This witty novel about middle class teenage boy angst may end up appealing to adults more than kids; it will take an older high school student with either an extensive vocabulary, a high tolerance for ambiguity or a passion for dictionary look-ups (student vocab levels I am familiar with are pretty low). Other than his unexpressed and lurking knowledge of his sexuality, James doesn't have a particularly challenging life. His parents are distant, self-absorbed upper middle class East Coast urbanites. His therapist is so obtuse I wanted to slap her, and it was those parts of the book that tended to get slow. But the story rang true, studded with the occasional familiar phrase e.g. "I don't know what I was doing; I guess I wasn't thinking." I enjoy novels like these for the glimpse into the teenage male mind they afford. This male character seems to be haunted by a disconnect that only slowly is revealed to be associated with his sexual orientation. I would put this book into the hands of an intelligent, well-read 16 or 17 year old who isn't looking for escapist lit. but doesn't want too gritty a tale either.
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Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron
Shebebusynow, February 21, 2008
This witty novel about middle class teenage boy angst may end up appealing to adults more than kids; it will take an older high school student with either an extensive vocabulary, a high tolerance for ambiguity or a passion for dictionary look-ups (student vocab levels I am familiar with are pretty low). Other than his unexpressed and lurking knowledge of his sexuality, James doesn't have a particularly challenging life. His parents are distant, self-absorbed upper middle class East Coast urbanites. His therapist is so obtuse I wanted to slap her, and it was those parts of the book that tended to get slow. But the story rang true, studded with the occasional familiar phrase e.g. "I don't know what I was doing; I guess I wasn't thinking." I enjoy novels like these for the glimpse into the teenage male mind they afford. This male character seems to be haunted by a disconnect that only slowly is revealed to be associated with his sexual orientation. I would put this book into the hands of an intelligent, well-read 16 or 17 year old who isn't looking for escapist lit. but doesn't want too gritty a tale either.(6 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)