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A review by satyridae
Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron
4.0
Oh, this was fun! The authorial voice was completely authentic- so much so that I found myself saying stern motherly things to the protagonist. Out loud.
Sammy lives for music, but he's also a regular teenage kid with insecurities, blind spots, family issues and in short, a normal life. I love reading about kids with normal lives, kids who are not Representing A Disorder. Samuel is hilarious to read about from an adult perspective, too- this book works on more than one level, and hits on all cylinders.
This is a lovely coming-of-age book with a satisfyingly complex cast of characters, believable dialogue, and a solid plot.
My favorite part is the dialogue about sex between Sammy and his loving but occasionally clueless mom. I can't resist sharing a bit of it:
"But the stuff she said didn't exactly make me feel any more ready, especially conversations that went something like this:
MOM: You know, Sam, when you do decide to start having sex, which shouldn't be anytime soon because you're much too young--
ME: Oh, God, Mom. Can't we just watch the movie?
MOM: No, I just want to clarify that the scene you have just witnessed has very little to do with a realistic and healthy sexual union.
ME: I get it. It's just a movie. I don't plan on hunting down killer cyborgs, either. Now, can we--"
And it goes on, and just gets funnier, from there.
Sammy lives for music, but he's also a regular teenage kid with insecurities, blind spots, family issues and in short, a normal life. I love reading about kids with normal lives, kids who are not Representing A Disorder. Samuel is hilarious to read about from an adult perspective, too- this book works on more than one level, and hits on all cylinders.
This is a lovely coming-of-age book with a satisfyingly complex cast of characters, believable dialogue, and a solid plot.
My favorite part is the dialogue about sex between Sammy and his loving but occasionally clueless mom. I can't resist sharing a bit of it:
"But the stuff she said didn't exactly make me feel any more ready, especially conversations that went something like this:
MOM: You know, Sam, when you do decide to start having sex, which shouldn't be anytime soon because you're much too young--
ME: Oh, God, Mom. Can't we just watch the movie?
MOM: No, I just want to clarify that the scene you have just witnessed has very little to do with a realistic and healthy sexual union.
ME: I get it. It's just a movie. I don't plan on hunting down killer cyborgs, either. Now, can we--"
And it goes on, and just gets funnier, from there.