Sunday, March 12, 2017

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

Title: Orbiting Jupiter
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Pages: 183
Finished: 3/12/17

First Sentence: "Before you agree to have Joseph come live with you," Mrs. Stroud said, "there are one or two things you ought to understand."

Summary: When Jack's parents agree to foster Joseph, Jack knows three things about his foster brother: he almost killed a teacher, he was in Stone Mountain incarceration, and he has a daughter named Jupiter. Jack has Joseph's back through the trials of middle school - teachers and students who refuse to look past Joseph's troubles to see the boy underneath, an abusive father, etc. And when Joseph asks for help finding his daughter Jupiter, Jack agrees, and finds himself drawn into Joseph's life more than he ever expected.

Thoughts: Warning!! Here be spoilers!!
 I will admit, I did not plan on enjoying this book. I've avoided a lot of Gary D. Schmidt because I don't like depressing books, but I was so drawn to the story of Joseph. I loved Jack for standing up for his foster brother even though the vice principal clearly didn't want to believe Joseph could be anything but trouble. I loved Jack for aiding Joseph in the fight against the other kids in school. And I felt so much pain for Joseph as he laid out his story of a life was so alien to what I knew. How he was a product of a system that really lets people slip through the cracks.
 
And then I made the mistake of thinking everything might turn out okay.
 
Spoiler alert, it doesn't. Joseph's dad comes to take him away, and while trying to avoid getting caught, he drives over a derelict bridge which collapses under the truck. After all the heartache, Joseph still ends up dead. It's rare for YA books to rip my heart out the way this one did.

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