About the Book
-
Author:
- Abigail Tarttelin
- Genre:
- Contemporary
Cover Story: I’m Taking This Cover And Putting It Over ALL The Books
BFF Charm: With Trepidation
Talky Talk: Trainspotting, Jr.
Bonus Factor: Marske-by-the-sea
Relationship Status: I Met This Book In Detention
Cover Story: I’m Taking This Cover And Putting It Over ALL The Books
Seriously, this cover is fantastic with its ‘look at me’ boldness and simplicity. Passers by won’t have any idea what the book is about, but they’ll be impressed you’re reading it, all the same.
The Deal:
Will Flicker (Flick) IS the disaffected youth (his words). He’s too smart to be satisfied with the small town life he’s living, too jaded to think he’ll ever get out, and too stoned to actually do anything to change his situation. His days are spent in thoughtful ramblings and debate — and trying to maintain the perfect high.
Then he meets Rainbow, who — despite her name — challenges his cultural malaise. She gives him books to read. And they fall in love. But Flick’s a teenaged boy, and like they do, finds himself in a spot of trouble with the local drug dealer. Next thing, he’s leading a double life, trying to hide his drug use — and dealing — from Rainbow, while also trying to get himself out of the whole mess.
BFF Charm: With Trepidation
Oh Flick. If we had known each other when I was 15, I would have been equally drawn to and repelled by you. Because while you are the epitome of cool, (on the exterior) you are also a BAD BOY, and while that might thrill both my heart and my nether regions, it would also scare the bejezus out of me. I’d be the quiet one, afraid to talk to you, but if chance arose, try to impress you with my wit and charm in a debate over Coke vs. Pepsi, because, dude, you are dead wrong about that one! Then, next thing you know, we’d be discussing politics, and I might even join you when you sneak out to get high — although I’d be way to much of a good girl to partake.
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Despite the fact that our protag is only 15-years old, there is a whole lot of sex going on — which makes me kind of cringe, because eek! I’m old! I don’t want to know! But is also refreshing, because reading a story in which 15-year-olds are having random (but safe) sex is better than reading about 15-year-olds who have found their ONE TRUE LOVE whom they just met and have fallen in love with just one look, and we the reader will never even know WHY they love each other, because they just DO.
We hear the story from Flick’s point of view, and the author does a great job of balancing the vulgar with the sweet to create a believable male lead without giving up swoonability.
Talky Talk: Trainspotting, Jr.
The stream of consciousness style Tarttelin employs could have easily put me off this book, but she manages to make her protagonist so damn likable, I forgave him his ramblings and opinions and diatribes, even when there were way more pressing matters in the story that had me stressed out, and wanting Flick to just DEAL with them already!
Tarttelin’s voice is over-the-top and stylized, and I found myself feeling at times that is was all just too much, but then she’d pull me back into her story and I’d have to just shrug and go with it.
Bonus Factor: Marske-by-the-sea
While pictures online show this place to be quaint and picturesque, the author’s depiction of a small town where industry has died gives the story an overwhelming sense of desperation that lends credence to Flick’s malcontent.
Relationship Status: I Met This Book In Detention
As I mentioned above, I am a girl who follows the rules, so imagine my horror when I got sent to in-school detention after a teacher found someone cheating off of me!!! It wasn’t my fault! I swear! However, the upside is that I finally had reason to speak to this book — who is in detention pretty much every day for skipping and drug use. We started with casual, flirtatious parley that developed into what felt like a real, deep connection. There may or may not have been a dance montage. We might have made out. But come Monday, though we might make eye contact in the halls, I think we’ll go back to our separate lives.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my review copy from Beautiful Books. I received neither money nor cocktails for this review (damnit!). Flick is available now.
