10. General Review

For someone to actually understand and enjoy A Separate Peace, it takes more than a superficial interpretation. This novel appears to be quite simple in terms of the plot and setting. It takes a deeper analysis to get to the true purpose. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy reading this novel. The plot wasn’t interesting to me. It had some high points that kept me interested for some time, but I felt like it didn’t have the “push” that keeps the reader at the edge of their chair. The setting was described with great detail and I enjoyed reading about the academy, the tree, and the Devon River. The characters, of course my favorite being Finny, are well developed. I believe Knowles didn’t neglect developing the characters. Although, at times being able to read what Gene thinks was disturbing. I, as a reader, was able to follow along as Gene began losing himself and becoming one with Finny. I didn’t like reading his thoughts of jealousy and envy directed towards Finny. Simply put, I think Gene is crazy. I couldn’t get passed the superficial interpretation when it came to Gene’s sanity. I wouldn’t recommend this book because I didn’t enjoy the plot and it wasn’t interesting to read. If I could change an element in this book, it would definitely be the plot. All the plot needs is a little spark to give this book an intense “push” that will keep the reader interested. However, after everything, I feel like if I were to reread this book in the future, I would appreciate and understand it more because I could relate better with the shift from adolescence to adulthood.