Winter 2006 Review:

        Joe's life was ordinary, like any other adolescent boy. All of that changes the day he meets Candy. He was just walking out of King's Cross Station in London and was on his way to the doctor's to get treatment for a lump on his wrist. He's just standing among all the people not really knowing where to go when this girl asks him if he'll make up his mind already. Joe thought that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Since he couldn't think straight, he had no idea what he was supposed to do, so he just continued to stand there and look like an idiot. Then she tells him that he has a nice hat and walks off. He had wanted to say something, maybe ask her to lunch, but all he managed to say was "Uh...yeah." Some thanks for a compliment.
       He was early for his appointment, and his father had given him some money to get something to eat. Joe decides to go into McDonald's for a quick lunch. As he's standing in line, the girl from the station is standing behind him. He gets her a Coke, and they sit down together. The girl tells Joe that her name is Candy. Unfortunately, they don't talk much because their time is cut short by this big black man Candy knows as Iggy. Before he gets to the table, Candy tells Joe just to play along. When Iggy arrives, he keeps asking if Joe had paid her. After a brief argument between the two, Iggy pulls Candy away from that little table at McDonald's and leaves.
       Joe gets to the doctor's and gets the lump treated right there. He leaves with only the image of it ever being there. As he's sitting on the train going home, all he can think about is Candy and Iggy. He feels a little blue because he's pretty positive that he'll never see Candy again. When he finally gets home, he sits up most of the night and writes a song about her. He's a helpless romantic whose stupid brain keeps telling him that he'll never see her again, but his heart proves his mind wrong.
       Joe will end up seeing her again and learning all about her life; it won't be too pretty. She lives a life of prostitution and is addicted to heroin. Joe will try to save her from everything and let her start her life over, but will Iggy get in the way?
       I thought Candy was a very wonderful novel. It shows how an ordinary kid like Joe meets what he thinks is an amazing girl. She has a beautiful body, her skin's so soft, and all the other qualities guys pick out at first glance. He ends up becoming the intervention Candy needs to try and get away from the dangerous life she lives. The book was full of different emotions. I was happy, sad, frightened, worried, and so many other emotions that I can't even list all of them! In my opinion, high school and even some college students would enjoy this book.

~ Kayla Aldan, 10th grade, Boardman High School