The Cardturner

The Cardturner

Author: Louis Sachar

Publisher: Delacorte Press (2010)

ISBN: 9780385736626

4.5 (out of 5) STARS

Summary: Alton has a rich great uncle who is mother is hoping will leave large sums of money to them when he dies. Alton's uncle has recently gone blind and needs someone to turn his cards in all of his bridge games. Alton is given this job.

Review: Alton is a fantastic character. He is funny and honest, probably funny because he is honest. His mom coerces him into going to work for his rich great uncle by turning the card during his uncle’s bridge games. Trapp (Alton’s uncle) has diabetes and has recently gone blind. He is an amazing bridge player but needs someone to turn the correct cards for him. When Trapp plays bridge, Alton tells him what cards he has. Then Trapp memorizes them. He also memorizes all the cards that everyone else has played throughout the bridge game. It is pretty amazing.

Alton is also a very humorous narrator. He gets paid for his services to Trapp. But the regional bridge tournament did not go as planned and Alton did not get paid. “By the way, speaking of my services, he never paid me for the regional. I was supposed to get three hundred dollars. Four sessions at seventy-five a session. Not that I’m complaining. It was just a thought that crossed my mind, so I reported it to you. YES, I realize he bought me a car! NO, I wasn’t planning to sue him. Sorry, I never should have mentioned it” (pg. 206).

I would highly recommend this book.