The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry LygaMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
"Is this my hidden Mutant Power, the ability to screw up absolutely any decent situation?"
Fanboy has never had it good, but lately his sophomore year is turning out to be its own special hell. The bullies have made him their favorite target; his best (and only) friend seems headed for the dark side (sports and popularity); and his pregnant mother and the step-fascist are eagerly awaiting the birth of the alien life form known as Fanboy's new little brother or sister. Fanboy, though, has a secret: a graphic novel he's been working on without telling anyone, a graphic novel that he is convinced will lead to publication, fame, and, most important of all, a way out of the crappy little town he lives in and away from all the people who make it hell for him.
When fanboy meets Kyra, a.k.a. Goth Girl, he finds an outrageous, cynical friend who shares his love of comics as well as his hatred for jocks and bullies. Fanboy can't resist someone who actually seems to understand him, and soon he finds himself willing to heed her advice - to ignore or crush anyone who stands in his way. But Kyra has secrets, too. And they could lead Fanboy to his dreams...or down a path into his own darkness.
My Review:
Anticlimactic!
That pretty much sums up this story. Yes, there were redeeming qualities, like strong characters, and setting up a high school scenario that is realistic, but the story never went anywhere. I felt a deep, dark undertone to the story, but it never came to fruition. In the end, the story started to climax, but nothing came of it. I was sadly disappointed.
At first I felt sympathy for Fanboy and somewhat liked him. However, I think he made life harder on himself than was necessary. Yes, some people are bullies, but he categorized everyone into a group (something we are always telling people not to do) and then decided not to give anyone a chance, except Cal. My sympathy quickly turned to pity, but he redeemed himself in the end. This character grew because of his situations, and that was nice to see.
Goth Girl was a lot harder to figure out. I can somewhat understand Fanboy's confusion and trepidation regarding her. I tried to care for her character, but it got harder and harder throughout the story, she was just such a whirlwind, destroying everything in her path. That being said, I think Barry Lyga captured this perfectly. These are the type of people we need to get help for, and possibly tread lightly around. Whether they are crying out for help or not, we as a society, need to try to be perceptible to their needs.
Now Cal, I totally get him, being a "nerdy jock" myself. I hated, and still somewhat hate, being called a jock, it seems derogatory (of course it's in the infliction of the way it is said when it bothers me). Don't lump me with those individuals who are all brawn and no brain, I'm smart, geeky, and try to be sensitive to others!" In high school, I stood up to bullies on behalf of my friends, even if those bullies were also my friends. I think people like Cal exist, and I'm glad to see this character personified.
As for this particular story, I probably will not continue on in the series. However, if you liked it, I won't judge you, to each their own.
*Just wanted to make a quick mention about the cover - I really liked this cover. I was drawn to it before I had an inkling of the story-line. Sadly, the second book in this series, Goth Girl Rising is severely lacking. In fact, it's a turnoff.
Favorite Quotes:
“The best revenge is living well, my dad told me once.”
“Oh, that was smooth. I'm as subtle as a fart.”
“It just means that if someone hates you, they still have feelings for you. If they really didn't care about you, they'd just forget about you. They wouldn't even waste the time hating you.”
Read from October 16 to 31, 2015
Top 5 Genres*: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult/Teen, Contemporary
*According to Goodreads
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★★★★★ - I absolutely loved it
★★★★ - Good book and would recommend
★★★ - Decent book, but wasn't spectacular
★★ - Not good, but was able to finish it
★ - Did not finish (DNF) and I don't usually rate a book I haven't finished (just to be fair to the author)
View all my reviews
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