Fanboy and Goth Girl
So, I’m reading The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga. It’s one of those books I’ve always kinda sorta meant to read, but never got around to. I think, secretly, because I thought I would like it, in that painful way you sometimes get when you’re unpublished. That “OMG, this is so good that it hurts, but it hurts more because I really wish I could do something like this and maybe I can but AGH!” I think that’s the real reason I never read it until now. BECAUSE NOW MY BOOK IS BEING COMPARED TO IT. The back of my ARC (no, I don’t have them yet, but I got to see the finished ARC cover) says, “A sarcastically funny adventure for fans of King Dork and The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl.” I think I’m allowed to tell you that. But anyway, I’m not done reading the book yet, but so far that comparison, like, makes my year. I’m reading this book and the voice does remind me of mine and Fanboy and I could be long lost twins. Except I’m a girl, so, you know. It’s one of those books where you’re reading it and going, “OMG, somebody thought that about those stupid bumperstickers too–thank God I’m not alone!”
I love this book. It’s first person, told through Fanboy’s POV. I’m usually leary about male authors writing male protagonists (I LOVE male protagonists in general), because I usually don’t make it very far into it before I want to gouge the MCs eyes out and light them on fire. (Not so when women write them. They know how to not cross The Line.) Of course, when male writers write good female characters, their male characters are usually lovable too, at least from my female POV. Goth Girl is a really well written female character. I TOTALLY relate to, like, everything she says, even if I don’t think I could stand being friends with her. (She’s way too intense for me.) And even the other girl in the book, the one that I’m like, “Nooooo, you can’t end up with her! Stop liking herrrrr!” is still really well done. I *like* her, even if I’m rooting for Goth Girl. When you get down to it, all the characters are well done and not just believable, but likable. But I really like Fanboy. He makes a good MC and his voice is hilarious, and even when talking about the girls he likes and/or lusting after them, he never does anything that disturbs me as a female reader.
I’m pretty close to being done with the book, and I’ve got Goth Girl Rising all geared up and ready to go when I finish.
Jordyn
1. Don’t even get me started on bumper stickers. I have opinions galore.
2. What do you mean about females authors being able to write male characters better than male authors can often? I’m confuzzled here.
Kaerfel
Not “better” so much as in ways that don’t make me hate them. Women write guys I would at least want to be friends with, if not fansqueal over, and guys tend to write guys I don’t want to read about. That’s not true for MG, though, when the kids are still young enough that we don’t have to read about them touching themselves every other paragraph. -__- That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of male writers who write guys I like–I’m just always wary about it when reading a new author.
Jordyn
Really? I’ve found it to be the opposite… with the exception of a very few female authors who write great male protags, I generally likes ones written by male authors more. Odd.