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  <id>2473454</id>
  <title><![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]></description>
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        <name><![CDATA[Joe Dunthorne]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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  <date_added>Wed Sep 30 12:42:49 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Sep 30 12:42:49 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Yay! I love summer when I can read a book a day![return][return]This adult novel was interesting. Take out a few of the &quot;adult&quot; moments and it would have made a great young adult novel. It reminded me of King Dork, Finding Lubchenko, and Bottled Up. The young boy is 14 and has quite the mi...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73025951">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73025951]]></url>
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      <review>
  <id>76743245</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Amanda]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[NO ONE]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[NO ONE]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Oct 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Nov 04 16:14:30 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Nov 04 19:12:12 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1 and only</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The book Submarine, by Joe Dunthorne, is about a 15 year old boy named Oliver Tate, a teenager living with his parents in South Wales. Oliver is crazy about losing his virginity before 20. He tracks his parents’ sex life by looking at the dimmer switch in their bedroom every so often. He knows his...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76743245">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76743245]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76743245]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>39596440</id>
    <user>
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    <name><![CDATA[Noel]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Seattle, WA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2473454.Submarine_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Dec 17 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 08 09:00:03 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 17 13:32:55 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A quick read (read it in two sittings). <br/>The main character is kind of a sociopath (who would try to kill their girlfriend's dog with rat poison to &quot;toughen her up&quot; because her mother has a brain tumor and might die?).<br/>In the acknowledgments, the author says that he wrote the boo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39596440">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39596440]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39596440]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>33656583</id>
    <user>
    <id>1333177</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Ciara]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Lawrence, KS]]></location>
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  <isbn>1400066832</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[stalk-y teenage boys, people who loathe dogs, teenagers obsessed with losing their virginities]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 23 18:25:05 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 24 07:16:55 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count>once</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[i found this book tremdeously disappointing. it caught my eye at the bookstore, i guess because of the dust jacket. i'm a sucker for design, seriously. a jacket can make or break a book for me (see my review of <u>ruined by reading</u> for another example). however, i was smart &amp; i exercised restraint. i l...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33656583">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33656583]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33656583]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>32851600</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[liz]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Philadelphia, PA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Wales!  It takes place in Wales!  Since <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/327/whos_who.jsp">fictional Welsh characters</a> seem to be my latest obsession, I of course became immediately engrossed in this story of a fifteen-year-old boy living in Swansea.  It's great and funny and regional, an almost-coming-of-age story, and you should read it.<br/><br/><em>T...</em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/32851600">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Jun 17 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Wed Jun 18 19:29:15 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I vacillated between thinking, &quot;I hate this kid because he's such a little jerk,&quot; and &quot;I love this kid because he's such a little jerk!&quot;  Submarine is a not-exactly-groundbreaking teenage coming-of-age story told with wit and sexual frankness.  The protagonist, Oliver Tate, is in...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/24015310">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Oliver Tate's voice is unique and totally teen. His concerns: sex, his parent's marriage (and by the way, their sex life), oh, and did I tell you that he thinks about sex...a lot. After all, he is a 15-yr old guy with a flair for the dramatic who makes up stories about his neighbors and his mom's ol...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18309762">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <date_updated>Fri Feb 20 07:46:43 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Richard Ayoade has optioned this book for a film. It's a pretty accurate depiction of the teenage mind - insecure, cruel, selfish, with occasional flashes of generosity/kindness, but only very occasional. Strong character drive, enjoyable story, but a bit of a late-young-adult novel.]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <read_at>Sat May 24 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Sun Jul 06 11:03:50 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm not entirely sure what this book was supposed to be about other than a precocious 15-year-old named Oliver Tate who is a little more preoccupied with his parents' sex life than his own. However, about halfway through, Oliver seemed less like a precocious teenager and more like a little jerk. I r...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21360960">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <published>2008</published>
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  <date_added>Thu Nov 26 02:00:23 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Nov 26 02:01:41 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Eh, I probably would have liked this better if I were 15. Takes place in Wales, so its got that goin' for it. ]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Sat Jun 28 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu May 15 09:02:30 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jul 28 16:30:05 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I should have reviewed this book as soon as I finished it because the helpful particulars of why this book was so boring have already left my mind.  What I do remember is that there was nothing compelling about the storyline (if you can call it that).  I know that Dunthorne was going for quirky with...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22297042">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22297042]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22297042]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>60452114</id>
    <user>
    <id>702952</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Beth]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <isbn>1400066832</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781400066834</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Jun 20 16:41:54 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jul 04 20:18:49 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm not quite sure how to rate this book--it doesn't seem like it's easily conformable to the star rating system because it is just so goddamn weird. But I liked it. Very insightful in parts.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60452114]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60452114]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>61895447</id>
    <user>
    <id>145634</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Mollie]]></name>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Thu Jul 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 02 09:12:30 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jul 19 10:27:22 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I really, really liked the voice of the narrator in this book. The plot is a bit loopy, and the various characters are variously all over the place, but I really, really liked it. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61895447]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61895447]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>20006444</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Jennifer]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Richmond Hill, NY]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 12 10:30:29 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Apr 20 13:04:04 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Precocious male teen narrator shares his cynical observations of life in a tone of voice that sounds more like the 20-something author than a real teenager. I grew tired of unlikeable Oliver's pretentious pronouncements about his parents' marriage and his girlfriend's skin condition. In the end, the...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20006444">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20006444]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20006444]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>22232613</id>
    <user>
    <id>827193</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Alisa]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Bloomington, IN]]></location>
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  <isbn>1400066832</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2473454.Submarine_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>147</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Thu May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed May 14 09:00:59 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed May 14 09:06:42 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Somewhere in here, the main character is teased by classmates for keeping a diary. They call him Adrian Mole. And it is a lot like Adrian Mole. Except Adrian was funny. I thought this book was going to be funny. How can a book that contains a self-help pamphlet for the schools' fat kid, titled &quot;...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22232613">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22232613]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22232613]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>25993673</id>
    <user>
    <id>186538</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Heidi]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[london, The United Kingdom]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[submarine]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>5.00</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[anyone with a sense of humour]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[joe dunthorne]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jul 01 02:30:27 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jul 01 02:32:52 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A hilarious coming of age story that gives insight into the twisted thoughts of a 14 year old boy.  The book was smooth reading, and I learned loads of new words do to the main character's interest in big words!  The book is written in the first person which makes it more personal and easier to rela...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25993673">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25993673]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25993673]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>23380740</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Megan]]></name>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">30</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Jun 18 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Each sentance is filled with creativity and well thought out dialect that allows the reader to reflect on how seemingly little occurances can be seen in a much different light. It is a story that addresses love, family, and personal knowledge in an equally humurous and unique way. <br/>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>22516371</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <read_at>Sat May 17 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Sun May 18 19:42:41 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[All the way through this book I kept getting Adrian Mole flashbacks.  Narrator Oliver Tate is a modern Adrian doppelgänger - intelligent, angst-ridden, lacking self-awareness, he even has the necessary dysfunctional family.<br/>Probably more enjoyable if you haven't read Adrian Mole.<br/>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[Submarine: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>3.10</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[You'll never guess--another coming of age book--if you like words, this one has the added bonus of a protagonist who loves words . . . that you've probably never heard of.  Lots of teen sex, another kid trying to save his parents' marriage . . . ]]></body>
    
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Submarine]]>
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  <average_rating>3.33</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>6</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he&#8217;d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents&#8217; teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit.<br/><br/>&#8220;It&#8217;s in my interests to know about my parents&#8217; mental problems,&#8221; he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command&#8211;not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination&#8211;in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his &#8220;worldly&#8221; school chum Chips can teach him. <br/><br/>Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who&#8217;s resurfaced in his mother&#8217;s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents&#8217; wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what&#8217;s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday&#8217;s daydreams and tomorrow&#8217;s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.]]>
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  <date_updated>Sun Apr 26 01:57:04 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[The main character seems to represent well a teenage boy. Self-absorbed, unable to care for his girlfriend, obsessed with his parents' marital problems, but still somehow sympathetic character who probably will grow up to be a good man.]]></body>
    
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