A review by ponycanyon
Master of Reality by John Darnielle

5.0

John Darnielle's 33 1/3 entry is the greatest YA epistolary novel I've ever read - it's head and shoulders above classics of the subgenre like "Dear Mr. Henshaw" and even "I am the cheese." It's a shame that the vast majority of readers and purveyors of YA won't even hear about it or give it a shot, as it's presented as a 33 1/3 entry (bite-sized books dedicated to covering classic albums) rather than a mere novel or even YA-marketed effort. But that doesn't change how ridiculously immersive, affecting, and emotionally raw the story is. Your narrator is a 15-year-old boy who's been committed to a correctional home/hospital by his parents, keeping a journal explaining why Black Sabbath's Master of Reality is his favorite thing on earth and why he so dearly wants the doctors to give him back his walkman and tapes. For any troubled teen who found solace in records (especially one particular record), the whole thing hits a little too close to home at times. Outstanding.