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    The Chocolate War
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    The Chocolate War
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    The Chocolate War
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Chocolate War

    Written by Robert Cormier

    Narrated by Frank Muller

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    One of the most controversial YA novels of all time, The Chocolate War is a modern masterpiece that speaks to fans of S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders and John Knowles's A Separate Peace.

    After suffering rejection from seven major publishers, The Chocolate War made its debut in 1974, and quickly became a bestselling-and provocative-classic for young adults. This chilling portrait of an all-boys prep school casts an unflinching eye on the pitfalls of conformity and corruption in our most elite cultural institutions.

    An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
    A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
    A Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice
    A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJul 13, 2004
    ISBN9781400085347
    Unavailable
    The Chocolate War

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    Reviews for The Chocolate War

    3.5/5

    1,279 ratings108 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I liked this book, but found myself sad with the ending. This was an assignment for my adolescent literature course and it definitely made me think back to the days of high school and struggling with going against the flow of normal.

      The Vigil seemed like a group to me that could be "the mean" girls of a private school. Most of their tactics relied on physiological focuses.

      There were a few main characters within the story, but also a large number of supporting characters. The mix created a great layout to see the struggle between good and evil. How the teens were growing into theirselves is a true struggle to adolescents.

      I would recommend this as a good read, but have a hard time deciding what age range is really appropriate.
    • 4/5
      Was interested to read this book due to being placed on most top banned book titles and controversial lists. To my surprise I found very little of the controversy , yes some foul language, a couple lines mentioning masturbation, pot and cigarettes, some violence, teenagers doing what teenagers do, but nothing in terms of over the top content. Book is a coming of age story where teenagers are expected to do what they are told to (by the school, by teachers, by clubs, by peers). The book revolves around Jerry (a freshman student at a Catholic school in the New England area in the late 60's and early 70's), who decides to go against the norm, to live his own life and refused to listen to the status qua. This book is great for a young reader who is transitioning from children literature to young adult literature, I would recommend this book especially for a young male who is searching for more substance and meaning to his readings. Cormier does an excellent job in building up the characters (followers, mastermind, evil teacher, rebel), there is a sense of honesty and cruelty delivered from the characters throughout the book. Age appropriate 6th grade and up.Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War: A Novel. New York: Pantheon Books, 1974. Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1970.
    • 3/5
      I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'd almost consider it a classic.
    • 2/5
      I must admit that I'm somewhat confused over the hoopla surrounding The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. It was very violent and frightening to look into the hearts and minds of these adolescents who seemed to work without a conscience (and the adults were sometimes worse). The main character, Jerry Renault, stood for independence and going against the grain but the message at the end seemed to be that going against the tide only results in misery. In fact, the entire tone of the book seemed to be that if you don't do what you're told, misfortune will certainly befall you. Perhaps a secondary message is that the world is cruel and unfair and bad things happen. However, I read books to get away from the sad realities of life (and I don't think the world is all that bad anyway). This isn't to say that I don't enjoy "darker" books but there's usually some ray of light at the end. I will say that it was very well-written (excepting some typos which may have been the fault of the printer) and a page-turner. If you're prepared for an agonizing tale of woe and despair, this book will not disappoint.
    • 2/5
      I know this book is supposed to be a classic and is a heavily banned book but I didn't particularly like it. I couldn't relate to it, there wasn't anything in this book that I found offensive (for the banning) and I felt like the story just ended. It was not that well written and the characters are weird. I also didn't like the fact that you get so many character perspectives in this book. Not recommended.
    • 3/5
      This book was very hard to read. The sheer meanness for the sake of itself was difficult to swallow, even though I know it exists. As a person who is NOT a victim, it was tough for me to read the injustice done to the students and the teachers, and have them take it. Not once, but over and over. This is bullying in its rawest form, and reminds that it doesn't necessarily stop when you are out of school. The fact that there was very little redeeming value at the end only proved how true the story is. It should be required reading in high school.
    • 1/5
      Why didn't anybody tell their parents? Really got on my nerves.
    • 2/5
      Supposedly, this is a young adult classic, but honestly, I'm not sure why. It's just not very good. Sure, it's controversial (the characters swear and think about masturbation a lot), but that's not a good enough reason for it to keep being assigned in schools.Also, I think the thing that should make the book controversial is its portrayal of gross cruelty by students and certain teachers. Not that I'm worried that kids will suddenly become cruel just by reading this book (those who are going to be cruel tend to come by it naturally, after all), but if we're worried about exposing children to unsavory things, it ought to cruelty for it's own sake.But what I really didn't like about this book was that although we're told there's a principle behind the actions of Jerry, who refuses to sell the chocolates, we're never told what the principle is. There's some suggestion that Jerry himself isn't really sure what his principle is, but in the context of the book, that's just not good enough.It all started when Jerry is "assigned" by the Vigils (the school's student secret society, which doesn't actually seem to be much of a secret to anyone) to refuse to sell the chocolates for 10 days. He does (there's no suggestion that he even thinks about refusing the "assignment") but then continues to refuse to sell the chocolates after the 10 days are up, even after he gets another "assignment" that he start selling the chocolates. But why does he continue to refuse? Is it something about the chocolate sale itself, or is it about defying the Vigils? We don't know. The action of defiance seems to be more important than the principle behind it. I think Cormier got it backward.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book though, I really do believe the sequel is better. When I read this I attended a quite liberal highschool, some schools have banned this book, as the book its self is about a private religious affiliated school. Having highschool in recent memory I can attest that The Chocolate War realistic book. It is a good book to read in highschool, as you can relate to characters very easily. It is not sugar coated, there is swearing and some sexual content that appears to be appropriate for highschool aged readers. But yeah read the sequel, es mucho bueno.
    • 4/5
      Robert Cormier is quickly becoming my favorite Young Adult fiction writer. Fade knocked my socks off, and this one was also very good. It shows mob mentality, corruption, the act of outcasting or being outcast, the need for acceptance as well as the need to be true to oneself--if I may be so corny. An excellent read. I'll be looking for more Robert Cormier books, because the two I've read so far are amazing.
    • 3/5
      This title has consistently appeared on banned book lists since its original publication. The story follows freshman Jerry Renault as he attends the Catholic Trinity School for Boys and attempts to live the life of a normal teenager. At home Jerry struggles with the recent death of his mother and his estranged relationship with his father, but at school Jerry keeps to his work and has football to look forward to. That is until the ruling class of boys know as the "Vigils," sinister Brother Leon, a chocolate sale, and a poster questioning "Do you dare disturb the universe?" complicate Jerry's life.This is the type of book that has a message, but instead of beating the reader about the head Cormier allows readers to think and question themselves. The third person point of view gives the reader the ability to follow many different characters and Cormier shows both "good" and "bad" attributes of those characters. I could understand why the book was so controversial with some of the language and teen sexuality, but overall the book seems tame in comparison with other more recent works.
    • 1/5
      This book is what would happen if Ray Bradbury, whoever wrote "Go Ask Alice," and about six seasons of Dragnet could be boiled down to an essence and injected into a dozen typewriting monkeys. Elements of other such elementary school cautionary tales as "The War With Grandpa," "Lord of the Flies," and the installment of the lives of the Sweet Valley Twins when Elizabeth and Jessica's history classes are unwittingly caught up in playing that game where the children on opposing sides do horrible things to each other and via this exercise somehow learn about the Holocaust. If you're reading this voluntarily, there's nothing that can be done for you. If it's being shoved down your throat in the form of K-12 English curriculum, refuse to read it and start an argument with your instructor about why you're not reading Huck Finn or 1984 instead.
    • 4/5
      So far this week for my Young Adult Resources class, I have read The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. I hadn't read this before and, when I went to pick it up at my local library branch, I got to thinking...First, I had picked up a copy of The Outsiders when I had a (very poorly paid) job grading essays forstandardized tests. I was grading high school essays and noticed that the remedial students (evidentby their writing skills) were assigned to read The Outsiders and A Child Called It - I was so intriguedthat I had "missed" these that I went out and read them...and was rather surprised at the violence andpoverty and lack of adult mentorship being presented to them! Now reading them in relation to thiscourse, I'm wondering if they were assigned reading because the kids could relate easily to the maincharacters. Which kinda freaks me out, especially if you've read A Child Called It.So, when I was in the Teen section (that's what it's called at my local branch - it's basically three sparsely full bookcases and a table), I simply read the titles from left to right on the shelves. (Here's a complete aside while I'm at it: When I was scanning the books, some girls were at the table. They were talking about how the other week, they were there doing their homework and chatting and the librarian told them they were too loud...so they went to Barnes and Noble. Hmm...) Many of the books mentioned so far in my class and on a Young Adult book listserv I subscribe to were not there. The plots seemed to be mostly realism - main character a teen trying to fit in and be cool and get through the stress of growing up. This is the essence of The Chocolate War as well. As an adult, I could appreciate it. But as a teen, I'm not so sure...much like I HATED (and still do, because I can) A Separate Peace.Realism didn't appeal to me as a teen. I didn't want to know that other people felt like me! To read anovel where the characters are typical teens...meant I was a typical teen. How awful. I mostly jumpedinto adult novels that were over my head or books with animal characters - I loved Watership Down and the Brian Jacques' Redwall mouse heroes (ok, so mousy bookworm becomes a librarian...).I see that perhaps these true-to-life books work as a sort of therapy for getting a young adult through difficult feelings and situations. But I think that The Chocolate War became a classic simply because it does not fit this prescribed typical teen novel. Jerry's real reasons for refusing to sell chocolates are never directly known (even by him). No one is happy and no one is cool and even though they all say their lines at the right time, everyone knows they are all acting. Archie never learns his lesson and Jerry gets pummeled. The bad guy wins, not comic style, but just by chance and that's enough.I'm still waiting for The Contender and Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones to come in via interlibrary loan. I'mcurious to know if these realism novels are more or less popular than graphic novels and fantasy in this age group. Vampires seem to be pretty in right now so perhaps even tuned-in teens can only take so much reality as well (Reading the listserv with all these posts on the New Moon parties librarians were planning...yeah, I thought we must be having a full moon this October).
    • 2/5
      I hated this book. The author is certainly talented, but I can't stomach manipulation and brutality and this book is filled with it. Hopelessness all around.
    • 5/5
      This is a good book for those days when you want disturbing, edgy, intense, and unhappy. I kept waiting for the tidy, optimistic resolution at the end, but it never comes. It's also rather believable, which makes it all the more depressing. Very well written, though, Very acute. Very psychological.
    • 4/5
      Creepy. The horrid effects of peer pressure gone horribly wrong... Fundraiser anyone?
    • 4/5
      Jerry defies the Vigils and the teachers by refusing to sell chocolates for a school fund raiser. Violence and harassment ensues. In the end, the reader must ask, Do I dare disturb the universe?
    • 4/5
      There is a reason why this book is for teens. This book was actually pretty good though. Bullies in a secret society called The Vigils plot revenge on a teenage boy for not selling chocolates. This book had the best climax I have ever read, however it was kind of creepy.
    • 3/5
      Important I know but not a favorite...quite brutal.
    • 5/5
      Ever wonder what happened if Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" were written as a novella? This would be it! Holy crepe, this book disturbed the heck out of me. I went to Catholic school, and could see some definite truth in the heart of the matter. Disturbing, and I like that is keeps things real and not shies away from issues. oh yeah, a description. Freshman Jerry Renault is attending a Catholic school. He has recently lost his mother, and barely ever sees his father. He takes the poster he has taped up in his locker ("Do you dare disturb the universe?") to heart when he decides to take a stand against the school, it's clique, and society and not take part in the annual chocolate sale.
    • 4/5
      The cruelty in this story is layered so slowly that the final confrontation seemed inevitable, yet still entirely shocking. although the book is almost as old as I am, I found it very fresh.
    • 2/5
      If you were ever looking for a book that defeats the norm, in which the bad guy wins... this is the book for you. Depressing.
    • 4/5
      Jerry is a freshman at a private catholic high school where he is tasked with resisting the pressures of taking part in the school's annual chocolate sale. He is confronted with the issue of "disturbing the universe" when his resistance to sell the candy bars hampers the school's underground student society's strong arm of the student body.
    • 5/5
      Robert Cormier is one of my favourite authors and The Chocolate War and Beyond the Chocolate war are two of his finest works.He has a great writing style and and the ability to build a story and never flinches from exploring the darkest side of young adult behaviour.The Chocolate War starts off with what could be an innocent act of rebellion and turns into something much more sinister and distressing.A great writer and one every teenager should read.
    • 5/5
      Although I read this book after I taught reading to young adults, I would use it as a read aloud for jr. high (7th and up) and a novel for a group read or class read in 8th or 9th. The tone of the last few chapters still sets me on edge. I recall hurtling through the last pages in order to see how things turned out, as the author had gripped me entirely with the emotion of the story.
    • 3/5
      This book had its pluses and it had its minuses. It was entertaining. I got through it with relative ease. But I don't think it was anything special. I kind of dislike the message the book sends as well. We all want to believe that the bully never wins in the end, and I realize that that's not always the case, but I don't like that as a message for younger kids. It really drives home an overall hopelessly miserably outlook on bullying. Like why even bother discouraging a bully? He's going to beat you in the end anyway. Just sit there and take. Try not to kill yourself in the meantime. Woe is me.I can only really praise Cormier's writing style. But I don't know that that really makes up for the rest of the book.
    • 2/5
      I hear it's a classic but I just can't wrap my head around it. I found it to be poorly constructed and delivered. Appropriate for high school and beyond...
    • 4/5
      Like a most of Cormier's stuff, this is fairly unrelentingly bleak, but captures the psychology of young people, especially young men, pretty much spot-on (at least IMO). This was first published in the 70s but rarely feels dated; the only part that struck me as such was an encounter the main character, Jerry, has with a bunch of hippies. There's also references to how "demonstrations were popular a few years back," but that's less obviously dated, I think.Personally I find Cormier's novels to be addictive, but I never expect happy endings. The Chocolate War's ending is somewhat more unsatisfying than some of his other works, as (without giving anything away) it seems to end rather abrubtly. I want to read the sequel, Beyond the Chocolate War, although I've heard it's not as good.
    • 2/5
      This is supposed to be a classic, right? Well, I didn't enjoy it. I could see how you might have a good classroom discussion, but reading about a bunch of guys being cruel to each other just was painful to read. Every year the boys in this Catholic high school have to sell boxes of chocolate as a fundraiser. This year they have to sell twice as many boxes to meet their quota. A member of an exclusive gang torments both his fellow students and the teachers during this big fundraising part of the year.
    • 2/5
      The story was good, but I had a really difficult time with the violence.