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chwaters's review against another edition
4.0
This epistolary-style novel follows teenaged runaway, Punkzilla, as he travels across the country to see his dying brother. Most of the letters are from Punkzilla to his brother, describing his own reasons for leaving home and his life in Portland. His brother has been keeping his distance from the family ever since coming out to his homophobic parents. Punkzilla's life has been challenging too. His relationship with his family is strained as well; he has already been exiled to military school prior to running away. When he does receive the letter from his brother announcing that there is little time left, Punkzilla feels an urgent need to reconnect with his older brother. Here and there, letters from both parents to Punkzilla illustrate the circumstances that both brothers have had to contend with and the frustration they share is palpable.
In classic Adam Rapp fashion, this story is swift-moving and heart wrenching. Punkzilla does and says a lot of things that are clearly misguided, but remains sympathetic nonetheless. The real achievement is the growth that the reader sees throughout Punkzilla's journey and how he interacts with the people he meets. This is a tough and gritty coming-of-age story and a decent choice for reluctant readers.
In classic Adam Rapp fashion, this story is swift-moving and heart wrenching. Punkzilla does and says a lot of things that are clearly misguided, but remains sympathetic nonetheless. The real achievement is the growth that the reader sees throughout Punkzilla's journey and how he interacts with the people he meets. This is a tough and gritty coming-of-age story and a decent choice for reluctant readers.
victor_constantine's review against another edition
Whenever I first started reading this, I was really disappointed. The back of the book made the main kid sound like a trouble maker but killer smart. Instead, I found a misogynistic little a-hole who made bad choices at all times. I don't know when my view of him changed, but I ended up growing really close to the kid. I hated watching him be used and watching as he made bad decisions. When his brother didn't respond to his letter, I got really nervous for him. When he found people that treated him well. I was happy. I don't know how I feel about this book. It was definitely an experience, but I'm not sure it is one I would want to live through again. I don't think I would recommend this to someone looking for a good read, but I would recommend it if you need something to make you feel and to make you numb at the same time. Somethings do both because sometimes feeling and being numb can be awful similar.
lobrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Life for fourteen-year-old Jamie, better known as “Punkzilla”, has been pretty rough. His parents had shipped him off to military school because of his bad behavior; his dad is a retired military man and his mom is a quiet sometimes pushed around woman. He did not last long at the military school, and he ran away to Portland, Oregon to try and find something better. Once in Portland, he makes friends with the wrong crowd and gets into all kinds of bad situations: drugs, stealing, and odd sexual encounters.
Now, Punkzilla is making a trip across the country to reach Memphis, Tennessee where his sick gay brother is living. Peter knows a little about what Jamie has been going through, he too was ostracized from his family after coming out to them. Jamie’s story is told through a series of letters written to Peter giving the full details of not only the journey he’s on, but the ones that he had experienced before deciding to go and see his brother.
Along the way, Punkzilla meets all kinds of people and learns a lot about what it takes to grow up and how much he is willing to change. It is obvious that the life Jamie had been living was not easy; being fourteen and living free of parents comes at a cost. The letters are a vivid, no holds barred look into what Jamie-Punkzilla had been going through, and there is no doubt that some of the situations are hard to read.
Adam Rapp has written a raw story with Punkzilla. As the reader learns more about what Jamie has gone through, and how it has made him into the person who is writing the letters, it is hard to not hope that finally something will work out for him. That he will make it to Tennessee before his brother passes, that he will meet up with his family and fix things, that he will finally make a smart choice in how to live his life. As an outsider, I felt like he wanted to make good choices and do the right thing, but it was not an easy choice for him.
Overall, I liked this book. I felt that at times the language was a little jarring, but it would have taken away from Jamie’s overall voice if it were not written in the way it was. The reader should definitely be ready for gritty and raw language before starting this book. I think that a lot of boys will be able to connect with Punkzilla’s story and I personally would use it as a recommendation for teen boys.
Awards: Printz Honor (2010).
Characters: Jamie/Punkzilla, Peter.
Genre: General fiction, Guys read.
Subjects/Themes: Drugs, Letters, Growing up, Teens living on their own.
Now, Punkzilla is making a trip across the country to reach Memphis, Tennessee where his sick gay brother is living. Peter knows a little about what Jamie has been going through, he too was ostracized from his family after coming out to them. Jamie’s story is told through a series of letters written to Peter giving the full details of not only the journey he’s on, but the ones that he had experienced before deciding to go and see his brother.
Along the way, Punkzilla meets all kinds of people and learns a lot about what it takes to grow up and how much he is willing to change. It is obvious that the life Jamie had been living was not easy; being fourteen and living free of parents comes at a cost. The letters are a vivid, no holds barred look into what Jamie-Punkzilla had been going through, and there is no doubt that some of the situations are hard to read.
Adam Rapp has written a raw story with Punkzilla. As the reader learns more about what Jamie has gone through, and how it has made him into the person who is writing the letters, it is hard to not hope that finally something will work out for him. That he will make it to Tennessee before his brother passes, that he will meet up with his family and fix things, that he will finally make a smart choice in how to live his life. As an outsider, I felt like he wanted to make good choices and do the right thing, but it was not an easy choice for him.
Overall, I liked this book. I felt that at times the language was a little jarring, but it would have taken away from Jamie’s overall voice if it were not written in the way it was. The reader should definitely be ready for gritty and raw language before starting this book. I think that a lot of boys will be able to connect with Punkzilla’s story and I personally would use it as a recommendation for teen boys.
Awards: Printz Honor (2010).
Characters: Jamie/Punkzilla, Peter.
Genre: General fiction, Guys read.
Subjects/Themes: Drugs, Letters, Growing up, Teens living on their own.
coloringpictures's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the writing style and how real the characters felt.
katiegrrrl's review against another edition
1.0
I am sort of stalled in this book. It hasn't engaged me.
prairiedances's review against another edition
2.0
Tried to get into it because I liked other books by Rapp, but I couldn't get over that the story is told through letters. Also Jamie and "P" are just as judgmental and close minded as their parents. Usually Adam Rapp's stories flow brilliantly--this one tries too hard.
azaleas_bouquet's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
allzen_nochill's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have complicated feelings about this book - it DOES capture how a teenage boy would talk in 2008, and does give a more generous portrayal of queer folks than plenty of other books at the time. But little dude really does throw the slurs around and very dubious shit happens towards the end. Book does go down quickly, though.
psalmcat's review against another edition
4.0
What a great read! A series of letters from (and t0) a 15-year-old boy on the run, living on the streets in Portland after going AWOL from military school across the country from his parents. He boards a Greyhound in order to get to Memphis to visit his older brother who left home four years earlier.
So it's the story of his trip--which isn't far from a National Lampoon Vacation movie--but also the story of his facing adult issues. Big ones. Scary ones. Great book to hand to that kid you know who hasn't showered real recently who clearly has been involved in some non-Father-Knows-Best lifestyle choices.
I love Punkzilla.
So it's the story of his trip--which isn't far from a National Lampoon Vacation movie--but also the story of his facing adult issues. Big ones. Scary ones. Great book to hand to that kid you know who hasn't showered real recently who clearly has been involved in some non-Father-Knows-Best lifestyle choices.
I love Punkzilla.