Eric Fisher, the football star. Erik is a star football kicker with many dark secrets. In the end, he is exposed, Paul's parents express their regret, and life is good. Having grown up with a violent sibling, I know that the family dynamic is never "cured" so easily. A lot of times, parents are aware of what their children are up to, but simply feel helpless. The Fisher family are all characterized as one-dimensional, and therefore, any problems and resolutions simply feel like a nice little tale, not reality. My advice, avoid this well-intended but disasterous book.

Good Book:
This well writen book was decent. The characters were very well chosed. This is a suspensful book but it leaves you wondering at the end!

Courtesy of Teens Read Too:
TANGERINE is a surreal novel strong in pacing and character development. From the opening page to the very end, Edward Bloor takes the reader on a breakneck course through one family's conflict with the past and its devastating impact on the present. Paul Fisher's nightmare experiences in the shadow of his older brother come to a climax after the family moves from Houston to Tangerine, Florida, a fallen Eden of sorts. He narrates his experiences in the new community with intensity and passion regarding the problems they face. A tension remains until the very end. Paul is an outsider from the very beginning. He is the younger brother of teen football legend, Erik Fisher. Their father dotes on Erik, living out his own frustrated athletic dreams in a sad, pathetic manner. Their mother endures their father, holding the family together with equal parts denial, busy-ness, and critical intensity. She is hyper-involved in all of the family's business, a contrast to her husband, who is focused solely on Erik's success on the field. Both deliberately turn a blind eye to Erik's moral failings, which include a propensity for violence and a complete lack of empathy for others. He is a textbook sociopath and the world merely a gaggle of potential victims. Bloor guides the reader through the novel's 300-plus pages building upon each character with incident upon incident that reveals their true nature and failings. Paul and his parents are forced to face their own cowardice and complicity at several key junctures of the story, particularly during the break-ins and the events that led to the death of Luis Cruz. Facing their failings leaves them broken, but broken for potential rebirth as a better family unit. The novel's message builds upon itself through the evolution of each character: burying a wrong under a bushel of denial takes a terrible toll. Highly recommended. 5 Stars! Reviewed by: Mark Frye, author and reviewer