Sins of the Fathers Author:Chris Lynch From Booklist — "We have no violence here," is the often-repeated reprimand at the Boston Catholic school that 13-year-old Drew attends with his best friends, Skitz and Hector. But as Hector falls into a disturbing, furious silence, Drew feels helpless and frightened and wonders if his friend is suffering the unthinkable violence of sexual abuse,... more » perpetrated by a school priest. Using rough language as he writes in Drew's authentic voice ("Everyone joked about priests being 'fender benders'"), Lynch keeps the story of abuse true to Drew's perspective: horrors that Drew doesn't want to confront aren't spelled out. The vivid parts in this potent novel don't quite meld into a cohesive whole. A story line about a hip, young priest creates dramatic, compelling scenes, but the teasing questions about the man's character threaten to overwhelm the story. The boys' friendship, expressed in pitch-perfect trash-talk, and the frank dialogue about organized religion, loyalty, and personal responsibility will captivate readers the most.« less
ISBN-13: 9780060740375 ISBN-10: 006074037X Pages:240 Reading Level: Young Adult Rating: