by Lucy Softich

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, by Barry Lyga
$8.99 (new)

Plot
Fanboy has it hard. Girls flinch away from him, boys beat him up in gym, and he only has one friend. That is, until Goth Girl shoves her way into his life. She’s got issues of her own, but she also has the uncanny ability to make him tell the truth. And soon his secret is out: the graphic novel he’s slaving over, his key to fame and fortune and a new life. But, nothing is ever that easy.

First Impressions
Love the title, and the first few pages drew me in almost instantly. Very strong voice.

Lasting Impressions
It definately feels like a “first novel,” but it’s not bad. The first half is a bit slow, but around midway through it picks up a lot. After that, I literally couldn’t put it down, and finished it that night (much to the sorrow of my sleep cycle). The main characters are well-developed, but neither is really unexpected or surprising. But Fanboy has a really strong voice, and I especially like his perspective on the comics industry, graphic novels as literature, and the stigma of superheros. It can get a bit preachy at times, but it’s full of references any comic geek will love, and it’ll be an enjoyable read ever for the non-geeks of the world.

Audience
Geeks will get the most out of this book, particularly boys.