Purple Heart

By Patricia McCormick
Balzer + Bray, $16.99, 199 pages

Purple Heart is a stunningly accurate portrayal of a fresh-out-of-high-school soldier’s deployment to Iraq. The book begins as Matt Duffy awakens in a Green Zone hospital, alone and confused. He has suffered a traumatic brain injury and the events preceding the explosion that caused his injury are foggy. The one image that is clear is of a young Iraqi boy being blown off his feet by a rifle shot.

Purple Heart accompanies Matt as he is assessed by the doctors at the hospital and interviewed during the investigation of the Iraqi boy’s death. Just as Matt begins to remember key details of the incident, he is returned to his squad and the dangerous reality of patrols in Sadr City.

Through extensive interviews and research, author Patricia McCormick has poignantly captured the nuances and sensory details of what it is like to serve in Iraq. Also noteworthy is McCormick’s portrayal of Matt’s relationships with his girlfriend and his mother back home, and the see-saw of trust and betrayal he experiences with both the Iraqi citizens and his fellow soldiers. Purple Heart is a must-read for young adults and an enjoyable, valuable read for parents and teachers as well.

Reviewed by Megan Just