Hatchet , Book Review by Difan Li

 Hatchet Book Review

by Difan Li

Hatchet by Gary Paul is a well-known young adult novel. When asked about it, one will usually get a vague description about a boy who gets into a plane crash and becomes stranded in the wilderness. However, I have found that this story provides a much deeper perspective into the transition of a youth and the challenges of a teenager personified through a story of physical and mental endurance in an unfamiliar and dangerous environment. Brian, the protagonist of the book, struggles with something he terms “The Secret.” This secret is his knowledge of his mother’s affair, something that he does not know how to deal with, thus creating a great barrier in his relationship with his mother. However, Brian’s hardships take on a whole new twist when, on the way to visit his father, the pilot suffers an unexpected heart attack and the plane eventually crashes, leaving Brian in the middle of the Canadian woods in a desperate struggle for survival. He faces various dangers, testing his physical and mental capacities, and on many occasions, faces death. As he learns from his experiences, he begins to grow and change and in the end, Brian is no longer the same boy he once was. Despite the action-packed nature of the book, and the rather unrelatable setting (it’s not everyday that you’ll be stranded in the wilderness), I have found that his novel is really able to touch teenage readers for the way that it conveys the struggles of youth, even if indirectly. The way that Brian deals with each new step, and the times where he feels like giving up reflects the feelings of many teenagers today. But it is Brian’s determination and his eventual success, and especially his new perspective on his mother’s affair and the disunity of his parents, something that can actually be related to for many, that makes his character feel so real. I would highly recommend teens to check out this book along with the rest of the series, and I’m sure you will find it a very rewarding read.