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Youth in Revolt #1
Youth in Revolt
Six months in the life of the world's most dangerous teenager.
Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt.
As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive Type-A father, murderous canines (in triplicate), and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response—all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess and ultimate intellectual goad.
Youth in Revolt is the journals of Nick Twisp, California's most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make sense out of high school, deal with his divorced parents, and lose his virginity result in his transformation from an unassuming fourteen-year-old to a modern youth in open revolt.
As his family splinters, worlds collide, and the police block all routes out of town, Nick must cope with economic deprivation, homelessness, the gulag of the public schools, a competitive Type-A father, murderous canines (in triplicate), and an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response—all while vying ardently for the affections of the beauteous Sheeni Saunders, teenage goddess and ultimate intellectual goad.
512 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1993
241 people are currently reading
5236 people want to read
About the author
C.D. Payne
41 books170 followersAuthor and showman C.D. Payne was born in Akron, Ohio in 1949 (making him a contemporary of Richard Gere and Meryl Streep). He spent his early years in West Virginia and southern Ohio, moving back to Akron while still a mere tot.
He went to public schools in Akron, and then graduated from Harvard College, where he majored in history and participated in the annual spring riot. In 1971 he moved to California. During the next 25 years, he held over 50 jobs including newspaper editor, book publisher's assistant, proofreader, trailer park handyman, and catalog writer.
Since 2004 he has been the proprietor of the Eyelusion Museum, a mobile discovery museum in a restored and polished 1964 Airstream trailer. His latest mobile sideshow is a 1950s miniature town (shown below) called Zippy Town. It can been seen at the Santa Rosa Handcar Regatta and other events.
He is married and lives in Sonoma County.
He went to public schools in Akron, and then graduated from Harvard College, where he majored in history and participated in the annual spring riot. In 1971 he moved to California. During the next 25 years, he held over 50 jobs including newspaper editor, book publisher's assistant, proofreader, trailer park handyman, and catalog writer.
Since 2004 he has been the proprietor of the Eyelusion Museum, a mobile discovery museum in a restored and polished 1964 Airstream trailer. His latest mobile sideshow is a 1950s miniature town (shown below) called Zippy Town. It can been seen at the Santa Rosa Handcar Regatta and other events.
He is married and lives in Sonoma County.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 918 reviews
January 30, 2018
"Nick," she said, when I had finished, "six months ago you were just another brownnosing honor student. What happened?"
What happened was Nick fell inlove lust with Sheeni, and would do anything, ANYTHING to be by her side get into her pants. Anything may or may not include lying, cheating, screwing over his friends, trickery, forgery, transvestism, doping another's drinks, grand theft auto, vandalism, becoming a fugitive from justice, and so many more offenses it would take nearly 500 pages to tell you about them. You probably gathered that Nick is a horrible person who, if the feds don't get him first, will eventually end up in the White House.
And, yet . . . I laughed my head off at his antics. It helps that nearly everyone else in Nick's life is equally awful. His divorced parents are the pits - self-involved and negligent, and the unattainable goddess Sheeni keeps Nick at arms length, saving him as a sort of back-up plan if she can't get the man she really wants.
Why, it's enough to make a guy want to commit a felony or two (or five.)
As I've mentioned many times, I am easily amused. You may not find this book quite as funny as I did, particularly if you're fond of likable characters. You may also be horrified by so many sexually active 14-year-olds. (I wasn't doing this shit when I was 14. Maybe that's why I was just a brownnosing average student.) You may not like this novel, but for me, it was the right book at the right time.
Nick's hijinks continue in two more books, but after 500 pages, even I've had enough of him for now.
What happened was Nick fell in
And, yet . . . I laughed my head off at his antics. It helps that nearly everyone else in Nick's life is equally awful. His divorced parents are the pits - self-involved and negligent, and the unattainable goddess Sheeni keeps Nick at arms length, saving him as a sort of back-up plan if she can't get the man she really wants.
Why, it's enough to make a guy want to commit a felony or two (or five.)
As I've mentioned many times, I am easily amused. You may not find this book quite as funny as I did, particularly if you're fond of likable characters. You may also be horrified by so many sexually active 14-year-olds. (I wasn't doing this shit when I was 14. Maybe that's why I was just a brownnosing average student.) You may not like this novel, but for me, it was the right book at the right time.
Nick's hijinks continue in two more books, but after 500 pages, even I've had enough of him for now.
May 31, 2007
this book will ALWAYS be in my top five. there's no doubt that reading it at age 17 solidified my appreciation for this profane, hilarious, perverted, often ridiculous and grotesque piece of work. nick twisp's rampant hyperpolysyllabicsesquapadalianism had me reaching for the dictionary more than once, but in the end the rich vocabulary and originality in his storytelling kept me hooked even though the story loses steam towards the end.
April 17, 2010
Oh, no. No. Absolutely not, this book is not for me and I refuse to read 400 more pages of this crap (especially not when reviews allude to it being 400 more pages of the same sort of thing). Constant boners and mocking your middle-aged mother's appearance are not funny.
But Rachel! Didn't you like Portnoy's Complaint?
Yeah. But Alexander Portnoy wasn't like "lol, my mother has blue veins!" He was like "lol, my girlfriend is ignorant and can't spell." Both mocks are mean-spirited, but at least one of them is mocking a quality that is changeable, thus coming off a little less than ragingly chauvinistic.
But Rachel! Isn't Nick Twisp just a 14 year old boy? Isn't sexism par for the course?
Is a 14 year old boy who can correctly use the words "suzerainty" and "inviolate" par for the course as well, then? Didn't think so.
I know it's supposed to be absurd, but I still don't think it's funny. If 500 pages is a slog for people who actually enjoy this book, then I am, as Amy would say, getting the boop out now.
But Rachel! Didn't you like Portnoy's Complaint?
Yeah. But Alexander Portnoy wasn't like "lol, my mother has blue veins!" He was like "lol, my girlfriend is ignorant and can't spell." Both mocks are mean-spirited, but at least one of them is mocking a quality that is changeable, thus coming off a little less than ragingly chauvinistic.
But Rachel! Isn't Nick Twisp just a 14 year old boy? Isn't sexism par for the course?
Is a 14 year old boy who can correctly use the words "suzerainty" and "inviolate" par for the course as well, then? Didn't think so.
I know it's supposed to be absurd, but I still don't think it's funny. If 500 pages is a slog for people who actually enjoy this book, then I am, as Amy would say, getting the boop out now.
March 15, 2008
This was THE book that - cliche - changed the way I read books.
This book was MY book. For years I begged people to read it because I wanted them to feel the obsession.
It is extremely important that all teenagers/adults read this book. The characters are totally absurd and amazing, and this hefty 500 pager puts many "age appropriate" high school reading list books to complete and utter shame.
This book destroys "The Perks of being a Wallflower" and others that were a hit back in the late nineties. Read this and get excited.
This book was MY book. For years I begged people to read it because I wanted them to feel the obsession.
It is extremely important that all teenagers/adults read this book. The characters are totally absurd and amazing, and this hefty 500 pager puts many "age appropriate" high school reading list books to complete and utter shame.
This book destroys "The Perks of being a Wallflower" and others that were a hit back in the late nineties. Read this and get excited.
November 30, 2012
Fate. This book and I were destined to be together.
We were first brought together when I was just 13 years old, rummaging through the discount shelves at Barnes and Noble in Indianapolis. The cover drew me in, and I sat my tween butt down on the floor and started reading. I made it about twenty or so pages in, feeling my face flush at reading about S-E-X in a public place, and likely matching the color of the lower half of the title letters when my mom found me hidden in the aisle. She asked if I was okay, and why was I acting so weird, and I don't remember how I responded. We left for home, and shortly thereafter, moved across the country, the book gone but not forgotten.
Three years later, I stumbled across it on yet another sale shelf, this time at the famed Powell's City of Books in my new hometown of Portland, OR. Upon spotting that unforgettable cover, I knew I couldn't let the book slip out of my life another time and bought it immediately.
I often talk about how I can't put books down, and I tend to rate a lot of books highly, but I am now 30 years old and still consider this to be my favorite book of all time, for ever and ever and all of eternity, with sprinkles and a cherry on top. Not only could I not put this down, I immediately re-read it after the first read, and have read it again and again, nearly every year since.
It's not that anything in the book is particularly realistic, but that's really why it's so captivating. It's completely ridiculous and off the wall, and nothing in the book would ever actually happen. There is nobody in the world who actually acts like Nick Twisp, but he's so damned entertaining to read about, I don't care. He's hilarious, he's intelligent yet completely stupid all at the same time, and his misadventures are perfect. The entire cast of characters (caricatures, really) in this book are perfect, each and every one.
Honestly, I am hard-pressed to come up with one bad thing to say about this book. If I could marry a book, I would marry Youth in Revolt, and live happily ever after.
We were first brought together when I was just 13 years old, rummaging through the discount shelves at Barnes and Noble in Indianapolis. The cover drew me in, and I sat my tween butt down on the floor and started reading. I made it about twenty or so pages in, feeling my face flush at reading about S-E-X in a public place, and likely matching the color of the lower half of the title letters when my mom found me hidden in the aisle. She asked if I was okay, and why was I acting so weird, and I don't remember how I responded. We left for home, and shortly thereafter, moved across the country, the book gone but not forgotten.
Three years later, I stumbled across it on yet another sale shelf, this time at the famed Powell's City of Books in my new hometown of Portland, OR. Upon spotting that unforgettable cover, I knew I couldn't let the book slip out of my life another time and bought it immediately.
I often talk about how I can't put books down, and I tend to rate a lot of books highly, but I am now 30 years old and still consider this to be my favorite book of all time, for ever and ever and all of eternity, with sprinkles and a cherry on top. Not only could I not put this down, I immediately re-read it after the first read, and have read it again and again, nearly every year since.
It's not that anything in the book is particularly realistic, but that's really why it's so captivating. It's completely ridiculous and off the wall, and nothing in the book would ever actually happen. There is nobody in the world who actually acts like Nick Twisp, but he's so damned entertaining to read about, I don't care. He's hilarious, he's intelligent yet completely stupid all at the same time, and his misadventures are perfect. The entire cast of characters (caricatures, really) in this book are perfect, each and every one.
Honestly, I am hard-pressed to come up with one bad thing to say about this book. If I could marry a book, I would marry Youth in Revolt, and live happily ever after.
December 27, 2019
Bizarre and sophomoric but so worth reading. Read this as a full grown adult and could not put it down. Laughed the whole way along. Loved it so much that I even bought a copy for my teenaged niece who also loved it. Sometimes you just have to let your hair down and let your inner adolescent loose and have some fun. This is one goofy and entertaining book.
March 10, 2008
Not your average coming of age novel, C.D. Payne's trilogy of short novels about the travails of young journaler Nick Twisp has a comic wit and intricate plot twists that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
This boy meets girl plot centers on Nick, a bookish, sex-crazed 14-year-old, and Sheeni Saunders, a Francophile sociopath who juggles men and has a taste for expensive clothing and jewelry. Keeping them apart are Sheeni's ultra-religious parents and four hundred miles of California coast line, both of which Nick is desperate to trump by any means necessary. Though it is true that Nick and his "One and Only Love" Sheeni are both fairly unsympathetic characters, you'll still find yourself caught up in their love affair, which Nick keeps aflame by the careful use of several split personalities and multiple criminal actions.
The real gem of these books, however, are the minor characters: Sheeni's semiomniscient brother Paul, always two steps ahead of Nick's schemes; Nick's revolting (yet strangely sweet) roommate Dwayne; the painfully shy trucker Wally Rumpkin, who possesses an eidetic memory; and a trio of identical dogs named after existentialist French writers. Even more than Plot A, these little touches around the sides are what makes this novel charming and a cut above average YA fiction. There have been several sequels and I'm definitely putting them on my to-read list.
This boy meets girl plot centers on Nick, a bookish, sex-crazed 14-year-old, and Sheeni Saunders, a Francophile sociopath who juggles men and has a taste for expensive clothing and jewelry. Keeping them apart are Sheeni's ultra-religious parents and four hundred miles of California coast line, both of which Nick is desperate to trump by any means necessary. Though it is true that Nick and his "One and Only Love" Sheeni are both fairly unsympathetic characters, you'll still find yourself caught up in their love affair, which Nick keeps aflame by the careful use of several split personalities and multiple criminal actions.
The real gem of these books, however, are the minor characters: Sheeni's semiomniscient brother Paul, always two steps ahead of Nick's schemes; Nick's revolting (yet strangely sweet) roommate Dwayne; the painfully shy trucker Wally Rumpkin, who possesses an eidetic memory; and a trio of identical dogs named after existentialist French writers. Even more than Plot A, these little touches around the sides are what makes this novel charming and a cut above average YA fiction. There have been several sequels and I'm definitely putting them on my to-read list.
February 14, 2022
This book was kind of crazy. Never thought a kid could have so much sway in the going-ons of a town. It was funny, ridiculous and at times had me rolling my eyes. Nick is certainly resourceful and has quite a journey over the 4 months the book takes place. Overall I liked it but I think it was a bit hard to get through because of how detailed it was. I’d probably pick up book 2 and see what happens though!
May 5, 2010
If there is one thing--ONE THING--that you can take away from this book, it is this:
BOYS WILL LITERALLY GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO GET IN YOUR PANTS.
We are talking federal laws here, people.
And I loved every second of it.
We first get a glimpse of Nick's dry, at times wicked humor, from the opening sentence:
WEDNESDAY, July 18--My name is Nick. Someday, if I grow up to be a gangster, perhaps I will be known as Nick the Prick. This may cause some embarrassment to my family, but when your don gives you your mafia sobriquet you don't ask questions.
Assuming that that paragraph alone did not convince you to go out and purchase Youth in Revolt, I shall continue.
Nick introduces himself quiet plainly, leaving nothing sacred, unabashedly saying what every other boy in the world is thinking--he hates his name, he hates his family, and he is obsessed with sex.
Now, I'm going to get it out there right now. Youth in Revolt is not for everyone--in fact, most people will find it a revolting (excuse the pun), raunchy, Judd Apatow-movie gone awry collection of paper and words that doesn't deserve the title of 'book'. Most people will grimace and toss it into the fireplace and try to erase it from their virgin minds. Some. Not all.
So, if you have no been frightened off, let's continue.
This begins with typical teen ranting--it is a diary, after all--with Nick generally introducing himself, his family, and his interests. It's hilarious right from the starts, from Nick coming home from his father's house to find his mother has painted his bedroom pink to help "calm" him--"she said she had read this color was widely used in hospitals to help calm mental patients. I told her I wasn't mentally ill, I was just a teenager"--to his vocal disdain for Jerry, his obese step father. Youth in Revolt is basically the extreme side of white trash, told through the eyes of a kid destined for greater things.
Nick is positive that he will remain a virgin forever, until an unexpected trip to a trailer park up in Lakeport sends him head-first into the Greater Then Thou Sheeni Saunders. Beautiful, intellegent and a tad mamnipulative, she takes Nick's heart in a deadly chokehold and refuses to let go. While it's hard to imagine as you get deeper into the novel, she really is the reason Nick does anything. He has literally broken near every law in the country beside first degree murder (notice I don't say murder--I say first degree murder) just to get some. While some would argue that this cannot suffice as a plot, it most certainly can. And it does.
So, as Nick leaves with Sheeni's promise of you-know-what still fresh in his mind, he resolves to bring her to him and lose his ever-loving virginity before his freshman year is up.
So, without giving anything away, I will just declare my undivided love of YOUTH IN REVOLT and how GODDAMN HILARIOUS IT IS.
The writing, as I can describe it, is the way I'd imagine a hyper-intellegent, hyper-sexual, and hyper-neurotic teenager would write. Big words rule the day in this satirical look on modern youth as Nick attempts to understand why the fuck everyone is SO DAMN CRAZY and how he managed to be counted among them.
In a period of six months, Nick goes from a meak, bookish virgin to a crossdressing stud with a bit of a complex. Hell yes.
Nick is not a hero--he's an anti-hero. He's a bit of a jerk, crude, just plain nasty at times, but you there's a feeling of devotion to him that few authors could pull off--you HAVE to cheer for him, you HAVE to sympathize with him, you HAVE to wish him well, because there is simply no one else to root for. He is literally the only boat of sanity in a crazy, mixed up world and, no matter how he reacts to the world around him, he is simply the only one we, the reader, can root for because he's the one telling the story.
As for the other characters, they're all described basically as morons--except for Sheeni--and this may be a sign of an unreliable narrator. That's another thing--we don't know if this is true, we don't know if Nick's telling the truth about anything, or just lying to convince himself there's a legit reason he ends up where he is. We just have to trust him.
Mr. Payne does a perfect job in dramatizing modern youth and making fun of the lengths some boys will go too to get what they want. He lightens up what could be a heavy situation, pokes fun very discreetly at modern youth and sex, and just flat-out rocks my world. A must-read for anyone with a sense of humor.
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May 7, 2010Wow, this book is amazing. It's definitely different and it is so great. I loved mostly every minute of Youth In Revolt. You will laugh, you will cry, there will be lots of moments where you will cringe, others you will cry out in surprise. Youth in Revolt is definitely not a book for the faint-hearted. But in saying that it truly is worth a read.
Just a quick warning that I would say this book should be read by 16 year olds and over. There are several scenes that aren't entirely appropriate. I managed to overlook those scenes because the rest of the story is brilliant.
Nick is such a refreshing character. I don't usually compare books to other books but if I had to describe Nick and his diary I would say it's like an American version of Adrian Mole with a lot more antics and 'typical adolescent behaviour'. But in saying that, I do believe I got a lot more laughs from Nick.
While the book is 499 pages, don't let that deter you, it's split into three books. Each book deals with a different persona so to speak. I have to say that it did start off a little slow but once it got into the story it kind of turned into a snowball effect where the events kept growing and growing and spiralling out of control.
So many of the characters in this book are unusual and extremely interesting characters. There are too many to name, you basically have to read this book. It is one of the best books I've read all year.
One thing I must add about this book is that it is extremely dated, but that just kind of sets the scene a bit more and I thought it added to the comedy of the book.
I liked the ending of Youth In Revolt, it didn't leave a wide open ending and it didn't close it completely either. I know that there is indeed a sequel and I'm thinking that I'll definitely pick it up one day. There's also a movie based on Youth In Revolt and it's called Youth In Revolt so I'd be really interested in seeing that.
Overall, Youth In Revolt is one book that is worth the read at least once in everyone lives.
Just a quick warning that I would say this book should be read by 16 year olds and over. There are several scenes that aren't entirely appropriate. I managed to overlook those scenes because the rest of the story is brilliant.
Nick is such a refreshing character. I don't usually compare books to other books but if I had to describe Nick and his diary I would say it's like an American version of Adrian Mole with a lot more antics and 'typical adolescent behaviour'. But in saying that, I do believe I got a lot more laughs from Nick.
While the book is 499 pages, don't let that deter you, it's split into three books. Each book deals with a different persona so to speak. I have to say that it did start off a little slow but once it got into the story it kind of turned into a snowball effect where the events kept growing and growing and spiralling out of control.
So many of the characters in this book are unusual and extremely interesting characters. There are too many to name, you basically have to read this book. It is one of the best books I've read all year.
One thing I must add about this book is that it is extremely dated, but that just kind of sets the scene a bit more and I thought it added to the comedy of the book.
I liked the ending of Youth In Revolt, it didn't leave a wide open ending and it didn't close it completely either. I know that there is indeed a sequel and I'm thinking that I'll definitely pick it up one day. There's also a movie based on Youth In Revolt and it's called Youth In Revolt so I'd be really interested in seeing that.
Overall, Youth In Revolt is one book that is worth the read at least once in everyone lives.
July 25, 2012
This is really a peculiar read.
It's the journal of Nick Twisp, a manipulative, cynical, sex-obsessed youth whose erstwhile (I'm using that word because the author likes it so much) good behavior is succombing to the adolescent prime imperative of losing one's virginity. He hones in on his new amour Shinee, who is willing, experienced and cooperative, though enigmatically distant and drifting. Things get in the way, obstacles made of arbitrary parental actions and decisions, space, timing, his constrictive teen existence, his lack of economic freedom.
I found this book very funny. Nick's über-logical approach to things make him undertake courses of action that made me cringe and squirm and giggle (think fellatio with his best male friend), and it occurred to me that, had I read this book as an actual teen I would have been rather shocked. I myself was as rational a teen as Nick is, but I wasn't one to brave borders and stand up to adults. Much. Well, maybe a little, but not in any way as much as Nick. But Nick has no real respect for adults, he's an adult trapped in an adolescent body and in an adolescent's life. As such, being a virgin at his ripe old age of 14 seems to him egregious, and the end will justify all means at his disposal (and then some).
It seems that this is less a believable account of a 14-year-old than the attempt of the same character at 40 to rewrite his past. That would illuminate the latent understanding of adult intentions and levers, the self-deprecating humor, and the candid avowal of the utter simplicity of what he wants: sexual congress, as soon as possible.
It's the journal of Nick Twisp, a manipulative, cynical, sex-obsessed youth whose erstwhile (I'm using that word because the author likes it so much) good behavior is succombing to the adolescent prime imperative of losing one's virginity. He hones in on his new amour Shinee, who is willing, experienced and cooperative, though enigmatically distant and drifting. Things get in the way, obstacles made of arbitrary parental actions and decisions, space, timing, his constrictive teen existence, his lack of economic freedom.
I found this book very funny. Nick's über-logical approach to things make him undertake courses of action that made me cringe and squirm and giggle (think fellatio with his best male friend), and it occurred to me that, had I read this book as an actual teen I would have been rather shocked. I myself was as rational a teen as Nick is, but I wasn't one to brave borders and stand up to adults. Much. Well, maybe a little, but not in any way as much as Nick. But Nick has no real respect for adults, he's an adult trapped in an adolescent body and in an adolescent's life. As such, being a virgin at his ripe old age of 14 seems to him egregious, and the end will justify all means at his disposal (and then some).
It seems that this is less a believable account of a 14-year-old than the attempt of the same character at 40 to rewrite his past. That would illuminate the latent understanding of adult intentions and levers, the self-deprecating humor, and the candid avowal of the utter simplicity of what he wants: sexual congress, as soon as possible.
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March 16, 2025Tak som si na záver náročného februára dopriala oddychovku z mládí... a musím povedať, že prekladateľsky je za týmto textom kusisko roboty, Tamara Váňová si mákla a odviedla skvelú prácu.
February 17, 2018
The friend who recommended this to me is a guy. He likes coming-of-age-guy stuff (mainly movies and books). He LOVED the movie Rushmore, and when I said I'd seen it but didn't like it, his answer was something to the effect of "Maybe you had to be a teenage boy to appreciate it." When he recommended this book and told me how much he loved it, he added "You might have needed to have been a teenaged male to appreciate this book."
Twenty or so pages in, and I can see why you'd probably need to be a teenage boy to like this book: bragging about/hoping for male anatomy, fantasizing about female anatomy, talking about his zits, calling his mom stupid. I can see a few good moments to it, but overall, I think maybe you have to have been a teenage boy to like this. But in past tense (like, I'm not sure a teenage boy should read it), after you've outgrown all that stuff and can see in hindsight that the way he talks is utterly stupid and disrespectful. Maybe? We'll see how it goes.
... Strangely, though, it's not a *terrible* book, especially if you skip over or try not to think too much about the horny, know-it-all, hates-fat-girls teenage boy parts of the story. The rest is a series of comic flubs in life.
.... And yet, I've decided to stop reading. At one point, I decided I was curious whether Nick ever got together with his dream girl (or any other girl; perhaps a new dream girl), but then I realized I didn't actually *care*. Curious, yes; care, no. So I stopped reading it. Halfway through the book, I stopped. There are too many other books out there to spend my time reading a book I'm only mildly curious about.
Twenty or so pages in, and I can see why you'd probably need to be a teenage boy to like this book: bragging about/hoping for male anatomy, fantasizing about female anatomy, talking about his zits, calling his mom stupid. I can see a few good moments to it, but overall, I think maybe you have to have been a teenage boy to like this. But in past tense (like, I'm not sure a teenage boy should read it), after you've outgrown all that stuff and can see in hindsight that the way he talks is utterly stupid and disrespectful. Maybe? We'll see how it goes.
... Strangely, though, it's not a *terrible* book, especially if you skip over or try not to think too much about the horny, know-it-all, hates-fat-girls teenage boy parts of the story. The rest is a series of comic flubs in life.
.... And yet, I've decided to stop reading. At one point, I decided I was curious whether Nick ever got together with his dream girl (or any other girl; perhaps a new dream girl), but then I realized I didn't actually *care*. Curious, yes; care, no. So I stopped reading it. Halfway through the book, I stopped. There are too many other books out there to spend my time reading a book I'm only mildly curious about.
July 10, 2011
It didn't work for me. While I understand that teenage boys think about sex every minute of every day... the main character of Nick is a grating personality that takes the fun out of sex. If his plotting only backfired on himself, I might have enjoyed it more; but the weasel victimizes his friends, his annoying parents, and completely innocent people. While I laugh and love annoying jerkish characters in many Adult Swim offerings (see: Aqua Teen Hunger Force & Frisky Dingo), those shows are so outlandish that the joke is how OPPOSITE of true behaviour the characters employ. But in this novel, Payne tries to combine the very real emotions of youth AND a very unreal plot. So I couldn't laugh.
And there isn't a true driving plot, rather a series of vignettes each more improbable than the next. So the story doesn't build momentum.
One final note: The film version of this book just came out with Michael Cera as the lead. While I haven't seen the movie, the casting feels wrong. Cera was so hilarious in Arrested Development & Superbad at playing a smart yet naive,timid teenagers (with the character's intelligence creating the timid nature -- I can't do this because of the trouble I'd be in if I get caught). But the lead character Nick Twisp in this novel is a smart yet naive, reckless teenager (with the character's intelligence causing the reckless nature -- I have to do this, because I'll never get caught... and another scheme to cover the original scheme will work even better) I don't see how timid Michael Cera can play Max Fischer from Rushmore.
Grade: C
And there isn't a true driving plot, rather a series of vignettes each more improbable than the next. So the story doesn't build momentum.
One final note: The film version of this book just came out with Michael Cera as the lead. While I haven't seen the movie, the casting feels wrong. Cera was so hilarious in Arrested Development & Superbad at playing a smart yet naive,timid teenagers (with the character's intelligence creating the timid nature -- I can't do this because of the trouble I'd be in if I get caught). But the lead character Nick Twisp in this novel is a smart yet naive, reckless teenager (with the character's intelligence causing the reckless nature -- I have to do this, because I'll never get caught... and another scheme to cover the original scheme will work even better) I don't see how timid Michael Cera can play Max Fischer from Rushmore.
Grade: C
July 20, 2014
I knew that Youth in Revolt is a movie but I didn't realize it was based on a book until I saw the audiobook available at my library. I have never watched the movie but was excited to try a slightly different book than I'm used to. I have to say I really enjoyed it! The book is a collection of journal entries written by the lead character Nick Twisp. I thought this book was pretty hilarious even though the entries written by a hormone-crazed, fourteen-year-old boy were a little over the top. But who knows, maybe this is really how some teenage boys think! Regardless, that aspect added to the hilarity, as crude as it was at times. Nick, who was once a confused and innocent young teen ends the story as a rebellious young man on a mission. He is in "open revolt" as referenced in the title. Family, high school, and virginity issues can apparently have that effect...go figure.
My favorite quote:
“Consider, if you will, the morning boner. What a metaphor of hope and renewal! How can anyone give way to despair when one’s groin greets each day with such a gala spectacle of physical optimism?”
My favorite quote:
“Consider, if you will, the morning boner. What a metaphor of hope and renewal! How can anyone give way to despair when one’s groin greets each day with such a gala spectacle of physical optimism?”
November 28, 2010
Youth in Revolt is unlike any other YA novel. It’s crude, honest, and hysterical. Payne has painted a wonderful picture of a young boy coming to terms with himself. What sets Youth in Revolt apart from other novels in the genre – beside its frank descriptions of an adolescent boy’s mind – is an element of absurdity. Payne weaves a playfulness into his characters and their actions that makes for a story so interesting you can’t help but read to the end.
Though the novel deals with boys around the age of fourteen, it is intended for an older audience. Payne does not shy away from topics such as sex, drugs, and alcohol. In fact, he goes into detail about these subjects, creating a realistic portrayal of a young boy’s mind. This immediately grabbed my interest, as there are so few male narrators left to the YA genre and, of those narrators, so few provide honest depictions of the male psyche.
The story is given to us in the format of Nick Twisp’s journal. We learn that, though Nick is only fourteen years old, he is highly intelligent. His vocabulary rivals that of a college student and his wit resonates with older readers. Younger readers will be entertained by his displays of immaturity and fool-hardy pranks that land him in trouble so unrealistic that you want to believe it just so you can laugh. But if you don’t laugh at Nick’s pranks, you’ll have to laugh at his mother’s behavior and her numerous crazy boyfriends.
The delight of Youth in Revolt lies not only in Nick’s unique voice, but in the extravagant journey he takes. This is not your typical boy-meets-girl story. It’s more of a boy-will-travel-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-for-girl story. Nick journeys from state to state pursuing the girl he believes to be his soul mate. Throughout his journey to reunite with Sheeni, Nick meets quite a few characters – some friends, many enemies, and some he can’t even identify. One of his most memorable enemies is Trent, Sheeni’s ex-boyfriend. Trent is still very much in love with Sheeni and determined to win her back. Nick knows he is no match for Trent’s intelligence, wealth, and good looks so he concocts plan after plan to keep Sheeni and Trent apart. His plans often backfire and have the reverse affect of bringing the two together. Nick’s quest for Sheeni’s affection is the underlying main plot. After reading about the lengths Nick will go to for Sheeni, you’ll be rooting for him by the end.
Perhaps the most unique twist to the story is Nick’s creation of an alter-ego, Francois Dillinger. Francois is an evil master-mind, a part of Nick willing to push boundaries and even break the law. Nick lets Francois take the reigns whenever he feels he can’t handle a situation because Francois isn’t afraid to tell people off or run away from home. This book is already on a level all its own and the addition of Francois bumps it up one more level. If you’re looking for a mature, laugh-out-loud YA novel, you’ve found it in Youth in Revolt.
Though the novel deals with boys around the age of fourteen, it is intended for an older audience. Payne does not shy away from topics such as sex, drugs, and alcohol. In fact, he goes into detail about these subjects, creating a realistic portrayal of a young boy’s mind. This immediately grabbed my interest, as there are so few male narrators left to the YA genre and, of those narrators, so few provide honest depictions of the male psyche.
The story is given to us in the format of Nick Twisp’s journal. We learn that, though Nick is only fourteen years old, he is highly intelligent. His vocabulary rivals that of a college student and his wit resonates with older readers. Younger readers will be entertained by his displays of immaturity and fool-hardy pranks that land him in trouble so unrealistic that you want to believe it just so you can laugh. But if you don’t laugh at Nick’s pranks, you’ll have to laugh at his mother’s behavior and her numerous crazy boyfriends.
The delight of Youth in Revolt lies not only in Nick’s unique voice, but in the extravagant journey he takes. This is not your typical boy-meets-girl story. It’s more of a boy-will-travel-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-for-girl story. Nick journeys from state to state pursuing the girl he believes to be his soul mate. Throughout his journey to reunite with Sheeni, Nick meets quite a few characters – some friends, many enemies, and some he can’t even identify. One of his most memorable enemies is Trent, Sheeni’s ex-boyfriend. Trent is still very much in love with Sheeni and determined to win her back. Nick knows he is no match for Trent’s intelligence, wealth, and good looks so he concocts plan after plan to keep Sheeni and Trent apart. His plans often backfire and have the reverse affect of bringing the two together. Nick’s quest for Sheeni’s affection is the underlying main plot. After reading about the lengths Nick will go to for Sheeni, you’ll be rooting for him by the end.
Perhaps the most unique twist to the story is Nick’s creation of an alter-ego, Francois Dillinger. Francois is an evil master-mind, a part of Nick willing to push boundaries and even break the law. Nick lets Francois take the reigns whenever he feels he can’t handle a situation because Francois isn’t afraid to tell people off or run away from home. This book is already on a level all its own and the addition of Francois bumps it up one more level. If you’re looking for a mature, laugh-out-loud YA novel, you’ve found it in Youth in Revolt.
November 29, 2009
A modern day Confederacy of Dunces, and equally worthy of praise. Nick Twisp is a younger, leaner, sex-addicted Ignatius J. Reilly. The book is composed of Twisp's highly-literate (especially for a 14 year-old) journal entries, only Twisp uses all of his cunning linguistics (pun intended) to espouse on masturbation and the pursuit of intercourse - and what a pursuit it is. Considering the quest to conquer virginity pretty much sums up the subject matter, you would think that Youth in Revolt might be a tad self-indulgent at 500 pages. You would be correct. However, it's fitting, as "Self-Indulgent" might as well be our protagonist's middle name. Not to mention that the book is laugh-out-loud hilarious on every page, as Twisp's adventures become increasingly outlandish with each journal entry. Loved it.
P.S. There's a movie adaptation due out soon, starring Hollywood's "IT BOY 2007-?" Michael Cera. Apparently studio execs decided that every character from age 16-25 must be incredibly introverted and awkward at all times, or a sparkling androgynous vampire. I hate to say it, but it kind of makes me miss Corey Feldman.
P.S. There's a movie adaptation due out soon, starring Hollywood's "IT BOY 2007-?" Michael Cera. Apparently studio execs decided that every character from age 16-25 must be incredibly introverted and awkward at all times, or a sparkling androgynous vampire. I hate to say it, but it kind of makes me miss Corey Feldman.
January 24, 2013
Another 14 year old boy's love song to his penis. Yes, there are hilarious parts. There are also mean-spirited, self-aggrandizing parts. The adolescent male voice rings achingly, annoyingly, gratingly true here. Sometimes I was embarrassed to be giggling at what I was giggling at, and to make me feel like that is quite a feat. Parts made me want to crawl under my bed and never ever come out. Not recommended for mothers of teenage boys, though perhaps it's the hold your nose and drink type of medicine. I can't not recommend it.
May 22, 2022
This book is really a slightly condensed edition of three different books, and it shows. I experienced the three books in three different ways.
spoiler-free part of the review
By far, the first part of the book was my favorite. It captured the mindset of a horny teenager with bad social skills and a huge vocabulary. It makes sense that the characters (especially the female ones) came across as bizarre caricatures because they are all just populating the main character's masturbatory fantasy. I think your ability to enjoy this part of the book will have a lot to do with how well you can empathize with a 14 year old boy who prioritizes his boner over everything and everyone else.
spoilers for part 2
Part 2 was a colossal waste of time. It became obvious that the plot was going absolutely nowhere, and the jokes about male rape were gross. The main character becomes steadily less likeable as he repeatedly treats others with excessive cruelty.
spoilers for part 3
Part 3 was somewhat more enjoyable. The plot revolves around Nick improbably fooling an entire town by dressing in drag. I enjoyed the parts about his friendship with the elderly woman, which was basically the only decent thing he did in the entire book. I also enjoyed the details about him working his way up from homelessness.
Here's the thing, though. I was pretty convinced that Sheeni just didn't want him. The ending that would have satisfied me would be Nick outgrowing his unhealthy obsession with a girl who seemed to be avoiding him. I was actually disappointed when they ended up together at the end of the book. It validated all the sociopathic things that Nick did to get to that point and left a bad taste in my mouth.
Movie comments
I liked the movie okay. Michael Cera gave the main character a level of charisma that he lacked in the book. The movie was very true to the book, with just a couple interesting exceptions. In the book, the alter ego of Francois is just a less inhibited version of Nick, but in the movie, Francois is more of a Hyde in opposition to Nick's Jeckyll. The movie ends with Nick concluding that he didn't need Francois after all, which is the opposite of the conclusion to the book.
spoiler-free part of the review
By far, the first part of the book was my favorite. It captured the mindset of a horny teenager with bad social skills and a huge vocabulary. It makes sense that the characters (especially the female ones) came across as bizarre caricatures because they are all just populating the main character's masturbatory fantasy. I think your ability to enjoy this part of the book will have a lot to do with how well you can empathize with a 14 year old boy who prioritizes his boner over everything and everyone else.
spoilers for part 2
Part 2 was a colossal waste of time. It became obvious that the plot was going absolutely nowhere, and the jokes about male rape were gross. The main character becomes steadily less likeable as he repeatedly treats others with excessive cruelty.
spoilers for part 3
Part 3 was somewhat more enjoyable. The plot revolves around Nick improbably fooling an entire town by dressing in drag. I enjoyed the parts about his friendship with the elderly woman, which was basically the only decent thing he did in the entire book. I also enjoyed the details about him working his way up from homelessness.
Here's the thing, though. I was pretty convinced that Sheeni just didn't want him. The ending that would have satisfied me would be Nick outgrowing his unhealthy obsession with a girl who seemed to be avoiding him. I was actually disappointed when they ended up together at the end of the book. It validated all the sociopathic things that Nick did to get to that point and left a bad taste in my mouth.
Movie comments
I liked the movie okay. Michael Cera gave the main character a level of charisma that he lacked in the book. The movie was very true to the book, with just a couple interesting exceptions. In the book, the alter ego of Francois is just a less inhibited version of Nick, but in the movie, Francois is more of a Hyde in opposition to Nick's Jeckyll. The movie ends with Nick concluding that he didn't need Francois after all, which is the opposite of the conclusion to the book.
March 23, 2024
This book is laugh-out-loud funny and I had so much fun reading it but took too long of a break from it while I was on a trip and now that I am a different person*, I cannot help but feel disinterested in the story because Sheeni, Nick’s dream girl, currently appears to me quite unlikable. She was always at least a little unlikable but the sharp contrast between the stuck-up, France-worshipping, Paris-focused Sheenie and the generous, sweet, loving people I have met has made this story now entirely indigestible. I am having a hard time staying invested in Nick’s wild and hilarious antics to get Sheeni to hang out with him, fall in love with him, etc.
Nonetheless, this book deserves 5 stars because it is genuinely funny (I actually laughed, many times) and is lighthearted, as more books should aim to be (rather than selling pointless drama).
* I sound like I’m trying to be an annoying “girl on gap year” but I’m unfortunately not even /trying/
Nonetheless, this book deserves 5 stars because it is genuinely funny (I actually laughed, many times) and is lighthearted, as more books should aim to be (rather than selling pointless drama).
* I sound like I’m trying to be an annoying “girl on gap year” but I’m unfortunately not even /trying/
July 9, 2017
„Buntowniczej młodości” nie udało się przetrwać próby czasu. Mogłaby to być satyra, ale nie jest. Mogłaby to być czarna komedia, ale nie jest. Mogłaby to być klasyczna parodia, ale nie jest. C.D. Payne wykorzystuje wszystkie te elementy, ale brakuje im wyrazistości, brakuje konkretnego kopa. Nick Twisp ma potencjał, potrafi rozbawić, jednak częściej wywołuje naturalne obrzydzenie, bo jego przygody i seksualne perypetie po prostu utraciły kontrowersyjny smak wraz z nadejściem nowego tysiąclecia. Dzisiaj powieść C.D. Payne’a to rozrywka raczej dla dorosłego czytelnika, który chciałby sobie przypomnieć nastolatków sprzed lat, poczciwszych, mniej wyszukanych, prostszych w swojej codzienności. Taki amerykański młodzieżowy sen i czas bezpowrotnie utracony, trącący nieco myszką.
April 3, 2023
wtf did I just read 500 pages about lmao this was a ride not worth taking
February 3, 2025
Highly entertaining but at times uncomfortably explicit. While I enjoyed it I can’t honestly say I will be recommending it widely. I would say it’s the X-rated version of Calvin and Hobbes where Calvin is a compulsive liar and Hobbes is his personality disorder
August 26, 2018
I read this when I was a fat freshman in high school, took it off my English teachers shelf. I remember it started out with masturbating and I nudged the cool girl Next to me to try to show her and she saw it and scoffed and that made me feel slightly socially successful. But then I read the whole book, took it home, read it on the bus. It's an odd book, not even really that funny, just "controversial" and also actually disgusting. It's not a book I would recommend for actual teenagers thinking back on it. I'm sure it only made sure that I understood that my purpose in life was to be sexually attractive to boys and men. But my only memories of this book are those of a sad 14-year-old, so I actually don't have much valuable to say.
—
I’ve now re-read the thing and boy do I dislike this book. I remembered very little plot-wise and the main thing I remembered wasn’t even in there (I mean there’s plenty of masturbation, but I thought it immediately started out with it).
Issues:
- Nick is both brilliant and completely oblivious in a ... clumsy way. His character is poorly done. Inconsistent.
- There is nothing redeemable or likable about Sheeni and since Nick continues to somehow find attractive women interested in him, his “love” for Sheeni is so stupid. It definitely has a Paul Rust in Love vibe. Women and girls are not throwing themselves at Nick — he is ugly, broke, selfish, deceptive, cruel and deeply ignorant. Wish fulfillment for the shittiest of men?
- all the “francois” and bad boy stuff is obnoxious — nick starts out a nasty, shitty teen. Sheeni did not turn him into one. He was an asshole with no regard for others from the beginning.
- nick is actually sexually assaulted more than once. Once it’s played for laughs, the second time nick is all “oh women have it so tough” which I might be convinced by if he wasn’t a disgusting objectifying barely pubescent rotting spunk-mountain.
- there isn’t much genuinely shocking or daring in here — it’s just like that kid who used to brag about l looking at gross stuff on the internet and then sending links. Yeah, we know you think you’re being edgy but there is a good reason most people don’t act like that : it’s obnoxious.
- Wheres the plot? That ending was atrocious.
- I know it’s not exactly a realistic novel but it kind of is framed like one so all the absurd stuff just lands wrong. It’s like a later season of a tv show when they’ve stopped trying to exist in a recognizably real world, I’d compare it to shameless but shameless is actually enjoyable and often well-done.
- nick is a truly charmless, repulsive character, and I was so sick of him by the end. Giving him a happy ending is bizarre here — he’s god-awful, who’s rooting for a happy ending?
- this book is not funny. That’s like it’s major selling point.
—
I’ve now re-read the thing and boy do I dislike this book. I remembered very little plot-wise and the main thing I remembered wasn’t even in there (I mean there’s plenty of masturbation, but I thought it immediately started out with it).
Issues:
- Nick is both brilliant and completely oblivious in a ... clumsy way. His character is poorly done. Inconsistent.
- There is nothing redeemable or likable about Sheeni and since Nick continues to somehow find attractive women interested in him, his “love” for Sheeni is so stupid. It definitely has a Paul Rust in Love vibe. Women and girls are not throwing themselves at Nick — he is ugly, broke, selfish, deceptive, cruel and deeply ignorant. Wish fulfillment for the shittiest of men?
- all the “francois” and bad boy stuff is obnoxious — nick starts out a nasty, shitty teen. Sheeni did not turn him into one. He was an asshole with no regard for others from the beginning.
- nick is actually sexually assaulted more than once. Once it’s played for laughs, the second time nick is all “oh women have it so tough” which I might be convinced by if he wasn’t a disgusting objectifying barely pubescent rotting spunk-mountain.
- there isn’t much genuinely shocking or daring in here — it’s just like that kid who used to brag about l looking at gross stuff on the internet and then sending links. Yeah, we know you think you’re being edgy but there is a good reason most people don’t act like that : it’s obnoxious.
- Wheres the plot? That ending was atrocious.
- I know it’s not exactly a realistic novel but it kind of is framed like one so all the absurd stuff just lands wrong. It’s like a later season of a tv show when they’ve stopped trying to exist in a recognizably real world, I’d compare it to shameless but shameless is actually enjoyable and often well-done.
- nick is a truly charmless, repulsive character, and I was so sick of him by the end. Giving him a happy ending is bizarre here — he’s god-awful, who’s rooting for a happy ending?
- this book is not funny. That’s like it’s major selling point.
July 9, 2010
My name is Nick. Someday, if I grow up to be a gangster, Perhaps I will be known as Nick the Prick.This may cause some embarressment for my family, but when your don gives you your mafia sobriquet you dont ask questions.
So begins the tale of poor, sex deprived Nick Twisp. From that first line I was hooked completely. Nicks sense of humor and sarcasim are things to be admired. Nick's troubled life and quest to get laid has got to be one of the most entertaining things Ive ever read! Youth In Revolt covers all the teenage hot button topics: sex, drugs, masturbation, pregnancy, dating, arson, suicide, divorce, affairs, the FBI, and split-personalities. One cant help but relate (hehe)!
I loved Nick, as previously mentioned, but not so sure about all the different personalities. Francois was marvelous, but Carlotta wasnt the greatest. dont get me wrong, I loved the whole situation there, just not sure if I loved her personally! Sheeni was a great character, but thats all I can say for her. She was a great character, but I couldnt stand her. Though that was more due to the fact that I love poor Nickie and she was definitely using him. Vijay was one of my favorite characters until book 3 (Youth In Exile), when he stabbed Nick in the back. The little slime ball!
Anyway, couldnt help but love it! The only problems I encountered were my parents looking at me funny when I randomly laughed or grinned (because really, you cant go 3 lines without cracking up) and the end. I so wished to hear more about Nick!
So begins the tale of poor, sex deprived Nick Twisp. From that first line I was hooked completely. Nicks sense of humor and sarcasim are things to be admired. Nick's troubled life and quest to get laid has got to be one of the most entertaining things Ive ever read! Youth In Revolt covers all the teenage hot button topics: sex, drugs, masturbation, pregnancy, dating, arson, suicide, divorce, affairs, the FBI, and split-personalities. One cant help but relate (hehe)!
I loved Nick, as previously mentioned, but not so sure about all the different personalities. Francois was marvelous, but Carlotta wasnt the greatest. dont get me wrong, I loved the whole situation there, just not sure if I loved her personally! Sheeni was a great character, but thats all I can say for her. She was a great character, but I couldnt stand her. Though that was more due to the fact that I love poor Nickie and she was definitely using him. Vijay was one of my favorite characters until book 3 (Youth In Exile), when he stabbed Nick in the back. The little slime ball!
Anyway, couldnt help but love it! The only problems I encountered were my parents looking at me funny when I randomly laughed or grinned (because really, you cant go 3 lines without cracking up) and the end. I so wished to hear more about Nick!
September 17, 2015
At first I didn't like this book. It's loud and ridiculous. Human natures and exaggerated, especially the narrator's. But even still, it took me about 150 pages before I understood. This is a mixture of National Lampoon and Ferris Bueller's Day Off or as a book, maybe Bruno and Boots. I look at this like an 80's teen movie in which a teen is ridiculous, overly manipulative and yet able to pull it off. His schemes blow up in his face. Only there's no moral here. This is pure entertainment. There's nothing to be gained. No moral. Just the desire for ranchy teenage sex. The craziness this goes is a little too far, exaggerated. But that's part of the fun. In a way, I dislike the ending. It wraps too cleanly, the triumph of manipulative borderline sociopathy! If only freedom was gained so easily.
The only thing missing is the hardest part; that Nick Twisp learns his lesson; and in a way he does. He transforms himself; he could no longer be himself. He sheds his mortal skin yet remains in essence himself.
Good to read. But somehow I missed the initial set-up, that this was to be an extended jaunt, though the final moment is a Republican utopia, in which the private life remains beholden as private, even while public life may be criminal, entrepreneurial and otherwise distorted. Very 80s conservative.
The only thing missing is the hardest part; that Nick Twisp learns his lesson; and in a way he does. He transforms himself; he could no longer be himself. He sheds his mortal skin yet remains in essence himself.
Good to read. But somehow I missed the initial set-up, that this was to be an extended jaunt, though the final moment is a Republican utopia, in which the private life remains beholden as private, even while public life may be criminal, entrepreneurial and otherwise distorted. Very 80s conservative.
November 17, 2009
I'm a bit conflicted about this book.
It's clearly a brilliant piece of work. Nick Twisp is a nearly pitch-perfect representation of the self-centered sociopathy and absurd arrogance of the intelligent teenager, taken to the nth degree. What American Psycho's Patrick Bateman was to disaffected yuppies, Nick Twisp is to arrogant, neurotic high school-aged boys.
The only problem is, I hate Nick so much that I can't face rereading the book very easily.
He's such a great anti-hero, and such a potentially unreliable narrator, and such a... shit. Repeatedly through the middle and end of the book, I found myself cringing or squirming uncomfortably at the way he described or justified (or more often, didn't bother justifying) his actions.
I have to acknowledge that at least some of this is that I feel so distinctly that Nick is a (grossly distorted and exaggerated) mirror of my internal life at around his age. The sense of dissociation, the obsessive love, and the ability to be deeply self-analyzing without developing any real awareness all hit a bit too close to home for me.
Nonetheless, as a piece of writing, the book is great. My four-star rating reflects only my own hangups, not specific flaws in the book.
It's clearly a brilliant piece of work. Nick Twisp is a nearly pitch-perfect representation of the self-centered sociopathy and absurd arrogance of the intelligent teenager, taken to the nth degree. What American Psycho's Patrick Bateman was to disaffected yuppies, Nick Twisp is to arrogant, neurotic high school-aged boys.
The only problem is, I hate Nick so much that I can't face rereading the book very easily.
He's such a great anti-hero, and such a potentially unreliable narrator, and such a... shit. Repeatedly through the middle and end of the book, I found myself cringing or squirming uncomfortably at the way he described or justified (or more often, didn't bother justifying) his actions.
I have to acknowledge that at least some of this is that I feel so distinctly that Nick is a (grossly distorted and exaggerated) mirror of my internal life at around his age. The sense of dissociation, the obsessive love, and the ability to be deeply self-analyzing without developing any real awareness all hit a bit too close to home for me.
Nonetheless, as a piece of writing, the book is great. My four-star rating reflects only my own hangups, not specific flaws in the book.
July 31, 2011
God, this book was like soo painful to get through. It took me like 3 weeks to finally finish it. If you didn't know, this book is HUGE. It's like 500 pages. I took it with me to SF, as my old book, thinking maybe I'll make a dent in it if it's the only thing I bring (plus the awesome Jodi book). But no, I kept putting it off and finished the Jodi book in like 3 days. Anyway, I forced myself to finish it and while I feel successful in finishing something that was painful, it just brought nothing new to my life. It's sort of written in journal format, but like with excruciating detail. It's supposed to be in the voice of a dude, but no dude would ever go into this much detail about anything in life. The protag was an asshole who just ran amok and didn't care about anything or anyone, including himself. Takes place in various places around NorCal and since the book was written in like 1994, I liked the dated-ness of it all. But the details were painful. And when the kids "alter ego" came into play, I had no idea what was going on for like 100 pages. But in the span of 500 pages, 100 is nothing.
August 27, 2016
Curious about the movie of the same name, I figured I'd give the audio book of "Youth in Revolt" a chance.
Maybe it's the audio book format, but the story of Nick Twisp wasn't one that had me hurrying back or eager to continue to follow his exploits in the next books in the series. Nick is your average 14 year old teenager who is obsessed with sex and will do anything to try and rid himself to gain a girlfriend. During a summer vacation, he meets Sheeni Saunders, who he spends a week with and falls head over heels in love with. But there are two huge problems. One is she lives 400 miles away and the other is she has a boyfriend.
The story is told via journal entries by Nick and, at first, his observations are humorous. However, as the story goes along both he and Sheeni become more and more unlikeable, leading to my not really caring what happened to them by the end of the novel. Nick's idea of inventing multiple personas for himself potential but isn't really fully realized. Maybe it gets better in future books but for now I won't be eager to try them to find out.
Maybe it's the audio book format, but the story of Nick Twisp wasn't one that had me hurrying back or eager to continue to follow his exploits in the next books in the series. Nick is your average 14 year old teenager who is obsessed with sex and will do anything to try and rid himself to gain a girlfriend. During a summer vacation, he meets Sheeni Saunders, who he spends a week with and falls head over heels in love with. But there are two huge problems. One is she lives 400 miles away and the other is she has a boyfriend.
The story is told via journal entries by Nick and, at first, his observations are humorous. However, as the story goes along both he and Sheeni become more and more unlikeable, leading to my not really caring what happened to them by the end of the novel. Nick's idea of inventing multiple personas for himself potential but isn't really fully realized. Maybe it gets better in future books but for now I won't be eager to try them to find out.
August 24, 2010
Oh to be 15 and awkward again. Wait, no, actually, I'd prefer the opposite. Being a teenager is awkward, confusing, strange. Parents don't seem to understand how your needs change as you get older. They don't seem to have any idea what kind of life you really lead. If you weren't born privileged, gorgeous, or a combination of both, chances are, the pretty guy or girl at the lake isn't going to fall madly for you unless you have a few tricks up your sleeve.
This is a book for the nice guys who are tired of finishing last, the average kids who often have to contend with their exceptional peers, and if nothing else, a reminder to the hormone rage that no matter how much you want her, most girls aren't worth going to jail for. This book is painfully honest, funny, and even dark at times. As crazy as Nick gets, it still feels real.
Don't see the movie; it's a disappointment even with the hilarity of Michael Cera's portrayal of Nick Twisp's alter ego.
This is a book for the nice guys who are tired of finishing last, the average kids who often have to contend with their exceptional peers, and if nothing else, a reminder to the hormone rage that no matter how much you want her, most girls aren't worth going to jail for. This book is painfully honest, funny, and even dark at times. As crazy as Nick gets, it still feels real.
Don't see the movie; it's a disappointment even with the hilarity of Michael Cera's portrayal of Nick Twisp's alter ego.
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