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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
I listened to the audiobook version, which is always a different experience from actually reading the book, but I found it quite enjoyable overall.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Love the musical. HATE the book. The dude is just so gross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexism, Sexual harassment
It was OK. I liked "Its kind of a funny story" by this same author better though. But It seemed to me to be more of a guy book.
Not sure what to make of this one. I bought this for my teenager son, who loves the Musical. He couldn't get through it, however, as he found it too over the top in terms of the sexual themes, swearing and the almost caricature-like stereotypes of US teen culture. There were parts of it I enjoyed, and it did make me think about our reliance on technology as a society. However, overall I think this novel tries too hard to "be more chill".
Really strange but much better than I expected. The musical makes a lot more sense now!
Big Yikes.
The second star is because the narration was done well.
The second star is because the narration was done well.
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I found out this had been adapted into a musical, I was pretty damn surprised about it. Ned Vizzini's writing, as I knew it from It's Kind of a Funny Story, is adaptable, sure, but into a musical? I couldn't see it.
Now, though, after listening to the audiobook (which is very short and very well-narrated by Jesse Eisenberg) I kind of wonder how this wasn't a musical sooner in a lot of ways. I haven't listened to or watched anything from the musical, since I wanted to try to read the book first, but adapting this weird story about people in a play into a play seems like one of the more genius moves of the decade thus far, so I'm very, very excited to jump into the cast recordings.
That said, this book is far from being great. It's cute, the idea of a computer being put into a nerd's brain to make him cool is really funny (and makes for some pretty great comedy throughout) but everything flew by so quickly and in such a blasé manner I found myself not really caring about consequences or what little character developments there were, but I am glad it was short, because if it were any longer, I'd have dropped it, just like I did with It's Kind of a Funny Story. Again, it's cute and it's special in its own little facets, but not great.
The musical, however, probably will be.
Now, though, after listening to the audiobook (which is very short and very well-narrated by Jesse Eisenberg) I kind of wonder how this wasn't a musical sooner in a lot of ways. I haven't listened to or watched anything from the musical, since I wanted to try to read the book first, but adapting this weird story about people in a play into a play seems like one of the more genius moves of the decade thus far, so I'm very, very excited to jump into the cast recordings.
That said, this book is far from being great. It's cute, the idea of a computer being put into a nerd's brain to make him cool is really funny (and makes for some pretty great comedy throughout) but everything flew by so quickly and in such a blasé manner I found myself not really caring about consequences or what little character developments there were, but I am glad it was short, because if it were any longer, I'd have dropped it, just like I did with It's Kind of a Funny Story. Again, it's cute and it's special in its own little facets, but not great.
The musical, however, probably will be.