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26th out of 111 books
—
87 voters
The Other Normals
by
Ned Vizzini (Goodreads Author)
Given the chance, fifteen-year-old Peregrine "Perry" Eckert would dedicate every waking moment to Creatures & Caverns, an epic role-playing game rich with magical creatures, spell casting, and deadly weapons. The world of C&C is where he feels most comfortable in his own skin. But that isn't happening--not if his parents have anything to do with it. Concerned their...more
Hardcover, 387 pages
Published
September 25th 2012
by Balzer + Bray
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This was such a great book for the slightly geeky boy who is into RPGs (and possibly a fan of "The Big Bang Theory"). Perry's experience playing Creatures & Caverns by himself makes him a sadder character than the usual hero, but his actions in the World of the Other Normals will make them cheer.
It's his incredible geekiness and lack of social skills that makes him endearing. The scene at the dance? Priceless, and one that will resonate with just the boys who should read this book. Ditto his...more
It's his incredible geekiness and lack of social skills that makes him endearing. The scene at the dance? Priceless, and one that will resonate with just the boys who should read this book. Ditto his...more
The Other Normals was just 400 pages of laugh out loud hilarious dialogue, characters, and plot. I enjoyed everything in The Other Normals. Ned Vizzini knows how to write humorous dialogue and has a way of portraying a fifteen year old boy's insecurities and issues without sounding whiny, cliched or boring. The whole setting of this novel had me cracking up. Peregrine, who hates being called that and prefers Perry, is the son of two divorced parents. His brother is a cliched bad boy but his pare...more
This was very entertaining, especially for an epic nerd like me. (Though really, Perry, who says only boys play Magic? I played Magic! Hmmm, perhaps I should not admit to that?! //looks around shiftly// Never mind, I never played Magic!). I've seen the concept of a RPG-come-to-life before but not done so well as this one, and I haven't had so many genuine laughs reading a YA book in a while. This one never stops being funny. The ending definitely goes for zany over serious, despite the bloodshed...more
Full review to come! Loved it!
I read this book solely because Ned Vizzini wrote it. I have read his other books and really enjoyed them so I thought I'd give this a shot. Thanks to Edelweiss and Balzer + Bray for providing me with this ARC. The Normals revolves around a boy named Perry who is obsessed with Creatures and Caverns which is like a Dungeons and Dragons knock off. This book is about his journey in the world of the Other Normals to save a princess. I found that the characters were pretty developed and interesting....more
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Vizzini pretends to Rick Riordan but also seems to be trying to be himself at the same time. Unfortunately, the book does not bode well cramming the styles of two authors between its pages. This book is the first that Vizzini attempts to delve deeper than the teenage, high school atmosphere, however the novel appears to undergo some sort of identity crisis halfway through. Vizinni's characteristic humor is only sparsely sprinkled over the book and is apparent more so on Earth rather than in the...more
Apr 27, 2013
Beverly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
12-15
Recommended to Beverly by:
indie next list/indiebound.org
Shelves:
good-reads-for-reluctant-readers
The Other Normals is a fun and funny quick read for all of those YA boys and girls who fear they are doomed to be geeky twirps forever. Perry is about as geeky as possible. He is so addicted to a role playing game (similar to Dungeons & Dragons) that his parents send him off to a special camp to learn proper social behavior (like talking to people and making friends). Perry is not only socially undeveloped, he is physically undeveloped. He looks more like a twelve year old than a teen. Much...more
When I first saw The Other Normals on my audio book site, I read the description and it sounded good. As I started to listen to the book while I was working, I smirked at how Peregrine aka Perry acted as he was addicted to Creatures & Caverns since I know several people that are like that with card games. But as the series progressed, I actually started to view Perry as myself since we both had and probably still have horrible luck with the ladies. After Perry went to the Other Normals World...more
I love authors who don't rewrite the same book over and over...authors who take chances and risks. Vizzini is at the top of my list of authors who will try something new. While his characters are often similar...slightly out-of-place, geeky boys who overthink things and make embarrassing social faux-pas, the situations Vizzini puts his characters in are completely original.
Poor Perry. He and his brother actually seem to have better relationships with their divorced-parents' lawyers/significant...more
Poor Perry. He and his brother actually seem to have better relationships with their divorced-parents' lawyers/significant...more
I wanted to like this book. The premise sounded fun, and I am into role-playing games so I was going to let my inner geek out while I read. But I just couldn't get into this. I didn't get a sense of who the main character was. The situation with the parents was supposed to be funny, I think, but it just confused me; I didn't see the need for the things they were doing. The sign with Lawyers Not Allowed or whatever it said at the camp was just odd. Maybe it would be explained later in the book -...more
There is nothing that Perry Eckert would rather do than play his favorite role playing game Creatures and Caverns. With summer approaching Perry plans on dedicating all of his free time to role playing endeavors. Unfortunately for him his parents have different ideas. They want him to “man up” and send him to a summer camp for underprivileged urban youth. He sticks out like a sore thumb being that he is a white middle class kid. The stage is set for a summer of hell, until Perry enters a paralle...more
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book initially, but it got better as I became more familiar with the concept. Honestly, when I read that Perry played Creatures & Caverns, I had the same reaction Anna did: oh, it's going to be one of those books. But I was surprised by this book. Sure, the story is based on a boy getting sucked into a real world based on the game he spends all his time playing, but it's a nice mixture of reality and fantasy. When he isn't fighting dog-headed creature...more
Original rating: 2.5
This would be my second foray into Ned Vizzini's writing, the first being Be More Chill. What initially drew me into purchasing a copy for myself was the premise of Perry's quest in the alternate world, alongside his ongoing battle with maturity and growing up. I mean, I already know how awkward it is when you're hitting puberty, but when what sounded like a kickbutt epic gamer-style quest gets thrown in the mix, I knew I had to pick it up.
Did I get what I was looking for?
Sad...more
This would be my second foray into Ned Vizzini's writing, the first being Be More Chill. What initially drew me into purchasing a copy for myself was the premise of Perry's quest in the alternate world, alongside his ongoing battle with maturity and growing up. I mean, I already know how awkward it is when you're hitting puberty, but when what sounded like a kickbutt epic gamer-style quest gets thrown in the mix, I knew I had to pick it up.
Did I get what I was looking for?
Sad...more
Terrific Young Fantasy Novel from Ned Vizzini
One of our finest American chroniclers of adolescent angst in nonfiction and fiction, Ned Vizzini, has written one of the most compellingly readable and imaginative works of fiction published this year that, I promise, will thrill children of all ages; "The Other Normals". It is a bold, brash, quite imaginative, look at adolescent male bonding and blossoming sexual interest between the sexes masquerading as a cleverly plotted sword and sorcery fantasy...more
One of our finest American chroniclers of adolescent angst in nonfiction and fiction, Ned Vizzini, has written one of the most compellingly readable and imaginative works of fiction published this year that, I promise, will thrill children of all ages; "The Other Normals". It is a bold, brash, quite imaginative, look at adolescent male bonding and blossoming sexual interest between the sexes masquerading as a cleverly plotted sword and sorcery fantasy...more
I was
so
excited
for this book.
Ned Vizinni got me with IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY. I devoured it. The realistic and heart-wrenching, yet hilariously comical story set against the (always favorite) NYC backdrop.
And then BE MORE CHILL got me hooked. I wanted moremoremore from Ned Vizinni. His characters were so lovable, funny, and realistic!
THE OTHER NORMALS...
Oh jeez.
It's not NOT a bad book! For example, (yes, I'm going to say it), THE CASUAL VACANCY, Jk Rowling's new book came out yesterday and g...more
so
excited
for this book.
Ned Vizinni got me with IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY. I devoured it. The realistic and heart-wrenching, yet hilariously comical story set against the (always favorite) NYC backdrop.
And then BE MORE CHILL got me hooked. I wanted moremoremore from Ned Vizinni. His characters were so lovable, funny, and realistic!
THE OTHER NORMALS...
Oh jeez.
It's not NOT a bad book! For example, (yes, I'm going to say it), THE CASUAL VACANCY, Jk Rowling's new book came out yesterday and g...more
1 like · like · see review
I wanted to like this book, and I almost gave it two stars. We got it from the library (thankfully), and although I was excited to see a YA fantasy book with a male protagonist, it just went too far into the male fantasy zone for my tastes.
In addition to the 7th grade boys' locker room humor that seemed a bit forced, the whole point of this fantasy book seems to be that role-playing games are very uncool - oh, and that they are all played by geeky boys with no life skills.
Um, sorry. I had plen...more
In addition to the 7th grade boys' locker room humor that seemed a bit forced, the whole point of this fantasy book seems to be that role-playing games are very uncool - oh, and that they are all played by geeky boys with no life skills.
Um, sorry. I had plen...more
Okay, one quick example: Perry, the book's main character, plays a game called Creatures & Caverns, which is clearly meant to represent Dungeons & Dragons. At the start of the book he goes to a game shop, where the owner offers him a new rulebook and a pewter miniature to represent his character. He immediately says yes to the rulebook since his parents will give him the money for that, but tells us the figurines are much more expensive and he'd need a job to be able to afford one. I pla...more
The Other Normals, the newest novel written by Ned Vizzini, is one of my new favorites by Vizzini. All of his books, including The Other Normals, are filled to the brim with non sugar coated teen angst and life issues that any teen can relate to and find connections within its dry humor. Perry Eckert is the main character of the book and focuses in growing up and becoming a man and enjoying his final years as a teen before real life finally hits him. He is obsessed with his video game where he f...more
Odd, yet laugh out loud funny!
I'm not into role playing games like Perry is, but the way Perry talked about them, I don't think I'd mind playing one! As long as I'm some super sexy bad ass woman who has magic powers. But anyway.
Parts were a bit confusing, and just weird (octopus people???), but overall I thought it was pretty entertaining. I was surprised at the different range of emotions this book had me feeling. I was even teary eyed at one point. (The death of the dog boy-- you'll see.)
It'...more
I'm not into role playing games like Perry is, but the way Perry talked about them, I don't think I'd mind playing one! As long as I'm some super sexy bad ass woman who has magic powers. But anyway.
Parts were a bit confusing, and just weird (octopus people???), but overall I thought it was pretty entertaining. I was surprised at the different range of emotions this book had me feeling. I was even teary eyed at one point. (The death of the dog boy-- you'll see.)
It'...more
I do not normally support gender bias in literature. As an adult woman, though, I felt a little strange about the amount of detail this book went into about the male main character going through puberty. That doesn't mean this wasn't a great book, it just means maybe it isn't one of those books that are great for both teens and their parents. Perry Eckert is a social outcast. He spends all his time creating characters for the role-playing game Creatures & Caverns, because he can't even find...more
Not all books are meant to be serious, realistic, moral books. Some could merely include a moral here and there, a few explanations/logic once in a while and insanity for the most part. And guess what? This was one of them.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially because I aimed at a funny, easy , quick read from the very beginning.
What I enjoyed the most is the writing style and the unrestrained fantasy in the book. The book is either fun or funny -from beginning to end. Ned Vizzini neither...more
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially because I aimed at a funny, easy , quick read from the very beginning.
What I enjoyed the most is the writing style and the unrestrained fantasy in the book. The book is either fun or funny -from beginning to end. Ned Vizzini neither...more
This book has a great premise - a teenager who likes to play role-playing games by himself gets sent to camp for some social skills, but stumbles into an alternate world where his role-playing skills serve him well. Unfortunately, other than a couple 5-star conversations toward the beginning with a character named Sam, the story was very superficial and mediocre.
My 11-year-old could imagine more creative creatures for an alternate world based on a role-playing game. The rules between the worlds...more
My 11-year-old could imagine more creative creatures for an alternate world based on a role-playing game. The rules between the worlds...more
Ned Vizzini's The Other Normals tells the story of Perry Eckert, a young math whiz whose divorced parents' lawyers agree that it would be cheaper to send him to summer camp than to feed him at home, and since he got kicked off the math team, there's no reason not to send him. Also, socializing with other kids at camp could be good for him--his parents and brother think he spends too much time alone creating characters and reading rulebooks for the role-playing game, Creatures & Caverns. It's...more
The beginning of this book is absolutely hilarious. It ended up falling short of my expectations after the fantastic first few chapters, but it's still a funny fantasy that will appeal to high school readers (especially boys) who loved the Percy Jackson series. Note that this is not for your middle school readers (lots of boy talk - foul words, penises, hard-ons, breasts, pubic hair, etc.).
The Other Normals is about Perry the Late Bloomer (as his parents constantly call him). At 15, Perry has ne...more
The Other Normals is about Perry the Late Bloomer (as his parents constantly call him). At 15, Perry has ne...more
I don't know much about role playing games and in this book Vizzini created a complicated one. At some points I was confused. I had trouble keeping track of the different types of creatures. Otherwise, the book was at first a little slow but picked up soon enough to be well liked. The main character, who alternates between Perry and Peregrine, is at first somewhat unlikeable. He's socially awkward and has no interest in doing anything but playing his RPGs. Honestly though, I don't blame him. His...more
Perry Eckert is a pretty typical nerd--he has a weird obsession with a role playing game, he is teased at school, he pretty much only leaves home to go to a comic book store. So his parents think it will be beneficial to send him to summer camp to make some friends and get outdoors.
But once Perry gets to Camp Washiska Lake, he finds much more than he bargained for. The camp houses a portal to a parallel world--the world of The Other Normals. With frog-headed ladies, octopus-tentacled sheriffs, a...more
But once Perry gets to Camp Washiska Lake, he finds much more than he bargained for. The camp houses a portal to a parallel world--the world of The Other Normals. With frog-headed ladies, octopus-tentacled sheriffs, a...more
On one hand, I liked the book...on the other, I'm not sure if I liked the book at all. Really I am torn. I really cannot decide at all. I waited and waited to write the review, hoping some thoughts might solidify, but nothing.
I enjoyed the humor. There was several fun moments. There concept of the world was interesting. Everyone in their world has a corespondent in ours. I get the changes that happen between the two. And I really felt like I was in the head of a -slightly boring, but sort of ge...more
I enjoyed the humor. There was several fun moments. There concept of the world was interesting. Everyone in their world has a corespondent in ours. I get the changes that happen between the two. And I really felt like I was in the head of a -slightly boring, but sort of ge...more
Mar 28, 2013
Cara M
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ya-fantasy,
ya-contemp
This was an intensely readable intensely sympathetic tale of loserdom. There were too many times where I went, 'Oh no! Don't do that!' And then was like, 'mm, I did that.' or 'I used to do that.' (Wonderful to be reminded of just how much of a loser I really am.) On the voice and character arc parts 5 stars. For the rest of the plot... not so good. There was a lot of really odd bits that were not explained at all. It has the pitfalls of two-world fantasy, where the stakes in the other world are...more
There are some really funny lines in this book. I remember 15 and it wasn't easy. I would have even given this a higher rating, but I had a real problem with some of the language. (I really hate it when I read that in other reviews, but here I go.) I grew up with kids who called it each other Fa**ot and Gay (as in retarded, another no no.) Times have changed and these words are no longer acceptable. If the NBA can run an ad telling kids not to use those words, because they hurt, then adults shou...more
3 likes · like · see review
Oct 05, 2012
Eric
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
I really can't
Shelves:
fantasy,
young-adult
I wanted to like this, I really did. I loved Vizzini's It's Kind of a Funny Story. I love coming of age stories. I love the fantasy genre. So this book was an easy sell to me.
Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on any level. The world building was just silly -- lots of basic mechanics were poorly explained or glossed over entirely, while lots of unnecessary details, such as the protagonists inability to pronounce the Other Normals word for money, were expounded on for far too long. More importantl...more
Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on any level. The world building was just silly -- lots of basic mechanics were poorly explained or glossed over entirely, while lots of unnecessary details, such as the protagonists inability to pronounce the Other Normals word for money, were expounded on for far too long. More importantl...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I loved the book but... | 1 | 4 | Jun 04, 2013 03:20pm | |
| NED READERS: The Other Normals | 7 | 33 | Mar 01, 2013 07:22am | |
| NED READERS: Ask Ned about The Other Normals! | 2 | 15 | Feb 13, 2013 08:45am | |
| Live Video Chat with Ned Vizzini | 71 | 39 | Oct 06, 2012 11:40am |
Vizzini grew up primarily in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. He attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, graduating in 1999. While still a teenager, he began to write articles for the New York Press, an alternative newspaper.
After he wrote an essay that got published by the New York Times Magazine, several of his essays about his young adult life ended up being combi...more
More about Ned Vizzini...
After he wrote an essay that got published by the New York Times Magazine, several of his essays about his young adult life ended up being combi...more
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