Book: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

I am not a fan of The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle.

From Goodreads:

Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard. An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.

Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground club space for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin, and eventually, Benny.

But will anyone believe him?

I have several reasons for not enjoying this book, mostly based on my own morals, language and relationship preferences being most prominent.  I cringed every time the bullying boys called Mason and Calvin inappropriate, derogatory names.  Without getting into that here, the writing style missed the mark.  I never could get over the broken and incomplete sentences throughout every page.  I understand they are there to stylize and establish voice, but it really gets in the way with calculated intention.  In other words, it made me think about the author more than the characters in the story.