Book Review: Blank Confession by Pete Hautman

aarmau@gmail.comJanuary 11, 2011book review

Title: Blank Confession
Author: Pete Hautman
Pages: 176
Author Page to book

Description

Shayne Blank is the new kid in town–but that doesn’t stop him from getting into a lot of trouble very quickly. The other kids don’t understand him. He’s not afraid of anything. He seems too smart. And his background doesn’t add up. But when he walks into the police department to confess to a murder, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems. There’s more to Shayne–and his story–than meets the eye. As the details begin to fill in, the only thing that becomes clear is that nothing about Shayne’s story is clear at all. Blank Confession is a compelling mystery that will keep readers turning pages, from National Book Award-winning author Pete Hautman.

My Thoughts


WOW! That is my thoughts on this book. How have I longed to read Pete Hautman again. He is by far without a doubt one of my top 5 favorite YA authors EVER!! No joke. I remember when I read Godless by him a few years back that I thought that was his big moment. His book that capped him off and nothing would be anywhere near as good.

Bank Confession starts with a with the ending in that we know Shayne has killed someone. The question is in all the details. Don’t let this deter you from reading this novel. You are not prepared for the end of your seat thriller that is about to unfold. Pete is perfect at keeping you scraping the edge of the page to find out what is next. You will find yourself so engaged in this story I promise you will forget everything around you. Being only a 170+ pages you will want to set aside a few hours so you can read in one setting.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints of the police office Rawls in the interrogation room and Mikey, the kid who Shayne befriends. It does not confuse anything and in many ways makes this story even more engaging as you learn things from both settings.

I went to Pete’s website after reading and found some characteristics of Shayne from the story similar to the old western movie.

From his website

A kid, a rabbi, and a seven-foot-tall piano player walk into a bar…wait, that’s not right. A kid walks into a police station and says, “Dude, I just killed somebody.” And the bartender—I mean the cop—says, “I’m a doctor, not a Ferris wheel operator!”
Dang, wrong narrative. Think of it as Shane set in a modern day high school, with motorcycles instead of horses, tasers instead of revolvers, and a five-foot-nothing Haitian-American overdresser named Mikey in place of Brandon De Wilde.
You need to read this book. Go out now, find it and read it. If you have never read Pete Hautman I might have to slap you to reality and get you caught up. He is the best. Read this book and get back to me about your thoughts. I guarantee you will be hooked. And then we can talk about his other books like Godless which really has you think about your own ideas and philosophies of life.

I know the year is early, but I have already read three books so far that I think are going to be in my top reads of the year. What a great start to the new year.

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