Book Review: The Chocolate War
What Parents Should Know
The intensity of emotion and high level of the vocabulary
will challenge readers. This brilliantly written book examines
serious moral problems. Older readers often find the intensity
and realism fascinating, while others, often under age 15, may
find the book too disturbing.
Common Sense Media Review
How do good people succumb to evil? Can one person's
defiance make a difference? Teenagers wrestle with such moral
issues as they mature. This book, dealing with life's cruelty,
often gets mixed and extreme reactions from high school
students. Older readers often enjoy the stark reality and
honesty, but those not yet ready to grapple with the book's
themes frequently dislike it. One sophomore found it too
disturbing, saying, "It just hit too close to home for me."
That boy's reaction reflects the book's intensity. Evil
in all its ugliness pervades the story. By setting the story in
a private Catholic school, Cormier presents evil as something
that can invade even our own protected lives. Only a few
villains cause all the mayhem, and the book exposes them early.
Archie declares his opposition to religion and authority in his
first scene. To intimidate his class, Brother Leon accuses an
innocent boy of cheating. Readers root for Jerry as he defies
the fierce intimidation directed against him.
When he finally fights back and then fails, readers may
feel betrayed. However, Cormier won't spare us from life's
nasty truths. Throughout the book good boys agree to the
demands of Archie and Brother Leon. Readers wonder, "Would any
of us have done better? Or would we make the same easy
compromises as Cormier's characters?" This book remains
relevant for a reason: It forces readers to face the reality of
evil, and examine how to confront it.
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