The brainy outcast known as 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.
But Fanboy has a secret: a graphic novel he’s been working on without telling anyone about it, 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 the bullies that make it all hell for him.
Just when he thinks he’s doomed to be alone, Fanboy meets Kyra, a.k.a. Goth Girl, an outrageous, cynical girl who shares Fanboy’s 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.
Thanks again to the used bookstore in Sac. I devoured this book in two days, which considering my brother was home and I had to teach many uninspiring freshman during that time, is quite a feat. But, yeah, whoa. This book had me laughing really hard, and then totally near-tears. It is also the penultimate in what's called a character-driven novel. There isn't a whole lot that happens, which is not something that normally interests me, but the voice in this book, holy crap, it is something I can only hope to aspire to. Anyhow, I'm very much looking forward to grabbing Goth Girl Rising when I can. In the interest of full disclosure, Goth wasn't exactly something that was big in my little hick part of Cali, so it wasn't a choice in high school, in terms of social groups. Well, and high school was my own personal hell dealing with my life outside of the campus, but whatever. At any rate, I read this and really realized how easily I could have been one of those people in all black. It wouldn't have been a stretch. Maybe that's why I enjoyed this book so much :)
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