The Boxer and The Spy by Robert B. Parker
Introduction: If you like stories about sports, mystery, and suspense, then this thrilling book is just for you. "The Boxer and The Spy" has everything from drugs to murder to corruption of the school faculty. This book is about Terry and his best friend Abby investigating a murder scene, which many believe to be an overdose from steroids or suicide. The victim of the murder scene was a local student, named Jason, that attended the same school as Abby and Terry. Terry is suspicious of the homicide and decides to gather evidence and information from the school with Abby. The two eventually find out that Mr. Bullard, the principal of the school, and Mrs. Trent, the mayor of the city, killed the boy. Jason was murdered because he overheard about some illegal property business that Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent were running. Terry eventually tells George, Terry's personal boxing trainer, about his problems and the situation he is in. George helps Terry and Abby jail Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent for Murder and illegal business. "The Boxer and The Spy" was very enjoyable to read. I would highly recommend any of my fellow classmates to read this interesting, mind bottling, suspenseful packed book!
Theme: There were many themes to the story. One of them include the statement George made which is "Control is Key". This basically mean controlling the situation you're in will help you find the answer. It can also mean that you can overcome anything if you control the way you handle and manage certain things. Powering through everything will not get you the answer, while control will. Another great theme in the story is sometimes doing something wrong can result in doing something right. You notice this theme in the book when everyone, including Terry, starts saying/thinking that he(Terry) is doing the wrong thing. After all that determination of doing the wrong thing to find the truth about Jason, it finally came out.
Setting: The book visits man different settings- a beach, gym, road in a local neighborhood, but the main setting of the book would probably be the School and Boxing gym that Abby and Terry visited often. Terry visited the Boxing gyn frequently because of his boxing training. Terry and Abby visited the school often because they're students and have to attend it daily (duh).
2 Characters: Two characters that changed a whole lot throughout the book would have to be George and Terry. George starts out as Terry's personal boxing coach. As the two build a closer and stronger relationship, he starts becoming more of a mentor or fatherly figure that offers and gives wise advise. He also seems like the type of person that tries to stay out trouble in the beginning of the book, but ends up surprising the readers by getting involved and eventually helping Terry and Abby jail Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent. Terry is the type of person that's not very motivated and willing to help others. He eventually learns how to become more motivational through boxing and becomes more willing to help find out the truth about his friend Jason.
Structure: The way the book is structured is the same way you would find any other book. The book has chapters and paragraphs like other books. The only unusual part of the book are the sections or "chapters" called Spycams. The Spycams are much shorter than the regular paragraphs and chapters. The Spycams are basically parts of the book that act as cameras. They are footage/scenes that only the reader will know about. The main characters of the story does not know anything about the spycam scenes.
Author's Syntax:
Page: 63
Sentence: " 'How are we going to find out?' Abby said.
Love that 'we,' Terry thought."
Analysis: I believe that the author italicized the "Love that we" in order to make it seem like Terry really likes Abby and to create some chemistry in between them.
Page: 101
Sentence: "They were on the rocks at the beach, in their place, on the point of an outcropping where the ways broke beneath them and left lacy pattern of foam on the surface of the water."
Analysis: The way the author organizes this sentence makes it seem like you're in a calm, fluid environment. It adds feelings and emotions into the first paragraph of the Chapter.
Page: 170
Sentence " 'For instance, say the basic events are true, and Bullard's making money off the school, and maybe distributing 'roids to some of his jock faves....' "
Analysis: As you can see, the author adds a few extra periods at the end of this sentence. It makes you kind of stop reading think about some questions and possible theories to the murder.
Causes and Effects:
1. Terry goes to the principal office to talk to Mr. Bullard about Jason's death. Mr. Bullard seems to be getting annoyed with Terry and keeps on suggesting that Jason's death was caused by a steroid overdose (suicide) and not a murder. Terry and the readers start to become very suspicious of Mr. Bullard.
2. Terry and Abby go to the library to investigate Jason's death by doing some research on steroids. The two eventually find out that the traces of steroids was not from a steroid overdose and the cause of Jason's death. The steroids were from an inhaler because Jason has asthma. Terry and Abby now know for sure that he was murdered.
3. Terry goes to the school nurse to gather information about steroids. The nurse does not allow him to enter because he does not have a note. Mr. Bullard finds out that Terry in continuing to find the real answer to Jason's death and asks Terry to come to his office for another talk. Mr. Bullard become aware of Terry's movements and now sees him as a threat.
Reviews:
Person: Bryan
Date: January 14, 2013
Review: The book i just finished was the The Boxer And The Spy by Robert B. Parker. I was really into this book because i enjoy boxing that what caught me into this book. What i dislike about this book was that it was long im not into long book but i wanted to finish the whole thing because it really intersting. There is alot of characters in this story but the two main one are Terry ,Abby,Kip Carter and last Mr.Bullard. one other character is George Terry boxing trainer and there more characters that help them spy on the two people they want to bust. What hook me into this book was the title i like boxing and it said boxer in the front so i said to myself it a good book for me. this book connect to me because it about a boy that learning to box. one scene really like when they gather everyone that help them bust the two persons. i enjoined this book a lot because it has a lot of good scene.
DISAGREE: Book was not long
Person: C.Baker
Date: May 24, 2008
Review:
This novel was quite entertaining and enjoyable. It was interesting to see Parker take a 15 year old character and start to build him into the same kind of self-contained man that we see in Spenser. Terry is also somewhat of a loner, with a dead father and always drunk mother, but he raises above this disadvantage. He has found a father figure in a retired boxer, George, who is teaching Terry to box and how to be a man. This relationship is really more interesting than the plot itself, and in some ways more believable. Overall, I'd have to give this effort a definite thumbs up. I could hardly put it down once I started it.
AGREE
Person: Sallie
Date: December 8, 2010
Review:
Some what different than the average Parker but
it was very satisfying. Very unusual premise -
two kids working to prove that their friend was
NOT a suicide but indeed, a murder. and the motive
behind the affair is most interesting.
AGREE
Conclusion: Overall I would give this book a 8 out of 10. It was very enjoyable to read and was very intriguing but It wasn't as touching as other books I have read in the past. Overall, still a great book and would highly suggest it!
Introduction: If you like stories about sports, mystery, and suspense, then this thrilling book is just for you. "The Boxer and The Spy" has everything from drugs to murder to corruption of the school faculty. This book is about Terry and his best friend Abby investigating a murder scene, which many believe to be an overdose from steroids or suicide. The victim of the murder scene was a local student, named Jason, that attended the same school as Abby and Terry. Terry is suspicious of the homicide and decides to gather evidence and information from the school with Abby. The two eventually find out that Mr. Bullard, the principal of the school, and Mrs. Trent, the mayor of the city, killed the boy. Jason was murdered because he overheard about some illegal property business that Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent were running. Terry eventually tells George, Terry's personal boxing trainer, about his problems and the situation he is in. George helps Terry and Abby jail Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent for Murder and illegal business. "The Boxer and The Spy" was very enjoyable to read. I would highly recommend any of my fellow classmates to read this interesting, mind bottling, suspenseful packed book!
Theme: There were many themes to the story. One of them include the statement George made which is "Control is Key". This basically mean controlling the situation you're in will help you find the answer. It can also mean that you can overcome anything if you control the way you handle and manage certain things. Powering through everything will not get you the answer, while control will. Another great theme in the story is sometimes doing something wrong can result in doing something right. You notice this theme in the book when everyone, including Terry, starts saying/thinking that he(Terry) is doing the wrong thing. After all that determination of doing the wrong thing to find the truth about Jason, it finally came out.
Setting: The book visits man different settings- a beach, gym, road in a local neighborhood, but the main setting of the book would probably be the School and Boxing gym that Abby and Terry visited often. Terry visited the Boxing gyn frequently because of his boxing training. Terry and Abby visited the school often because they're students and have to attend it daily (duh).
2 Characters: Two characters that changed a whole lot throughout the book would have to be George and Terry. George starts out as Terry's personal boxing coach. As the two build a closer and stronger relationship, he starts becoming more of a mentor or fatherly figure that offers and gives wise advise. He also seems like the type of person that tries to stay out trouble in the beginning of the book, but ends up surprising the readers by getting involved and eventually helping Terry and Abby jail Mr. Bullard and Mrs. Trent. Terry is the type of person that's not very motivated and willing to help others. He eventually learns how to become more motivational through boxing and becomes more willing to help find out the truth about his friend Jason.
Structure: The way the book is structured is the same way you would find any other book. The book has chapters and paragraphs like other books. The only unusual part of the book are the sections or "chapters" called Spycams. The Spycams are much shorter than the regular paragraphs and chapters. The Spycams are basically parts of the book that act as cameras. They are footage/scenes that only the reader will know about. The main characters of the story does not know anything about the spycam scenes.
Author's Syntax:
Page: 63
Sentence: " 'How are we going to find out?' Abby said.
Love that 'we,' Terry thought."
Analysis: I believe that the author italicized the "Love that we" in order to make it seem like Terry really likes Abby and to create some chemistry in between them.
Page: 101
Sentence: "They were on the rocks at the beach, in their place, on the point of an outcropping where the ways broke beneath them and left lacy pattern of foam on the surface of the water."
Analysis: The way the author organizes this sentence makes it seem like you're in a calm, fluid environment. It adds feelings and emotions into the first paragraph of the Chapter.
Page: 170
Sentence " 'For instance, say the basic events are true, and Bullard's making money off the school, and maybe distributing 'roids to some of his jock faves....' "
Analysis: As you can see, the author adds a few extra periods at the end of this sentence. It makes you kind of stop reading think about some questions and possible theories to the murder.
Causes and Effects:
1. Terry goes to the principal office to talk to Mr. Bullard about Jason's death. Mr. Bullard seems to be getting annoyed with Terry and keeps on suggesting that Jason's death was caused by a steroid overdose (suicide) and not a murder. Terry and the readers start to become very suspicious of Mr. Bullard.
2. Terry and Abby go to the library to investigate Jason's death by doing some research on steroids. The two eventually find out that the traces of steroids was not from a steroid overdose and the cause of Jason's death. The steroids were from an inhaler because Jason has asthma. Terry and Abby now know for sure that he was murdered.
3. Terry goes to the school nurse to gather information about steroids. The nurse does not allow him to enter because he does not have a note. Mr. Bullard finds out that Terry in continuing to find the real answer to Jason's death and asks Terry to come to his office for another talk. Mr. Bullard become aware of Terry's movements and now sees him as a threat.
Reviews:
Person: Bryan
Date: January 14, 2013
Review: The book i just finished was the The Boxer And The Spy by Robert B. Parker. I was really into this book because i enjoy boxing that what caught me into this book. What i dislike about this book was that it was long im not into long book but i wanted to finish the whole thing because it really intersting. There is alot of characters in this story but the two main one are Terry ,Abby,Kip Carter and last Mr.Bullard. one other character is George Terry boxing trainer and there more characters that help them spy on the two people they want to bust. What hook me into this book was the title i like boxing and it said boxer in the front so i said to myself it a good book for me. this book connect to me because it about a boy that learning to box. one scene really like when they gather everyone that help them bust the two persons. i enjoined this book a lot because it has a lot of good scene.
DISAGREE: Book was not long
Person: C.Baker
Date: May 24, 2008
Review:
This novel was quite entertaining and enjoyable. It was interesting to see Parker take a 15 year old character and start to build him into the same kind of self-contained man that we see in Spenser. Terry is also somewhat of a loner, with a dead father and always drunk mother, but he raises above this disadvantage. He has found a father figure in a retired boxer, George, who is teaching Terry to box and how to be a man. This relationship is really more interesting than the plot itself, and in some ways more believable. Overall, I'd have to give this effort a definite thumbs up. I could hardly put it down once I started it.
AGREE
Person: Sallie
Date: December 8, 2010
Review:
Some what different than the average Parker but
it was very satisfying. Very unusual premise -
two kids working to prove that their friend was
NOT a suicide but indeed, a murder. and the motive
behind the affair is most interesting.
AGREE
Conclusion: Overall I would give this book a 8 out of 10. It was very enjoyable to read and was very intriguing but It wasn't as touching as other books I have read in the past. Overall, still a great book and would highly suggest it!
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