Annotation: A teen with no face returns from the war, intent on exacting revenge. Can he possibly defeat the evil that had him running to the war in the first place?
Justification for rejection:
Heroes is a story of an adolescent boy, who returns from World War II with a horrible injury that leaves his face in shambles. He is happy for the injury, however, as this allows him to hide in plain sight while he seeks to kill the man that raped the girl he loves.
The novel is told from the adolescent perspective, which is important in a work of YA literature. It is engaging, and a reader will find themselves finishing it quickly. It helps that it is reasonably short, which is also good for engaging a reluctant reader. The historical setting is utilized well, and many aspects of the story simply would not make sense in another time.
The adolescent reader is certainly respected. The horrors of war are driven home through discussions of the extent of the narrator's injuries, death, and the non-graphic description of the rape of Nicole. Trusting an adolescent reader to handle "adult" themes is important in good YA literature, and Heroes does not disappoint from this standpoint.
The biggest issue with the novel, and the reason it is not receiving a recommendation, is that the characters are not relatable to the average person. They are not fleshed-out enough that the reader feels like they can understand their motivations. Even with the high level of emotional response that war, rape, and maiming should receive, the novel does not manage to accomplish the emotionality that is required in a great YA work. Though this is a good novel, it does not rise to the level of receiving a recommendation.
Genre: Historical fiction, Problem novel
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