Book Review | Winger by Andrew Smith

Winger. Before I read this book, I thought, "What in the world could this book possibly be about?" The only thing I've heard about it was that it was about a boy who went to boarding school. That was it. And of course, the cover is intriguing enough: a boy in a uniform with some stitches and a bloody nose. It makes someone curious about the contents inside.

Summary:

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids in the

Pacific Northwest. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Now that I've read this book, it has filled me with so many emotions beyond imagine. And when I say I've read this book, I have just finished it a little over five minutes ago so I am filled with those emotions!
I never thought, when I began reading this book, that I would end up loving it this much. I thoroughly enjoyed Ryan Dean's voice. It was refreshing and witty. I loved hearing about rugby, especially the origin of "Winger", and Pine Mountain as a whole. I enjoyed all of the other characters as well; I loved how they added to the story.
At the end, this story left me completely speechless. It took a shocking turn that absolutely broke my heart. The ending was quite swift and abrupt; however, I was happy with it. It resolved pretty well, in my opinion.
Overall, I give this book a solid 5/5 stars and a 10/10. I believe this is a book anyone should and can read. I'm in love with it and Ryan Dean West (even though he's in love with Annie).
Thank you for reading my little review! Happy reading (:

(photo copyrighted to yours truly)