I really, really loved this book. I thought it thoroughly explored what it set out to cover, and did so in a way that was short but effective.

I thought this book was very well-written. While not anti-military, the author still opened up to show the dark consequences of war. Coming from a military family, I appreciated his portrayal. Price of Duty really does help to show the price soldiers pay by protecting our country. It shows the hurt they and their families experience. This book is a great read for both middle and high schoolers.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this novel. Books about war are an immediate hit in my library and this one is perfect. The beginning gets the reader hooked and the rest of the story is powerful as it addresses the issues faced by those that have gone to war and come home to face the realities of their experiences. This is a must read.

Heartbreaking, tear-jerking, gut-wrenching reality!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review Price of Duty by Todd Strasser. As the story opens, we’re thrown right into a Humvee being hit by an IED! The main character, Jake, narrates in first person point of view, alternating between the present and his active duty as a U.S. soldier. His life has completely changed since he enlisted in the military and he’s holding onto anger from seeing his comrades harmed and killed, feeling deceived by the recruiter, struggling with his own injuries and having to face being reactivated. He’s hiding his anger from everyone and he’s afraid he’ll let it slip and his family and hometown will think less of him. Price of Duty shows us what war is really about in heartbreaking, tear jerking, gut wrenching reality, 5 stars for a book that I’m definitely buying for the library collection!

Jake is home after sustaining injuries during deployment. He's being lauded as a hero, but is struggling with what that really means. Jake still has six months left of deployment to finish after his rehab at Walter Reed. He's really thinking about not going back, but that would mean breaking the law. Not to mention, disappointing his grandfather, the General, and the town, who came out en masse to welcome home their hero. He's going to earn a silver star, but that is pretty hard to reconcile with all the things he's seen and done. Flashbacks intersperse with the present, as Jake tries to deal with all the pressures returning home brings forward.

One of the characters in this book is a female high school reporter who would like Jake to renounce his junior ROTC class from high school. She has some disheartening stats. Jake is able to see her point of view, but unwilling to deviate from the accepted narrative to publicly support her story. How he resolves his dilemma still has me thinking.

On a side note, something I learned as I was doing my FERPA training for school this year, is that recruiters can ask for and receive student names and addresses. I'm sure I've been told this before but it really stood out to me after reading this book.

As I read this book, I got chills reading. It is an honor to read this book and try to understand the depths of combat. I cannot imagine even through your words how someone can deal with this after returning home. As I read I kept thinking this is the price we pay for freedom. I thank you so much for writing this book and giving me this picture of your life. Also, thank you for your service!!

PRICE OF DUTY by Todd Strasser is a blatant anti-war young adult novel which I am not really recommending, despite its attempt to address important issues. The story centers on Jake Liddell, a hero to all but himself. This book presents negative views towards the military, particularly the recruitment process and JROTC. Strasser unfortunately reinforces stereotypes, saying, "for a lot of minorities, the military is one of three options. The other two being an unlivable minimum wage, or crime and incarceration." And sadly, his writing does not portray women and girls as soldiers or even as independent partners at home. Although suspenseful and relatively short (under 200 pages), flashbacks and chapter titles (using character names who are not the narrators and locations which are not explained) made this book a bit confusing to read.

Referring to Jake's "crisis of conscience," Booklist gave PRICE OF DUTY a starred review and suggested it for readers in grades 7-10, but due to this novel's rather graphic and painful presentation of military suicide, that grade recommendation may actually be rather young. Conversely, there are certainly other, more sophisticated books (M*A*S*H, Catch-22, Yellow Birds) for our older readers. And for those who want to learn more about suicide prevention, including amongst veterans, Journalists' Resource has links to recent studies on possible intervention. There are multiple ways to help, including this campaign promoted by the late Jason Fitch and featured on CBSNews. And look for a related story in the news recently: I’m Not OK app developed by teens using technology to help those struggling with depression and anxiety.

Links in live post:
https://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/health-care/emergency-room-intervention-veteran-suicides
https://www.gofundme.com/finalmission
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-vet-turns-away-from-suicide-to-help-other-soldiers/
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/teens-struggle-depression-led-brother-create-app/story?id=52791054

Everyone says that Jake Liddell is a war hero. He is even scheduled to receive the Silver Star for some of his actions during combat, but now that he is away from his platoon, recovering, he isn’t sure he wants to return and finish his tour. To make matters worse, he is from a military family, so there are additional expectations at home. What will Jake decide to do next? Why does he believe he isn’t a hero at all?

Price of Duty is a stand-alone novel that is gripping and heartfelt. The topic is timely in this age where war and battle are portrayed gloriously in the media, yet our young men and women are the ones living it on a daily basis. Strasser has given readers a variety of characters with many different views of war and lets the reader determine what their feelings should be. This book is a definite read for everyone and a strong suggestion for those reluctant male teen readers. Price of Duty will leave all readers thinking about the issues long after the last page is turned.

The book opens with Jake, an injured soldier, returning to his hometown with much fanfare. The author either doesn't know much about the military or didn't bother to attempt translating military lingo into easily understood civilian terms. This can be confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the jargon. The book pushes its message very forcefully, and though it's ultimately a good message, nobody likes reading a book that shoves ideas down your throat. The characters and plot failed to hold my attention so I skimmed most of it.

Jake Liddell returns home from war a hero. He gets one week to visit with family and friends before beginning rehab and later returning to the front lines to finish his six month tour of duty. He has a list of things he wants to accomplish--people he needs to see before that week is up. Jake feels all the pressure of his military family to accept the medal being offered and return to service. But Jake is feeling quite disheartened with the military and isn't sure he wants to return. But can he do that to his family?

Price of Duty is a brutally honest portrayal of what soldiers experience. Some may not like a book that criticizes the military, but Strasser does an amazing job of articulating those criticisms in a respectful way. The military descriptions are painfully real, and the issues discussed are important. A well written book that reads fast and will appeal to reluctant readers.