Juiceboxers by Benjamin Hertwig. Published by Freehand Books, 2024.
AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2024!

Summary:
“Sixteen-year-old Plinko is attending basic training before high school starts up again in the fall. Feeling adrift from his own family, he moves in with an older soldier, where he forges an unlikely group of friends in the military: the very tall Walsh, who moves in shortly after Plinko does; Abdi, whose Somali immigrant parents often welcome the group of young men over for dinner; and the unpredictable and gun-loving Krug, who is brash and exasperating yet magnetic.

After 9/11, the military prepares to move into Afghanistan — to go to war. Plinko and his friends have no idea that the trajectory of their lives is about to be irrevocably altered.
Drawn from the author's experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan, Juiceboxers tenderly traces the story of a young man's journey from basic training, to the battlefields of Kandahar, to the inner city of Edmonton, braiding together questions of masculinity and militarism, friendship and white supremacy, loss and trauma and hard-won recovery.” (Back Blurb).

For some reason, this was the second book I read about war in a few weeks. Different wars, different times though. Hertwig does a great job introducing the reader to the characters of the book early, and sets the tone. I loved how the book travels back and forth in time. Also, how Hertwig shows the impact of war on each character, both before and after. I loved the brashness of the character of Krug, but also the journey Hertwig takes Plinko on. Hertwig brings his own personal experience to the book, and his knowledge of the subject matter was fitting and flawless.

"Those who survived could never really trust one another again because they knew that war was just another word for the things people do to one another." (Juiceboxers, Benjamin Hertwig).

Shout out and high-five to Colby @freehandbooks in Calgary for sending over a new copy to read. Thanks to @netgalley as always.

4/5

Strong debut.
Don't sleep on this one!

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