Is there a more loveable weakness than this? As I was reading, I found myself wanting to reach through the pages and give him a hug. He has no fear in anyone because he believes no one would wish to hurt him. His fatal flaw, in my opinion, is his tendency to be too trusting. He’s charismatic, witty, kind and full of vitality. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more likeable character than Finny. The characters in “A Separate Peace” are some of the most well-developed and interesting I’ve ever read about. Without a doubt, “A Separate Peace” is an underrated yet magnificent piece of literature that comments on the underbelly of adolescence and human nature itself. The book isn’t plot driven, rather, it is propelled by the underlying themes and complex relationships between characters. Told from this perspective, the rest of the story is essentially about his close, and often rivalrous, relationship with Finny while they are at school. It begins with Gene visiting 15 years after his senior year at Devon, reminiscing mournfully and looking upon his youth with wiser eyes. They are roommates at The Devon School, their boarding school and the setting throughout the novel. Set in New Hampshire during World War II, “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles tells the story of main character Gene Forrester and his best friend Phineas, otherwise known as Finny.

Unfortunately, most people in 2018 aren’t aware of its existence, let alone its subtle brilliance. “A Separate Peace” is one of those few books. There is a slim number of books that have enthralled me to the point of absolute consumption and that I can read for hours upon hours without so much as a drink of water.

Novel a separate peace