Alive, by Piers Paul Read, is a true story all about an amateur rugby teams' plane crash on their way to their rugby game. They were traveling through the Andes and a little too close to the mountains. Their plane hit a mountain and the wing broke off. The plane crashed in the cold, hard snow. Some died from the impact of the crash, but 32 survived. The only shelter they have is the plane's shattered fuselage, and their only supplies are a little wine and some bits of candy. To what lengths will this rugby team go to survive, and how long until they're rescued? To find out, read this chilling survival story.
This book is a compelling story of survival. Unfortunately the author uses too many details and information where the tragic feeling of the story is lost in the average teenage reader. Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I found it difficult to read. I am hesitant to recommend this book. If you think you can get through the inordinate amount of details, you may enjoy this true story of survival. I think this story could have been better told in way less pages.
-Reviewed by Logan, grade 9.
