Tissues
needed? possibly a few
Overall
rating: 4 stars
Summary:
On the verge
of WWII, a young boy in South Africa is forced to grow up quickly when he is
sent to a boarding school. Racial identity is everything; Peekay is the “wrong”
race, and so gets bullied horribly by older students. He then has a chance
meeting with a boxer that forever changes his life. Later Peekay develops a
relationship with a German professor of music. In addition to being a great
learner, Peekay realizes that he has great abilities to adapt. He uses these
skills and learns a most important lesson about the power within himself: the
power of one.
Reaction:
By chance I checked out the YA version of this novel, so the
adult version carries the story farther—at some point I think I will enjoy
reading that. The Power of One wasn’t a quick or easy read, but it was
thought-provoking and inspirational. I don’t like boxing, but appreciated the
discipline and thinking that went into it. Some of the fight scenes (both
boxing and bullying) were fairly graphic, so I did skim some of those
descriptions. It was also interesting to read about South Africa, especially
during WWII. I think it would be intriguing to learn more about that country’s
history and how the different groups function together.
Thanks to Jody at Mud Hut Mama for recommending this author/book! :)
Peekay’s interest in boxing changed his future. What have
you learned that has shaped your life?
