The novel The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce is about sixteen year old Michael Grove who was convicted of the murder of Lisa Conroy, his girlfriend with whom he was madly in love. A public dispute for young criminals ensures that Michael will receive the same punishment as would an adult. Michael is sentenced to go to prison and six months into his jail time the real murderer Miranda (Michaels Ex) confesses resulting in Michael being released. Now that Michael was released he begins to realize life went on without him and even though he was totally innocent people still look at him and his family differently. Michaels finally returns to school and graduates with the other students as well. Just as he is getting over Lisa’s death he receives a letter from Miranda saying she cannot take it anymore in prison and that she is contemplating suicide. Michael does everything he can to see her and convinces her to stay alive and well. When Miranda is released Michael finds an apartment and they both live together. Michael then realizes without her, his life cannot go on, for they are a team going through life together as one. The protagonist in this story is Michael and the antagonist is Miranda. The setting takes place in prison, Michael’s neighbourhood and apartment. The key themes in this story are bravery, relationships, morals and ethics.

In the story Michael’s grandma passes away due to cancer. Michael’s grandma was extremely close with him and it was very depressing for Michael to face the fact that his best friend had died. I get the impression that Michael is tremendously attached to his Grandma for he says “…because I need you. I need to know you are there for me” (Choyce, 172) to her on the hospital bed. I have also experienced the death of family member due to cancer as well. Even though we were not as close, it was devastating when I heard the news. My aunt was someone who taught me so much and someone I looked up to as a role model. The same goes with Michael and his grandma. He loved her so much and she would tell him inspirational quotes that would change his life forever. Having this experience in my life got me to really understand what Michael was going through at the time. Michael was miserable and felt as if he had no reason to live for. That was understandable at the time because Michael didn’t really have anyone to rely on when he was released from prison. His grandma was the only one that would treat him like a normal human being, even if he did kill his girlfriend Lisa.