The Lottery Rose [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

 

 

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Abused, neglected, an appearance to match your life and deprived of happiness and love, little Georgie Burgess redefines the meaning of tough in the novel The Lottery Rose. Your mother is drowned in a sea of alcohol every night and there is no defense for you withstand the menacing blows of her boyfriend those were just some of Georgie's daily issues. There was also his lack of understanding in school, an outside porch to sleep on, and never enough food to eat in the kitchen.
It was a miracle Georgie could manage to stay alive under the circumstances he was forced to live in. However Georgie found a way to hide his hurt and disguise his pain. Instead of running away from home Georgie ran away to the garden and got to feel true happiness with the roses. He had once received a lottery card from a sympathetic employee at the corner market, the prize was a bundle of small dried out roses that Georgie adored and claimed it was the best present in the world when he won them. Georgie knew his mother's boyfriend Steve would not agree with Georgie's present considering he once strangled a small kitten Georgie brought home. Georgie drove Steve crazy and his anger reached its pinnacle when Georgie would scream shrieks of terror every time he saw Steve. One night Steve decided he wasn't going to take it anymore and beat Georgie unconscious. He was shortly rescued by a group of strangers trying to convince him he was going to be ok.
Georgie's real life experience didn't really start until he had left the hospital and his old home and was now under the care of Sister Mary Angela in a private religious school out in the middle of nowhere. Georgie started there as an outcast and very shy of his friendly surroundings. Georgie was not the brightest crayon in the box and the other young boys were taking notice of his unkempt appearance and tormenting him about it. However Georgie did end up making a best friend Timothy who tried nothing more than to befriend Georgie. While at this school Georgie furthered his passion for roses, in fact he still cherished his small bundle of dried roses and chartered them around. It was not long before Georgie spotted the perfect place to plant his roses, what he didn't know was that this would be start of his next major life crisis.
Throughout his very few years of existence Georgie has encountered more obstacles than most adults can account for in their lifetimes. Georgie has been nearly dead and had experienced death. By the end of the novel Georgie had learned not only to give love to his roses and Robin but he can now except love from Mrs. Harper and Sister Mary Angela.
The Lottery Rose is a heart touching novel that causes the reader to connect with Georgie Burgess and share in some of his pain and heartache, but also to respect his strength and defense. It opened my eyes to a world of suffering we so easily block out today. It forced me to analyze the reality of our modern day society and the novel brings new meaning to the phrase: "who said growing up would be easy."

I would have to say that this book is the best book that I have read in my whole life! The first time I read this book was in fifth grade, and I remembered everything about it. When I have the choice to pick a book to read in class I pick The Lottery Rose in a heart beat. This book will bring emotions to you that you never thought you had. At times this book will bring a smile, at other times it will bring tears to your eyes. The title of the book may not be so eye catching, but you have to take a chance and just read it. Believe me you'll love it. I have to agree that the ending of the book is not a good one. The author could have done better. But the rest of the book makes up for it. Trust me and read it.

As a school assignment, I had to read a book and write a report on it. As I looked through the fiction shelf in our school library, "The Lottery Rose" really stood out. A young, abused boy slowly learning how to love and be loved, all the while a sickly rosebush reflecting his hopes, dreams, and fears. What a great idea. I mean, what could be more touching? Unfortunately, Irene Hunt pretty much ruins the whole book. She does a terrible job with the characters and the plot, the two basic components in a story. She does a good job describing Robin, the retarded boy, but that's about it. The characters are about as unrealistic as possible. The adults are either completely perfect or completely cruel, and the 7- and 8-year-old children are one-sided and talk and act like they were about twice their age. Also, the plot is unrealistic. In a period of a year or so, Georgie goes from being scared and abused to being like a normal kid his age. Irene Hunt, being a psychologist, should know better than anyone how long the healing process takes for an abused child. As a whole, this book is pretty bad. I strongly do not recommend reading this book, no matter how tempting the back cover sounds.

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5.0 out of 5 stars This book is impossible to hate!
This book is very sad but at times very heart-warming. It brought tears to my eyes. I'm going to order it and read it over. Read more

Published on Dec 27 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars A very heart-warming story
This book is so good. Like many people I thought that it would be boring because of its' title and cover. Well never do that. Read more

Published on Dec 26 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book Ever!
OMGosh this book is THE best book I have ever read! It is so touching even to a 13 year old such as myself. I was given this book by an older friend. Read more

Published on Dec 9 2002 by *lil ashie*

5.0 out of 5 stars Evocative and haunting
When seven-year-old Georgie is beaten nearly to death by his mother and her boyfriend, the police take him out of his home and put him in a Catholic boarding school for boys. Read more

Published on Sep 1 2002 by Meaghan Good

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst Book Ever
I read this book as what is called a "choice book". I didn't even want to finish it. I read No Promises in the Wind, also by Irene Hunt but enjoyed that book. Read more

Published on Jun 15 2002

1.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Graphic Violence and Horrific Child Abuse
The violence and child abuse described in this book are horrific. Nothing is left to the imagination: a young boy is beaten almost to death, starved, tied up and locked in a... Read more

Published on May 17 2002 by Corrine Kenner

3.0 out of 5 stars Abuseing story
THE LOTTERY ROSE
BY: Irene Hunt
reviewed by: Abdiweli Hussein

Have you ever been abused by your parents? well,Georgie Burgess has, and learns to hide his hurt. Read more

Published on May 6 2002 by Abdiweli Hussein

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't add much to what other reviewers found.
This book was a worthy read that I am presenting to a nephew. While the story is sentimental in nature, it presents a strong morality and a good adventure. Read more

Published on April 18 2002

1.0 out of 5 stars Lottery Rose- Review
The conflict in the story was about a boy named Goergie getting abused by his mom and step dad. Goergie changed during the story because Goergie learns to be kind and gives love... Read more

Published on Mar 20 2002 by Delila Juncaj

4.0 out of 5 stars Bbills
In The Lottery Rose, after Georgie was beaten and neglected by his mother and her boyfriend,he was sent to a home for boys where he debates whithin himself if he should trust the... Read more

Published on Mar 7 2002 by c erickson

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