I have to say that I did really enjoy the premise of this book. I loved the idea of a boy on the cusp of learning how to function in the real world, stepping out of his comfort zone on a quest. A quest book is always fun in my mind. A seemingly unattainable end that is both physical as well as existential in this book, although Jeremy Fink doesn't know this at the outset.
I found the main character's grappling with his father's death (when he was eight) to feel very realistic, ma...more I have to say that I did really enjoy the premise of this book. I loved the idea of a boy on the cusp of learning how to function in the real world, stepping out of his comfort zone on a quest. A quest book is always fun in my mind. A seemingly unattainable end that is both physical as well as existential in this book, although Jeremy Fink doesn't know this at the outset.
I found the main character's grappling with his father's death (when he was eight) to feel very realistic, manifesting in his discomfort for surprises as well as his aforementioned lack of spontaneity. I liked this character. On the other hand I had more trouble with Lizzie, his best friend as a fully fleshed character. I liked that she had quirks, and I liked that she was unpredictable. I did, however, have some trouble following her thought processes as seen from the outside. Maybe this was deliberate on the part of the author, as both Lizzie and Jeremy were heading for the time when being a boy versus being a girl meant more than when they were children. Either way I felt almost like I had both too much and not enough information to make her as believable.
I also had a few problems with the ending in terms of everything ending on such a perfect note, not to mention so quickly! The book tackles so many meaty ideas, and then bam, the book is over. I don't want to say more because I really don't want to spoil the ending, but wow, I was really into reading it and then it was over.
All in all I would recommend this book to a young adult reader (especially a boy as the protagonist is accessible and likeable not to mention a boy) but to adult fans of young adult books I think I would have to recommend it with reservations.
