Synopses & Reviews
"Laugh-out-loud funny, Many's story is the archetypal YA first-person narrative of the sensitive, bumbling teenager trying to figure out the 'rules': about dating, and girls, and driving, and where he's going. Colm is a high-school junior who feels 'emotionally challenged' after spending almost all his life training to be a champion swimmer to please his control-freak Dad. Now Colm is trying to stand up to Dad and get a life, but he can't help blaming himself for his parents' recent separation. He likes Marlene, but it is sexy Carmella who excites him: does she really mean it when she invites him to come over?...It is humor, both the wit and the farce that will move teens and engender wry recognition. The best scene is where compulsive Dad tries to teach bewildered Colm to drive and explains exactly how to parallel park. Or there's the time Colm wants to impress Carmella at the amusement park, but riding in spinning cages makes him throw up. Colm dos learn one rule: 'things can't get much worse' is often more a wish than a statement of fact".
Synopsis
Introducing a new author to Knopf Paperbacks in a hilarious, fast-paced story of a tortured summer romance--from the guy's point of view. "In this debut novel, Many adroitly captures the nuances and ironies of teenage ups and downs with irreverent humor and contemporary dialogue. The book is well crafted and nicely layered with metaphors...Many is an author to watch."--School Library Journal. "Laugh-out-loud funny, Many's story is the archetypal YA first-person narrative of the sensitive, bumbling teenager trying to figure out the `rules': about dating, and girls, and driving, and where he's going. It will move teens and engender wry recognition."--Booklist