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A review by m0springer
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
1.0
So, let me just say I had to read this for a class. Otherwise I wouldn't have picked this up. Usually, I give the books I'm assigned to read a chance, the benefit of the doubt. I hate this book, but it's not because it was assigned. However, it's not really my personal taste.
The main character is the biggest douche-bag I have ever had the misfortune to read. Now, I'm not one of those people that needs to have the main character be a perfect, super likable, awesome person. However, I expect characters to change over the course of the story, which did not happen here. Grady starts out a douche-bag and ends a douche-bag. He doesn't learn a damn thing.
His best friend, Crabtree, is gay (possibly bisexual, it's never stated I think). When he first appears in the novel he's accompanied by a character who is either a transwoman or a drag queen. The novel wasn't clear which and I'm not entirely sure the author knows the difference. The main character proceeds to constantly point out that this person, who is presenting as a woman, has a penis. I think it was supposed to be funny but for me it came off as the immature and juvenile.
Anyways, Crabtree at one point meets James Leer, one of Grady's students. Despite the age difference and the fact that James has considerable mental issues he has a plan to seduce him in an almost predatory way. Since that's obviously what gay men do.
The plot is weird and melodramatic. Which, I'm not against, it simply didn't fit anything. I didn't enjoy the drama and the weirdness didn't keep me captivated. Things just randomly happened and they didn't feel connected.
If you like stories that highlight how dysfunctional people can be, how miserable and chaotic life is, which no character development or satisfying resolve to the story - by all means, give this a chance.
The main character is the biggest douche-bag I have ever had the misfortune to read. Now, I'm not one of those people that needs to have the main character be a perfect, super likable, awesome person. However, I expect characters to change over the course of the story, which did not happen here. Grady starts out a douche-bag and ends a douche-bag. He doesn't learn a damn thing.
His best friend, Crabtree, is gay (possibly bisexual, it's never stated I think). When he first appears in the novel he's accompanied by a character who is either a transwoman or a drag queen. The novel wasn't clear which and I'm not entirely sure the author knows the difference. The main character proceeds to constantly point out that this person, who is presenting as a woman, has a penis. I think it was supposed to be funny but for me it came off as the immature and juvenile.
Anyways, Crabtree at one point meets James Leer, one of Grady's students. Despite the age difference and the fact that James has considerable mental issues he has a plan to seduce him in an almost predatory way. Since that's obviously what gay men do.
The plot is weird and melodramatic. Which, I'm not against, it simply didn't fit anything. I didn't enjoy the drama and the weirdness didn't keep me captivated. Things just randomly happened and they didn't feel connected.
If you like stories that highlight how dysfunctional people can be, how miserable and chaotic life is, which no character development or satisfying resolve to the story - by all means, give this a chance.