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Sleepers
Sleeper (colloq.): 1. out-of-town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed. 2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period longer than nine months in a state-managed facility.
This is the story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends.
Intelligent, fun-loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content to live within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen. And to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught. And they know they never will.
Until one disastrous summer afternoon.
On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horribly wrong. And the four find themselves facing a year's imprisonment in the Wilkinson Home for Boys. The oldest of them is fifteen, the youngest twelve. What happens to them over the course of that year -- brutal beatings, unimaginable humiliation -- will change their lives forever.
Years later, one becomes a lawyer. One a reporter. And two have grown up to be murderers, professional hit men. For all of them, the pain and fear of Wilkinson still rages within. Only one thing can erase it.
Revenge.
To exact it, they will twist the legal system. Commandeer the courtroom for their agenda. Use the wiles they observed on the streets, the violence they learned at Wilkinson.
If they get caught this time, they only have one thing left to lose: their lives.
SLEEPERS is the extraordinary true story of four men who take the law into their own hands. It is a searing portrait of a system gone awry and of the people -- some innocent, some not so innocent -- who must suffer the consequences. At the heart of SLEEPERS is a sensational murder trial that ultimately gives devastating, yet exhilarating, proof of street justice and truly defines the meaning of loyalty and love between friends. Told with great humor and compassion, even at its most harrowing, SLEEPERS is an unforgettable reading experience.
This is the story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends.
Intelligent, fun-loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content to live within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen. And to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught. And they know they never will.
Until one disastrous summer afternoon.
On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horribly wrong. And the four find themselves facing a year's imprisonment in the Wilkinson Home for Boys. The oldest of them is fifteen, the youngest twelve. What happens to them over the course of that year -- brutal beatings, unimaginable humiliation -- will change their lives forever.
Years later, one becomes a lawyer. One a reporter. And two have grown up to be murderers, professional hit men. For all of them, the pain and fear of Wilkinson still rages within. Only one thing can erase it.
Revenge.
To exact it, they will twist the legal system. Commandeer the courtroom for their agenda. Use the wiles they observed on the streets, the violence they learned at Wilkinson.
If they get caught this time, they only have one thing left to lose: their lives.
SLEEPERS is the extraordinary true story of four men who take the law into their own hands. It is a searing portrait of a system gone awry and of the people -- some innocent, some not so innocent -- who must suffer the consequences. At the heart of SLEEPERS is a sensational murder trial that ultimately gives devastating, yet exhilarating, proof of street justice and truly defines the meaning of loyalty and love between friends. Told with great humor and compassion, even at its most harrowing, SLEEPERS is an unforgettable reading experience.
402 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 1995
588 people are currently reading
14.6k people want to read
About the author
Lorenzo Carcaterra
42books677followersNumber-one New York Times bestselling author Lorenzo Carcaterra's highly successful career spans more than 25 years of writing for the diverse fields of fiction, non-fiction, television, and film.
Born and raised in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Carcaterra landed his first job in the newspaper business as a copy boy for The New York Daily News in 1976. He worked his way up to entertainment reporter before leaving the paper in 1982, heading for the green pastures of then-Time Inc. and TV-Cable Week, as senior writer. Nine months later, the magazine folded, leaving him unemployed. A four-month stint at People magazine was followed by an odyssey of writing for a string of start-up publications—Picture Week, Entertainment Tonight Magazine, Special Reports Magazine—and freelancing for dozens of others—The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsday Sunday Magazine, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and Twilight Zone Magazine among them.
In 1988, Carcaterra turned to television as a Creative Consultant for the syndicated weekly series Cop Talk: Behind the Shield, produced by Grosso-Jacobson Productions. That led to a job as Managing Editor for the CBS weekly series Top Cops, also with Grosso-Jacobson Productions. Running for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, the show is still in syndication today worldwide. In addition, he worked on a dozen other pilots, one of which––Secret Service (NBC)––made it to air. It was while at Grosso-Jacobson Productions that Carcaterra wrote and published his first two books, A Safe Place and Sleepers.
First published in hardcover in 1993, A Safe Place: The True Story of a Father, a Son, a Murder, attracted widespread critical acclaim, with Newsweek calling it, “unforgettable—a remarkable book.� Currently in its 14th printing, it has been sold to 11 foreign countries and has sold close to 220,000 copies.
The 1995 publication of Sleepers, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, catapulted Carcaterra to national attention. Sold to 35 foreign countries and now in its 38th printing in the United States, the book has sales exceeding 1.8 million copies. In 1996, Sleepers was made into a feature film starring Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, and Jason Patric. Carcaterra served as co-producer on the project, which was directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson. To date, the movie has earned in excess of $500 million worldwide in combined box-office, video, DVD, and TV sales.
Carcaterra made a smooth transition into writing fiction with his first novel, Apaches, a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback. Published in a 14 foreign countries, the book has sold more than 450,000 copies and been optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
He followed that with Gangster, published in hardcover in 2001. The book has sold over 375,000 copies since its 2002 release as a Mass Market Paperback. The novel has been optioned by Joe Roth and been sold to 15 foreign countries.
Carcaterra then wrote Street Boys, a World War II saga inspired by an incident which occurred in Naples, Italy, in 1943. Warner Bros. and Bel-Air Entertainment bought the rights to the story in March 2001 before it was written, and developed the project for director Barry Levinson. Carcaterra wrote the screenplay. The paperback was released in July, 2003 and has since sold 150,000 copies.
Carcaterra's next novel Paradise City was published in hardcover by Ballantine in September 2004 with the paperback following a year later. To date, the novel has sold over 100,000 copies and was optioned by Fox Television to be developed as a weekly series.
In 2007, Carcaterra published Chasers, a sequel to his bestseller Apaches. The paperback version was published in the spring of 2008 and movie rights to the story are once again controlled by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions.
With that, Carcaterra took a different turn and has just completed hi
Born and raised in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Carcaterra landed his first job in the newspaper business as a copy boy for The New York Daily News in 1976. He worked his way up to entertainment reporter before leaving the paper in 1982, heading for the green pastures of then-Time Inc. and TV-Cable Week, as senior writer. Nine months later, the magazine folded, leaving him unemployed. A four-month stint at People magazine was followed by an odyssey of writing for a string of start-up publications—Picture Week, Entertainment Tonight Magazine, Special Reports Magazine—and freelancing for dozens of others—The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsday Sunday Magazine, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and Twilight Zone Magazine among them.
In 1988, Carcaterra turned to television as a Creative Consultant for the syndicated weekly series Cop Talk: Behind the Shield, produced by Grosso-Jacobson Productions. That led to a job as Managing Editor for the CBS weekly series Top Cops, also with Grosso-Jacobson Productions. Running for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, the show is still in syndication today worldwide. In addition, he worked on a dozen other pilots, one of which––Secret Service (NBC)––made it to air. It was while at Grosso-Jacobson Productions that Carcaterra wrote and published his first two books, A Safe Place and Sleepers.
First published in hardcover in 1993, A Safe Place: The True Story of a Father, a Son, a Murder, attracted widespread critical acclaim, with Newsweek calling it, “unforgettable—a remarkable book.� Currently in its 14th printing, it has been sold to 11 foreign countries and has sold close to 220,000 copies.
The 1995 publication of Sleepers, which was a #1 New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, catapulted Carcaterra to national attention. Sold to 35 foreign countries and now in its 38th printing in the United States, the book has sales exceeding 1.8 million copies. In 1996, Sleepers was made into a feature film starring Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, Minnie Driver, and Jason Patric. Carcaterra served as co-producer on the project, which was directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson. To date, the movie has earned in excess of $500 million worldwide in combined box-office, video, DVD, and TV sales.
Carcaterra made a smooth transition into writing fiction with his first novel, Apaches, a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback. Published in a 14 foreign countries, the book has sold more than 450,000 copies and been optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
He followed that with Gangster, published in hardcover in 2001. The book has sold over 375,000 copies since its 2002 release as a Mass Market Paperback. The novel has been optioned by Joe Roth and been sold to 15 foreign countries.
Carcaterra then wrote Street Boys, a World War II saga inspired by an incident which occurred in Naples, Italy, in 1943. Warner Bros. and Bel-Air Entertainment bought the rights to the story in March 2001 before it was written, and developed the project for director Barry Levinson. Carcaterra wrote the screenplay. The paperback was released in July, 2003 and has since sold 150,000 copies.
Carcaterra's next novel Paradise City was published in hardcover by Ballantine in September 2004 with the paperback following a year later. To date, the novel has sold over 100,000 copies and was optioned by Fox Television to be developed as a weekly series.
In 2007, Carcaterra published Chasers, a sequel to his bestseller Apaches. The paperback version was published in the spring of 2008 and movie rights to the story are once again controlled by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions.
With that, Carcaterra took a different turn and has just completed hi
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August 14, 2022
*التأخر في الانتقام يجعل الضربةأشد قساوة*
و*احذر من رجل ضربته ولم يرد لك الضربة؛ فهو لن يسامحك ولن يدعك تسامح نفسك؛صحوته ستميت كثيرين؛ وحساباته ستقلب موازين
عندما يكون العقاب اضعاف الجريمة؛تأكد ان الانتقام سيكون ملحمياً
اربعة من الصبية الفقراء؛ يضجرون في يوم حار؛ فيقررون ان ياكلوا بعض النقانق؛ و لكنه سيكون احد تلك الأيام التي يتحول فيها مصير العشرات:بقرار واحد وحركة واحدة
رواية ترعب الآباء و الأبناء َو ما تعرض له ابطالها من اختبارات و اختيارات ستظل تلح عليك و تنغص ايامك؛
لكنها تظل من افضل ملاحم الانتقام التي تقابلك في عمرك؛ مستوحاة من الكونت دي مونت كريستو؛ و لكن بشكل يسخر من كل سلطات كوكب الارض
لكنني ترددت قليلا أأنتقم ام اصفح ؟ وأخيرا قلت إن الصفحَ يُتاح في كل وقت أما الانتقام فلا يتاح إلا مرة. وهذه هي مَرَتُك فلا تدعها تُفلِتُ من يديك. - يحيى حقي
يبدو ان بطلنا و كيل النائب العام سمع يحيى حقي و قرر الا يكسفه ابدا
و*احذر من رجل ضربته ولم يرد لك الضربة؛ فهو لن يسامحك ولن يدعك تسامح نفسك؛صحوته ستميت كثيرين؛ وحساباته ستقلب موازين
عندما يكون العقاب اضعاف الجريمة؛تأكد ان الانتقام سيكون ملحمياً
اربعة من الصبية الفقراء؛ يضجرون في يوم حار؛ فيقررون ان ياكلوا بعض النقانق؛ و لكنه سيكون احد تلك الأيام التي يتحول فيها مصير العشرات:بقرار واحد وحركة واحدة
رواية ترعب الآباء و الأبناء َو ما تعرض له ابطالها من اختبارات و اختيارات ستظل تلح عليك و تنغص ايامك؛
لكنها تظل من افضل ملاحم الانتقام التي تقابلك في عمرك؛ مستوحاة من الكونت دي مونت كريستو؛ و لكن بشكل يسخر من كل سلطات كوكب الارض
لكنني ترددت قليلا أأنتقم ام اصفح ؟ وأخيرا قلت إن الصفحَ يُتاح في كل وقت أما الانتقام فلا يتاح إلا مرة. وهذه هي مَرَتُك فلا تدعها تُفلِتُ من يديك. - يحيى حقي
يبدو ان بطلنا و كيل النائب العام سمع يحيى حقي و قرر الا يكسفه ابدا
February 23, 2018
Sleeper (colloq.): 1. out-of-town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed. 2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period longer than nine months in a state-managed facility.
Long time back, a movie buff friend had highly recommended the movie Sleepers. I never got around to watching the movie but remembered the name. While book hunting in a second hand book shop I came across the book and realized that the movie is based on this book.
The book presents a tale of friendship, loyalty, brutality and revenge. Trust me when I tell you � this is a pretty disturbing book.
The book revolves around four inseparable friends � John Reilly, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan and the author Lorenzo Carcaterra. The book starts with the story of the boys growing up in the rough neighbourhood of Hell’s Kitchen in the 1960s.
The friends were like any boys � they loved movies, comics, sports, baseball cards, played childish pranks and surprisingly a couple of them also loved books. They often took succor from books when they tried to escape the harshness of their lives. They or rather their parents had a lot of problems at home, life in the Hell’s Kitchen was full of hardships and struggles � the boys only had each other for support.
The author also writes, � Life without friends was harder. Most kids were lucky enough to find one friend they could count on. I found three. All of them older, probably wiser, and no doubt smarter. There is no memory of my early years that does not include them. They were a part of every happy moment I enjoyed.
A very important character in the life of the boys was Father Bobby. What a character he was. Raised in the same neighbourhood himself, he tried his level best to take care of the boys. He introduced them to the world of books, tried to keep them off the allure of easy money through crime.
The author has also given a pretty good description of Hell’s Kitchen.
“It was a place of innocence ruled by corruption.� The inhabitants of Hell’s Kitchen were tough and often violent. But they adhered to their own code of honour and justice. The punishment for any violations was ruthless.
Life was going on fine or rather as fine as boys in such a neighbourhood can be. But a very stupid prank gone wrong would turn their world upside down.
They would be sent off to a correctional facility � the Wilkinson Home for Boys and fall victim to the sadistic and perverted guards there. The boys were not members of any powerful gang and therefore vulnerable. The guards did unspeakable things to these boys � I felt so much anger while reading about their brutality.
There were a few good men in the prison: a guard who tried to help the boys, a teacher who tried to make a difference. But they were powerless to fight the system.
The boys left the correctional facility scarred for life. John and Tommy took to a life of crime, while the author and Michael left the neighbourhood and tried to live an honest life.
A chance encounter with one of the sadistic guards would set off a series of events. Michael and Lorenzo would develop an elaborate plan to exact revenge not only on the guards but also on the facility itself. Old friends from the neighbourhood would come forward to ensure justice for the boys. The courtroom scenes were excellent.
The guards got their just desserts and so did the facility. The boys got justice but still barring the author none of them got a chance to lead a normal life.
The author says that it is a true story. Some people have raised doubts about the authenticity of the story. It might be semi-fictional, I don’t know. But I do know that crime against vulnerable children happens all over the world. That’s why the story was so poignant.
The story reminded me of Stephen King’s The Body. The movie adaptation is Stand By Me. It was another beautiful and tragic tale involving young boys.
If you think you would like to give the book a try then please go ahead. But as I have mentioned before, parts of the book are really disturbing.
Long time back, a movie buff friend had highly recommended the movie Sleepers. I never got around to watching the movie but remembered the name. While book hunting in a second hand book shop I came across the book and realized that the movie is based on this book.
The book presents a tale of friendship, loyalty, brutality and revenge. Trust me when I tell you � this is a pretty disturbing book.
The book revolves around four inseparable friends � John Reilly, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan and the author Lorenzo Carcaterra. The book starts with the story of the boys growing up in the rough neighbourhood of Hell’s Kitchen in the 1960s.
The friends were like any boys � they loved movies, comics, sports, baseball cards, played childish pranks and surprisingly a couple of them also loved books. They often took succor from books when they tried to escape the harshness of their lives. They or rather their parents had a lot of problems at home, life in the Hell’s Kitchen was full of hardships and struggles � the boys only had each other for support.
The author also writes, � Life without friends was harder. Most kids were lucky enough to find one friend they could count on. I found three. All of them older, probably wiser, and no doubt smarter. There is no memory of my early years that does not include them. They were a part of every happy moment I enjoyed.
A very important character in the life of the boys was Father Bobby. What a character he was. Raised in the same neighbourhood himself, he tried his level best to take care of the boys. He introduced them to the world of books, tried to keep them off the allure of easy money through crime.
The author has also given a pretty good description of Hell’s Kitchen.
“It was a place of innocence ruled by corruption.� The inhabitants of Hell’s Kitchen were tough and often violent. But they adhered to their own code of honour and justice. The punishment for any violations was ruthless.
Life was going on fine or rather as fine as boys in such a neighbourhood can be. But a very stupid prank gone wrong would turn their world upside down.
They would be sent off to a correctional facility � the Wilkinson Home for Boys and fall victim to the sadistic and perverted guards there. The boys were not members of any powerful gang and therefore vulnerable. The guards did unspeakable things to these boys � I felt so much anger while reading about their brutality.
There were a few good men in the prison: a guard who tried to help the boys, a teacher who tried to make a difference. But they were powerless to fight the system.
The boys left the correctional facility scarred for life. John and Tommy took to a life of crime, while the author and Michael left the neighbourhood and tried to live an honest life.
A chance encounter with one of the sadistic guards would set off a series of events. Michael and Lorenzo would develop an elaborate plan to exact revenge not only on the guards but also on the facility itself. Old friends from the neighbourhood would come forward to ensure justice for the boys. The courtroom scenes were excellent.
The guards got their just desserts and so did the facility. The boys got justice but still barring the author none of them got a chance to lead a normal life.
The author says that it is a true story. Some people have raised doubts about the authenticity of the story. It might be semi-fictional, I don’t know. But I do know that crime against vulnerable children happens all over the world. That’s why the story was so poignant.
The story reminded me of Stephen King’s The Body. The movie adaptation is Stand By Me. It was another beautiful and tragic tale involving young boys.
If you think you would like to give the book a try then please go ahead. But as I have mentioned before, parts of the book are really disturbing.
July 21, 2020
Jar of Death Pick #36
Reading Rush: A book that inspired a movie you've already seen.
Sleepers is a movie that I've never really heard anyone talk about. I'm the only person I know who has seen it. And the only reason I watched it was because Brad Renfro(RIP) was in it. Ive discussed the huge crush I had growing up on Brad Renfro. I've seen every movie he was ever in. I feel like I need to rewatch the movie now because back when I originally watched (when I was 16) I thought it was boring but after reading this book there is no way that the movie could be as boring as my teenage self thought.
Sleepers is the "true story" of the author's harrowing time spent in a juvenile detention center(prison for kids) and the horrific abuse suffered there. I could not put this book down. It was taut, exciting, compelling and heartbreaking. This book put my emotions through the ringer.
Now I am aware of the controversy surrounding this book. It has been alleged that the author Lorenzo Carcaterra didn't experience these things but instead it was a friends story. Nobody denies the story actually happened, what is in dispute is who it happened to.
My thoughts on the matter are that it doesn't matter a lot to me if Lorenzo Carcaterra(with permission) told some else's story because I think this story needed to be told and no one connected to it wanted to be identified.
Sleepers is a brutal story. No child should ever have to experience the horrific abuse suffered by the people in this book. Mr. Carcaterra is a brilliant writer, who told a gripping story of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, courage, and revenge.
I recommend Sleepers with all of my heart.
A Must Read!
Reading Rush: A book that inspired a movie you've already seen.
Sleepers is a movie that I've never really heard anyone talk about. I'm the only person I know who has seen it. And the only reason I watched it was because Brad Renfro(RIP) was in it. Ive discussed the huge crush I had growing up on Brad Renfro. I've seen every movie he was ever in. I feel like I need to rewatch the movie now because back when I originally watched (when I was 16) I thought it was boring but after reading this book there is no way that the movie could be as boring as my teenage self thought.
Sleepers is the "true story" of the author's harrowing time spent in a juvenile detention center(prison for kids) and the horrific abuse suffered there. I could not put this book down. It was taut, exciting, compelling and heartbreaking. This book put my emotions through the ringer.
Now I am aware of the controversy surrounding this book. It has been alleged that the author Lorenzo Carcaterra didn't experience these things but instead it was a friends story. Nobody denies the story actually happened, what is in dispute is who it happened to.
My thoughts on the matter are that it doesn't matter a lot to me if Lorenzo Carcaterra(with permission) told some else's story because I think this story needed to be told and no one connected to it wanted to be identified.
Sleepers is a brutal story. No child should ever have to experience the horrific abuse suffered by the people in this book. Mr. Carcaterra is a brilliant writer, who told a gripping story of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, courage, and revenge.
I recommend Sleepers with all of my heart.
A Must Read!
January 17, 2024
Possibly the most disturbing book that I have ever read. After I finished it (I was fifteen), I walked around my house in shock muttering "oh my god" over and over. Originally I had picked it up out of a bookshelf without knowing what it was about, so the subject matter was more of a surprise than if I had known what to expect. I actually feel somewhat horrible giving this five stars, but it was an utterly engrossing and captivating book. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this for most people I know, but it is an amazing book.
June 26, 2009
I read this once when I was younger and have not read it since. I remember reading this shortly before the movie came out (which I had only seen about once or twice itself) and the events stayed with me ever since then.
The story was a harrowing one exploring the effects of how life can change in an incident with a minor mistake of childhood play. After a childhood prank that ends in the death of a local vendor, the four friends of the book are sentenced to a brutal juvenile prison where the prison guards abuse them in horrific ways. This book is detailed as to the emotional, physical and mental abuse the boys endure. It's a memoir based on the author's own experiences, I believe, and although some 'authorities' have questioned its truth but some of the most harrowing things in history have tried to be covered up and brushed aside. But the truth lies in those who have lived such situations and a voice will be heard for those have suffered at the hands of such abuse.
This book will always stay with me and I highly recommend this book.
The story was a harrowing one exploring the effects of how life can change in an incident with a minor mistake of childhood play. After a childhood prank that ends in the death of a local vendor, the four friends of the book are sentenced to a brutal juvenile prison where the prison guards abuse them in horrific ways. This book is detailed as to the emotional, physical and mental abuse the boys endure. It's a memoir based on the author's own experiences, I believe, and although some 'authorities' have questioned its truth but some of the most harrowing things in history have tried to be covered up and brushed aside. But the truth lies in those who have lived such situations and a voice will be heard for those have suffered at the hands of such abuse.
This book will always stay with me and I highly recommend this book.
November 30, 2020
“The night and the streets were ours and the future lay sparkling ahead.
And we thought we would know each other forever.�
� Lorenzo Carcaterra, Sleepers
I both saw the film and read the book....a long time ago. I just realized I never did a review on this story.
This maybe in my top 20 as far as darkest stories of all time. It is about four boys, who are sent to a juvenile detention school and abused terribly. Lots of TRIGGERS in this one.
The boys grow up hardened, angry..and consumed by the need for revenge.
This is also based on a true story.
It is tragic, bitter, deeply moving and powerful. But it is very dark. I will also warn that I read several reviews before writing mine and several give thing s away, including the ending and do not use spoilers. So please be aware of that.
I'd recommend this in a minute..the film as well. But you have to be in the right mood. It is superbly written and will reasonate.
And we thought we would know each other forever.�
� Lorenzo Carcaterra, Sleepers
I both saw the film and read the book....a long time ago. I just realized I never did a review on this story.
This maybe in my top 20 as far as darkest stories of all time. It is about four boys, who are sent to a juvenile detention school and abused terribly. Lots of TRIGGERS in this one.
The boys grow up hardened, angry..and consumed by the need for revenge.
This is also based on a true story.
It is tragic, bitter, deeply moving and powerful. But it is very dark. I will also warn that I read several reviews before writing mine and several give thing s away, including the ending and do not use spoilers. So please be aware of that.
I'd recommend this in a minute..the film as well. But you have to be in the right mood. It is superbly written and will reasonate.
November 1, 2010
It was the summer of '97 and I got grounded for sneaking out of my bedroom window (again) to meet up with friends to drink warm, pilfered beers and smoke mexican ditch rat-weed (probably).
So while I'm grounded I read this book and I can't put it own. Because I read it so quickly, I still have a week to kill with nothing to do. So i read it again. I had friends come over to try and get me to sneak out again but i blow em off and say 'nah, im good actually, got this book im reading'. That's about all i can remember of this.
So while I'm grounded I read this book and I can't put it own. Because I read it so quickly, I still have a week to kill with nothing to do. So i read it again. I had friends come over to try and get me to sneak out again but i blow em off and say 'nah, im good actually, got this book im reading'. That's about all i can remember of this.
October 19, 2023
Kao retko do sada imam problem da ocenim knjigu koju sam pročitala.
Bilo je izuzetno mučno čitati ovaj roman.
Reč je o autobiografskoj priči, čiji je jedan od glavnih aktera pisac romana, priči o uništenim životima 4 dečaka.
Po ovom romanu je snimljen i film Spavači, u kojem su glumili Robert de Niro, Dastin Hofman i Bred Pit.
Bilo je izuzetno mučno čitati ovaj roman.
Reč je o autobiografskoj priči, čiji je jedan od glavnih aktera pisac romana, priči o uništenim životima 4 dečaka.
Po ovom romanu je snimljen i film Spavači, u kojem su glumili Robert de Niro, Dastin Hofman i Bred Pit.
November 28, 2018
Dažniausiai knygos, kurioms skiriu daugiausia žvaigždučių, pavergia mane ypatinga kūrinio kalba. Šįkart nokautavo siužetas. Vietomis norėjosi užversti knygą ir ištrinti iš atminties viską, ką perskaičiau. Sukrečianti ir šokiruojanti, palikusi įspūdį ilgam.
November 13, 2019
Sleepers: -Το παιδί που έχει μπει σε αναμορφωτήριο για πάνω από 9 μήνες.
Ο κακοποιός που περνάει τη νύχτα του μετά την εκτέλεση της αποστολής του.
Ο Λορέντζο Καρκατέρα μεγάλωσε στο Μανχάταν του 60 στην περιοχή Hell’s Kitchen, μια γειτονιά παρακμιακή με καταθλιπτικές, παλιές πολυκατοικίες που κατοικούνταν κυρίως από σκληρά εργαζόμενους μετανάστες από τη Νότια Ευρώπη και το Πουέρτο Ρίκο, και που έπαιζαν τις ελπίδες τους για μια καλύτερη ζωή στον τζόγο και τις έχαναν, έδερναν τις γυναίκες και τα παιδιά τους, βυθίζονταν στον αλκοολισμό και την παρανομία.
Τα παιδιά ήξεραν πως ανά πάσα στιγμή μπορούσαν να βρεθούν στο στόχαστρο των πατεράδων τους κι όταν αυτό συνέβαινε απλά το προσπερνούσαν και την επόμενη σύγκριναν τις μελανιές και τις πληγές τους και τα αυτοσχέδια, σπιτικά ράμματα. Μια σκληρή ζωή σε μια κακή γειτονιά της μεγαλούπολης, κι όμως ήταν ευτυχισμένα. Η γειτονιά τους παρείχε ασφάλεια σε μια ζωή που έμοιαζε καταδικασμένη από όλες τις πλευρές, ίσως γιατί υπήρχε αυτή η αναγνώριση και η κατανόηση μεταξύ των κατοίκων της, αλλά και μια εκκλησία με έναν πολύ σπουδαίο ιερέα, που στεκόταν δίπλα στα παιδιά σαν φίλος και πατέρας.
Μια μέρα όμως η ζωή τους αλλάζει για πάντα, όταν κλέβουν το καρότσι ενός πλανόδιου πωλητή με σκοπό να τον ταλαιπωρήσουν λιγάκι έτσι για την πλάκα τους, κι αυτό τους ξεφεύγει από τα χέρια στα σκαλιά του υπογείου τραυματίζοντας πολύ σοβαρά έναν άνθρωπο. Τα παιδιά θα δικαστούν και θα καταλήξουν στο Γουίλκινσον, ένα αναμορφωτήριο ανηλίκων, όπου πρέπει να περάσουν από 12 έως 18 μήνες. Τα παιδιά αυτά ήταν κάτω από 15 χρονών. Και το αναμορφωτήριο δε θα αναμορφώσει τίποτα, όμως θα διαμορφώσει τις μετέπειτα ζωές τους.
Μόνο ένας από αυτούς έζησε αρκετά για να μας πει την ιστορία τους. Ο συγγραφέας του βιβλίου που αργότερα έγινε και συμπαραγωγός της ταινίας. Οι δύο πέθαναν πριν τα 30 τους, ως ψυχροί και στυγνοί επαγγελματίες δολοφόνοι. Ο τρίτος έγινε ο δικηγόρος τους.
Η υπόθεση είναι τόσο κινηματογραφική που δυσκολεύεσαι να πιστέψεις πως όλα αυτά συνέβησαν στα αλήθεια, και καμιά ταινία βασισμένη σε αληθινή ιστορία δεν ψάχτηκε τόσο εξονυχιστικά για το οποιοδήποτε... ψέμα της, όταν ήρθε η στιγμή το βιβλίο να μεταφερθεί στον κινηματογράφο.
Τα παιδιά στο αναμορφωτήριο θα κακοποιηθούν, θα βασανιστούν, θα βιαστούν συστηματικά από τους φύλακες της πτέρυγάς τους, μια ομάδα εξίσου αξιολύπητων ανθρώπων που βίωσαν την ίδια κακοποίηση στα παιδικά τους χρόνια από τους πατεράδες τους και κατέληξαν να υπηρετούν το νόμο πληρώνοντας τη δυστυχία τους πάνω στα παιδιά του αναμορφωτηρίου.
«Μην το αφήσεις να σε αλλάξει τόσο, ώστε να μη νοιάζεσαι για τίποτα πια», είπε ο ιερέας στον Λορέντζο όταν τον επισκέφτηκε, κι εκείνος του ζήτησε να μην ξανάρθει. Όλα τα παιδιά ζήτησαν από τους γονείς τους να μην έρχονται να τα δουν. Δεν είχε απομείνει τίποτα για να δουν.
Μα κάποτε κι αυτό τελειώνει. Ενήλικες πια και 20 σχεδόν χρόνια μετά, οι δυο νεαροί δολοφόνοι συναντούν τυχαία τον άνθρωπο που ευθυνόταν για τα όσα πέρασαν, ως ο άτυπος αρχηγός της ομάδας των βασανιστών τους. Και τον σκοτώνουν. Μα η δίκη τους είναι ίσως η μοναδική τους ευκαιρία να πουν σε όλο τον κόσμο το τι ακριβώς συμβαίνει στο Γουίλκινσον και ποιοι πραγματικά είναι οι άνθρωποι πίσω από τις στολές των φρουρών, που πλέον κατέχουν και σημαντικές θέσεις στην κοινωνία. Την υπεράσπισή τους με σκοπό να χάσει τη δίκη, ανέλαβε ο ένας της παρέας που ίσως άντεξε να παραμείνει στον ίσιο δρόμο και να γίνει δικηγόρος, περιμένοντας αυτή τη στιγμή όλη του τη ζωή.
Δεν είναι μόνο η συγκλονιστική μαρτυρία που κάνει αυτό το βιβλίο a must read, είναι και η εξαιρετική αφήγηση και η γραφή του Καρκατέρα που δε σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα.
(Η ταινία είναι δυόμιση ώρες (!) με σχετικά αργό ρυθμό που όμως είναι σκόπιμος, γιατί η ιστορία δεν έχει να κάνει μόνο με το πώς εξελίχθηκε η ζωή των παιδιών στο αναμορφωτήριο και αργότερα, αλλά κυρίως με το ποια ήταν αυτά τα παιδιά, πριν συμβούν όλα αυτά, πώς ήταν οι γειτονιές του Μανχάταν στα �60s, οι παιδικές φιλίες, η αθωότητα.)
Ήταν απλώς παιδιά. Θύματα των καταστάσεων και της εποχής τους. Έξυπνα και όμορφα παιδιά, με όνειρα κι ελπίδες που στήριζαν πάντα στον αγαπημένο τους ιερέα, που τους έδινε μαθήματα ζωής παίζοντας μαζί τους μπάσκετ.
Κι ύστερα ήταν η Στιγμή. Αυτή η στιγμή που έχει περάσει από τις ζωές όλων μας, άλλες χωρίς να τις αγγίξει, κι άλλες αλλάζοντάς τις για πάντα. Η μία Στιγμή που αν γινόταν κάπως έτσι ή κάπως αλλιώς, η ζωή θα ήταν εντελώς διαφορετική, με χίλιες άλλες ζωές να έχουν προσπεράσει σε κάθε τέτοια Στιγμή που δε μας άγγιξε.
Ο κακοποιός που περνάει τη νύχτα του μετά την εκτέλεση της αποστολής του.
Ο Λορέντζο Καρκατέρα μεγάλωσε στο Μανχάταν του 60 στην περιοχή Hell’s Kitchen, μια γειτονιά παρακμιακή με καταθλιπτικές, παλιές πολυκατοικίες που κατοικούνταν κυρίως από σκληρά εργαζόμενους μετανάστες από τη Νότια Ευρώπη και το Πουέρτο Ρίκο, και που έπαιζαν τις ελπίδες τους για μια καλύτερη ζωή στον τζόγο και τις έχαναν, έδερναν τις γυναίκες και τα παιδιά τους, βυθίζονταν στον αλκοολισμό και την παρανομία.
Τα παιδιά ήξεραν πως ανά πάσα στιγμή μπορούσαν να βρεθούν στο στόχαστρο των πατεράδων τους κι όταν αυτό συνέβαινε απλά το προσπερνούσαν και την επόμενη σύγκριναν τις μελανιές και τις πληγές τους και τα αυτοσχέδια, σπιτικά ράμματα. Μια σκληρή ζωή σε μια κακή γειτονιά της μεγαλούπολης, κι όμως ήταν ευτυχισμένα. Η γειτονιά τους παρείχε ασφάλεια σε μια ζωή που έμοιαζε καταδικασμένη από όλες τις πλευρές, ίσως γιατί υπήρχε αυτή η αναγνώριση και η κατανόηση μεταξύ των κατοίκων της, αλλά και μια εκκλησία με έναν πολύ σπουδαίο ιερέα, που στεκόταν δίπλα στα παιδιά σαν φίλος και πατέρας.
Μια μέρα όμως η ζωή τους αλλάζει για πάντα, όταν κλέβουν το καρότσι ενός πλανόδιου πωλητή με σκοπό να τον ταλαιπωρήσουν λιγάκι έτσι για την πλάκα τους, κι αυτό τους ξεφεύγει από τα χέρια στα σκαλιά του υπογείου τραυματίζοντας πολύ σοβαρά έναν άνθρωπο. Τα παιδιά θα δικαστούν και θα καταλήξουν στο Γουίλκινσον, ένα αναμορφωτήριο ανηλίκων, όπου πρέπει να περάσουν από 12 έως 18 μήνες. Τα παιδιά αυτά ήταν κάτω από 15 χρονών. Και το αναμορφωτήριο δε θα αναμορφώσει τίποτα, όμως θα διαμορφώσει τις μετέπειτα ζωές τους.
Μόνο ένας από αυτούς έζησε αρκετά για να μας πει την ιστορία τους. Ο συγγραφέας του βιβλίου που αργότερα έγινε και συμπαραγωγός της ταινίας. Οι δύο πέθαναν πριν τα 30 τους, ως ψυχροί και στυγνοί επαγγελματίες δολοφόνοι. Ο τρίτος έγινε ο δικηγόρος τους.
Η υπόθεση είναι τόσο κινηματογραφική που δυσκολεύεσαι να πιστέψεις πως όλα αυτά συνέβησαν στα αλήθεια, και καμιά ταινία βασισμένη σε αληθινή ιστορία δεν ψάχτηκε τόσο εξονυχιστικά για το οποιοδήποτε... ψέμα της, όταν ήρθε η στιγμή το βιβλίο να μεταφερθεί στον κινηματογράφο.
Τα παιδιά στο αναμορφωτήριο θα κακοποιηθούν, θα βασανιστούν, θα βιαστούν συστηματικά από τους φύλακες της πτέρυγάς τους, μια ομάδα εξίσου αξιολύπητων ανθρώπων που βίωσαν την ίδια κακοποίηση στα παιδικά τους χρόνια από τους πατεράδες τους και κατέληξαν να υπηρετούν το νόμο πληρώνοντας τη δυστυχία τους πάνω στα παιδιά του αναμορφωτηρίου.
«Μην το αφήσεις να σε αλλάξει τόσο, ώστε να μη νοιάζεσαι για τίποτα πια», είπε ο ιερέας στον Λορέντζο όταν τον επισκέφτηκε, κι εκείνος του ζήτησε να μην ξανάρθει. Όλα τα παιδιά ζήτησαν από τους γονείς τους να μην έρχονται να τα δουν. Δεν είχε απομείνει τίποτα για να δουν.
Μα κάποτε κι αυτό τελειώνει. Ενήλικες πια και 20 σχεδόν χρόνια μετά, οι δυο νεαροί δολοφόνοι συναντούν τυχαία τον άνθρωπο που ευθυνόταν για τα όσα πέρασαν, ως ο άτυπος αρχηγός της ομάδας των βασανιστών τους. Και τον σκοτώνουν. Μα η δίκη τους είναι ίσως η μοναδική τους ευκαιρία να πουν σε όλο τον κόσμο το τι ακριβώς συμβαίνει στο Γουίλκινσον και ποιοι πραγματικά είναι οι άνθρωποι πίσω από τις στολές των φρουρών, που πλέον κατέχουν και σημαντικές θέσεις στην κοινωνία. Την υπεράσπισή τους με σκοπό να χάσει τη δίκη, ανέλαβε ο ένας της παρέας που ίσως άντεξε να παραμείνει στον ίσιο δρόμο και να γίνει δικηγόρος, περιμένοντας αυτή τη στιγμή όλη του τη ζωή.
Δεν είναι μόνο η συγκλονιστική μαρτυρία που κάνει αυτό το βιβλίο a must read, είναι και η εξαιρετική αφήγηση και η γραφή του Καρκατέρα που δε σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα.
(Η ταινία είναι δυόμιση ώρες (!) με σχετικά αργό ρυθμό που όμως είναι σκόπιμος, γιατί η ιστορία δεν έχει να κάνει μόνο με το πώς εξελίχθηκε η ζωή των παιδιών στο αναμορφωτήριο και αργότερα, αλλά κυρίως με το ποια ήταν αυτά τα παιδιά, πριν συμβούν όλα αυτά, πώς ήταν οι γειτονιές του Μανχάταν στα �60s, οι παιδικές φιλίες, η αθωότητα.)
Ήταν απλώς παιδιά. Θύματα των καταστάσεων και της εποχής τους. Έξυπνα και όμορφα παιδιά, με όνειρα κι ελπίδες που στήριζαν πάντα στον αγαπημένο τους ιερέα, που τους έδινε μαθήματα ζωής παίζοντας μαζί τους μπάσκετ.
Κι ύστερα ήταν η Στιγμή. Αυτή η στιγμή που έχει περάσει από τις ζωές όλων μας, άλλες χωρίς να τις αγγίξει, κι άλλες αλλάζοντάς τις για πάντα. Η μία Στιγμή που αν γινόταν κάπως έτσι ή κάπως αλλιώς, η ζωή θα ήταν εντελώς διαφορετική, με χίλιες άλλες ζωές να έχουν προσπεράσει σε κάθε τέτοια Στιγμή που δε μας άγγιξε.
January 10, 2019
Δε θα πω ψέματα, σφίχτηκε η καρδιά μου όσο το διάβαζα αλλά παρ' όλα αυτά δεν μπορούσα να το αφήσω από τα χέρια μου. Πρόταση φίλου που όλο έλεγα αργότερα, αργότερα γιατί ήξερα τη θεματολογία του και δεν ήξερα αν ήθελα οντως να το διαβασω. Εντέλει, καλά που επέμενε γιατί είναι ένα πολύ δυνατό και καλογραμμένο βιβλίο.
Ο συγγραφέας λέει ότι είναι αληθινή ιστορία, είναι ένας εκ των τεσσάρων και εγώ τείνω να τον πιστέψω. Πραγματικά, ήλπιζα να μην είναι αληθινή ιστορία γιατί είναι τόσο σκληρά όσα διαδραματιζονται σε μια πολλή αθώα περίοδο της ζωής του ανθρώπου. Αν από την άλλη, ήταν απλή φαντασία, ο συγγραφέας θα είχε πολύ διεστραμμένο μυαλό. Όπως και να έχει πάντως, είναι ένα βιβλίο που σε κρατάει σε εγρήγορση, σε κάνει να σκεφτείς τι μπορεί να έχει συμβεί σε κάποιους ανθρώπους και να πηγαίνουν όλα τόσο λάθος και πώς είναι δυνατόν να υπάρχει τέτοιος σαδισμός τριγύρω μας. Απ' όσο έψαξα, είναι πλέον εξαντλημένο, κρίμα γιατί είναι ένα βιβλίο που αξίζει να διαβαστεί.
Ο συγγραφέας λέει ότι είναι αληθινή ιστορία, είναι ένας εκ των τεσσάρων και εγώ τείνω να τον πιστέψω. Πραγματικά, ήλπιζα να μην είναι αληθινή ιστορία γιατί είναι τόσο σκληρά όσα διαδραματιζονται σε μια πολλή αθώα περίοδο της ζωής του ανθρώπου. Αν από την άλλη, ήταν απλή φαντασία, ο συγγραφέας θα είχε πολύ διεστραμμένο μυαλό. Όπως και να έχει πάντως, είναι ένα βιβλίο που σε κρατάει σε εγρήγορση, σε κάνει να σκεφτείς τι μπορεί να έχει συμβεί σε κάποιους ανθρώπους και να πηγαίνουν όλα τόσο λάθος και πώς είναι δυνατόν να υπάρχει τέτοιος σαδισμός τριγύρω μας. Απ' όσο έψαξα, είναι πλέον εξαντλημένο, κρίμα γιατί είναι ένα βιβλίο που αξίζει να διαβαστεί.
June 14, 2013
The book is very well written and graphic in its portrayal of violence and sex, but I had a sneaking suspicion it may be mostly fiction even while I was reading it years ago. A quick search on the net now convinces me that there is a huge controversy regarding the veracity of the story.
If it's a true story, it rates five stars.
If it's fiction paraded as truth, it rates only one star.
Since there is no way of establishing the truth, I plumb for three stars.
If it's a true story, it rates five stars.
If it's fiction paraded as truth, it rates only one star.
Since there is no way of establishing the truth, I plumb for three stars.
February 5, 2024
As usual, I am late to this party, and never saw the film of the same name. Whether or not this is a true story (autobiographical) for me is neither here nor there. Sleepers tells the tale of four boys in the mid sixties living in Hell's Kitchen, but really, the main character is Hell's Kitchen itself. Like most folks in Hell's Kitchen, the boys all come from working class homes, and working often entails a walk over the legal line. Nonetheless, the 'rule' on the streets is basically keep you petty crime away from locals in Hell's Kitchen, or else.
The adventures of the four boys was pretty heartfelt for sure and their little 'gang' of BFFs became a fixture in the Kitchen. Collecting baseball cards, comics, talking sports; boys will be boys. One summer, however, they went a little too far and ended up in Juvie. I will not go into the details here, but life in Juvie (so-called Wilkinson Home for Boys) was pure hell, with violent, sexually abusive guards running riot. Yet, it takes some time (about midway) before Carcaterra gets there, with the first half narrating the various escapades of the boys and such. Needless to say, the stay at Wilkinson fundamentally shaped the lives of the boys involved.
Carcaterra's workmanlike prose carries the story nicely (if you could call this a nice story) and yes, the prison bit is shocking in its brutality. The over all story, however, is really about growing up in Hell's Kitchen and how it shaped the lives and dreams of the boys. I did not expect to like this as much as I did; nostalgic coming of age novels are not really my bag at all. This was grim enough, however, to keep me going. 3.5 stars, rounding up!!
The adventures of the four boys was pretty heartfelt for sure and their little 'gang' of BFFs became a fixture in the Kitchen. Collecting baseball cards, comics, talking sports; boys will be boys. One summer, however, they went a little too far and ended up in Juvie. I will not go into the details here, but life in Juvie (so-called Wilkinson Home for Boys) was pure hell, with violent, sexually abusive guards running riot. Yet, it takes some time (about midway) before Carcaterra gets there, with the first half narrating the various escapades of the boys and such. Needless to say, the stay at Wilkinson fundamentally shaped the lives of the boys involved.
Carcaterra's workmanlike prose carries the story nicely (if you could call this a nice story) and yes, the prison bit is shocking in its brutality. The over all story, however, is really about growing up in Hell's Kitchen and how it shaped the lives and dreams of the boys. I did not expect to like this as much as I did; nostalgic coming of age novels are not really my bag at all. This was grim enough, however, to keep me going. 3.5 stars, rounding up!!
July 27, 2024
Esta es una novela autobiográfica escrita por uno de sus protagonistas, Lorenzo Carcaterra, y que fue adaptada cinematográficamente en 1996.
Lorenzo, junto con sus amigos Michael, Tommy y John vivían en Hell's Kitchen, un conflictivo barrio neoyorquino, en los años sesenta. Eran unos adolescentes cuando a causa de una broma que se les fue de las manos fueron recluidos durante un año en el reformatorio Wilkinson. Cumplieron la condena, pero lo que allí les ocurrió jamás pudieron olvidarlo; en Wilkinson habían sido sometidos a tales vejaciones que sus vidas quedarían marcadas para siempre, pero pasados los años sucede un hecho que lo cambia todo y se presenta el momento de la venganza�
En la primera parte del libro, el autor nos hace un recorrido sobre la relación de amistad de estos cuatro amigos durante los años 60 y lo va entremezclando con anécdotas de la historia del barrio neoyorquino de Hell’s Kitchen.
En la segunda parte, nos relata como fue la vida de los cuatro amigos durante el año que estuvieron en el reformatorio, los abusos a los que los sometieron los guardianes, esta parte es la más dura del libro, me ha removido mucho por dentro.
Lo que más me ha gustado de está parte ha sido cuando juegan el partido contra los guardianes junto con otros internos, ahí se marcan una pequeña victoria con terribles consecuencias para todos.
Y en la tercera parte, nos relata su venganza, me encanta esta parte como entre Michael y Shakes organizan todo para vengarse de los guardianes del reformatorio Wilkinson, el juicio me mantuvo expectante, a pesar de que ví la película primero y ya conocía el final.
Me ha gustado mucho este libro, la narrativa del autor es maravillosa y muy cuidada se lee de manera ágil a pesar de tratarse de un libro que trata un tema muy duro y de ser un libro autobiográfico.
En resumen, esta es la historia de una amistad de verdad, de las que se fortalecen con el paso del tiempo y pese a las adversidades, de las que te hacen dejar de pensar en ti mismo, y por la cual, harías cualquier cosa por conservar.
Una historia tremendamente dura, bella y real como la vida misma.
Lorenzo, junto con sus amigos Michael, Tommy y John vivían en Hell's Kitchen, un conflictivo barrio neoyorquino, en los años sesenta. Eran unos adolescentes cuando a causa de una broma que se les fue de las manos fueron recluidos durante un año en el reformatorio Wilkinson. Cumplieron la condena, pero lo que allí les ocurrió jamás pudieron olvidarlo; en Wilkinson habían sido sometidos a tales vejaciones que sus vidas quedarían marcadas para siempre, pero pasados los años sucede un hecho que lo cambia todo y se presenta el momento de la venganza�
En la primera parte del libro, el autor nos hace un recorrido sobre la relación de amistad de estos cuatro amigos durante los años 60 y lo va entremezclando con anécdotas de la historia del barrio neoyorquino de Hell’s Kitchen.
En la segunda parte, nos relata como fue la vida de los cuatro amigos durante el año que estuvieron en el reformatorio, los abusos a los que los sometieron los guardianes, esta parte es la más dura del libro, me ha removido mucho por dentro.
Lo que más me ha gustado de está parte ha sido cuando juegan el partido contra los guardianes junto con otros internos, ahí se marcan una pequeña victoria con terribles consecuencias para todos.
Y en la tercera parte, nos relata su venganza, me encanta esta parte como entre Michael y Shakes organizan todo para vengarse de los guardianes del reformatorio Wilkinson, el juicio me mantuvo expectante, a pesar de que ví la película primero y ya conocía el final.
Me ha gustado mucho este libro, la narrativa del autor es maravillosa y muy cuidada se lee de manera ágil a pesar de tratarse de un libro que trata un tema muy duro y de ser un libro autobiográfico.
En resumen, esta es la historia de una amistad de verdad, de las que se fortalecen con el paso del tiempo y pese a las adversidades, de las que te hacen dejar de pensar en ti mismo, y por la cual, harías cualquier cosa por conservar.
Una historia tremendamente dura, bella y real como la vida misma.
December 24, 2015
I read this book many years ago when I was in high school and I wanted to re read it to see how I felt about it this many years later. It was still a very hard read. The first part of the book describes the relationships and friendship between the four boys, we get to know their personalities and characteristics and have some insight as to how each of them will cope in this hideous environment. The boys end up in some mischief which has dire consequences, they are sent to a reform school where they will endure horrendous physical, sexual and emotional abuse for the duration of their sentence. Their innocence is destroyed and this will have terrible effects on each of them for the rest of their lives.
January 12, 2023
#ܲĮٰܲԲⲵ
Ar Jums yra tokia knyga, kuri būtų įstrigusi, apie kurią pagalvojus sukiltų kuo įvairiausi jausmai?
Pačiai tokia yra knyga "Pragaro virtuvės vaikėzai, arba miegaliai". Skaičiau prieš gerus 10 metų, o kai tik prisimenu šį kūrinį - oda pašiurpsta, kai kada ir susigraudinu.
Tai tikra istorija, kuri pirmiausia nugulė puslapiuose, o tik vėliau pagal ją buvo sukurtas filmas. Viename Manhatano rajone, vadinamame Pragaro virtuve, gyvena nemažai imigrantų šeimų, o kartu buriasi gaujos, įvykdomi nusikaltimai. Vieną kartą susitikę keturi draugai sumasto iš vyro, prekiaujančio visokiais dešrainiais , nugvelbti maisto..., nes yra tiesiog alkani... Du berniukai gvelbė maistą, kiti du atkreipinėjo dėmesį... Tik įvyko nelaimė - berniukai pražudė vyrą, o jie dar turės stoti prieš teismą - tik ar jų pasigailės teisėjas?...
Pačiai tokia žiauri, kartu realistiška knyga, o ją skaitant vis kaupėsi ašaros ir nekartą verkiau. Kodėl taip berniukams nepasisekė, kodėl kai kada nėra teisybės - vis savęs klausiau... Pabaiga buvo netikėta, bet tokia teisinga.
Neesate dar skaitę šios knygos? Tikrai rekomenduoju ir tikiu, kad Jūs šį kūrinį prisiminsite ilgesniam, o gal visam laikui.
Ar Jums yra tokia knyga, kuri būtų įstrigusi, apie kurią pagalvojus sukiltų kuo įvairiausi jausmai?
Pačiai tokia yra knyga "Pragaro virtuvės vaikėzai, arba miegaliai". Skaičiau prieš gerus 10 metų, o kai tik prisimenu šį kūrinį - oda pašiurpsta, kai kada ir susigraudinu.
Tai tikra istorija, kuri pirmiausia nugulė puslapiuose, o tik vėliau pagal ją buvo sukurtas filmas. Viename Manhatano rajone, vadinamame Pragaro virtuve, gyvena nemažai imigrantų šeimų, o kartu buriasi gaujos, įvykdomi nusikaltimai. Vieną kartą susitikę keturi draugai sumasto iš vyro, prekiaujančio visokiais dešrainiais , nugvelbti maisto..., nes yra tiesiog alkani... Du berniukai gvelbė maistą, kiti du atkreipinėjo dėmesį... Tik įvyko nelaimė - berniukai pražudė vyrą, o jie dar turės stoti prieš teismą - tik ar jų pasigailės teisėjas?...
Pačiai tokia žiauri, kartu realistiška knyga, o ją skaitant vis kaupėsi ašaros ir nekartą verkiau. Kodėl taip berniukams nepasisekė, kodėl kai kada nėra teisybės - vis savęs klausiau... Pabaiga buvo netikėta, bet tokia teisinga.
Neesate dar skaitę šios knygos? Tikrai rekomenduoju ir tikiu, kad Jūs šį kūrinį prisiminsite ilgesniam, o gal visam laikui.
April 27, 2020
Sprendimai, lemiantys žmonių gyvybę, privalo būti skausmingi.
3.5/5
Kada esame blogi žmonės, o kada tiesiog priimame blogus sprendimus? Ar tai � vienas ir tas pats? Ir kodėl, dievaži, kodėl ši knyga dar nėra įtraukta į privalomos literatūros sąrašus paaugliams? Šie trys klausimai, persimaišantys ir keičiantys vienas kitą, sukosi mano galvoje viso knygos skaitymo proceso metu. Negalėjau negalvoti � ne man šita knyga. Turbūt nuskambės baisiai pasipūtėliškai ir nesupraskit manęs neteisingai � bet ji tiems, kurie vis dar galvoja, kad kvailos išdaigos neprivalo turėti pasekmes. Tiems, kurie sako, kad „berniukai visada liks berniukais�. Tiems, kurie idealizuoja Pasaulį, kurį mato filmuose � purviną, su šūvių garsais fone, tačiau kuriame draugystė ir bendrystė, pastatyta ant gatvės taisyklių ir „akis už akį, dantis už dantį� visada laimi. Ne visada. O net kai laimi, ar tikrai tokiose situacijose ką nors galima vadinti laimėtoju?
Šioje knygoje, paremtoje tikra istorija, yra kur kas daugiau teigiamų, nei kad neigiamų dalykų. Joje daug puikių minčių, daug sukrečiančių niuansų, kurie glūdi šiek tiek giliau. Ne visada baisiausia tai, kas parašyta juodu ant balto. Nors, tiesa, pastarasis irgi keletą kartų privertė nusipurtyti. Ir suprantu, kad kai istorija tikra, kai tie keturi berniukai, kuriems teko užaugti Pragaro virtuvėje, o vėliau � iškentėti nepilnamečių kolonijoje patirtą siaubą, prievartą ir terorą, iš tiesų gyveno, viską reikia vertinti šiek tiek kitaip. Ir nors literatūrine prasme man ši knyga pasirodė silpna, veikėjai � nepakankamai išplėtoti ir vietomis sulimpantys į keistą beformę masę, kurioje sunku atskirti kas yra kas, vis dėlto puikiai suprantu priežastis, kodėl ši knyga yra reikšminga ir kodėl joje pasakojama istorija privalėjo būti išgirsta. Ji apie tuos, kurie gyvena Amerikoje, tačiau kurie lieka už Amerikietiškosios svajonės ribų. Apie tuos, kurie gali apsaugoti nebent vieni kitus, nes jų nesaugo niekas kitas � nei teisinė sistema, nei tie, kurie ją atstovauja. Apie nusivylimą ir teisingumą, kuris kartais turi būti pasiekiamas net tais būdais, kuriuos sunku pateisinti.
Tikiu, kad vis dėlto didžiausią įspūdį ši knyga galėtų padaryti ją skaitant mokykloje. Tinkamam mokytojui vedant tinkamą diskusiją, tai gali būti kūrinys, kuris kažkam sužadins smalsumą skaityti (kiek daug apie tai kalbam ir rypuojam, bet kiek iš tiesų darom, kad situacija pasikeistų?..), kažkam � tiesiog permąstyti kasdienybę ir galbūt tiesiog pagalvoti kelis kartus. Nesitikėkim „devynis kartus atmatuok, dešimtą..� tipo istorijų � „Miegaliai� įrodo, kad kartais tiesiog pakaktų pagalvoti dukart. Ir esu pasiruošusi priimti kritikos strėles už tai, ką pasakysiu, bet paaugliai nenumirs, jei devynioliktą kartą nepaskaitys apie medį, liūdnas motutės akis ir ašaromis nulaistytą duonos kriaukšlę. Bet tokios knygos kaip ši gali parodyti tokį Pasaulį, į kurį žiūrėti baisu, bet reikalinga. Būtina.
3.5/5
Kada esame blogi žmonės, o kada tiesiog priimame blogus sprendimus? Ar tai � vienas ir tas pats? Ir kodėl, dievaži, kodėl ši knyga dar nėra įtraukta į privalomos literatūros sąrašus paaugliams? Šie trys klausimai, persimaišantys ir keičiantys vienas kitą, sukosi mano galvoje viso knygos skaitymo proceso metu. Negalėjau negalvoti � ne man šita knyga. Turbūt nuskambės baisiai pasipūtėliškai ir nesupraskit manęs neteisingai � bet ji tiems, kurie vis dar galvoja, kad kvailos išdaigos neprivalo turėti pasekmes. Tiems, kurie sako, kad „berniukai visada liks berniukais�. Tiems, kurie idealizuoja Pasaulį, kurį mato filmuose � purviną, su šūvių garsais fone, tačiau kuriame draugystė ir bendrystė, pastatyta ant gatvės taisyklių ir „akis už akį, dantis už dantį� visada laimi. Ne visada. O net kai laimi, ar tikrai tokiose situacijose ką nors galima vadinti laimėtoju?
Šioje knygoje, paremtoje tikra istorija, yra kur kas daugiau teigiamų, nei kad neigiamų dalykų. Joje daug puikių minčių, daug sukrečiančių niuansų, kurie glūdi šiek tiek giliau. Ne visada baisiausia tai, kas parašyta juodu ant balto. Nors, tiesa, pastarasis irgi keletą kartų privertė nusipurtyti. Ir suprantu, kad kai istorija tikra, kai tie keturi berniukai, kuriems teko užaugti Pragaro virtuvėje, o vėliau � iškentėti nepilnamečių kolonijoje patirtą siaubą, prievartą ir terorą, iš tiesų gyveno, viską reikia vertinti šiek tiek kitaip. Ir nors literatūrine prasme man ši knyga pasirodė silpna, veikėjai � nepakankamai išplėtoti ir vietomis sulimpantys į keistą beformę masę, kurioje sunku atskirti kas yra kas, vis dėlto puikiai suprantu priežastis, kodėl ši knyga yra reikšminga ir kodėl joje pasakojama istorija privalėjo būti išgirsta. Ji apie tuos, kurie gyvena Amerikoje, tačiau kurie lieka už Amerikietiškosios svajonės ribų. Apie tuos, kurie gali apsaugoti nebent vieni kitus, nes jų nesaugo niekas kitas � nei teisinė sistema, nei tie, kurie ją atstovauja. Apie nusivylimą ir teisingumą, kuris kartais turi būti pasiekiamas net tais būdais, kuriuos sunku pateisinti.
Tikiu, kad vis dėlto didžiausią įspūdį ši knyga galėtų padaryti ją skaitant mokykloje. Tinkamam mokytojui vedant tinkamą diskusiją, tai gali būti kūrinys, kuris kažkam sužadins smalsumą skaityti (kiek daug apie tai kalbam ir rypuojam, bet kiek iš tiesų darom, kad situacija pasikeistų?..), kažkam � tiesiog permąstyti kasdienybę ir galbūt tiesiog pagalvoti kelis kartus. Nesitikėkim „devynis kartus atmatuok, dešimtą..� tipo istorijų � „Miegaliai� įrodo, kad kartais tiesiog pakaktų pagalvoti dukart. Ir esu pasiruošusi priimti kritikos strėles už tai, ką pasakysiu, bet paaugliai nenumirs, jei devynioliktą kartą nepaskaitys apie medį, liūdnas motutės akis ir ašaromis nulaistytą duonos kriaukšlę. Bet tokios knygos kaip ši gali parodyti tokį Pasaulį, į kurį žiūrėti baisu, bet reikalinga. Būtina.
April 17, 2019
Sukrečianti istorija, kuri neturėtų palikti abejingų.
Knyga tikrai neprasta, įdomi ir aprašanti gana žiaurius įvykius, kurie turėtų sugraudinti jautriąją skaitytojų auditoriją. Tačiau manęs neįtikino, o ašaros neišspaudžiau. Todėl didžiausiu minusu laikau pasirinkimą perpasakoti vykusius žiaurumus, t. y. rašymo stilių. 2/3 knygos aprašo berniukų gyvenimą Pragaro virtuvėje ir kalėjimo įstaigoje. Abu etapai savaip skausmingi, tačiau, kaip minėjau, tam likau abejinga. Kodėl:
Istorija pradedama trumpai supažindinant kiekvieną berniuką atskirai, jų šeimas, pomėgius. Tuomet staiga iššoka atskiros siaubu persmelktos siužeto dalys, trumpos istorijos: muštynės, gaujų nesutarimai, patyčios, nesantaika šeimoje. Ir tai nėra nuoseklus jų gyvenimo pasakojimas. Tai greičiau atskiros siaubingos žiaurumo akimirkos, skaitytojus turinčios sugraudinti ištraukos iš berniukų gyvenimo, nepateikiant daugiau kasdienybės, laisvalaiko, pokalbių, charakterių, galimybės artimiau susipažinti su veikėjais. Pažintis su personažais ir buvo kebliausia dalis - pabaigus skaityti galėjau pasakyti tik dviejų berniukų vardus, o ką jau kalbėti apie kitus personažus. Visa tai, mano nuomone, buvo neišpildyta, neduota daugiau laiko įsijausti.
Perskaičius 2/3 knygos tvirtai žinojau, jog skirsiu vidutinį įvertinimą. Filmą mačiau gana seniai, todėl buvau primiršusi, jog istorijos pabaigoje vyks teismo procesas, apie kurį (labai gaila) ir buvo įdomiausia skaityti. Toks asmeninis pomėgis domėtis nagrinėjamomis bylomis, teismo posėdžiais ir pakėlė bendrą knygos įvertinimą.
Nėra taip, jog nerekomenduočiau. Atvirkščiai, rekomenduoju perskaityti visiems ir susidaryti savo nuomonę.
Knyga tikrai neprasta, įdomi ir aprašanti gana žiaurius įvykius, kurie turėtų sugraudinti jautriąją skaitytojų auditoriją. Tačiau manęs neįtikino, o ašaros neišspaudžiau. Todėl didžiausiu minusu laikau pasirinkimą perpasakoti vykusius žiaurumus, t. y. rašymo stilių. 2/3 knygos aprašo berniukų gyvenimą Pragaro virtuvėje ir kalėjimo įstaigoje. Abu etapai savaip skausmingi, tačiau, kaip minėjau, tam likau abejinga. Kodėl:
Istorija pradedama trumpai supažindinant kiekvieną berniuką atskirai, jų šeimas, pomėgius. Tuomet staiga iššoka atskiros siaubu persmelktos siužeto dalys, trumpos istorijos: muštynės, gaujų nesutarimai, patyčios, nesantaika šeimoje. Ir tai nėra nuoseklus jų gyvenimo pasakojimas. Tai greičiau atskiros siaubingos žiaurumo akimirkos, skaitytojus turinčios sugraudinti ištraukos iš berniukų gyvenimo, nepateikiant daugiau kasdienybės, laisvalaiko, pokalbių, charakterių, galimybės artimiau susipažinti su veikėjais. Pažintis su personažais ir buvo kebliausia dalis - pabaigus skaityti galėjau pasakyti tik dviejų berniukų vardus, o ką jau kalbėti apie kitus personažus. Visa tai, mano nuomone, buvo neišpildyta, neduota daugiau laiko įsijausti.
Perskaičius 2/3 knygos tvirtai žinojau, jog skirsiu vidutinį įvertinimą. Filmą mačiau gana seniai, todėl buvau primiršusi, jog istorijos pabaigoje vyks teismo procesas, apie kurį (labai gaila) ir buvo įdomiausia skaityti. Toks asmeninis pomėgis domėtis nagrinėjamomis bylomis, teismo posėdžiais ir pakėlė bendrą knygos įvertinimą.
Nėra taip, jog nerekomenduočiau. Atvirkščiai, rekomenduoju perskaityti visiems ir susidaryti savo nuomonę.
June 4, 2023
Knyga, kuri verta vieno iš aukščiausių įvertinimų! Knyga, kurią perskaičius, taip lengvai nepasimirš, ir liks atmintyje ilgai. Knyga, kuri reikalaus skaitymo pauzių, nes bus sunku versti kitą puslapį ir tęsti.
Knygoje pasakojama apie neišskiriamus bičiulius Lorenzą, Maiklą, Džoną ir Tomį bei jų gyvenimą skurdo ir smurto persmelktame Manhatano rajone, vadinamame Pragaro virtuve. Čia bičiuliai auga aplinkoje, kurioje zuja imigrantai iš Europos, formuojasi nusikaltėlių gaujos, neišvengiamos vagystės ir kiti nusikaltimai, o ore tvyro „mirk arba išgyvenk� likimas. Neišskiriami draugai šiame rajone, besistumdydami su jų kiekvieną dieną laukiančiais iššūkiais, gali tik pasitikėti vieni kitais. Jie nevengia pokštų, o po vieno iš jų, kai smarkiai sužaloja nekaltą žmogų, visi yra išsiunčiami į pragarą, kokio net neįsivaizdavo esant � Vilkinsono berniukų koloniją. Vietą, kuri anksčiau ar vėliau palaužia visus ten esančius, atima visų kalinčių nepilnamečių esybę. Kolonijoje Lorenzui, Maiklui, Džonui ir Tomiui tenka susidurti su prižiūrėtoju Šonu Noksu ir jo sukurtomis taisyklėmis. Tą patį Šoną Noksą jie susitiks ir išėję iš Vilkinsono, tik po dešimties metų. Ir tada berniukų protus užvaldys keršto troškimas ir noras atkeršyti už tai, ką jiems teko patirti šiame Šono Nokso pragare.
"Tai tikra istorija apie draugystę, pasirašytą krauju. Kartu mūsų ketvertas teikė vienas kitam paguodą ir saugumą, kurio stigo kitur. Pasitikėjome vienas kitu ir žinojome, kad nė vienas iš mūsų netaps išdaviku. Daugiau mes nieko neturėjome - nieko, išskyrus vienas kitą. Mums tai ir buvo svarbiausia. Mus vienijo pasitikėjimas. Draugystė buvo mūsų išgyvenimo taktika.
Planas buvo paprastas ir bukas, kaip ir visa, ką kada nors esame darę. Ir šiandien nežinau, kodėl tai padarėme. Tačiau mes visi už tai sumokėsime. Kiekvienas. Tai tetruko minutę, tačiau per tą minutę visa pasikeitė.
Vilkinsono berniukų kolonija. Kankinimai, mušimai ir žeminimai,prievarta.Per tą trumpą laiką kolonijos prižiūrėtojai spėjo sudaužyti kūnus ir atbukinti protą. Riksmai, kurie išgirsti nebeištrinami iš atminties. Jis ir visa jo šutvė išdarkė 4 berniukų ateitį, suluošino juos taip, kad jie niekuomet nepagis.
Aš vienintelis pajėgiu kalbėti už juos ir už tuos vaikus, kokie buvome."
Knygoje pasakojama apie neišskiriamus bičiulius Lorenzą, Maiklą, Džoną ir Tomį bei jų gyvenimą skurdo ir smurto persmelktame Manhatano rajone, vadinamame Pragaro virtuve. Čia bičiuliai auga aplinkoje, kurioje zuja imigrantai iš Europos, formuojasi nusikaltėlių gaujos, neišvengiamos vagystės ir kiti nusikaltimai, o ore tvyro „mirk arba išgyvenk� likimas. Neišskiriami draugai šiame rajone, besistumdydami su jų kiekvieną dieną laukiančiais iššūkiais, gali tik pasitikėti vieni kitais. Jie nevengia pokštų, o po vieno iš jų, kai smarkiai sužaloja nekaltą žmogų, visi yra išsiunčiami į pragarą, kokio net neįsivaizdavo esant � Vilkinsono berniukų koloniją. Vietą, kuri anksčiau ar vėliau palaužia visus ten esančius, atima visų kalinčių nepilnamečių esybę. Kolonijoje Lorenzui, Maiklui, Džonui ir Tomiui tenka susidurti su prižiūrėtoju Šonu Noksu ir jo sukurtomis taisyklėmis. Tą patį Šoną Noksą jie susitiks ir išėję iš Vilkinsono, tik po dešimties metų. Ir tada berniukų protus užvaldys keršto troškimas ir noras atkeršyti už tai, ką jiems teko patirti šiame Šono Nokso pragare.
"Tai tikra istorija apie draugystę, pasirašytą krauju. Kartu mūsų ketvertas teikė vienas kitam paguodą ir saugumą, kurio stigo kitur. Pasitikėjome vienas kitu ir žinojome, kad nė vienas iš mūsų netaps išdaviku. Daugiau mes nieko neturėjome - nieko, išskyrus vienas kitą. Mums tai ir buvo svarbiausia. Mus vienijo pasitikėjimas. Draugystė buvo mūsų išgyvenimo taktika.
Planas buvo paprastas ir bukas, kaip ir visa, ką kada nors esame darę. Ir šiandien nežinau, kodėl tai padarėme. Tačiau mes visi už tai sumokėsime. Kiekvienas. Tai tetruko minutę, tačiau per tą minutę visa pasikeitė.
Vilkinsono berniukų kolonija. Kankinimai, mušimai ir žeminimai,prievarta.Per tą trumpą laiką kolonijos prižiūrėtojai spėjo sudaužyti kūnus ir atbukinti protą. Riksmai, kurie išgirsti nebeištrinami iš atminties. Jis ir visa jo šutvė išdarkė 4 berniukų ateitį, suluošino juos taip, kad jie niekuomet nepagis.
Aš vienintelis pajėgiu kalbėti už juos ir už tuos vaikus, kokie buvome."
August 2, 2016
If you believe this is a true story, then I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.
None of this has ever been substantiated for a reason--it didn't happen. If one good thing came out of the A Million Little Pieces fiasco, it's that we don't have to choke down whoppers like Sleepers anymore. What begins as a passable memoir of a hard-scrabble childhood in Hell's Kitchen in the 1960s quickly strains credulity with twists ranging from the convenient to the absurd. Sadly, the greater truths of abuses within the corrections system are undermined by what's clearly nothing more than a bad novel.
So much that happens in Sleepers is so patently, obviously false that it makes it hard to read even even at a basic story level. I promise you that two Irish cocaine kingpins of Hell's Kitchen in the 80s did not keep severed hands in a meat locker across town, hands that they later used to plant fingerprint evidence. (Seriously, what editor cleared this?) There was no public, impulsive shooting of a former boys home guard in a local pub, and the shooters did not walk thanks to the help of their kindly neighborhood priest and his somehow irrefutable ticket-stub evidence. It's easy to see why this became a successful Hollywood movie--because it's just a fantasy. And not a particularly well-done one, either.
None of this has ever been substantiated for a reason--it didn't happen. If one good thing came out of the A Million Little Pieces fiasco, it's that we don't have to choke down whoppers like Sleepers anymore. What begins as a passable memoir of a hard-scrabble childhood in Hell's Kitchen in the 1960s quickly strains credulity with twists ranging from the convenient to the absurd. Sadly, the greater truths of abuses within the corrections system are undermined by what's clearly nothing more than a bad novel.
So much that happens in Sleepers is so patently, obviously false that it makes it hard to read even even at a basic story level. I promise you that two Irish cocaine kingpins of Hell's Kitchen in the 80s did not keep severed hands in a meat locker across town, hands that they later used to plant fingerprint evidence. (Seriously, what editor cleared this?) There was no public, impulsive shooting of a former boys home guard in a local pub, and the shooters did not walk thanks to the help of their kindly neighborhood priest and his somehow irrefutable ticket-stub evidence. It's easy to see why this became a successful Hollywood movie--because it's just a fantasy. And not a particularly well-done one, either.
November 21, 2012
I read this book a number of years ago and believed every word. This time around I found myself skeptical. It reminded me of James Frey's A Million Little Pieces. It was too stylized and unlikely; I could believe it may have had its roots in truth but that doesn't make the story a full truth. The court case seemed particularly unlikely. It is a pretty well-written story but I don't see it as THE TRUTH, just a version thereof most likely. It could, in fact, be lies from beginning to end, but there probably is some truth there. I googled the Wilkinson Home for Boys and found that I was not the only one who was skeptical. The NY Times published an article about doubts that were being expressed and as far as I could tell the story could not be verified. Mr. Carcaterra maintains that it is the truth with names and dates changed.
September 24, 2023
Titulo: Hijos de la calle
Autor: Lorenzo Carcaterra
Motivo de lectura: #PopSugarReadingChallenge2023
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Tapa dura, 336 paginas, Grijalbo
Puntuacion: 4.5/5
Este libro esta rodeado por una controversia, y esta es si la historia es real o no. Yo no estoy en posicion de afirmar o negar si la historia esta basada en hechos reales, asi que simplemente comentare mis sensaciones a traves de la lectura.
El libro narra la historia de cuatro niños, de los cuales tenemos acceso a conocer su niñez y los acompañamos hasta llegar a la adultez. Tambien esta presente el personaje de una niña, la cual es amiga de este grupo de niños, pero sinceramente me dio la impresion que no se termina de ahondar en el personaje femenino, queda muy en segundo plano, tanto que si sacamos este personaje la trama no sufriria un cambio significativo.
La manera en que Lorenzo Carcaterra caracteriza a las personas que han pasado por traumas profundos es realmente excepcional. Logra capturar todos los grises y capaz/aristas complejas dando una construccion muy realista a cada uno de sus personajes. Lidiar con un dolor punsante, permanente, intentando llevar una vida "normal" no es tarea facil, y Carcaterra se hace eco de eso.
Sus villanos son realmente gente desagradable al grado de sentir nauseas durante la lectura. Seres monstruosos que sienten infinito placer infligiendo dolor.
La trama es realmente muy dura, ya que es bastante descriptiva. Es una lectura dolorosa, desgarradora, lidiando con la incertidumbre de no saber hasta que punto seguiran siendo sometidos sus personajes. Te destroza el corazon pagina tras pagina.
Una de las cosas que me gustaria destacar es la prosa de Carcaterra, nada de florituras. Su manera de escribir es sencilla, y esto ayuda a dar el impacto que una historia desgarradora necesita. Lorenzo Carcaterra es simple, descarnado, irreversible.
Otra cosa que me gustarria destacar es el capitulo final, donde el autor nos cuenta el destino de cada personaje, no hay ni cabos sueltos ni interrogantes en el aire.
Lo unico que no me gusto es el epilogo, siento que hizo retroceder un poco la historia, pero esto es una opinion muy personal.
El libro tiene muchos temas sensibles, asi que por favor atentos a los trigger warnings.
Autor: Lorenzo Carcaterra
Motivo de lectura: #PopSugarReadingChallenge2023
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Tapa dura, 336 paginas, Grijalbo
Puntuacion: 4.5/5
Este libro esta rodeado por una controversia, y esta es si la historia es real o no. Yo no estoy en posicion de afirmar o negar si la historia esta basada en hechos reales, asi que simplemente comentare mis sensaciones a traves de la lectura.
El libro narra la historia de cuatro niños, de los cuales tenemos acceso a conocer su niñez y los acompañamos hasta llegar a la adultez. Tambien esta presente el personaje de una niña, la cual es amiga de este grupo de niños, pero sinceramente me dio la impresion que no se termina de ahondar en el personaje femenino, queda muy en segundo plano, tanto que si sacamos este personaje la trama no sufriria un cambio significativo.
La manera en que Lorenzo Carcaterra caracteriza a las personas que han pasado por traumas profundos es realmente excepcional. Logra capturar todos los grises y capaz/aristas complejas dando una construccion muy realista a cada uno de sus personajes. Lidiar con un dolor punsante, permanente, intentando llevar una vida "normal" no es tarea facil, y Carcaterra se hace eco de eso.
Sus villanos son realmente gente desagradable al grado de sentir nauseas durante la lectura. Seres monstruosos que sienten infinito placer infligiendo dolor.
La trama es realmente muy dura, ya que es bastante descriptiva. Es una lectura dolorosa, desgarradora, lidiando con la incertidumbre de no saber hasta que punto seguiran siendo sometidos sus personajes. Te destroza el corazon pagina tras pagina.
Una de las cosas que me gustaria destacar es la prosa de Carcaterra, nada de florituras. Su manera de escribir es sencilla, y esto ayuda a dar el impacto que una historia desgarradora necesita. Lorenzo Carcaterra es simple, descarnado, irreversible.
Otra cosa que me gustarria destacar es el capitulo final, donde el autor nos cuenta el destino de cada personaje, no hay ni cabos sueltos ni interrogantes en el aire.
Lo unico que no me gusto es el epilogo, siento que hizo retroceder un poco la historia, pero esto es una opinion muy personal.
El libro tiene muchos temas sensibles, asi que por favor atentos a los trigger warnings.
December 17, 2019
The kind of book where you don't really want to say you enjoyed it, given the subject matter and the fact that it's nonfiction (although I've read some dissenting views regarding that, but more on that later), but it was definitely captivating. And during the part of the book set at the Wilkinson School for Boys, a nice way of saying juvenile detention center or reform school, there were times when I felt anxious and dreaded the next few pages. I don't think a book has ever done that to me before.
We meet Lorenzo “Shakes� and his three best friends when they are all around 11-14 years old (if I'm remembering correctly). The author tells us how the four became fast friends while living in Hell's Kitchen, and takes us through a lot of their escapades, up until the fateful practical joke that lands a passerby in the hospital. Up until then it's almost a warm amusing memoir of schoolboy antics. But it definitely takes a very dark turn when the four boys are sent to Wilkinson. From there we follow the boys as they are abused by the guards, physically, emotionally and sexually. Those are some of the scenes that gutted me, and were hard to read at times.
Once the boys are released, we jump into the future, and follow the boys, now men, as two of them kill one of the former guards, and the other two devise an elaborate plan to tilt the trial in their favor and convince a jury to find the killers not guilty. I understand the deep friendship that led to this, but considering the two who killed the guards have killed others before that, and probably went on to kill others after that...well, it's a shaky moral line to be straddling.
Usually after I read a book that's also a movie, I like to watch the movie. This one, I'm not so sure I want to see these events played out in front of me. Although, Brad Pitt and Jeffrey Donovan!
Shakes grows up to become a journalist, and his writing is superb, with the words flowing across the page. He has quite a few other books in his backlist, fiction and nonfiction, and I plan to keep an eye out for them.
After the book's release, there was a lot of debate about whether or not it was in fact a true story, with naysayers claiming there was no record of any court case/trial like the one in the book. True or not, the book is worth reading. You can find a New York Times article here: .
We meet Lorenzo “Shakes� and his three best friends when they are all around 11-14 years old (if I'm remembering correctly). The author tells us how the four became fast friends while living in Hell's Kitchen, and takes us through a lot of their escapades, up until the fateful practical joke that lands a passerby in the hospital. Up until then it's almost a warm amusing memoir of schoolboy antics. But it definitely takes a very dark turn when the four boys are sent to Wilkinson. From there we follow the boys as they are abused by the guards, physically, emotionally and sexually. Those are some of the scenes that gutted me, and were hard to read at times.
Once the boys are released, we jump into the future, and follow the boys, now men, as two of them kill one of the former guards, and the other two devise an elaborate plan to tilt the trial in their favor and convince a jury to find the killers not guilty. I understand the deep friendship that led to this, but considering the two who killed the guards have killed others before that, and probably went on to kill others after that...well, it's a shaky moral line to be straddling.
Usually after I read a book that's also a movie, I like to watch the movie. This one, I'm not so sure I want to see these events played out in front of me. Although, Brad Pitt and Jeffrey Donovan!
Shakes grows up to become a journalist, and his writing is superb, with the words flowing across the page. He has quite a few other books in his backlist, fiction and nonfiction, and I plan to keep an eye out for them.
After the book's release, there was a lot of debate about whether or not it was in fact a true story, with naysayers claiming there was no record of any court case/trial like the one in the book. True or not, the book is worth reading. You can find a New York Times article here: .
May 26, 2021
4.50 Stars � It’s rarified air, the novel that is so gripping it is immediately made into a movie that is a commercial and largely critical success. Once you get about 110-130 pages in, it’s indeed blatantly obvious why this is the case.
Written with polish, vigor and genuinely impactful sorrow ness, Sleepers is a tale all-to-familiar in modern western society. But � in mid 1995 � This wasn’t necessarily the case. It was scolded by time magazine, the New York Times and others for being ‘fools-nonfiction�.. this was despite the author and publisher publicly offering proof to any literary review mer whom wished to case it. A sign of the times, and in my opinion a poor snapshot of it indeed. Today, this wouldn’t occur and would never be able even referred to, but it goes to the wider story of this novel and its lore.
This is a certified page-turner and it grabs you subtly, a parodic given its narrative. But by this, I mean that it’s shocking from the opening pages, but it was not until page 70 or so I found my footing in the authors prose & found my inner voice for this narrator. Once it took hold however, it really wrenches the reigns & whips the horses into full onslaught mode and fills you with torment and lustful gluttony in the form of vengeance, before a final merging of horror and wonderfully layered scheming!
Set in two periods, 1967 Hell’s Kitchen & 1980 NYC, Sleepers is a powerhouse of a novel that touches on an array of different themes from the lost innocence of youth, to the fallibility of revenge to the sombreness of misery and much much more. An epic tale it to be taken lightly, it’s ultimately a rollicking ride in an 1800’s carriage on a a road with a composition of Icy narrow corners, rocky and hilly straights, deep pot-holes and unpredictable yet surprisingly peaceful long and winding dirt, gravel and mud-coated country roads.
So close to a Five-Star read yet also far, ultimately graded a 4.50 rounded down to 4 Stars opposed to up to five, essentially only due to some minor queries I have in continuity and character motivation, as well as some gaps in the bankable-ness of the prosecutorial elements of the ‘nonfiction� categorisation. A great book a great story and choc-full of interesting and deeply fleshed-out characters.
Written with polish, vigor and genuinely impactful sorrow ness, Sleepers is a tale all-to-familiar in modern western society. But � in mid 1995 � This wasn’t necessarily the case. It was scolded by time magazine, the New York Times and others for being ‘fools-nonfiction�.. this was despite the author and publisher publicly offering proof to any literary review mer whom wished to case it. A sign of the times, and in my opinion a poor snapshot of it indeed. Today, this wouldn’t occur and would never be able even referred to, but it goes to the wider story of this novel and its lore.
This is a certified page-turner and it grabs you subtly, a parodic given its narrative. But by this, I mean that it’s shocking from the opening pages, but it was not until page 70 or so I found my footing in the authors prose & found my inner voice for this narrator. Once it took hold however, it really wrenches the reigns & whips the horses into full onslaught mode and fills you with torment and lustful gluttony in the form of vengeance, before a final merging of horror and wonderfully layered scheming!
Set in two periods, 1967 Hell’s Kitchen & 1980 NYC, Sleepers is a powerhouse of a novel that touches on an array of different themes from the lost innocence of youth, to the fallibility of revenge to the sombreness of misery and much much more. An epic tale it to be taken lightly, it’s ultimately a rollicking ride in an 1800’s carriage on a a road with a composition of Icy narrow corners, rocky and hilly straights, deep pot-holes and unpredictable yet surprisingly peaceful long and winding dirt, gravel and mud-coated country roads.
So close to a Five-Star read yet also far, ultimately graded a 4.50 rounded down to 4 Stars opposed to up to five, essentially only due to some minor queries I have in continuity and character motivation, as well as some gaps in the bankable-ness of the prosecutorial elements of the ‘nonfiction� categorisation. A great book a great story and choc-full of interesting and deeply fleshed-out characters.
June 25, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book after seeing the reviews about it.
I read this book as a teenager, one of my parents had been reading the book and it looked good to me so I picked it up after they were done with it, and enjoyed it. Back then, I would have given it at least 4 stars. It's been a while so I will admit I am foggy on many of the details.
Just this morning I was watching Law and Order on TV and in the credits was a writer named Lorenzo Calcaterra. I immediately recognized the name and remembered the book. So I asked myself if I had reviewed this book, because it is my life's mission (or more accurately, one of my life's missions) to review everything I have ever read. It can be hard for me to remember every single book I read as a child or teenager, as I didn't open my GR account til I had passed my 20-year mark.
So this led me to reading the GR reviews. As a teenager, reading Sleepers, I did not question the veracity of the material, so I was surprised to see all these reviews complaining about said veracity, and now I feel torn. I get changing names and certain other details might be neccessary to protect the innocent in an autobiography, but reading the negative reviews, and several articles, about this, leaves me feeling conflicted.
Did I enjoy the story? Hell yes. I was horrified at what these boys went through - regardless of the incident that caused them to be incarcerated, they did not deserve to be treated that way - and cheered them on for their revenge.
Do I feel cheesed off at the very real possibility that this was all made up? Hell yes.
So ultimately, my verdict is 3 stars, would be higher if I was not questioning the truth of these events.
I read this book as a teenager, one of my parents had been reading the book and it looked good to me so I picked it up after they were done with it, and enjoyed it. Back then, I would have given it at least 4 stars. It's been a while so I will admit I am foggy on many of the details.
Just this morning I was watching Law and Order on TV and in the credits was a writer named Lorenzo Calcaterra. I immediately recognized the name and remembered the book. So I asked myself if I had reviewed this book, because it is my life's mission (or more accurately, one of my life's missions) to review everything I have ever read. It can be hard for me to remember every single book I read as a child or teenager, as I didn't open my GR account til I had passed my 20-year mark.
So this led me to reading the GR reviews. As a teenager, reading Sleepers, I did not question the veracity of the material, so I was surprised to see all these reviews complaining about said veracity, and now I feel torn. I get changing names and certain other details might be neccessary to protect the innocent in an autobiography, but reading the negative reviews, and several articles, about this, leaves me feeling conflicted.
Did I enjoy the story? Hell yes. I was horrified at what these boys went through - regardless of the incident that caused them to be incarcerated, they did not deserve to be treated that way - and cheered them on for their revenge.
Do I feel cheesed off at the very real possibility that this was all made up? Hell yes.
So ultimately, my verdict is 3 stars, would be higher if I was not questioning the truth of these events.
October 24, 2011
The author, Lorenzo Carcaterra in his book, "Sleepers" tells the story as himself reflecting back to when he was a boy growing up in Hell's Kitchen (a city in New York) in the 1960's, and a place he and his three other friends were forced to go to after pulling a stupid prank that almost kills someone. This place is a juvenille facility that they soon find out will change their lives forever. There they endure unnecessary verbal, physical and sexual abuse from the guards that watch them.
Later as adults two of the friends decide to get revenge when they see one of the guards in a bar. This leads to a big trial, but the friends feel like they can finally have complete revenge and expose the guards.
There is not a negative thing to be said about this book. It definitely amounts to "The Count of Monte Criso" in the way of revenge. The way Carcaterra decribes everything,especially his life in Hell's Kitchen, you really get a sense of what he's like and everything relates to his character as a boy. It's not artificial sounding, emotional, and you feel like you just jump into his world and life; reliving it. Everything was tied together well, and was never boring. I read it in like two days because every chapter was left off perfectly, but you couldn't help reading the next few pages and the next... not to sound cliche but, a total page turner!
,
Later as adults two of the friends decide to get revenge when they see one of the guards in a bar. This leads to a big trial, but the friends feel like they can finally have complete revenge and expose the guards.
There is not a negative thing to be said about this book. It definitely amounts to "The Count of Monte Criso" in the way of revenge. The way Carcaterra decribes everything,especially his life in Hell's Kitchen, you really get a sense of what he's like and everything relates to his character as a boy. It's not artificial sounding, emotional, and you feel like you just jump into his world and life; reliving it. Everything was tied together well, and was never boring. I read it in like two days because every chapter was left off perfectly, but you couldn't help reading the next few pages and the next... not to sound cliche but, a total page turner!
,
August 12, 2016
Jau nebe pirmą kartą įsitikinu, kad skaityti knygą jau peržiūrėjus pagal ją sukurtą filmą - labai blogas sumanymas. Taip atsitiko ir šį kartą. 1996- aisiais sukurtas filmas " Pragaro virtuvės vaikėzai" padarė tikrai didžiulį įspūdį. Turiu prisipažinti, jog dažniausiai knygos pralenkia pagal jas sukurtus filmus bent jau kokius du kartus. Keista, bet šįkart fimas nepalyginamai geresnis.
Kas dar nulėmė nusivylimą knyga? Turbūt didžiulės perskaičiusiųjų liaupsės. Vienas skaitytojas titulavo ją kaip geriausią iki tol skaitytą knygą, kitas irgi gyrėsi kaip tiesiog prarijo ją. Taip ir atsitinka, kai skaitai labai daug tikėdamasis. Tenka nusivilti.
Trumpai apie istoriją pasakojamą knygoje. Knyga nieko bendro neturi su virtuve. Tai pasakojimas apie keturių berniukų gyvenimą pavojingame Manhatano rajone. Kilę iš vargingų šeimų, tačiau nesijaučia nuskriausti ar nelaimingi. Berniukai geranoriški, šiek tiek išdykę, tačiau jų gyvenime yra vietos net ir bažnyčiai. Šių berniukų gyvenimas apsiverčia po nedidelio pokšto, kuris netikėtai virsta didžiule nelaime.
Knyga skaitosi greitai ir lengvai nepaisant to, jog aprašomi itin skaudūs dalykai : gatvės gyvenimas, skaudūs berniukų potyriai, prievartavimas. Manau, jei ne pamokoma istorija ir jos lengva rašymo maniera knyga nebūtų tokia patraukli. Įvardinčiau ją kaip daugiau mažiau lengvą savaitgalinio tipo knygą.
Verta skaityti, jeigu mėgstate gansteriškas istorijas iš gatvės gyvenimo.
Kas dar nulėmė nusivylimą knyga? Turbūt didžiulės perskaičiusiųjų liaupsės. Vienas skaitytojas titulavo ją kaip geriausią iki tol skaitytą knygą, kitas irgi gyrėsi kaip tiesiog prarijo ją. Taip ir atsitinka, kai skaitai labai daug tikėdamasis. Tenka nusivilti.
Trumpai apie istoriją pasakojamą knygoje. Knyga nieko bendro neturi su virtuve. Tai pasakojimas apie keturių berniukų gyvenimą pavojingame Manhatano rajone. Kilę iš vargingų šeimų, tačiau nesijaučia nuskriausti ar nelaimingi. Berniukai geranoriški, šiek tiek išdykę, tačiau jų gyvenime yra vietos net ir bažnyčiai. Šių berniukų gyvenimas apsiverčia po nedidelio pokšto, kuris netikėtai virsta didžiule nelaime.
Knyga skaitosi greitai ir lengvai nepaisant to, jog aprašomi itin skaudūs dalykai : gatvės gyvenimas, skaudūs berniukų potyriai, prievartavimas. Manau, jei ne pamokoma istorija ir jos lengva rašymo maniera knyga nebūtų tokia patraukli. Įvardinčiau ją kaip daugiau mažiau lengvą savaitgalinio tipo knygą.
Verta skaityti, jeigu mėgstate gansteriškas istorijas iš gatvės gyvenimo.
August 26, 2021
Ši knyga jau ilgai klaidžiojo mano akiraty, bet vis nesiryždavau jos skaityti. Atsimenu, kad būdama paauglė žiūrėjau filmą, dabar jau tiksliai negalėjau papasakoti jo siužeto, bet iki šiol puikiai atsimenu jausmą, kurį jaučiau jį žiūrėdama - beviltiškumą ir gailestį, susimaišiusį su pykčiu. Ir kad beveik visą filmą prabliovau kruvinomis ašaromis. Knyga paliko būtent tokius pačius pojūčius. Vietomis aš jais žavėjausi dėl ryžto išgyveni, laikymosi išvien, ir net kraupiausiomis akimirkomis sugebančiais pajuokauti. Šlykštėjausi dėl visų baisybių, kurias jie, būdami vaikai, turėjo išgyventi. Ar jie kalti dėl to, ką padarė? Vienareikšmiškai taip, ir nesvarbu, kad tai buvo tik pokštas. Bet ar jie nusipelnė visa tai patirti? Ne ne ir dar kartą ne. Miegalius perskaičiau jau prieš 5 dienas, bet vis nesugebėjau parašyti aprašymo- tiek minčių ir jausmų buvo, kad pirmiausia turėjau viską sau ramiai sugrumuliuoti, kad galėčiau jau ramiai apie tai galvoti. Gal literatūrine prasme ši knyga ir nėra tobula, bet emociškai jinai mane sukrėtė iki kaulų smegenų. Be abejonių viena iš geriausių mano skaitytų knygų šiais metais.
July 11, 2014
I have cried so much... I don't know how can people be so evil - we are talking about the boys here!!! I cannot stand that - the idea that everything here is probably true (for this author), that this kind of thing really happens all around the world, is sooo heart breaking, I, I, I.... I cannot... The book is so good written, and of course Mr. Carcaterra implies that the book is based on a true story.... So many good descriptions of emotions, and characters, and places, and the horrific happenings.... The story just pools you in and don't let you go until you read it till the end with that pain in the chest and sadness for the little boys that were broken on so many levels... I have so many tears in my eyes, and I cannot say anything more about this book except that it is something that everyone must read... The movie Sleepers is good - but when you read every their thought while everything was happening, you did not experience this story in a way that it is meant to be experienced...
Great book, great author...
standing ovation
Great book, great author...
standing ovation
June 10, 2021
Libro recomendado: ‘’Hijos de la calle (Sleepers)’�, de Lorenzo Carcaterra. Círculo de Lectores. 430 páginas. LGBT, internados juveniles, injusticias, abuso, mafia, relaciones varias, justicia, venganza, maltrato familiar, amistad, traumas�
Después de ver la película Sleepers, con tantos actores de los buenos, de todas generaciones, que si hago una lista no acabo; y ver cómo trataban tantos temas tan reales como la misma vida� me quedó ese sabor de boca de saber que vas a volver a verla (y así fue), y vas a volver a aprender un poco más de lo que ya sabes�
Dejando un poco de lado a los guapos y talentosos actores, la historia es tan brutal, sea cierta o no, como han querido dar a entender� que cuando supe que había libro, no dudé en leerlo.
Puedo asegurar, que con libro e incluso sin él, los actores y todos los necesarios ‘’demás’�, hicieron un gran trabajo, por lo ya mencionado.
Siempre me ha interesado el tema de las injusticias, porque he visto tantas, y todavía no comprendo cómo algunas personas son tan diabólicas, que pueden desear continuar viviendo sólo para seguir matando. Y por eso es fácil creer algo que ocurre a diario, aunque no lo veamos.
Aquí se tratan temas tan antiguos como el maltrato familiar, la fe y la impotencia, la necesidad de caer en lo ilegal para poder vivir o sobrevivir en unas calles en donde te enseñan más que en el colegio, en tu casa o en la misma iglesia.
Tenemos un grupo de amigos que son algo revoltosos, aunque aún guardan parte de su inocencia, increíblemente. Y ese primer adjetivo los manda a un lugar en donde deben pagar por un error fatal.
Allí (y mira que me encanta el personaje ‘’más malote’� de la película�) son abusados de todas las maneras, de modo que cuando salgan, van a ser adultos a los que les robaron la niñez de un modo más que execrable.
La mente y el alma no se curan tan fácilmente� como el cuerpo. Y un día alguien aparece para hacer recordar aún más intensamente. A partir de ahí, la venganza, la justicia: porque aquí se juntan, y con razón� se dan la mano con fortaleza.
Los amigos, rodeados de sus antiguos demonios, y también de antiguos ángeles, van a sacar a relucir una parte del funcionamiento de este mundo tan variado� de un modo en el que la fe, y la maldad van a dar tumbos en los que su parte más intrínseca se verá afectada.
La narrativa es dura. Pero a la vez, cuando hay amor y amistad, es lo contrario.
Y la trama es un dédalo muy bien� diseñado.
No conozco al autor y no puedo asegurar si es verdad o no lo que nos narra, como nos dicen; pero sí conozco a la raza humana, y este libro dio para hacer una película de tales dimensiones, que aunque no consiguiera acabar con toda esta maldad que sigue existiendo, y existirá, por desgracia�, sí que consiguió, y todavía, abrir algunos ojos, y hacer dudar a algunos incrédulos. Y eso siempre es de agradecer.
Después de ver la película Sleepers, con tantos actores de los buenos, de todas generaciones, que si hago una lista no acabo; y ver cómo trataban tantos temas tan reales como la misma vida� me quedó ese sabor de boca de saber que vas a volver a verla (y así fue), y vas a volver a aprender un poco más de lo que ya sabes�
Dejando un poco de lado a los guapos y talentosos actores, la historia es tan brutal, sea cierta o no, como han querido dar a entender� que cuando supe que había libro, no dudé en leerlo.
Puedo asegurar, que con libro e incluso sin él, los actores y todos los necesarios ‘’demás’�, hicieron un gran trabajo, por lo ya mencionado.
Siempre me ha interesado el tema de las injusticias, porque he visto tantas, y todavía no comprendo cómo algunas personas son tan diabólicas, que pueden desear continuar viviendo sólo para seguir matando. Y por eso es fácil creer algo que ocurre a diario, aunque no lo veamos.
Aquí se tratan temas tan antiguos como el maltrato familiar, la fe y la impotencia, la necesidad de caer en lo ilegal para poder vivir o sobrevivir en unas calles en donde te enseñan más que en el colegio, en tu casa o en la misma iglesia.
Tenemos un grupo de amigos que son algo revoltosos, aunque aún guardan parte de su inocencia, increíblemente. Y ese primer adjetivo los manda a un lugar en donde deben pagar por un error fatal.
Allí (y mira que me encanta el personaje ‘’más malote’� de la película�) son abusados de todas las maneras, de modo que cuando salgan, van a ser adultos a los que les robaron la niñez de un modo más que execrable.
La mente y el alma no se curan tan fácilmente� como el cuerpo. Y un día alguien aparece para hacer recordar aún más intensamente. A partir de ahí, la venganza, la justicia: porque aquí se juntan, y con razón� se dan la mano con fortaleza.
Los amigos, rodeados de sus antiguos demonios, y también de antiguos ángeles, van a sacar a relucir una parte del funcionamiento de este mundo tan variado� de un modo en el que la fe, y la maldad van a dar tumbos en los que su parte más intrínseca se verá afectada.
La narrativa es dura. Pero a la vez, cuando hay amor y amistad, es lo contrario.
Y la trama es un dédalo muy bien� diseñado.
No conozco al autor y no puedo asegurar si es verdad o no lo que nos narra, como nos dicen; pero sí conozco a la raza humana, y este libro dio para hacer una película de tales dimensiones, que aunque no consiguiera acabar con toda esta maldad que sigue existiendo, y existirá, por desgracia�, sí que consiguió, y todavía, abrir algunos ojos, y hacer dudar a algunos incrédulos. Y eso siempre es de agradecer.
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