Debbie Harry Sings in French

Starred review from April 28, 2008
In this impressive debut novel, the “problem” (transvestitism) is so nimbly woven into the narrative that it will barely surprise readers. After a successful stay at a rehab facility, 17-year-old Johnny, a recovering alcoholic, is sent by his mother to live with her late husband's brother, Sam. There he begins a relationship with fellow prep-school student Maria; they bond over music and over their outcast status (classmates falsely assume Johnny is gay and taunt him). Johnny harbors a throwback fascination with Debbie Harry (“I imagined her as a cross between Jean Seberg from Breathless
and the St. Pauli Girl. I wanted that voice to sing to me forever”), and Maria nurtures it, even when it folds into a desire to look like Harry—tough and beautiful. It's Maria who encourages him to perform, dressed as Harry, in a drag contest. Meanwhile Johnny's relationship with his uncle provides some of the most touching scenes: through Sam, Johnny comes to know his late father not as a withdrawn, road-weary businessman but as someone more surprising (and more like him). Although the novel can feel plot-heavy, the brisk pace and the strong-willed, empathetic narrator will keep readers fully engaged. Ages 14–up.