Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

Very engaging YA novel with a memorable narrator and numerous interesting secondary characters. I can already see the movie version (although they probably will make Cliff more handsome than he is supposed to be in the book). Suffers a little bit from the John Green syndrome (do teenagers really speak with such articulate wit?) but its well-intentioned messages about kindness and acceptance are enough to overcome the artifice. I'm surprised to say this, as a die-hard romance lover, but the most interesting relationships in the story are the friendships that develop between Cliff and the classmates he formerly hated or kept at a distance, and the changing dynamic among Cliff, his abusive father and his passive mother.

Debut author show more Preston Norton impressively nails the right balance of humor, drama, comedy and tragedy. I hope he has more stories like this to tell. show less

Preston Norton's newest book, Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe, releases Tuesday June 5/18.

Now, you might be saying to yourself - with a title like that, what could this book possibly be about? No, it's not a time travelling cave man. Instead, we meet high school student Cliff Hubbard, AKA Neanderthal, based on his 6'6", 250 lb. frame. Neanderthal is not one of the popular kids at Happy Valley High School. And he's not happy - his brother committed suicide, his father is an alcoholic and his mother seems to be simply existing and turning a blind eye. And school is no better. Aaron is the cool kid at school. But, when he suffers a head injury at football, he wakes up saying he saw God and God gave him a list of things to do to show more make Happy Valley High School a better place. God also said that Neanderthal is the one to help him with the list. This unlikely pair do team up to tackle the list - and much more.

I have to say up front that I really enjoyed Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe. I liked the premise and I was really drawn to the characters, especially Cliff. Norton gives us a large and varying cast of supporting players that pretty much illustrate a high school and the social strata. You'll have no problem deciding who you're behind - and who you can't stand. (Esther is especially despicable)

Norton captures the thoughts, angst, hopes, dreams and disappointments of teens through all of his characters, but Cliff's are especially poignant. I loved the voice Norton has given him. Those currently in school will identify and those of us long past school will remember those days through Cliff's trials and triumphs.

"Some of us are barely swimming, some of us are drowning, and there are some of us still who are being tossed in waves and dashed upon the rocks. And often we feel that we won’t survive. Maybe that ocean is school, and we’re struggling to get descent grades, or to fit in, or maybe we’re just trying to survive the hurtful words and actions of people who don’t understand their own cruelty."

The journey to fulfill the list takes Cliff and company on a journey that touches on and explores friendship, families, relationships, love, hate, grief, drugs, drinking, sex, mental health, bullying, homophobia and more. Some of it may not be for the younger end of the teen set.

Norton tells his story with lots of humour - some of it is a bit over the top, as are some situations, but it suits Norton's writing style. Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe moves along very quickly and is an infectious read. (It will also break your heart in places.) Cliff's revelations and resolutions are relatable for anyone, regardless of age.

An excellent read - one that found me - and I'm glad it did. show less

Okay, so it's not about the sunshine and roses version of HS, but the raw reality of being on the fringe, trying to survive the day to day servings of craptastisticness life has to offer, and finding meaning in it all to pull us through another day. It's about hard times, ruthless cliques, and drug use. It's about suicide, beat downs, and cruelty. You know what though? It's also about HOPE. It's about the person hiding behind the mask (thank you HAL for that well turned borrowed quote). It's about the way in which we CHOOSE to see the world, and what we're willing to do about it to affect change. It's about not simply letting life happen, but being a part of life. It's about making a difference in our own lives, but also in the lives of show more others. It's about taking chances, chasing dreams, and finding out what our meaning of life is because let's face it, it's not a one size fits all world out there.

With a cast of characters that are as memorable as the hard hitting dialogue, this book has so much going for it in a somewhat warped sense of wonderful way, you won't know what hit you. Just try to forget Neanderthal, aka Cliff, with his larger than average presence that only rivals his larger than average heart...and yes, that sounds incredibly sappy, but once you read his story, see his life through his eyes, you'll see what I mean. Moving on....proving size doesn't matter, we've got Tegan, a spitfire who takes nothing from no one, no how, and yet carries the weight of a heartbreak so deep, it may push her towards a costly misstep. Seriously though, LOVED THIS GIRL! Then there's Aaron, the other male lead, in all his former jock dream glory, taking a curious turn in his High School ruling thanks to an accident (or was it fate?) shaking more than a few screws loose in his well-coiffed head. His "mission" from the big guy upstairs certainly seems like a stretch, but then again, anything worth doing is gonna take time, calculated risk, and turn a few heads. I admit, I guessed who HAL was pretty early on...something just struck me about the character and when two and two came together, BOOM, my hunch was confirmed...though it did take a little time for me to see the other connection that was certainly well hidden.

All in all, a surprising read from start to finish. I found it equally heart wrenching and hilarious, in a dark, sometimes twisted way, and both aspects made me keep stopping to share a little bit with someone, ANYONE close at hand. Though fiction, it deals with some BIG issues that may hit home for some readers, but it also offers up some sound advice and a reminder that you are not alone.


**copy received for review show less

"Cliff Hubbard is a huge loser. Literally. His nickname at Happy Valley High School is Neanderthal because he's so enormous - 6'6" and 250 pounds to be exact. He has nobody at school and life in his trailer-park home has gone from bad to worse ever since his older brother's suicide. There's no one Cliff hates more than the nauseatingly cool quarterback, Aaron Zimmerman. Then Aaron returns to school after a near-death experience with a bizarre claim: while he was unconscious, he saw God, who gave him a list of things to do to make Happy Valley HIgh suck less. And god said there's only one person who can help: Neanderthal. To his own surprise, Cliff says he's in. As he and Aaron make their way through the List, which involves a vindictive show more English teacher, a mysterious computer hacker, a decidedly unchristian cult of Jesus Teens, the local drug dealers, and the meanest bully at HVHS, Cliff feels like he's part of something for the first time since losing his brother. But fixing a broken school isn't as simple as it seems, and just when Cliff thinks they've completed the List, he realizes their mission hits closer to home than he ever imagined. Razor sharp, moving, and outrageously funny, NOtDtthU is an unforgettable story of finding your place in an imperfect world" (front flap, book).
An Evergreen Bk Award nominee for 2020... and full of snark, humorous asides involving Quentin Tarantino films, and the meaning of 2001 Space Odyssey, and so much profanity...well, let's just say SOME students will enjoy this story to the hilt because of its irreverent wordplay, including LOTS of four letter words and descriptions of sexual acts... but they'll have to LOVE sarcasm, a key element of Cliff's personality & narration. show less

This book is great!
I literally finished it in 2 days...
I usually don't like books with male teenage characters...because, well a lot of their humor is...teenage boy humor and I can only deal with so much of that. But, this book really talks about bigger issues that go on inside teenagers brains than what a lot of other books I've started portray them as having. I feel like all the characters have depth to them. The "bully" has feelings too, and the 'dushbag' stands up for his sister. The cruel cult leader cares about others. The main villain is just grieving. This book uses modern day things, like cell phones, snap chat, etc, but in a classy way? I don't really know how to describe it. This book is more than what you think it is when show more you read the blurb. show less

The NEANDERTHAL OPENS THE DOOR TO THE UNIVERSE by Preston Norton is a humorous, yet heartbreaking young adult novel.

Filled with quirky characters and references to pop culture, this fast-paced novel tells the story of a super-sized teen named Cliff who aimlessly wanders through high school while dealing with family issues and mean classmates. When a popular football player befriends him and asks for his help, Cliff begins a quest to make his school a better place and along the way finds himself.

Librarians will find this witty novel to be popular with readers who appreciate snarky humor and teen angst, yet also enjoy a thought-provoking story that addresses common coming-of-age problems. Teens will particularly enjoy the classic show more stereotypical cliques, first-person commentary, and hopeful conclusion.

Published on Jun 5, 2018 by Disney Book Group. ARC courtesy of the publisher. show less

My thoughts are somewhat mixed regarding this book. I really had no trouble reading it and did enjoy the story but it was missing that extra spark that it would have needed to make it great. It was a book that was pretty easy to set aside because I never felt completely invested in the story. There were a lot of issues address in this story and in some ways it felt like nothing went beyond the surface level. I did find the book entertaining and am glad that I decided to pick it up.

Cliff is huge which is one of the reasons that his classmates refer to him as Neanderthal. He leads a rather solitary life and is dealing with the loss of his brother not too long ago. Cliff and Aaron are not friends at the start of this book. Aaron is the show more popular quarterback so he has very little in common with Cliff . When Aaron has a near death experience, he partners with Cliff to fulfill a to-do list that he received from God. The list is very specific and everything on it is tied to their high school. If they can accomplish all of the tasks, the school will undoubtedly benefit from their efforts.

This book touches on so many issues. I actually think that it would have improved the story if fewer issues were dealt with but in greater detail. Cliff and Aaron are not only dealing with their list but they are also developing relationships including their own friendship. Some of the items on the list sound almost impossible and other will require some investigation before they can even begin.

I liked the characters but I never felt like I completely connected with them. The book is told from Cliff's point of view and I didn't feel like I got to know any of the other key players beyond the surface level. Even during some parts of the book that were more emotional, I found that I was rather unmoved. I think I would have liked this book a lot more if I had been able to develop an emotional connection with any of the characters.

I did enjoy the story and thought that it had a lot of unique aspects. I do think that a lot of readers will enjoy this one a bit more than I did. I wouldn't hesitate to read more from Preston Norton in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley. show less