Oh, man. That was really, really good. Filled me with melancholy joy. ( )

Overall, I did like this book, however it was not my favorite book I’ve read. This book focuses on Luther T. Farrell. As a young boy, years old he helps his mother, known as Sarge, run a real estate empire in the ghetto of Flint, Michigan. "The Sarge", a stonehearted creature who, after facing hard times as a young widow, builds an empire from the rents of slum houses, nursing homes and usurious lending schemes. Luther is forced to grow up rather quickly in his mother’s demands. By the age of 13, the Sarge had him evicting her tenants and by 15 she got him a fake driver’s license so he was able to run her errands.
What is so refreshing and heart-warming is that Luther remains kind, generous and true to himself and his morals. Although he may be pretty much on his own he has dedicated teachers, and his school is the organizing force of his world, which keeps him grounded. When life throws him yet another curveball, he seeks practical guidance in aphorisms from philosophers and musicians whose names haven't registered. This is something that students who read this book may be able to relate to. As students grow and mature, life can be rather stressful and overwhelming for them as they face the peer pressure from their peers and a time of change.
I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be an easy read. The characters, setting of the story, and the plot, all worked together to really engage me as the reader. This would be a book I recommend to others if they are looking for a book to read. ( )

Juvenile realistic fiction, chapter book, grades 7-12.
I think it was a good book. I liked the humor in it and relatable complex feelings that Luther has for Shayla. It is also a good book for showing how someone in a bad situation can improve it and choose to change it. The book did also show some problems and serious issues that would be relatable for those in low socioeconomic situations, but could also be insightful for readers who may have no exposure to those events or situations in their own lives. ( )

After discussing this book with some of my classmates, some of them discussed how they felt that this book was boring. Although, I was able to download the audio book in order to help get through it amidst my work/school schedule. Although, I actually found this to give me a much different perspective than my classmates. The audio book helped me to become engrossed into the story through it’s narration. The narration spoke well to exchanges between Luther and his mother- “the Sarge.” Luther’s character had an immense responsibility put on him and these pressures, when put up against his mother’s negligence and rapport towards him, seemed amplified in Luther’s narration of his experience.
I liked Luther’s use of the line “A great philosopher, whose name escapes me at the moment, once said…” He mentioned in the beginning of the story of how he once became embarrassed by his troubled pronunciation of Socrates and Aristotle, and therefore now uses that line above. Towards the end of the story, he uses the line again in reference to his mother. This speaks to the development of Luther and how he avoided embarrassment in his journey towards “confidence.” ( )

Bucking the Sarge does some very interesting things to really draw you into the story and develop a genuine care about the characters, but I would be lying if I told you I walked away with a positive impression of the story itself. This in depth look at very intelligent 15 year old Luther T Farrell and his life under the boot of his very harsh con-woman mother, known as the Sarge, does a lot of things right. The book is very well written in the perspective of Luther. In seeing Luther’s thought process about topics such as philosophy and relationships we have the opportunity to see where he is wrong and where his life has influenced this perspective. This bring in an element of comedy. In addition to this, Luther is both aware that his situation is not good and has grand plans to leave one day, but also accepts his day to day life as his normal. My issues with this book come in the random sub plots that never really get tied up. Luther’s friend, Sparky, is set on creating a lawsuit to get enough money to get out of Flint. This is never resolved. When Luther finds out that there is no college fund, he ruins his mother’s business but instead of going back to that lawyer, he runs away to Florida with one of his clients. This is so short sighted and the reader can already tell that the aftermath will not truly end well for Luther. Over all this was a “meh”, 3 star book for me. It did not feel like a waste of time book, but I certainly will not be reaching for this book in the future. ( )