How does stuck in neutral end

Oct 02, David Dietering rated it really liked it. Stuck in Neutral takes an uncomfortable subject and tries to shed some light on what might be happening. It is about a boy who is so severely retarded that all he seems to be able to do is have seizures. And yet he loves his seizures because they are his chance to get out of his body and visit other places.

He also is upset with his father for winning an award for writing about dealing with a severely retarded son, yet not really wanting to have the son. It allowed me to see life from a very dif Stuck in Neutral takes an uncomfortable subject and tries to shed some light on what might be happening. It allowed me to see life from a very different perspective.

Apr 22, Kendra rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites. A fantastic book that really makes you think! Shawn has cerebral palsy and can't communicate with anyone. Told from his viewpoint, the reader learns about Shawn's feelings, dreams, and also his fear that his father wants to kill him. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I will be recommending this one to any and all. Feb 14, willaful rated it did not like it. I thought this book was amazing when I first read it, and am so utterly horrified at myself now.

Sep 27, Hannah Rae rated it it was amazing. This book definitely makes you think. It's for young adults, yes, but I imagine adults will be able to connect to the father in entirely different ways than teenagers can. I've used this novel for book clubs before and it always sparks strong discussion. The topic an intelligent child trapped in his own body, unable to communicate with the world, and a father who wonders if his son might not be better off dead is surely controversial enough to cause a room full of readers to voice their opinio This book definitely makes you think.

The topic an intelligent child trapped in his own body, unable to communicate with the world, and a father who wonders if his son might not be better off dead is surely controversial enough to cause a room full of readers to voice their opinions.

Its short length--only around pages--is appealing to reluctant readers too. Sep 05, Ericka rated it it was amazing. This book can have a profound impact on you if you have any emotional connection to someone with a disability.

I really liked the first person narration from a teenage boy whose disability has left him mute and with no way to communicate with anyone or anything. The ending of this book can be highly emotional and due to the "possible" outcome of the end I would reccommend a dialogue and discussion if teenagers are reading it.

Aug 13, Olivia rated it did not like it. I was forced to read this in my high school curriculum, and it was honestly scarring to hear the adult in the room praising the actions of a dad killing his son. My classmate was a boy who had cerebral palsy and he was so upset he didn't even want to talk about it, in class or in private. This concept that able-bodied lives are good lives and disabled lives are miserable lives not worth living is a fallacy pushed by ableist fucks.

I recently became disabled, and despite my struggles, I want to l I was forced to read this in my high school curriculum, and it was honestly scarring to hear the adult in the room praising the actions of a dad killing his son.

I recently became disabled, and despite my struggles, I want to live, and continue living. I deal with daily pain that the average person could not imagine functioning with. I feel like I was hit with a car on most days, and you know what? I still laugh. I still have fun. I have a life worth living. I haven't met a disabled person who wants to die because of their disability. What this main character needed was a loving family and loving friends, who don't look down on him or infantilize him.

He needed people who don't project their able-bodied ideas onto him of what they think he must be going through, or their ideas of his life being a life not worth living. And while well I'm aware that some people do choose euthanasia for themselves when they're suffering immensely, it's a smaller number than you would think, and those individuals are usually terminally ill.

You can't decide for someone else that they should die, especially if you don't have any ways to communicate with them, and you know they have their own thoughts and feelings. I've known people with cerebral palsy. It's not the same thing as terminal cancer. He also needed better care, there ARE systems to help non-verbal disabled individuals with communication. I've even seen a man communicate by pointing his eyes at the words he wants to speak on a portable board his wife holds up to talk to him.

Does he struggle? But his life isn't miserable. He has a loving wife and loving buddies who help him work out at the gym, since fitness is his passion. His life would only be miserable if his support system pitied him and made him feel bad about his situation, and told him his life wasn't worth living. Do you see a pattern yet? The fact that people would defend this book is just proof that ableism is alive and well. We need to kill ableism, not disabled people who need support and love.

Disabled people need proper medical care and assistance, and to be seen as equals. We are not sob stories for your ableist inspiration porn. From what I remember, this book also has some rape culture esque moments, and sexualization of underage girls written by a grown ass man. A grown ass man projecting a creepy, horny fantasy onto a character that is based on his own child. This book made me uncomfortable in every way possible.

View all 3 comments. Aug 13, Stephanie Briones rated it liked it Shelves: read I would recommend this book to others more for the conversation that would spark based on the concepts of the book as opposed to the storyline. Feb 24, Shenwei rated it did not like it Shelves: required-reading-for-school. If not for the fact that the copy I read was a library book I would absolutely burn it in a fire bc I'm disgusted by how horrifically ableist it is If not for the fact that the copy I read was a library book I would absolutely burn it in a fire bc I'm disgusted by how horrifically ableist it is Feb 01, Liz Randolph rated it did not like it.

Disgustingly ableist. I'm literally sickened that anyone thought this was acceptable to read or write. Dec 10, Jenna Lee rated it did not like it. Context: I'm a something chronically ill person who works as a special education assistant at a school for children with all range of disabilities. I don't usually write book reviews, but I've been writing about disability-related content so this is my first official post on GR.

I just gave up on Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman after about 50 pages for context, the book is only about pages. I hate it. I usually donate books Context: I'm a something chronically ill person who works as a special education assistant at a school for children with all range of disabilities. Let me tell you a little about this Pulitzer Prize?!?!?! The book is narrated by fictional year-old Shawn, a boy with cerebral palsy who is unable to control his movements, speech, etc.

How interesting, you might think, that the author of this book has a son with very similar conditions to the main character. You might think he would use this to his advantage and access resources about disability education and advocacy in writing this book, but nowhere in his acknowledgements or afterword does he mention anyone of the sort. No mention of the disabled son who inspired the entire book. Call this a book review, call it a rant, call it whatever you want. But as an advocate who has a deep respect for people with all range of disabilities, I was disgusted by this book after reading the first half and did not bring myself to finish.

May 10, Stephen rated it it was amazing Shelves: overlooked-works-of-genius , teen-reads , allstar-reads , all-time-favorites , z-read-in , broken-winged-birds. My Name is Shawn McDaniel.

I'm 14 years old. I think my father is planning to kill me. In a phenomenally personal story Terry Trueman takes us into the mind of a profoundly, developmentally disabled cerebral palsy sufferer who's also a quirky, insightful, vibrantly alive 14 year old.

However this kid is pretty much input only. Who can tell what goes on in the mind of a child who cannot even control his own eye blinks? While the protagonist in this story is unable to communicate with anyone in his My Name is Shawn McDaniel.

While the protagonist in this story is unable to communicate with anyone in his world , this book gives us an inner monologue that shows us a unique individual who's glad to be alive and who is relishing each and every new life experience with the wonder of a child and sometimes that of a horny kid.

This kid's inner monologue connects with the reader on a level that books seldom do. Written by the father of just such a boy, this book may even afflict the reader a bit too, only the body parts that the sympathetic reader will be unable to control are the tear ducts. And yet for the most part this is NOT a sad, maudlin, tear-jerker of a book. One really needs to read this oneself to experience the full effect but even the visceral dread that one experiences as the kid describes his fear that his father may end his life in order to spare him continued suffering is only accentuated by the feel of having so few pages remaining unread in the book.

I've rated Terry Trueman 's other book Inside Out as being an unsung work of genius, this, his first book, is perhaps even better. If you ever wanted to really fulfill that old adage about understanding someone by walking a mile in his moccasins, pick up one of these books.

Sep 19, Kate rated it it was amazing Shelves: ya-realistic. Shawn is trapped within his own body. As a severely disabled teen who is unable to communicate in any way, most people assume that Shawn is an idiot incapable of learning; yet this is far from the truth.

Shawn remembers everything that anyone has ever said to or around him. And now he is beginning to fear that his father is planning to kill him. This was truly an interesting look into what might be the life of someone like Shawn. It is easy to assume that we know or understand someone simply beca Shawn is trapped within his own body. It is easy to assume that we know or understand someone simply because of their ability or inability to communicate with us.

Who knows how many incredibly intelligent people are trapped behind disability. Jun 03, Zach rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: everybody. I liked this book because it would be hard to realize what Shawn sees and can't do nothing about anything. I would recommend this book to everybody. At first I didn't like reading and once I started it became easier to read and get a book done but still this book is a very good book and it made me realize that my messed up life isn't really messed up because I can do alot more things than Shawn every could and thats all I have to say about this book Nov 03, Adam Batten rated it it was amazing.

It was one of the best books that I have ever read. I will definitely rate this book five stars on Goodreads, because it was one of the best books I have ever read. It was also a great way to learn the perspective from someone who has a mental condition. I hope to read the second book to learn more about main character, Shawn, and what happens to him later in his life. Plot: The book, Stuck In Neutral , was a great story that makes the reader think more about what it is like having mental conditions, such as the ones Shawn has.

The book takes place in Seattle, at Shawn's house. Shawn is a retarded kid that knows more than anyone would ever think. He just cannot show any signs of not being a complete vegetable, and it makes it hard for him. He still has feelings like a normal human being. It also makes it harder on the reader to know both sides and know that he is okay.

This term is called dramatic irony when the reader or characters know something that the main character does not know. In the book, the reader knows that Shawn can hear and understand everything going on, but his dad does not know. This is why Shawn's dad wants to end his son's suffering that does not exist.

He is a smart kid stuck in a useless body, and that makes the reader feel bad for him. It also makes the reader think of other kids with similar conditions. He can understand most things very well, but cannot communicate with anyone to prove he is okay. The whole book is from Shawn's point of view, as he tells the reader about how it is living this life. Characterization: The main character of the book is Shawn. He's a 14 year old boy with a mental condition of being a retard.

He is very smart, but nobody knows because he cannot talk or show any sign of understanding. Shawn has seizures and his family thinks they are horrible, but he actually likes them. He said that it takes him away from all the bad things he thinks about during the day. Throughout the whole book Shawn says he will be flying or soaring in the sky, as he knows his dad talks about ending his suffering.

He still is not sure if he should end his son's life or not. He loves his son so much and that's why his dad is questioning if he should kill him throughout the book. Shawn's dad is a famous person who is always on the news and had wrote a famous poem about Shawn. He is very loving towards Shawn, but he does not know how to help. Shawn's dad has a hard time controlling his emotions throughout the book and does not know what to do.

This is why his dad wants to end Shawn's suffering, not knowing that Shawn is truly ok. Setting The book takes place in Seattle, but that's not very important to the story. He sits at home throughout the whole book, because he is stuck in a wheelchair. The book takes place in a modern day time frame, because Shawn talks about his siblings learning in school.

Shawn also talks about the news he sees and hears on television. Shawn also what explains things he sees and describes throughout the book.

He learns about what different kinds of phrases mean. The book is all from Shawn's point of view, so there is a lot of describing what his life is like and what is around him. Recommendations: I would recommend this book to any guy or girl who likes to read about realistic fiction. I finished this book very quickly, because I was very interested in the topic. Any guy or girl would like to read this book if he or she wants a short, great book.

I would recommend this book to any guy or girl in middle school and up, because a younger child may not understand as well as an older kid. Feb 13, Carter Greening added it. Personal response I like the book, Stuck in Neutral , because it is unlike any book I have ever read. I enjoy how Shawn is able to have so many emotions even when he is incapable of moving.

I also like how Shawn is always happy for everyone in his family. Plot Summary The book Stuck in Neutral starts very odd because, in the beginning, Shawn states that he is incapable of moving and how he hates his body. Shawn is a very normal person besides the fact that he cannot move. He finds the best in every Personal response I like the book, Stuck in Neutral , because it is unlike any book I have ever read. He finds the best in every day but still feels bad for the people who have to take care of him.

One thing Shawn always worries about is how his dad is going to kill him. It seems like a crazy thought that any father would want to do that to his son. Shawn actually enjoys having seizures because it takes him to a place that he can move and walk and talk like a normal person. I rang the editor of Books for Keeps BfK to tell him that although I had submitted my review, he may well prefer not to publish it. He put it in, and, as expected, people began to object. In an interview posted on www.

To backtrack a little: Stuck in Neutral is the story of fourteen year old Shawn who has cerebral palsy and is unable to communicate his thoughts in any way. He describes himself as a kind of genius with perfect, total recall, although to the rest of the world he is a "retard", totally dependent on others for his care.

They allow him to "soar" and "fly free" to release him from the "prison" of his body. The "voice" in the story is sparky and clever but almost from the start I was worried by what seemed to me to be a clear justification for the killing of disabled children. We're hardly into the book p15 when Shawn says, "I'm pretty sure that my dad is planning to kill me. The good news is that he'd be doing this out of his love for me. The bad news is that whatever the wonderfulness of his motives, I'll be dead.

Detraux, we are asked to believe, murdered his child because he loved him too much to watch him suffer any more. At the end of the book, McDaniel bluffs his way into the house by sweet talking the babysitter and sits by Shawn's bedside with a pillow in his hand, telling his son for the first time, that he loves him. We do not know whether he is about to use it to smother his son, but we are asked to believe that Shawn will happily accept whatever is to come.

Feeling the "crackle, crackle" of a seizure about to begin, Shawn says. What will my dad do? Whatever it is, in another moment I'll be flying free. Either way, whatever he does, I'll be soaring". Perhaps the difference of opinion over this book comes down to the ending, not just how you see it, but whether you notice it at all. Engrossing, contemplative, and as heart-wrenching as the title promises. In an alternate present, a company named Death-Cast calls Deckers—people who will die within the coming day—to inform them of their impending deaths, though not how they will happen.

Rufus needs company after a violent act puts cops on his tail and lands his friends in jail; Mateo wants someone to push him past his comfort zone after a lifetime of playing it safe.

The two meet through Last Friend, an app that connects lonely Deckers one of many ways in which Death-Cast influences social media. Mateo and Rufus set out to seize the day together in their final hours, during which their deepening friendship blossoms into something more. This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.

After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself. Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street.

After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead.

But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic.

Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together. Already have an account? Log in.