  | Ruin road Author: Giles, Lamar | |
| Price: $24.48 | ||
Summary:
High school football player Cade Webster buys a ring in a pawn shop, but when his wish that people stop acting scared of him seems to be coming true, he remembers the ring came with a warning "When the strangeness begins, come back" and suddenly people seem to have lost their fear of everything.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: UG Reading Level: 5.20 Points: 12.0 Quiz: 554452 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (08/15/24)
School Library Journal (10/11/24)
Booklist (+) (08/01/24)
The Hornbook (00/11/24)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 10/11/2024 Gr 9 Up—Giles's latest work serves up a cautionary tale. Cade Webster IV is a senior and star receiver at Neeson Preparatory Academy. But he bristles at the isolation and stigma of being a Black student at a wealthy and mostly white private school. Boosters brush aside his intelligence by saying he's "well spoken," and teammates with private planes and luxury cars are a stark contrast to Cade's daily bus ride and the gang violence in his neighborhood. So when Cade finds himself hiding in a bizarre (if not otherworldly) pawn shop after a mistaken accusation of theft, his declaration of wishing people would stop being scared of him fits his frustrations. But what Cade soon realizes is that his wish has become an actual bargain with the pawn shop owner, and while some of the initial effects seem positive, sinister contours emerge that threaten Cade, his friends, and his family. In the foreword, Giles declares his intention to explore the twisted nature of people who profit from others' suffering, and it is frequently on display in the book. Gang violence, online harassment, and the sinister history of antagonist Arvin Skinner are the biggest examples. But the intensity of violence at Cade's Senior Night, while necessary for the conclusion, may disturb younger readers. VERDICT Though there are occasional struggles to fit the narrative within the specificity of Cade's wish, Giles's story is a great combination of thriller and horror that will appeal to a wide audience. Recommended.—Michael Van Wambeke - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 08/01/2024 *Starred Review* Cade Webster lives for football. His talent as a receiver is his chance to help his family escape a neighborhood rife with gangs and poverty. When he chances upon a mysterious pawn shop, he’s drawn to buy a replica Super Bowl ring to inspire himself and his teammates. Except he soon finds that the ring has a strange effect—it inspires bravery in others. At first it seems positive: his teammates gain the resolve to execute plays with no fear, a friend becomes confident enough to stop hiding her singing talents. But soon, this courage turns to recklessness as people around Cade lose all their inhibitions. When his life descends into chaos, he seeks out the person at the root of it all—the slumlord who owns his neighborhood, a man named Skinner, who may have larger plans for Cade than mere football. Cade is a complex character; Giles infuses the teen’s story with nuance stemming from the socioeconomic stratification that segments his everyday life. Giles creates likable and memorable characters in a small amount of space, allowing him to expertly pace the story while juggling many different characters (and multiple points of view). This book absolutely delivers as a Twilight Zone–style spine-tingler that’s almost impossible to put down. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
