The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik

March 1, 2018
Noah Oakman is having a rough year.There's the issue of his bad back, which has pretty much blown his champion swimming career out of the water (or has it?). And then there are the strange incongruities that keep popping up after he gets very drunk at a party one night and ends up hanging out with the son of a dead inventor (or does he?). A new scar on his mother's cheek, a clumsy dog that's suddenly cured, a best friend (gay and of Puerto Rican and Dutch descent) who is suddenly into Marvel instead of DC Comics--all these bizarre occurrences create a patchwork of confusion and dread. What happened to him the night of the party? Why does he keep having the same dream over and over? To find the answer, Noah, a white Midwestern boy, embarks on a deep dive within himself and navigates the psychological inconsistencies within his own mind with a mix of intellectual connections and acute self-importance (he is a teenager, after all) that occasionally veers toward self-indulgence. Arnold's (Kids of Appetite, 2016, etc.) major plot points often feel convenient rather than revelatory, though the book as a whole hangs together well as a what-if, second-chance, awaking-from-a-dream narrative.A compelling exploration of a life within a life. (Fiction. 14-17)

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March 19, 2018
In Arnold’s (Mosquitoland) dry-witted and existentially minded story, 16-year-old Noah Oakman’s life has been laid out in front of him. College swimming recruiters are calling, and all he sees ahead of him are four unfulfilling years at a college he is unenthusiastic about. To get some breathing space, he fakes a back injury, and afterward, begins to focus more on his strange fascinations: four seemingly unconnected people. During a disorienting drunken night, Noah meets Circuit Lovelock, the son of a famous inventor, telling him “It’s like my life is this old sweater. And I’ve outgrown it.” Circuit’s attempt to hypnotize Noah recalibrates his reality, and everything has changed, except for his strange fascinations and a handful of people who, Noah realizes, share a common trait: loneliness. Arnold’s characters are seeking higher meaning but he manages to keep the story from drifting into the esoteric by creating moments of true tenderness. Noah’s own writing (“I think writing is less about the words and more about the silence between them”) and his internal exploration propel the narrative forward, allowing Arnold to explore the stagnancy of a predetermined path and unanswered questions about reality, interpretation, and imagination. Ages 14–up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

April 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-It's nearly the end of summer before senior year, and introspective David Bowie fan Noah Oakman feels stuck. The Rosa-Haas twins, Val and Alan, have been Noah's best friends since he moved to Iverton, IL. When Val drags him to a drinking party he'd rather not attend, Noah decides to imbibe, the night gets stranger than he expected; he gets hypnotized by a homeschooled kid. Suddenly, everything feels different in "most peculiar" small ways. The past, the present, and everyone has slight differences that are making him question his sanity. Why is Val suddenly talking about UCLA instead of SAIC? Why is Alan's room filled with Marvel instead of DC comics like it always had been? And Noah is sure that his parents watched Friends every night, but suddenly it is, was, and always will be Seinfeld. Readers are in for a weird, light sci-fi adventure here with a major twist and an unexpected third act emergency. Arnold's latest is ambitious, bizarre, and a book his fans will adore. While a bit heady, this is a comedic coming-of-age tale with plenty of pop culture and literary references and the snarky, casual, and observational feel of a mumblecore comedy. Supporting characters are fully fleshed out and hilarious. VERDICT A weird, compelling teen-angst trip that will appeal to fans of John Corey Whaley.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

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