Mrs. Boman says: Issue novels like this one can be pedantic and hard to slog through. This one is FAR from the typical issue novel. Sonnenblick takes on several difficult topics (death, divorce, drunk driving, blended families) and masterfully blends them into a moving tale of one teenagers journey from anger to hope. I am looking forward to his next work Zen and the Art of Faking it (and I'll be catching up by reading his first one Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie). As for the much discussed use of the word 'goober' instead of something more 'realistic', I say, I totally believed that Laurie would say goober, but maybe I'm sheltered and naive. I do after all, live in Utah. My personal opinion is that the fact that Laurie used the word goober added a new dimension to her 'gothic-pixie' mystique. She's a confused kid who resorted to language that would make her point but not make her look like a weak-minded profanity spouting idiot. Sure, I know kids that use that kind of language, even here in Utah...and not all people who use profanity are idiots. But in this case, Laurie didn't need profanity to make her point! ("You are a bonehead. You are a complete goober. You are worse than a goober. You're like. . . an assistant goober! You're a dork, a half-wit. You're a ...a...a dork-wit!") Brilliant!!!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Notes from a Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
Synopsis: Alex Gregory is a mess. Just about everything that can be wrong in his life is. His dad has left his mom for his third grade teacher, his mom is dating again (and stressed about it!) and his best friend is a beautiful karate chopping 'pixie' with issues of her own(her own broken home, complete with an 'idiotic' step-dad and a newly pregnant mom). And then comes the accident. Being sentenced to 'human service' for running over a lawn gnome while drunk is the best thing that could happen to Alex, although he doesn't realize it at the time. This brilliant second novel by Jordan Sonnenblick (the author of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie) indicates the arrival of a brilliant new talent. I hope he stays on the scene for a very long time.
Mrs. Boman says: Issue novels like this one can be pedantic and hard to slog through. This one is FAR from the typical issue novel. Sonnenblick takes on several difficult topics (death, divorce, drunk driving, blended families) and masterfully blends them into a moving tale of one teenagers journey from anger to hope. I am looking forward to his next work Zen and the Art of Faking it (and I'll be catching up by reading his first one Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie). As for the much discussed use of the word 'goober' instead of something more 'realistic', I say, I totally believed that Laurie would say goober, but maybe I'm sheltered and naive. I do after all, live in Utah. My personal opinion is that the fact that Laurie used the word goober added a new dimension to her 'gothic-pixie' mystique. She's a confused kid who resorted to language that would make her point but not make her look like a weak-minded profanity spouting idiot. Sure, I know kids that use that kind of language, even here in Utah...and not all people who use profanity are idiots. But in this case, Laurie didn't need profanity to make her point! ("You are a bonehead. You are a complete goober. You are worse than a goober. You're like. . . an assistant goober! You're a dork, a half-wit. You're a ...a...a dork-wit!") Brilliant!!!
Mrs. Boman says: Issue novels like this one can be pedantic and hard to slog through. This one is FAR from the typical issue novel. Sonnenblick takes on several difficult topics (death, divorce, drunk driving, blended families) and masterfully blends them into a moving tale of one teenagers journey from anger to hope. I am looking forward to his next work Zen and the Art of Faking it (and I'll be catching up by reading his first one Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie). As for the much discussed use of the word 'goober' instead of something more 'realistic', I say, I totally believed that Laurie would say goober, but maybe I'm sheltered and naive. I do after all, live in Utah. My personal opinion is that the fact that Laurie used the word goober added a new dimension to her 'gothic-pixie' mystique. She's a confused kid who resorted to language that would make her point but not make her look like a weak-minded profanity spouting idiot. Sure, I know kids that use that kind of language, even here in Utah...and not all people who use profanity are idiots. But in this case, Laurie didn't need profanity to make her point! ("You are a bonehead. You are a complete goober. You are worse than a goober. You're like. . . an assistant goober! You're a dork, a half-wit. You're a ...a...a dork-wit!") Brilliant!!!
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