The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

There are three things that Fanboy wants more than anything in the world. The first is a mint condition Giant X-Men. Fanboy, who lives with his pregnant mum and "step-fascist" doesn't have many friends in high school. He's a straight A student, a fan of graphic novels, allergic to gym class. He thinks of himself as the smartest kid in school, and is a little annoying to tell the truth. Goth Girl is an outsider too, with few friends and something of an attitude. She is determined not to be just another 'body' for the boys at school to leer at.

Goth Girl and Fanboy go to the same school, but they meet online, after Goth Girl takes mobile phone footage of Fanboy being bullied in gym class and emails it to him anonymously. They bond over show more their love of graphic novels, and so begins an awkward teenage friendship.

The author really captures the angst of being a 15-year-old, the confusion and uncertainty, the feeling of not belonging and thinking that the whole world is out to get you. I liked how Fanboy almost seems to mature (just a little) towards the end of the book, and how you can see things changing even though he doesn't acknowledge them. Some of the characterisation here was a bit lazy though - it's becoming an annoying stereotype that all female goth teenagers self-harm, and Fanboy is an archetypal geek who secretly lusts after the most popular girl at school like every other boy there.

The subtle details are where this book won me over, like the complexities of Fanboy's relationship with his mum and stepfather, and the way that the two main characters deal with their teachers at school. Read it if you want to relive the horrors of high school in gory detail, or just to be thankful that you're not 15 any more. show less

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.]

This book was a needle in my side. So, I’m going to be completely honest and straightforward. I hated this book with a passion. The main character was a scraggly 15 year old nerd. Fanboy was creepy, perverted,and a nerd. He pretty much sits in his room in the basement and reads and write comic books. Interesting? Of course it’s not! He has a total of one friend, and angers one, so make that a single friend! He also cries a lot, so he’s not much of a hero. Maybe this book would've been a bit more bearable if the point of the novel was clear. Towards the end, Fanboy does grow up a little and stand up for himself instead of doing everything he’s told, but he still bored me.
Did I mention he was creepy? He’s definitely not the show more type of guy I’d want to be in the same room as. Why? He checks out girls and dreams about them. That definitely gave me the chills. Hopefully I don’t encounter a real life Fanboy. Fortunately, Kyra Sellers made the book at least somewhat worth while. Goth girl was controversial and did what she pleased, though she had a lot of problems of her own. I wouldn't befriend her in real life because she does scare me a little, but it’s interesting to see her point of view on things. Overall I thought that whatever the message this book was trying to convey was unclear, and the characters were a bit weird. Even though I guess there are people like this all around, and it might be interesting insight to what all Fanboys are thinking, I think I might have been better off not knowing. show less

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 all the people that make it hell for him.

When Fanboy meets Kyra, a.k.a. Goth Girl, he finds an outrageous, cynical girl show more 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. show less

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.