The Chocolate War - Softcover

Cormier, Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141312513 ISBN 13: 9780141312514

Publisher: Penguin, 2001

Synopsis

The bestselling controversial novel about corruption and misuse of power in an American boys' school.
The headmaster of Trinity College asks Archie Costello, the leader of the Vigils, a secret society that rules the school, to help with the selling of 20,000 boxes of chocolates in the annual fund-raising effort. Archie sees the chance of adding to his power - he is the Assigner, handing out to the boys tasks to be performed if they are to survive in the school. Freshman, Jerry Renault, a newcomer to the corrupt regime, refuses to sell chocolates. Enormous mental and physical pressure is put on him but he will not give in - the result is an inevitable, explosive tragedy.

About this title

Review:

""The Chocolate War is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity."-"The New York Times Book Review
"The characterizations of all the boys are superb... This novel [is] unique in its uncompromising portrait of human cruelty and conformity."-"School Library Journal, starred review
"The novel is cleverly written with a good sense of the realistic and a good ear for dialouge, qualities which will attract any reader."-"Bestsellers
"Robert Cormier has written a brilliant novel."-"Children's Book Revie Service

"From the Paperback edition.

" "The Chocolate War" is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity." -"The New York Times Book Review"
" The characterizations of all the boys are superb... This novel [is] unique in its uncompromising portrait of human cruelty and conformity." -"School Library Journal," starred review
" The novel is cleverly written with a good sense of the realistic and a good ear for dialouge, qualities which will attract any reader." -"Bestsellers"
" Robert Cormier has written a brilliant novel." -"Children's Book Revie Service"

"From the Paperback edition."

""The Chocolate War" is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity."-"The New York Times Book Review"
"The characterizations of all the boys are superb...This novel [is] unique in its uncompromising portrait of human cruelty and conformity."-"School Library Journal," starred review
"The novel is cleverly written with a good sense of the realistic and a good ear for dialouge, qualities which will attract any reader."-"Bestsellers"
"Robert Cormier has written a brilliant novel."-"Children's Book Revie Service""

From the Back Cover:

CAN ONE SMALL BOY DEFEAT THE MIGHT OF THE VIGILS?

Jerry's one of the best: honest, straightforward and hard working. He's just scraped into the football team at his new school, and things are looking good.

Then he meets Archie, leader of the Vigils, the school Mafia. Archie can see straight away that Jerry's not going to fit in with the Vigils – and if you're not in with them, you're very definitely OUT.

Jerry wants to be out when the school sale comes round. Who says he has to sell chocolates? But Archie's help has been enlisted by one of the masters, and Archie has his reputation to uphold. Jerry MUST conform...

"A quick-firing journalistic exposure of the more atrocious processes of growing up. Can't happen here? It can and it does. Daily."
THE TIMES

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0141312513
• ISBN 13: 9780141312514
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 209