Character, Driven

Starred review from December 21, 2015
Filled with wordplay and moments of wry observation and revelation, this contemporary coming-of-age-novel follows the trials of a big-hearted teen who suffers some hard knocks. The opening sequence, depicting a violent brawl between high school senior Cliff Sparks and his father, will draw readers in, but Cliff quickly admits the incident is a lie. “Do I have your attention? Good.... Nobody wants to explore new lands with an untrustworthy guide. But I’d hate for you to leave so soon after we’ve met,” he tells readers. Lubar (Sophomores and Other Oxymorons) goes on to depict more everyday yet heart-wrenching examples of Cliff’s victimization by bullies, rejections by girls, and awkward errors in judgment, all while juggling two jobs to replenish his dwindling college fund, which his father has dipped into since losing his job. Cliff’s humorous perspective on his predicaments doesn’t lessen their sharp impact, and readers will breathe a sigh of relief when Cliff is viewed to be worthy of at least one girl’s love. However, contentment is short-lived—the novel throws a final strong punch that will warrant a re-examination of events to separate fact from fiction. Ages 13–up.

Starred review from January 1, 2016
Eighteen-year-old Cliff Sparks promises "one sweet-ass mother lode of a gripping tale" of his times at his New Jersey high school. "I'm going to spin a tale," Cliff tells readers. Though his is a character-driven tale, he doesn't feel up to hooking readers with his charisma and charm. Yet without a plot to pull the story along, he is all readers have, and he proves to be a character readers will want to spend time with--a funny, smart, nice boy telling his story with spirit and panache, sometimes lying, sometimes even bursting out of his story to "raise your disbelief from the dead." He is an ordinary teenage boy, though on the bookish and artistic side, with a single-minded infatuation with Jillian and her breasts, and "coming of age" in his take on the classic theme means losing his virginity--preferably with her, but he's flexible about that. Not much really happens--there are few Cliff-hangers, so to speak--but readers will relish clever wordplay, fantasies, and a major secret. In a genre full of barely likable teenage protagonists, Cliff is a charmer, and readers will be cheering him on to finally come of age. Cliff is a character driven to fulfill his quest, and readers will be with him every step of the way. (Fiction. 13-18)

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Starred review from June 1, 2016

Gr 10 Up-At the center of this hilarious offering is an adorably awkward protagonist. Cliff's first-person and sometimes second-person narration, rendered in an affable, funny, and talkative tone, will suck readers into his life story immediately. He is a 17-year-old boy with a crush on a girl, Jillian, but he has no idea how to talk to her. He also has a difficult home life, partly because of his unemployed and angry, often cruel father and his overworked mother. Cliff works two jobs, and his father doesn't want him to go to college. The book is light on plot in the beginning, and the pacing is measured. The tone and the writing, which will appeal to fans of Jesse Andrews's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, are what shine here. Cliff breaks the fourth wall often, adding rich layers to this creative work of metafiction. Lubar plays with tropes expertly, crafting a deeply relatable young man whom readers won't soon forget. While some of the material is more appropriate for older teenagers, it's always authentic (for instance, Cliff describes an idealized version of a sexual encounter and then presents the much more awkward but realistic version). VERDICT A fascinating and inspired novel for sophisticated readers.-Shalini Miskelly, St. Benedict Catholic School, Seattle, WA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2016
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* With high-school graduation drawing near, Cliff stands at the precipice of his future, uncertain which way to jump. Yet he knows he has to do two things before the end of his senior year: lose his virginity and get Jillian, the new girl, to notice him. But that's not everything crowding his proverbial plate because life isn't that simple. His unemployed father threatens to kick him out when he turns 18 unless he contributes to the household, so Cliff works two part-time jobs and shelves the idea of college for the time being. His only havens are his closest friends, books, and art. However, one day he's forced to dial 911, and life as he knows it changes. The most alluring feature of this book is the effective way Cliff breaks the literary fourth wall to share truths and admissions with the reader. Readers will giggle and guffaw at Lubar's trademark humor, while their heartstrings are tugged and feelings are tied in knots. This exquisitely crafted coming-of-age novel gets down and dirtyand even rebelliouswithout sacrificing honesty, thoughtfulness, or respect. It wouldn't be fair to reveal whether he gets the girl, but readers will certainly fall for Cliff and find support in his trials and tribulations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)