Boot Camp, by Todd Strasser
Strasser, Todd (2007). Boot Camp. NY: Simon and Schuster. 256 pages.
Fifteen-year-old Garrett has been taken against his will. His parents have arranged for him to be transported to a juvenile “boot camp” facility following their discovery of Garrett’s illicit relationship with his young math teacher, occasional pot-smoking, and theft of money from their purses and wallets. Their hope is that this facility, known as Harmony Lake, will provide him with the discipline they have been unable to instill. When Garrett arrives at Harmony, he is immediately led to isolation, where he is humiliated and threatened. Once released into the institution’s “general population,” Garrett discovers the brutal nature of the so-called rehabilitation program and resolves to fight the program’s attempts at correction.
About five-eighths of this book is devoted to description of Harmony Lake: its dubious facilities, its sadistic leaders and their inmate lackeys, and its abusive methods. One-fourth of the book–the most compelling, suspenseful, and fast-moving, in my opinion–is dedicated to Garrett’s attempt, with two other inmates–to escape Harmony Lake. Then (and this is a spoiler), the last one-eighth is finds Garrett back at Harmony Lake (the escape didn’t work) and fully convinced of the power of the institution’s discipline. What? With all the dramatic set-up, I found the abrupt turn the ending took to be completely unbelievable. No seeds were planted in the exposition to make Garrett’s point-of-view shift ring true. While Strasser seems to be using this book as a way to expose some real and abusive practices, the lack of realistic follow-through was a real bust.
With its source notes and “afterward,” Boot Camp is reminiscent of the problem novels of the eighties. The book’s initial devotion to the brutality of camp life becomes more salacious when considered in concert with its abrupt ending. I’lll admit I got a somewhat voyeuristic thrill from reading these initial details; however, when it came down to proving how these camp corrective activities can eventually re-condition even the most individualistic and intelligent prisoner, the novel failed to convince me.
Posted on August 23, 2008 at 1:33 am
I just read this one and pretty much agreed with your assessment of it. I really wasn’t impressed, and I usually like Todd Strasser. The ending was a little too…I dunno, we spent most of the book setting up Garrett’s character and then suddenly, bam, total 180? I get what Strasser was going for, but IMO it was a cheap cop-out; for us to buy it, we have to see it happen.
Posted on September 4, 2008 at 10:54 am
I actually attending the facility Todd was talking about in his book. And I can understand why you think the ending wasnt all that great, but thats how it works. They bend you and break you there so you are brainwashed into thinking their way is the best way, and what is even better is your parents will go along with the facility because they believe the facility will be able to save your life, so you have no one to turn to, nowhere to go. might as well follow the rules.
i read the book, and loved it. i am going to barnes and nobles tonight to buy more of his books. i havent been able to find such a great author in a while.
Posted on September 4, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Wow, Brenda, thanks for sharing your experience. I agree that my reading of the book is probably totally differently informed and I can see how a sudden 180 might be even a strong person’s best choice of action given what sound like pretty trying circumstances. I guess my critique of Strasser lies more in the way he conveys this change, even if the text as it exists might be more truly mimetic. To me, there seemed to be no visible change in character that allowed switch in point of view to occur, nor was there any sudden mental “breakthrough” moment on behalf of the character that allowed me to believe the shift. Absent those, while the sudden switch might be, indeed, versimilous, the literary text requires a bit more explanation to convey what I think Strasser intended as textual realism. What did you think of Sisters in Sanity (reviewed on this blog)?
Posted on September 21, 2008 at 2:43 pm
this book blows
Posted on February 10, 2009 at 3:56 am
Teens boot camps definitely bring more knowledge with new skills during the camp. Generally boot camps are meant to teach them a systematic way of learning, living and helping others. I guess, this book shows the possibilities in the future.
Posted on July 21, 2008 at 8:02 am
sounds interesting! boot camps or other similar support groups are designed to help and reach out those troubled teens and not to abuse them physically or mentally. This book, I guess, shows the possibilities in the future.