- Title: Wonder
- Author: R.J. Palacio
- Genre: realistic fiction, childrens, young adult
- Pages: 315 pages (paperback)
- Published: 3 January 2013
"You can't blend in when you were born to stand out.
My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, WONDER is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page."
My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things. He eats ice cream. He plays on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside.
But Auggie is far from ordinary. Ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?
Narrated by Auggie and the people around him whose lives he touches forever, WONDER is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page."
There are many words to describe Wonder. While I was reading Wonder, I could think of different adjectives to describe it. Let's make a run down, shall we?
- Innocent - Most of it, that is, since Wonder is divided into many perspectives (most of which are children's). As you may have already read above, Wonder is about a 10-year-old boy named Auggie Pullman. Auggie is not just your ordinary kid. He is born with a unique appearance... one that others would refer to as deformed. Auggie is aware of this, but somehow he manages to live with this kind of uniqueness. He doesn't let others affect him and he tries his very best to live a normal life. And reading all these experiences through a child's eyes is indeed innocent. I could see how pure and true and sincere his thoughts and intentions are. The same goes for the other children's perspectives in the book - what you see is what you get.
- Adorable - Again, this is sort of a children's book (but personally I think Wonder is good for people of all ages) so our main heroes are children. Children have this tendency to be lovable, especially since all their actions and thoughts are sincere and true. These sincere actions are what makes them captivating and engaging. And who doesn't love a good children's book?
- A roller coaster ride of emotions - So much for one word adjectives. But Wonder is indeed a roller coaster ride of emotions. I felt not only the emotions of Auggie himself, but also of those around him. There are many simple yet emotional moments, too, in which I really couldn't help but feel empathic for the characters when they are happy or sad or angry.
- Accurate - Why accurate, of all words? It is because what happens in Wonder is really happening in the real world. Other people may not have the same abnormality as Auggie's but some people are different, too, in their own unique way in the real world. And these things really happen to them - all the repulsion towards them and all the discrimination they get. In a way I got to put myself in these people's shoes and I got to know what they are going through BUT things aren't always going downhill for them because Auggie is..
- Strong - And much like Auggie, this book itself is also strong. Despite it's simple and innocent story, it has moved me unlike any other book that I have ever read. The simple lesson is there, and you get to put yourself in Auggie's shoes. But it's more than that. It is also about how one young unique boy can affect and touch the lives of all those around him. It wasn't always just about him. I also felt what people around Auggie felt. Together they give Auggie lots of love and support but in a way they also learn something from Auggie. Together they make each other strong. I was truly moved. And for a book to move someone like me like that... that takes strength too.
And lastly...
- A must-read - Hands-down, Wonder is one of the best books I have ever read! And personally I'm more meticulous when it comes to reviewing mainstream books, but it turns out that Wonder is indeed mainstream-worthy! It took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions while making sure that I learned a thing or two along the way. I felt much respect and (yes, I'm using it) wonder for the people like Auggie. Sometimes the person whom you think doesn't look like a normal human could have the most human heart imaginable, and that is what I learned. 5 juicy stars, indeed.
So that's it for my review on Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I hope you liked my review and I hope you give Wonder a try! Trust me, you'll be moved. Let me know your thoughts and opinions about this review and the book itself in a comment below. Oh yeah, and if you want to win a copy of The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore, head on to this link. You may enter until before November! May Lady Luck be with you! Seeya!
