The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

I don’t know what I was expecting with this book. But, what I got was an amazing story of two outsiders. It takes me back to high school and some of my experiences. They touch on everything from bullying, sex, love, self harm and suicidal thoughts. I cannot believe this is a first novel. I love Barry Lyga. I am hooked and I will read more by him. I just have to.

This book gets my highest rating because it is one of those rare ones that, as I approach the end, I am sad because I will regret parting company with the characters. In some ways, there are no unique tropes in this book; it is similar to many high school-angst stories. But Lyga's characters are so well-fleshed, and the comic geek theme so close to my own SF geek real life, that the story practically sang its reality to me.
[Audiobook note: The narrator absolutely nails the tone. Were I reading the book, the characters' voices in my head would have used exactly the same intonations and patterns.]

I don’t know what I was expecting with this book. But, what I got was an amazing story of two outsiders. It takes me back to high school and some of my experiences. They touch on everything from bullying, sex, love, self harm and suicidal thoughts. I cannot believe this is a first novel. I love Barry Lyga. I am hooked and I will read more by him. I just have to.

I picked this up after reading "Never Let Me Go" seeing as I was in need of an easier and more light-hearted read. The narrator is a very believable one, and the tone is cynical enough to be enjoyable without growing old over the course of the book. The many references to comics (so much Alan Moore) was smirk-worthy to anyone who has indulged in graphic novels in their time. Overall, it is a bit of a darker story than I was expecting, but was no less enjoyable for that tone.

The ending was satisfactory, and the evolution of the main character was gratifying to see. It dealt with more issues than I would really expect of a YA book, but was very comforting in that it didn't drive home to 'dear lord you need other people' theme that has show more been cropping up a good deal in this category of literature. Definitely would recommend it if anyone else I know is in need of some light comfort reading. I'll be seeking out more of Lyga's books for sure. show less

I wanted to like this book much more than I did in the end. It sounded really promising: comic book nerd who draws/writes his own graphic novel? Great! Goth girl? Equally great! Amazing adventures? What could be better?

But the adventures aren’t very amazing. It’s a coming of age novel, not an adventure novel. It’s a *good* coming of age novel, mind you, but just not what it sounded like on the book jacket. Fanboy (we never learn his name) lives with his pregnant mother and his step-father, whom he has nothing in common with; his bedroom in the basement where he spends most of his time, creating his graphic novel. His only friend is Cal, the teen who proves that one can be a comic book nerd AND a jock- although Fanboy takes show more Cal’s jock interests as betrayal. He has a crush on a senior girl. His great aim in life is to show his opus to a famous graphic novelist so he can get help getting published. He is laughed at, ignored, and beaten up at school.

Then he meets Kyra, AKA Goth Girl, who has big issues of her own. She has taken an interest in him because of his stoicism in the face of physical violence. Then when she sees his graphic work, she realizes how good it is and wants to help him make it better, to help him get it published. But they have a standard romantic comedy relationship- they think they can’t really stand each other and are only together to get something done. That always grates on my nerves- why is it considered adding dramatic tension when characters are oblivious to their own feelings?

The author keeps a different kind of tension running through the book with Fanboy’s recurring daydream of the school being shot up, with all his enemies dying. His step father keeps guns in the basement, and Fanboy has a bullet as a talisman that he keeps with him. Will he make his daydream come true, with himself as the gunman? He is, after all, the misunderstood loner.

I think that I would have loved this book when I was about 12 or 13, the age it’s really written for. It’s not one of the Young Adult novels that holds up for adults. I did really enjoy parts of it- after all, I *was* a loner nerd who drew comic strips in school. It’s a book about learning life lessons and making allowances for others. It’s finding that people are complex, not caricatures. show less

(spoiler)
I was so terrified that this was going to end badly - the blurb, the bullet, the list, and the terrorist fantasies all led me to dread a bloody finale. But instead the ending was much more realistic, and wonderful.
The three main characters are appealing without being soppy, and I really like the ways things aren't tied up in pretty bows. This is a messy story about messy relationships, and no bows are required.

The chliche is all in the title, and while you'll find nothing "new" in this story, what you will find are astonishingly REAL characters and excellent writing. All the trials and tribulations of high school are present: broken families, moving neighborhoods, social awkwardness, authority issues, self-confidence issues, isolation, "risky" behavior, etc. Its all there. The story is in the first person "Donnie" narrative, so you get into his head quickly and it is a smart working, clear cut mind too; Donnie is very relatable. He is also an egocentric whiner. I've always disliked the "Geek=Wimp" synonym, because its NOT synonymous (there's a whole Geek Spectrum) but what's amazing is this book shows you very clearly how Donnie realizes this show more and grows into a better person. Some of the end bits were somewhat of a stretch, all super-predictable plot tools, but they are extremely well presented. The ending is satisfying, if rather open, which causes me to suspect a sequel. This is an EXCELLENT young adult novel and will really take those out of the YA age range (13+) back to times or people they remember. show less