My Reading Blog about the Book “ The midnight driver
My Reading Blog
My Reading log of each Chapter:
Alex is Sitting next to the old
Man's bed watching the bright green Line Spine and jiggle across the Screen of his monitor. He knew that some time soon the Loops will become one long beep
and Alex's work will be finished
there and He will be free.
Alex wakes up in the hospital with a hangover for the first time, with his mother standing by the bedside, calling him an idiot and hitting him. Dad comes in and Mom and Dad start arguing.He is not seriously injured. Dr.Friedman came in and described the situation in detail. The Father told his son he should take responsibility, and the son pretends to be asleep.
Day of the Dork-Witt
On Sunday, Alex playes electric guitar, a gift from his father. His Mom asks him why he drink. He replies that he want to do something. Mom tells him what to do next month .Brian Gilson asks him about last Friday. Alex tries to calm himself. His bestfriend Laurie Flynn comes to protect him from Brian, but then irritates Alex himself.
My Day in Court
The father tries to contact Alex but he blocks every attempt. He met his attorney, Uncle Larry. He went to court with his mother, but it was very different from what he imagined. They are now awaiting sentencing.
Solomon
Alexander meets Solomon for the first time but he ignores him.Solomon bullies Alexander which makes Alexander write a letter to the Judge.
Plan B
The second day with Solomon, who pretends not to know Alex and even yells for the nurse, the situation resolves quickly . As a result of the day, Alex again writes a letter to his judge . The judge, Mrs. Tent, advises Alexander to keep trying with Sol.
Laurie meets Sol
Laurie convinces Alex's mom so she can go out again. Along the way, Alex sees Laurie, like a sister. Also he warns her to never be nice to Solomon. When they are at Solomon's, he thinks Laurie is Alex's girlfriend, so there is a fight and Alex was gone for a little while. When he comes back, the whole situation calmed down and Laurie takes care of Sol.
Sol gets Interested
Alex plays in a Jazz band in school but isn’t good at it . After School he practices in the social center,because he is late and Sol is somewhere else. When Sol comes back and hear Alex play he compliment him and tells him he can practice in front of Sol.
Half An Answer
Just before Christmas Alex has learn a song especially for Sol, which tells the story of a Jew, and plays it for Sol.
Happy Holidays
The Father of Alex comes to visit him and explains that he is moving to Philadelphia. He explains to Alex that his mother kicked him out. Sol is on a ventilator. For the first time he talks about his daughter, for whom he buyt flowers. At the end of their conversation, Solomon sends him outside.Alex learns from the nurses that he is buying flowers for his daughter every years, but that she never shows up. Alex then writes another letter to the Judge that he has learned something again. He asks if he can stay with Sol after he finishes his hours.
The balls Falls
Alex makes coffee for his mother and she is really taken aback by that. Alex quickly leaves the house and go to Sol, who can live without a ventilator again. This persuades him to spend New Year's Eve with Laurie at his place. Laurie tells Alex that her mom is pregnant with a guy she met through online dating. In the nursing home, Sol overhears a conversation between Laurie and Alex mentioning that he is only serving his sentence and reacts in horror, causing Alex to flee home. Sol then apologizes to Alexander on Laurie's cell phone.
Happy New Year
When they get up the next morning everything seems fine between mother and father. They have breakfast together . After Laurie leaves, Alex's mother tells Alex about a wonderful evening where they fell in love all over again.
Enter The Cha-Kings
Alex comes up with the idea of organizing a benefit concert. But he doesn't want to perform alone. So he asks a couple (Steven and Annette) because they know about it.
Both Steven and Annette agrees to play at the benefit concert. Alex apologize to Sol because he didn’t tell him his case and ran away. He also tells him about the concert.
Am I A Great Musician Or What?
Alex has problems in the practice with Steven and Annette. He talks with Laurie about their friendship.He also tells her what he is in love with an Cheerleader named Stephanie. Alex invites the judge to the concert but she declined.
A Night For Surprise
Alex notices that Laurie changed and how he is always thinking about her. A day before the concert Annette tells Alex that he has to change or the couple won’t play with him. But at the end they perform the song “ Mercy, Mercy,Mercy “. Sol also lies to Alex so he can perform.
Darkness
Sol tells Alex why he is so angry at him and also why he won’t play anymore. Sol tells him what happened a long time ago and why his daughter won’t visit him.
The Valentine’s Day Massacre
Alex doesn't have high hopes that a girl will ask him to dance on Valentine's Day. Sarah speaks to him. Alex doesn't know what to do at first, but then says ''yes'’. Laurie is approached by Brad and she accepts .
Good Morning, World
Laurie kisses Alex in front of Bryan. In the end Brad and Sarah get into a relationship.
The Mission
Sol asks Alex to play for him again but he declines because Sol plays better than him. But he offers him to play together. At home Alex finds his parents in a lovely atmosphere.
The Saints Go Marchin’In
Sol teaches Alex how he plays better the Guitar also how he plays with the rhythm.Sol also gift Alex his old Guitar.
The Work Of Breathing
Alex comes to Sol again, but, as a nurse explains, Sol is at the doctor's. While Alex is practicing his guitar, Sol comes back, but he's not doing so well, just wishing that Alex would play for him.
Peace In My Tribe
Alex talks with his parents about his problems. He wants to save his family situation. Alex writes an letter to the judge telling her what he is finished with his punishment and learned many things. He also ask her if she could visit his next concert. The Judge replies to him that she tries to come and visit this time.
Finale
Before the concert starts Alex meets with Sol who is on a ventilator and Steven and Anette Backstage.Alex is nervous but his friends encourage him that he improved in the last weeks. At the end of the concert the judge calls Sol “Dad”.
Coda
Sol and Judy make up and spend the last time together. Sol also writes letters to Laurie,Judy and Alex.
The Saints Go Marchin’In Again
Sol died. Alex and his friends play at the ceremony. Alex performs with the guitar Sol gifted him. People held speeches.Then they play a song named “ When the Saints go marching in”.
Alex writes a letter to the Judge asking if he could stay at the social center and keep working there because he found many new friends and likes to spend time with old people.
My Letter to the Author
Dear Jordan Sonnenblick ,
I am writing you this letter because I want to tell you my opinion on your wonderful and great novel "Notes from the Midnight Driver “ . I really have to praise you because I really loved how you described each character, that you have written in your novel . I really loved how easily I could imagine each one of them and how simple It was for me to understand your novel even though English is not my first language . I even loved the plot twist that Sol’s daughter was the judge since I wouldn’t have ever imagined it .But one thing that I would have personally changed is Alex and Laurie getting a happy ending since I really liked them both. They truly seemed like a dream couple. You obviously can’t change that anymore but it would’ve made my reading experience a little better.
You’re dear fan Hiba Arf .
My Favourite part of the story
My favourite part in the novel was when Alex crashed his moms car against the Law gnome since that was the last thing I could have imagined the book to start with. That wasn’t the only favorite part I had, I even liked how Alex puked on the officers shoes. I really found it funny because why does someone get drunk and then gets the idea to drive without a license. How careless can you even be to do that without thinking about the consequences. Did he really think he could just get to the end of the block and then confront his father drunk for cheating on his mother with his third grade teacher? Really even my twin wouldn’t be this stupid and she is not always so smart with her ideas.
Fact file about Laurie
Fact file about Laurie :
Name :Laurie Flynn
Age : 16
Role in the story :student and Alex’ best friend/ love interest
Family: divorced parents, pregnant mom
She lives : small town in new Jersey
Good things : very caring and loving , is always there for Alex ,self-confident and mature , tough and extroverted
Bad things : doesn’t like to show weakness
Likes : does karate as a hobby
How did the book make me feel?
When I read the book I had felt so many emotions, which makes it difficult for me to even name them all but if I had to name one, then it would be happiness. A lot of great things happened in the novel which I really liked . For example when Alex met Sol and Alex was very shocked by how harsh Sols attitude is because he didn’t think Sol would curse him out in Yiddish. That was very entertaining for me . But I felt sad when Sol died because he and Alex still had a great connection and his death was very emotional. We bonded with these two while reading the book and having to lose one of the characters was really heartbreaking and made me experience an indescribable sad feeling.
Timeline of every Chapter of the book
September: Alex’ mom went on a date . Alex was alone , he got drunk and took the car keys of his mother ( doesn’t have a license) to drive to his father but got into a car accident.He was grounded til he went to the court.His first court appearance.
His first hours of service he meets his assigned patient Solomon.
Sol meets Laurie and thinks she and Alex are a couple.
Sol and Alex found out that both like to play guitar.
Alex asks the Judge that after he finishes his assignment he wants to stay by Sol’s side.
Alex plans an benefit concert for Sol and the home.
The Judge didn’t go to the first concert but she came and called Sol her father on the second.
Sol passed away but got to spend time with his daughter.
Comparing two characters in the Story
Even though Alex and Sol have a big age difference and wouldn’t have ever met each other under normal circumstances, they still share some of the same interests. Both seem to really enjoy music to the fullest, especially when playing the guitar. Alex plays it often for him and keeps learning new songs which Sol enjoys. The instance that brought these two together is the fact that Sol’s wife has died in a car accident caused by a drunk driver and Alex previously got into a reckless car accident because he was the drunk driver. In the first half of the book, Alex doesn’t really get Sol’s sense of humor even though they’re both sarcastic. Later on they get along even better and Sol even opens up to him.
A big contrast between these two characters is that due to Sol’s harshness, he often makes fun of people and "bullies” them while Alex had a hard time getting through the bullying at school.
News Report
Reporter Florian ,
Reporter Hiba
If I had to pick a character based on similarities, I would choose Laurie because I am a friendly person and I love to take care of other people. I also like to be there for my friends and support them no matter what happens. I am also an mature person.
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