Book Review: The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou

 Title: The Bone Cage
Author: Angie Abdou
Pages: 233
Publisher: NeWest Press
Year Published: 2007
"Digger, an 85-kilo wrestler, and Sadie, a 26-year-old speed swimmer, stand on the verge of realizing every athlete's dream- winning a gold medal at thw olympics. Both athletes are nearing the end of their careers, and are forced to confront the question: what happens to athletes when their bodies are too worn to compete? The blossoming relationship between Digger and Sadie is tested in the intense month leading up to the Olympics, which, as both of them are painfully aware, will  be the realization or the end of a life's dream."

My Rating: 8/10

I thought this would be a good book to read after these past summer Olympics in London. I found this novel to be very insightful, not only into the physical toll of sports but also the emotional. Many times we don't realize what athletes go through just to be able to compete in Olympics, the training is more intense than I ever could imagine. As i am not an athlete, I had trouble understanding the "Olympic Dream." I realize now that the Olympics are the highlight of any sport and if you don't make it there, you won't really make it anywhere, unless you are a hockey player in North America (NHL anyone?). Living in the country where this book takes place helped immensly and it was great to read something from a fellow Canadian.
THANK YOU ANGIE ABDOU FOR A VIEW INSIDE ATHLETES'  WORLDS AND MINDS!

Have a good day/night/afternoon/weekend etc.
Love,
Sidny ♥♪♫

Spoiler: The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou

I finally finished this book on coffee break at work today, and I realize now that I don't completely relate to the story. I am about the msot clumsy person you will probably ever meet and so an athlete's world is not one I live in. I do understand the main point of the story though. You can't really live your life counting on one thing, maybe that's just what I got from it. What point did you draw from the story?  I didn't feel in tune with characters, but let's talk about them anyways. Tell me who your favorite was/is?

Characters:Digger: This character makes me smile. He's just so focused on his sport, it really doesn't seem like he's allowed to have a life. I never really noticed how much Canadians do ignore wrestling, probably as much as we ignore cyclists really. Unless someone wins a gold in it, they aren't really recognized. I think Digger just wants to be noticed for all the hard work he puts in. Its a large price (on the physical body) for a small prize, in my view.

Sadie: I felt horrible when Sadie got in the car accident, how one moment ruined her life dream. She does learn an important lesson about how she can't always count on swimming, how she has to enjoy the other things in life as well. When Sadie's grandma dies in the beginning of the book, we see her downfall into depression, and I almos tthink its best that she got in the car accident after, so then she wouldn't have to go through losing a medal.

Fly: He seems like a really odd boy. Almost like a 5 year old on pixie sticks at 1 am. He's always going and running his mouth, but he's optomistic.

Ben: In the begining of the novel is a big teddy bear, but as the story line progresses we see him fade from his friendly, happy self into a depressed and confused man. After he loses wrestling, it takes him some time to realize he didn't lose everything

Favorite Lines/Moments:

♥Pg. 3
" 'If I want relief alls I do is tak an Ex-Lax.' "

♥Pg. 21
" 'Is it drugs or just sleep deprivation? Brainwashing? Too much chlorine?' Russ asks, smiling, not breaking the rhythm of his shots. 'I bet it's an underwater sex thing. A twisted underwater sex cult.' "

♥Pg. 55
" 'You don't have to worry about Digger, Denis. Digger loves big girls. Always drooling over the rowers and the swimmers. He wants a girl who hasta turn sideways to fit her shoulders through doorways. he wants her triceps bigger than her-' "

♥Pg. 172
"A five-foot freckled doctor with dimples? It's almost to muich. Digger would laugh if he were somewhere other than the trauma ward."

 

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo