The theme is enduring abuse and many hardships,set in 1907, during a depression. Beck is a book that covers the life of an orphaned black boy named Beck from Liverpool who endures the loss of his parents, the sexual abuse by the Catholic Brothers, and slave treatment of those that were to protect him. Beck's father and mother died when he was very young so he grew up raising himself and his brothers. Beck was sent to Canada to live with the Catholic Brothers to start a new life, but then things changed. One of the priests decided that he would make Beck his, and lured him in, so that he could sexually abuse him. Beck fought back, and because of this ended up getting beaten and raped. The priests shipped him off. At the age of fifteen he got sent to work on a farm, where he was told would be a good life for him, but yet again he was enslaved and abused. He eventually escaped. He starts to make his way back to the border to America. As he is making his way, he hides in a truck that turns out to belong to a bootlegging business. They hire him on as a bootlegger, but at the same time take care of him. Giving him his own room and teaching him how to be a proper man. The woman who runs the operation Irma really takes a liking to Beck. Soon Beck is too far deep into the bootlegging business and things turn bad between the people he works for and another bootlegger business. Beck is caught up in a fight and possibly the killing of another man. Irma takes Beck, giving him money and transportation to the train station. She tells him that she wants him to get away, be safe and make a new life for himself. Beck finally knew what it was like to actually care for someone, and now it was over. Eventually Beck meets Grace. Grace was an Indian girl who had been living with her grandmother on a ranch. Even though she was in her 30’s he felt a longing for her. He took on a job on the ranch. Eventually he and Grace shared a relationship but they both knew it could not continue because he was black and she was an Indian. He learned to love for the first time in his life. Beck leaves but after several months he knew he belonged with Grace. That was home to him, but would she have him back? He makes his way back, and Grace is waiting. They begin a life together.

My favorite part is when they tell the readers how Beck's mother and father died because it was more about how and why they were dead. I also enjoy the suspense of the book. You kept wondering what would happen to Beck next. I really didn’t like some of the graphic scenes about what happened to Beck with the priests, but understand that it was part of his story.

I think this book would be really good as a movie because it has what everyone is looking for in a movie. Suspense, love, and crime. I found it easy to read, and a little sad at times about all this boy had to go through to make it. I recommend this book to people who like thrillers and suspense, and also people who like romance. I do think everyone will enjoy reading this book. This book is good to read in your spare time or when you get bored in class at school. This book is a very good story with a lot of suspense in some parts of the book. A lot of people have left very good reviews on this book and I'm another one saying that there should be more people to buy this book and enjoy it.

I love books about overcoming the influence of Catholics. It's also a very enjoyable and heartwarming read. ( )

Times were tough in 1907 England and Beck’s mother did what she needed to survive. One encounter with a passing sailor resulted in Beck’s birth. He never knew his father. One month before his eleventh birthday, “…his grandparents and his mother and his daft kindly uncle all died in the flu epidemic. Anne [his mother] was the last to go.” Beck was taken to the Catholic orphanage, “…run by the methodically cruel Sisters of Mercy.” Being of mixed race, Beck was victimized both by the Sisters as well as other orphans. One March morning in 1922 he was transferred to the Christian Brotherhood Home for Boys. However, his tenure was short lived when he spurned the advances of one of the priests. He was unceremoniously put on a vessel bound for Canada to work on a farm, an activity totally foreign to him. His sponsors were cruel and bigoted and at the first opportunity, Beck escaped to wander through Canada trying to survive.

beck tamar
Beck, started by Mal Peet and completed by Meg Rosoff after his death, is a marvelous tale of a boy beaten down at every turn, whose self-image is destroyed by his ‘protectors’, trying to find his way in the world. It is an adventure story as well as a love story, although love is a foreign concept to him. Both Mal Peet and Meg Rosoff both are excellent writers as you can see by the quotes I included in this review. Readers will feel Beck’s torture, both physical and emotional. They will experience his physical hardships but will also rejoice when he discovers what true love is. Beck will be enjoyed by fans of Mal Peet, historical fiction and adventure.

Tamar and Life: An Exploded Diagram are the only Mal Peet books I’ve read, both of which I enjoyed. They are vastly different books from each other as well as from Beck. The publisher’s description of Tamar is: “When her grandfather dies, Tamar inherits a box containing a series of clues and coded messages. Out of the past, another Tamar emerges, a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied Holland half a century before. His story is one of passionate love, jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War — and unraveling it is about to transform Tamar’s life forever”. It, too, is full of adventure, has a romantic component, and is extremely well written. It is one of my favorite books.

My suggestion is: read any Mal Peet books you can get your hands on. ( )