Author: Douglas Brunt
Publication Information: St. Martin's Press. 2017. 288 pages.
ISBN: 1250114802 / 978-1250114808
Book Source: I received this book as a publisher's galley through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.
Opening Sentence: "In the end, man shapes the world, but the world gets the first crack at us."
Favorite Quote: "I wondered then what hero meant. what does it take to be the hero of your own life? choice, certainly. You have to be in charge of your life to be the hero of it. What if you make bad choices, or just-below-average choices? Do you need to reach the cheese to be the hero, and then what the hell is the cheese anyway? Self understanding? Happiness? A Wimbledon title? Could the cheese be to perform one noble act in an otherwise unremarkable life spent not in charge of it?"
First, a disclaimer. I enjoy watching tennis, but am not an avid fan tracking the sport. I am not that avid a fan of any sport, but I do enjoy watching a good competition in any sport. As such, my reading of the book clearly differs from that of an avid tennis fan. In other words, as with any other book, the reader's background impacts their enjoyment. This is true of any book, but I feel the topic of this one merits a disclaimer.
Second, another disclaimer. This book is a work of fiction even though the first person narration makes it sound like a memoir. In addition, reference is made by name to actual major, world class tennis players. References are made to their choices which I have never heard in the news or heard associated with those names. Substance abuse is a serious business. It might be naive to think that major sports are all clean, and this book is clearly marketing as fiction. However, the name-dropping adds nothing to the story, but even fiction should be limited in the liberties it takes while naming names and alleging wrongdoing.
Disclaimers aside, I read this book more for the family story than the sports story. Anton Stratis is not your average teenager. He has been groomed to be an elite tennis player and to fulfill the dream of winning that this parents as former Olympic athletes could not achieve. Anton practises for hours on end. Tennis takes precedence over school. Tennis takes precedence over friends. Tennis takes precedence over family. Pretty much, tennis takes precedence over everything. In a nutshell, tennis has been Anton's entire life as directed by his father. As Antons grows up, he wishes for what he feels is a more "normal" life of school, parties, friends, and relationship.
First, a disclaimer. I enjoy watching tennis, but am not an avid fan tracking the sport. I am not that avid a fan of any sport, but I do enjoy watching a good competition in any sport. As such, my reading of the book clearly differs from that of an avid tennis fan. In other words, as with any other book, the reader's background impacts their enjoyment. This is true of any book, but I feel the topic of this one merits a disclaimer.
Second, another disclaimer. This book is a work of fiction even though the first person narration makes it sound like a memoir. In addition, reference is made by name to actual major, world class tennis players. References are made to their choices which I have never heard in the news or heard associated with those names. Substance abuse is a serious business. It might be naive to think that major sports are all clean, and this book is clearly marketing as fiction. However, the name-dropping adds nothing to the story, but even fiction should be limited in the liberties it takes while naming names and alleging wrongdoing.
Disclaimers aside, I read this book more for the family story than the sports story. Anton Stratis is not your average teenager. He has been groomed to be an elite tennis player and to fulfill the dream of winning that this parents as former Olympic athletes could not achieve. Anton practises for hours on end. Tennis takes precedence over school. Tennis takes precedence over friends. Tennis takes precedence over family. Pretty much, tennis takes precedence over everything. In a nutshell, tennis has been Anton's entire life as directed by his father. As Antons grows up, he wishes for what he feels is a more "normal" life of school, parties, friends, and relationship.
The description of the book leads more towards the family story not the sports story. I expect it to center on Anton's relationship with his father, his father's drive to make his son a star, and the son's struggle to assert his independence. The book does begin with that, but as the book progresses, the relationship hovers on the periphery of the story. This book really becomes about Anton growing up in the world of elite athletes. It is about the choices he makes as his life expands beyond the world of tennis. It begins as a child rebelling against a parent and ends with an adult make choices about the path of his life.
The book is quick read. It is an easy read. The dynamics between Anton, his parents, and his brother are interesting. The details of tennis are voluminous. As a whole, this is a book about extremes. The father's focus on practice is to the point of abuse. The girlfriend is famous and driven in her own career. The substance abuse problem not just exists but extends to everyone. The choices is all or nothing. Everything is an extreme, which in turn means that nothing stands out. Interesting but perhaps a little over the top.
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