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Book Review By Sean Dwyer
The Blue Man by Kin Platt

Steve Forrester is a teen who goes to work at his uncle's hotel in Maine for the summer. Just as his training is done, his first guest appears. When Steve takes the man his towels, Steve discovers that the man's body is entirely blue--a vivid, bright blue, rather than the purple of a person with circulatory problems. The next morning, the man runs off without paying for his room, and he seems to have killed Steve's uncle. The man stole one family car, and Steve jumps into the other, a Hudson Hornet, to give chase.

Steve follows the Blue Man and learns that the police think Steve was responsible for his uncle's murder. Steve's Hornet dies on the road, and a salesman gives him a ride, straight to the police. Steve runs away and, in his escape, jumps off a cliff. When he comes to, he finds he was rescued by a college girl. She helps him search for the Blue Man, but they learn quickly that the Blue Man is trying to eliminate them so he can keep the secret of his mysterious blue nature.

Steve and the girl, Penny, survive two attempts on their lives, and in New York City, Steve finds the lair of the Blue Man. Steve and Penny wait for the Blue Man to show up, and Steve finds a diary that explains the bizarre behavior and color of the Blue Man.


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - very humorous
Time/era of story:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 40 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - finding a known killer
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted... - hunted by killer/stalker

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - a teen
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Eccentric: Yes
Motive of antagonist - insanity
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
City? Yes
City: - New York
Small town? Yes
Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting - resort/hotel

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Unusual forms of death - dropped from large heights
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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