Here in the Real World

5 min read

“Because you’re right. Bad stuff happens. But the real world is also all the things we do about bad stuff. We’re the real world, too.”

Here in the Real World is another heartfelt story from Sara Pennypacker. This middle-grade novel will stay with me for a long time, full of moving themes and characters that pop off the page. I’ll explain why in this review.

Plot

Ware can’t wait to spend summer “off in his own world”—dreaming of knights in the Middle Ages and generally being left alone. But then his parents sign him up for dreaded Rec camp, where he must endure Meaningful Social Interaction and whatever activities so-called “normal” kids do.
On his first day Ware meets Jolene, a tough, secretive girl planting a garden in the rubble of an abandoned church next to the camp. Soon he starts skipping Rec, creating a castle-like space of his own in the church lot.
Jolene scoffs, calling him a dreamer—he doesn’t live in the “real world” like she does. As different as Ware and Jolene are, though, they have one thing in common: for them, the lot is a refuge.
But when their sanctuary is threatened, Ware looks to the knights’ Code of Chivalry: Thou shalt do battle against unfairness wherever faced with it. Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and Good—and vows to save the lot.
But what does a hero look like in real life? And what can two misfit kids do?

I thought the plot was rather clever. A medieval history buff building his own castle in an abandoned church? Sounds like something I’d love to do. And watching the construction progress was quite enjoyable.

The book is much like the protagonist—slow-paced and thoughtful. It spends much of the time digging into the characters and theme. However, it’s far from boring, and it was the perfect length to keep it from dragging.

Characters

Every character in this book is unique and interesting. Even characters who aren’t present for most of the book have distinct personalities.

Ware is a castle-obsessed, introverted boy who just wants to be left alone. He constantly compares things to castles or medieval weapons and lives by the Knight’s Code (which he has memorized). He’s also highly idealistic, always pointing out unfairness wherever it appears.

Jolene puts up a tough exterior, but those ever-present shades hide something broken. She’s seen too much of the real world’s darkness to support Ware’s hopefulness. Yet, perhaps there is more good in life than she thinks.

Theme & Content Warnings

I both like and disapprove of the message. The good part is, it’s true. Ware learns that all people are born different, and there’s nothing wrong with his natural desire to be alone. He also realizes that, while the real world is an unfair place, it’s his duty to fight for fairness and right wherever he can.

However, I don’t care for stories where the main character (especially an eleven-and-a-half-year-old with precious little life experience) is the only one who was right all along. By the end, he confronts his friend Jolene and his parents on how they’re wrong and were trying to stop him from being himself. Instead of growing as a character, Ware is strengthened in the things he was already doing.

Here, he really was right, and his parents really were forcing him to be someone else. But when all the adults are wrong and the pre-teen boy is the hero, I’m skeptical of what deeper messages may be present.

Because Ware spends much time in an abandoned church, various Christian elements come into play. He wants to be baptized in the “do-over tub” to become a normal kid. He and Jolene, ignorant of actual Christian doctrine, discuss what might make the water in the tub holy (they also make no mention of salvation being first required before baptism).

This book is clean, but a variety of minor issues pop up along the way.

Ware sits in a bar a few times, drinking Orange Crush and talking over his problems with the compassionate bartender. While at some points being drunk is frowned upon, Ware relishes acting like an adult during his time at the establishment. In another scene, he’s unsure if something he drank had alcohol in it.

God’s name is used in vain once. Euphemisms for profanity are used two or three times.

Additionally, Here in the Real World joins a long, long list of books where a child protagonist repeatedly lies to his parents and suffers no consequences. The entire plot hinges on his disobedience. When his parents eventually uncover the truth, they applaud him for his work on the lot, rather than reprimand him.

Overall

Here in the Real World is a story of hope. I closed the book with a smile and inspiration to keep fighting no matter what stands in the way. Because, as Ware puts it in the featured quote above, the real world is full of bad stuff. But so is it full of people championing light.

If you enjoyed Pax by Sara Pennypacker, this book is for you.

Thanks for reading!