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The Tragic Age
This is the story of Billy Kinsey, heir to a lottery fortune, part genius, part philosopher and social critic, full time insomniac and closeted rock drummer. Billy has decided that the best way to deal with an absurd world is to stay away from it. Do not volunteer. Do not join in. Billy will be the first to tell you it doesn’t always work— not when your twin sister, Dorie, has died, not when your unhappy parents are at war with one another, not when frazzled soccer moms in two ton SUVs are more dangerous than atom bombs, and not when your guidance counselor keeps asking why you haven’t applied to college.
Billy’s life changes when two people enter his life. Twom Twomey is a charismatic renegade who believes that truly living means going a little outlaw. Twom and Billy become one another’s mutual benefactor and friend. At the same time, Billy is reintroduced to Gretchen Quinn, an old and adored friend of Dorie’s. It is Gretchen who suggests to Billy that the world can be transformed by creative acts of the soul.
With Twom, Billy visits the dark side. And with Gretchen, Billy experiences possibilities.Billy knows that one path is leading him toward disaster and the other toward happiness. The problem is—Billy doesn’t trust happiness. It's the age he's at. The tragic age.
Stephen Metcalfe's brilliant, debut coming-of-age novel, The Tragic Age, will teach you to learn to love, trust and truly be alive in an absurd world.
Billy’s life changes when two people enter his life. Twom Twomey is a charismatic renegade who believes that truly living means going a little outlaw. Twom and Billy become one another’s mutual benefactor and friend. At the same time, Billy is reintroduced to Gretchen Quinn, an old and adored friend of Dorie’s. It is Gretchen who suggests to Billy that the world can be transformed by creative acts of the soul.
With Twom, Billy visits the dark side. And with Gretchen, Billy experiences possibilities.Billy knows that one path is leading him toward disaster and the other toward happiness. The problem is—Billy doesn’t trust happiness. It's the age he's at. The tragic age.
Stephen Metcalfe's brilliant, debut coming-of-age novel, The Tragic Age, will teach you to learn to love, trust and truly be alive in an absurd world.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2015
15 people are currently reading
1551 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Metcalfe
23 books46 followersStephen Metcalfe’s writing career has encompassed theater, film and fiction. His first novel, THE TRAGIC AGE, was published by St. Martin’s Press in March of 2015. His second novel, THE PRACTICAL NAVIGATOR, will be released by St. Martin’s in August, 2016. He has also written a fantasy novel both for children and the child in ever adult, THE WELL OF EVERY AFTER, that he will self publish in 2017. His stage plays include LOVES & HOURS, VIKINGS, STRANGE SNOW, SORROWS AND SONS, PILGRIMS, HALF A LIFETIME, EMILY, WHITE LINEN, THE INCREDIBLY FAMOUS WILLY RIVERS, WHITE MAN DANCING, A WORLD OF THEIR OWN and THE GIFT TELLER. He has been produced in New York and at regional theaters throughout the United States as well as in Europe and Japan. Screen credits include HALF A LIFETIME, COUSINS (with Isabella Rossellini and Ted Danson), JACKNIFE (with Robert De Niro and Ed Harris), ROOMMATES, EL ABUELO and BEAUTIFUL JOE (with Billy Connelly and Sharon Stone). He also wrote the production drafts of PRETTY WOMAN, ARACHNOPHOBIA, IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, DANGEROUS MINDS, THE MARRYING MAN and MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS. Other screenplays include TIME FLIES, THE OLD BOY, JONAH, THE INFIELD, THE HARROWER, SCYLLA, PASSING FANCY, ROCK, PAPER, BONE and AN INNOCENT ABROAD.
He is an Associate Artist at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and has been an adjunct professor in dramatic writing at University of California at San Diego, University of San Diego and San Diego State University.
He is an Associate Artist at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and has been an adjunct professor in dramatic writing at University of California at San Diego, University of San Diego and San Diego State University.
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March 6, 2015
................
Okay let’s do this.
First things first: I received an ebook copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest review.
So at the very beginning of this book I fell in love. It was funny, it was quirky, it was enjoyable. It had a certain spark and I was excited. The writing was really well done, too. It seemed like it was going to be great. Basically, I was duped.
It didn’t take long for this book to spiral into “??!??!?!” territory. First, you have the oversexualised Latina, the smart Asian kids that speak to each other in Chinese (because there are no other countries in Asia), the black kids on athletic scholarships, the Mexican cartel. Then you have the thinly veiled racist remarks, my favourite of which: "...looks like a woman whose family was in a mosque and it's just been bombed". There are two probable LGBT characters and both end up terribly unhappy. Add in a little fat shaming because that’s always fun. And don’t forget a shade of slut shaming, too. It was a party.
For the vast majority of the book I was just looking for some semblance of a decent plot. The main character Billy was just living his very sad and dull life. Then he meets the “bad boy” of the story, complete with tattoos and a criminal record. I’ll admit, I liked Twom at the beginning (said like Tomb. I don’t even know). He was rad and kinda cool and super interesting. Then all of a sudden he was just a caricature.
Billy himself is an unreliable narrator which I usually enjoy, but he also just so happened to be an unlikable and unsympathetic character which I do not. I think we were supposed to feel some sort of sadness or pity for him, but ye that didn’t quite work out. I did like how he had a hemangioma birthmark as I have never come across something like that in a book before.
Gretchen was a weird character for me. Like what did she even see in Billy? He completely ignores her and pretends she doesn’t exist. Then they have one chat and BAM dating. Other than her perfect body, her perfect family and her perfect life, there wasn't much to her.
Deliza is the aforementioned sexualised Latina whose family is rich because they help to “clean” the Mexican Cartel’s cash. ....yes you read that right. Her sexualisation is done to the MAX. She’s constantly sprouting some sort of insane innuendo...actually no, it’s not even innuendo. Our introduction to her character: “Hey, Billy, you want to go out with me Friday night? I might even suck your dick". Also she’s described as a “toffee-colored geisha”. I’ll just leave this here.
Ephraim. The outcast who no one ever wants around. Follows Twom around like a little puppy. Seems to have no real agency of his own.
There was this point about 3/4 of the way in where all I felt was a cross between “what the actual fuck?” and “well that escalated quickly”. And because of Billy’s unreliable narration you just wait for him to be like “lol nope” only it never happens. It was blink-and-you-miss-it, and then suddenly all hell had broken loose. Now while I seemed to have completely missed the buildup to that moment, that portion of the book was kind of enjoyable and left me on the edge of my seat. Oh but the ending just left me apathetic. It was abrupt and random and messy.
Okay let’s do this.
First things first: I received an ebook copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest review.
So at the very beginning of this book I fell in love. It was funny, it was quirky, it was enjoyable. It had a certain spark and I was excited. The writing was really well done, too. It seemed like it was going to be great. Basically, I was duped.
It didn’t take long for this book to spiral into “??!??!?!” territory. First, you have the oversexualised Latina, the smart Asian kids that speak to each other in Chinese (because there are no other countries in Asia), the black kids on athletic scholarships, the Mexican cartel. Then you have the thinly veiled racist remarks, my favourite of which: "...looks like a woman whose family was in a mosque and it's just been bombed". There are two probable LGBT characters and both end up terribly unhappy. Add in a little fat shaming because that’s always fun. And don’t forget a shade of slut shaming, too. It was a party.
For the vast majority of the book I was just looking for some semblance of a decent plot. The main character Billy was just living his very sad and dull life. Then he meets the “bad boy” of the story, complete with tattoos and a criminal record. I’ll admit, I liked Twom at the beginning (said like Tomb. I don’t even know). He was rad and kinda cool and super interesting. Then all of a sudden he was just a caricature.
Billy himself is an unreliable narrator which I usually enjoy, but he also just so happened to be an unlikable and unsympathetic character which I do not. I think we were supposed to feel some sort of sadness or pity for him, but ye that didn’t quite work out. I did like how he had a hemangioma birthmark as I have never come across something like that in a book before.
Gretchen was a weird character for me. Like what did she even see in Billy? He completely ignores her and pretends she doesn’t exist. Then they have one chat and BAM dating. Other than her perfect body, her perfect family and her perfect life, there wasn't much to her.
Deliza is the aforementioned sexualised Latina whose family is rich because they help to “clean” the Mexican Cartel’s cash. ....yes you read that right. Her sexualisation is done to the MAX. She’s constantly sprouting some sort of insane innuendo...actually no, it’s not even innuendo. Our introduction to her character: “Hey, Billy, you want to go out with me Friday night? I might even suck your dick". Also she’s described as a “toffee-colored geisha”. I’ll just leave this here.
Ephraim. The outcast who no one ever wants around. Follows Twom around like a little puppy. Seems to have no real agency of his own.
There was this point about 3/4 of the way in where all I felt was a cross between “what the actual fuck?” and “well that escalated quickly”. And because of Billy’s unreliable narration you just wait for him to be like “lol nope” only it never happens. It was blink-and-you-miss-it, and then suddenly all hell had broken loose. Now while I seemed to have completely missed the buildup to that moment, that portion of the book was kind of enjoyable and left me on the edge of my seat. Oh but the ending just left me apathetic. It was abrupt and random and messy.
April 15, 2016
In accordance to FTC guidelines, I must state that I received a free galley copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. This did not alter my thoughts on the book in any way.
The Tragic Age by Stephen Metcalfe was definitely one of my more anticipated debut novels of 2015. When I saw the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read it, especially with the comparison to The Catcher in the Rye. Then I saw that Stephen worked on one of my favorite movies, Pretty Woman. I was sold, and I knew that I would be reading it. I became even more excited when I found out that I had a galley on the way.
You know the saying, "Less is more?" Someone should have given Stephen Metcalfe that piece of advice after reading a draft of The Tragic Age. While the story is extremely interesting and intriguing at first, Metcalfe just includes too much information for a reader to handle. All was well when I was reading the first few chapters, and I was laughing and enjoying myself. Then suddenly, about a quarter of the way through the book, things turned ugly. Reading this book became tedious, and I really started to feel like I was in a reading slump. Only I wasn't in a slump; I just wasn't enjoying the book anymore. I kept reading because I was hoping to rediscover a greatness in the book, but it wasn't the case. I probably would have DNFed this book, but by the time I really felt like things weren't going to get better, I was too far into it. It would have felt pointless to DNF it.
The characters in the book are some of the most messed up characters I have ever come across in a book. At first, I really liked Billy, but as the book progressed, I began to strongly dislike him. I understand that he has a lot to deal with, but he went from being a likeable character to an irritating character. To be honest, I didn't even know his name throughout most of the book because he's just not memorable. That's kind of a problem because he's the narrator. The other main characters, Twom, Ephraim, and Deliza bring uniqueness and a little bit of diversity to the book, but they don't save the poor writing and plot.
I did find a few things that I liked about the book. In many of Billy's tangents, he refers to historical events and pop culture. I was able to tell that he was a well-thought character and that Metcalfe put a lot of effort into creating him and making him this super smart but careless human. I also liked the minor character, Gretchen, and her connection to Billy and his family. I think she was a much needed character for the book, but I just wish that Metcalfe would have included her in more parts of the novel.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I would feel extremely guilty if I did, especially if the person ends up disliking it as much as I did.
The Tragic Age by Stephen Metcalfe was definitely one of my more anticipated debut novels of 2015. When I saw the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read it, especially with the comparison to The Catcher in the Rye. Then I saw that Stephen worked on one of my favorite movies, Pretty Woman. I was sold, and I knew that I would be reading it. I became even more excited when I found out that I had a galley on the way.
You know the saying, "Less is more?" Someone should have given Stephen Metcalfe that piece of advice after reading a draft of The Tragic Age. While the story is extremely interesting and intriguing at first, Metcalfe just includes too much information for a reader to handle. All was well when I was reading the first few chapters, and I was laughing and enjoying myself. Then suddenly, about a quarter of the way through the book, things turned ugly. Reading this book became tedious, and I really started to feel like I was in a reading slump. Only I wasn't in a slump; I just wasn't enjoying the book anymore. I kept reading because I was hoping to rediscover a greatness in the book, but it wasn't the case. I probably would have DNFed this book, but by the time I really felt like things weren't going to get better, I was too far into it. It would have felt pointless to DNF it.
The characters in the book are some of the most messed up characters I have ever come across in a book. At first, I really liked Billy, but as the book progressed, I began to strongly dislike him. I understand that he has a lot to deal with, but he went from being a likeable character to an irritating character. To be honest, I didn't even know his name throughout most of the book because he's just not memorable. That's kind of a problem because he's the narrator. The other main characters, Twom, Ephraim, and Deliza bring uniqueness and a little bit of diversity to the book, but they don't save the poor writing and plot.
I did find a few things that I liked about the book. In many of Billy's tangents, he refers to historical events and pop culture. I was able to tell that he was a well-thought character and that Metcalfe put a lot of effort into creating him and making him this super smart but careless human. I also liked the minor character, Gretchen, and her connection to Billy and his family. I think she was a much needed character for the book, but I just wish that Metcalfe would have included her in more parts of the novel.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I would feel extremely guilty if I did, especially if the person ends up disliking it as much as I did.
July 19, 2016
Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway
It's going to take a while to get over this book. I could not stop reading this until I got about 50 pages from the end, then I didn't want to finish it. I even walked away from it knowing that the end was going to be too tragic and emotional. Of course, my resolve lasted about a half hour before I gave in and finished.
Billy's family lives in a wealthy community in California. They won the lottery to get there; the other families "belong" there. Billy's twin sister, Dorie, died of leukemia when they were 11 and he knows that he should have saved her. His was a perfect bone marrow match but it wasn't to be. This is why Billy can't sleep. His insomnia leads to every other thing that happens in this novel.
"The Outsiders" was the novel of my youth. This may well be the novel of this generation. It's that good. I'll be waiting for the movie adaptation--I think I've already watched it while reading the novel...
It's going to take a while to get over this book. I could not stop reading this until I got about 50 pages from the end, then I didn't want to finish it. I even walked away from it knowing that the end was going to be too tragic and emotional. Of course, my resolve lasted about a half hour before I gave in and finished.
Billy's family lives in a wealthy community in California. They won the lottery to get there; the other families "belong" there. Billy's twin sister, Dorie, died of leukemia when they were 11 and he knows that he should have saved her. His was a perfect bone marrow match but it wasn't to be. This is why Billy can't sleep. His insomnia leads to every other thing that happens in this novel.
"The Outsiders" was the novel of my youth. This may well be the novel of this generation. It's that good. I'll be waiting for the movie adaptation--I think I've already watched it while reading the novel...
September 25, 2022
DNF-ing at 52% because I just hate this. I will take a portion of the blame because I thought this was both new-ish and queer and was wildly wrong about both -- I do have two English degrees, yes, but my ability to read a blurb is questionable at best -- but it's also just awful. The tone of this is boring and dated, hateful for the sake of being hateful, with flat characters that read like the worst, most embarrassing caricatures and a stylistic voice that sounds like it watched Fight Club and completely missed the point.
When I suddenly thought, 'perhaps your bone marrow poisoned your sister and that's why she's dead,' I knew it was time to call it a day.
When I suddenly thought, 'perhaps your bone marrow poisoned your sister and that's why she's dead,' I knew it was time to call it a day.
December 3, 2015
As a 22-year-old lover of YA fiction, I was excited to read this book (although I was more excited when I thought the title was A Tragic Ape). I was unable to finish because of the insufferable protagonist and the choppy sentence structures. I think I got a headache from the lack of sentence structure variety, really. I could have gotten over the holier-than-thou attitude of the main character and finished the book if reading it weren't such a pain.
March 7, 2015
I'm glad that I read this novel shortly after reading How to Win at High School (You can check out my review of that one here). Both had a male as the main character, and even though I'm not usually a fan of male main characters, I really enjoyed them both. Who knows...I might start requesting more books like this one!
First, I LOVED the snarky writing in this one. I'm all for main characters where you feel like you are them, and not that you are looking down on a movie set. I instantly felt like I was Billy. I had an instant connection with his pessimistic viewpoint of the world and his snarky personality. I've been reading so many contemporary romance novels lately, that this was a breath of fresh air.
Billy is a kid after my own heart and it killed me to see him doing things he shouldn't. I grieved with him over the loss of his sister and could see the sense of longing in his heart as he tries to fit in despite a deformity on his face. His group of misfits remind me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. They need each other, but they don't need each other. Together they don't feel so lonely, but they end up doing so many things they shouldn't. This novel also reminds me of The Catcher in the Rye in that the main character's are both male and learn about life doing things that are a little above their age level. Ephraim was probably my favorite character of all. He reminds me so much af several kids I went to high school with. Totally addicted to games and totally has lost touch with reality. He's just so happy to have people to hang out with that it breaks your heart.
The ending was a little confusing and I had to go back and read through it a few times. Billy has a way of playing things out in his head, coming up with different scenarios, and I couldn't figure out if this was in his head or actually happening. I knew that the ending couldn't be prefect, but I was shocked with how it all went down. I don't want to say anymore about the ending because I'm afraid I'll give something away, but it was surprising.
Overall, I was very happy with this novel and I hope that Metcalfe writes another one. I would recommend this to older teens because it has a lot of sex and violence in it.
First, I LOVED the snarky writing in this one. I'm all for main characters where you feel like you are them, and not that you are looking down on a movie set. I instantly felt like I was Billy. I had an instant connection with his pessimistic viewpoint of the world and his snarky personality. I've been reading so many contemporary romance novels lately, that this was a breath of fresh air.
Billy is a kid after my own heart and it killed me to see him doing things he shouldn't. I grieved with him over the loss of his sister and could see the sense of longing in his heart as he tries to fit in despite a deformity on his face. His group of misfits remind me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. They need each other, but they don't need each other. Together they don't feel so lonely, but they end up doing so many things they shouldn't. This novel also reminds me of The Catcher in the Rye in that the main character's are both male and learn about life doing things that are a little above their age level. Ephraim was probably my favorite character of all. He reminds me so much af several kids I went to high school with. Totally addicted to games and totally has lost touch with reality. He's just so happy to have people to hang out with that it breaks your heart.
The ending was a little confusing and I had to go back and read through it a few times. Billy has a way of playing things out in his head, coming up with different scenarios, and I couldn't figure out if this was in his head or actually happening. I knew that the ending couldn't be prefect, but I was shocked with how it all went down. I don't want to say anymore about the ending because I'm afraid I'll give something away, but it was surprising.
Overall, I was very happy with this novel and I hope that Metcalfe writes another one. I would recommend this to older teens because it has a lot of sex and violence in it.
February 12, 2015
One word to describe this book: clever.
The Tragic Age is a thought-provoking novel that follows high school senior, Billy. This novel is compelling and clever, and touches on tough subjects such as death and suicide.
You would think that Billy had the perfect life, if you didn’t know him. His family has been living in an upscale neighborhood since winning the lottery a few years ago. But Billy’s life is far from perfect. His twin sister, Dorie, passed away from leukemia. His father is an alcoholic, and his mother recently fought a battle with breast cancer. Billy has a large birthmark on his face, which causes him to have self-esteem issues.
In the beginning of The Tragic Age, Billy is still struggling after losing Dorie. He doesn’t sleep, and he refuses to talk to anyone. He tries to blend in the shadows and just wants to move on. A kid named Twom moves to town, and around the same time Billy reconnects with a girl named Gretchen. Billy and his friends begin breaking into houses. They don’t steal anything, but they do eat some food. And Billy finds out that he can sleep at other people’s homes and not his own. After a while, things begin spiraling out of control and things get out of hand.
The Tragic Age is a coming of age story that gives the same vibes as A Catcher in the Rye. It deals with tough subjects and makes you think about what you would do if you were in Billy’s situation. The Tragic Age is an entertaining book. I couldn’t stop reading it, but I did find Billy a little hard to connect with at times. The Tragic Age takes you on an emotional journey as Billy comes to terms with who he is and what he wants out of life.
The Conclusion:
There was a little bit of info dumping that happened, and that made things a little confusing at times. Billy was a hard character to connect with, but I did enjoy reading his point-of-view. The Tragic Age is thought-provoking and will make you wonder what you would do if you were in Billy’s shoes.
Recommended To:
Fans of the classic; A Catcher in the Rye, will LOVE this book. It has the same vibes and reminded me so much of that book.
The Tragic Age is a thought-provoking novel that follows high school senior, Billy. This novel is compelling and clever, and touches on tough subjects such as death and suicide.
You would think that Billy had the perfect life, if you didn’t know him. His family has been living in an upscale neighborhood since winning the lottery a few years ago. But Billy’s life is far from perfect. His twin sister, Dorie, passed away from leukemia. His father is an alcoholic, and his mother recently fought a battle with breast cancer. Billy has a large birthmark on his face, which causes him to have self-esteem issues.
In the beginning of The Tragic Age, Billy is still struggling after losing Dorie. He doesn’t sleep, and he refuses to talk to anyone. He tries to blend in the shadows and just wants to move on. A kid named Twom moves to town, and around the same time Billy reconnects with a girl named Gretchen. Billy and his friends begin breaking into houses. They don’t steal anything, but they do eat some food. And Billy finds out that he can sleep at other people’s homes and not his own. After a while, things begin spiraling out of control and things get out of hand.
The Tragic Age is a coming of age story that gives the same vibes as A Catcher in the Rye. It deals with tough subjects and makes you think about what you would do if you were in Billy’s situation. The Tragic Age is an entertaining book. I couldn’t stop reading it, but I did find Billy a little hard to connect with at times. The Tragic Age takes you on an emotional journey as Billy comes to terms with who he is and what he wants out of life.
The Conclusion:
There was a little bit of info dumping that happened, and that made things a little confusing at times. Billy was a hard character to connect with, but I did enjoy reading his point-of-view. The Tragic Age is thought-provoking and will make you wonder what you would do if you were in Billy’s shoes.
Recommended To:
Fans of the classic; A Catcher in the Rye, will LOVE this book. It has the same vibes and reminded me so much of that book.
December 28, 2014
this book was so good but the ending was so confusing? billy often provides alternate endings to things as a joke, and it's very clear in the beginning what he does and doesn't do, but the end is such a mess because you're not sure what quite happened to twom and deliza and billy in mexico, so despite the excellent court scene end, it's not very clear
the bad:
-wow, oversexualized latinas!!!! so original!!! also black kids, mexican kids, and asian kids are stereotyped for FILTH what is happening
-billy is so horny all the time wtf
-why is deliza mean to ephraim wtf does she get out of that
-did ephraim really have to ????
-where was the billy/twom relationship that was lowkey implied at first? why did you play me like this, metcalfe?
-poor, poor ephraim; he is such a pitiful character and despite being a mashup of a million tropes i adore him; probably bc he's the ONLY FREAKING LGBTQ CHARACTER IN THE ENTIRE GODDAMN BOOK (except for miss counselor lady who was mentioned for all of 2 pages) but whatever
-i really hope this book is a parody please god please
the good:
-i adore billy's voice and the facts and sidebars he provides
-broken homes are done right in this book and adults are portrayed as normal humans who can't fix everything
-DORIE MY SWEET CHILD
-billy recognizes his privilege (sometimes)
-the squad never hurts any1 during the night visiting
-reppin' hemangioma >>>
conclusion:
this book is a mashup of Lish McBride's male characters and their voices with a strangely A. S. King feel; read at own risk, for it is problematic and honestly, it seems like the author is writing out his own fantasy; maybe this book is a parody and i never gathered that but ?????
March 6, 2015
“The Tragic Age” is the type of novel I adore, but yet find extremely difficult to find one that is well-written. It is, above all else, an excellent study in existentialism for the current high school generation, not to mention the rest of us.
Billy is a narrator with an excellent voice. His observations are disturbing, disturbed, witty, intelligent, and downright funny. Funny, that is, until you actually think about them too hard. Then they become disturbing and/or disturbed. The author managed to make him both a very self-aware narrator and a very unreliable narrator. That is a true mark of talent.
Nothing about the plot is predictable, yet at the end the conclusion seems inevitable. It is definitely a novel that needs a second read to fully appreciate all that it has to offer. I can honestly say it will be something I analyze for quite some time.
Also, I died a little bit inside when the epitome of old was revealed to be forty.
Recommended for the older young adult crowd and those who like existentialist literature. “The Tragic Age” is not for younger readers, as it is dark and adult in nature,
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Billy is a narrator with an excellent voice. His observations are disturbing, disturbed, witty, intelligent, and downright funny. Funny, that is, until you actually think about them too hard. Then they become disturbing and/or disturbed. The author managed to make him both a very self-aware narrator and a very unreliable narrator. That is a true mark of talent.
Nothing about the plot is predictable, yet at the end the conclusion seems inevitable. It is definitely a novel that needs a second read to fully appreciate all that it has to offer. I can honestly say it will be something I analyze for quite some time.
Also, I died a little bit inside when the epitome of old was revealed to be forty.
Recommended for the older young adult crowd and those who like existentialist literature. “The Tragic Age” is not for younger readers, as it is dark and adult in nature,
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2016
Originally posted over at Lekeisha The Booknerd
I’ve wanted to read this book since it first released last year. However, all the mixed reviews made me put it on hold for months. When I got the chance to review it for it’s paperback release, I was all for it. After reading this book, I’m torn between the beautiful writing, and the chaos that it all wraps up to be.
The Tragic Age is, as I said before, beautifully written. There are a slew of characters that make up this story, and they are all really messed up. The way the author tells this story is almost offensive. The stereotypical cast of characters isn’t all that original, but most of it is just pretty darn accurate in terms of their character. And I imagine that’s how most people think. Black males getting scholarships to play sports. Ugh, so wrong, yet so right in a way. Still, it was a little insulting. The promiscuous Latina? Come on, this could have been better. And then there’s Billy, the intelligent loner who is obviously a pessimist. Everyone is not as smart as him. Life sucks, and then you die. Hold on…..despite all of this, I actually found myself engrossed in everything that he had to say. The guy is smart, and being inside his head wasn’t that bad. I like male protagonists, but this one is a not what I expected.
This beautifully written book, turns out to be not quite a beautiful story. I didn’t connect with the relationships that formed. Billy’s parents are clueless. Is this about the money? Hmm, not even sure. I just really have nothing to say about this book. I want to recommend it, but then I’m not even sure I want to push this on anyone. This is one of those it’s not you, it’s me reads. However, I’m sure there are readers who may love this. I just find it really irritating.
I’ve wanted to read this book since it first released last year. However, all the mixed reviews made me put it on hold for months. When I got the chance to review it for it’s paperback release, I was all for it. After reading this book, I’m torn between the beautiful writing, and the chaos that it all wraps up to be.
The Tragic Age is, as I said before, beautifully written. There are a slew of characters that make up this story, and they are all really messed up. The way the author tells this story is almost offensive. The stereotypical cast of characters isn’t all that original, but most of it is just pretty darn accurate in terms of their character. And I imagine that’s how most people think. Black males getting scholarships to play sports. Ugh, so wrong, yet so right in a way. Still, it was a little insulting. The promiscuous Latina? Come on, this could have been better. And then there’s Billy, the intelligent loner who is obviously a pessimist. Everyone is not as smart as him. Life sucks, and then you die. Hold on…..despite all of this, I actually found myself engrossed in everything that he had to say. The guy is smart, and being inside his head wasn’t that bad. I like male protagonists, but this one is a not what I expected.
This beautifully written book, turns out to be not quite a beautiful story. I didn’t connect with the relationships that formed. Billy’s parents are clueless. Is this about the money? Hmm, not even sure. I just really have nothing to say about this book. I want to recommend it, but then I’m not even sure I want to push this on anyone. This is one of those it’s not you, it’s me reads. However, I’m sure there are readers who may love this. I just find it really irritating.
January 19, 2015
I won a copy of this book In a giveaway here on goodreads. This book is an amazing story, a story of a young teen boy who has had just about anything that could go wrong in his life actually go wrong. It's a story about choices, and how we have to live with the consequences. It's well written book and I found myself truly struggling to ever put it down! I would suggest it be aimed for an older audience As it touches on sex, and suicidal thoughts as well as some other topics that wouldn't be suitable for younger teens. I would say realistically 16 and up.
March 5, 2015
This review and more can be found on my blog The Muses Circle
My Review: I'm hoping to keep this review short and sweet as there are so many wonderful layers to this unique, coming-of-age novel by the visionary Stephen Metcalfe. The Tragic Age is packed with themes and life lessons-- so much so that I can see this being a novel that should be read in the classroom (although language and sexual situations may be an issue; more about that later).
The story is told through Billy's perceptive yet cynical eyes. He explains how his father won the lottery which puts them in a whole new social bracket. He constantly compares his pre-lottery life to his new one. Before the lottery, his twin sister had been alive and his parents seemed to have been much happier (at least they were able to communicate better) among other things. After the big win, they buy a big house, move to a rich gated community, and appear to have everything that money can buy. We quickly come to the same conclusion that Billy has cleverly come to-- money can't buy happiness. It can't bring someone back from the dead and can't stop people from drinking-- a really bad habit his father has picked up.
I've read quite a few Young Adult novels with female characters that have Hemangiomas (red facial "birthmark") but have never come across one with a male protagonist. I was curious to see things through Billy's perspective. How does a young man deal with it?
Cancer is another topic that is laced throughout the story. Billy's not over the loss of his sister and his own mother is a cancer survivor. The Tragic Age is actually the first book I've read that deals a bit with the topic of cancer since learning my own father has it.
So here are some other things I enjoyed about the novel. The chapters are short-- ranging from just a paragraph to a couple of pages. This obviously leads to quick and addictive reading.
Billy is funny and quirky, especially when he goes off on one of his fact lectures. What's really cool about this is just when you start to wonder what in the hell does this have to do with the story, Billy always finds a way to relate it back to the topic at hand which is truly brilliant. Here is one of my favorite examples, when Billy tries to describe and deny his attraction to Gretchen:
"It's just not fair.
Norepinephrine, phenylhydrazine, and dopamine, which act like amphetamines, hit my brain's pleasure center like a locomotive. My pupils dilate. My heart pumps faster. The chemical oxytocin floods my body, creating intense feelings of caring, attraction, and warmth. Physical contact produces endorphins and continued high doses of ocytocin. These chemicals are all natural opiates that create a druglike dependency.
Translation?
I am so screwed."
Things really pick up when Twom (pronounced "tomb") Twomey enters the picture. I absolutely found Twom intriguing. Perhaps it's the mysterious bad boy thing he has going on. I loved how he shows no fear, the way he deals with the school bully John Montebello (one of my favorite parts), how he can be violent one minute but be sensitive enough to give some attention to the "fat girl". Billy can't help but gravitate toward him, perhaps because they both use facades to cover who they really are inside. I also found Twom's star-crossed love with Deliza interesting.
With Billy and Twom becoming best buds, others start joining their little group. Ephraim, the introverted "nerd" who can hack into pretty much anything and the popular, gorgeous Deliza (who surprisingly falls for Twom)-- they start breaking into houses. Their purpose is not to steal anything-- Ephraim does it for the rush and cred since he loves tech stuff, it gives Twom and Deliza a place to make out among other things and Billy...well, he sleeps. You learn pretty early on that Billy also suffers from Insomnia. He can't sleep at home which is why he is basically a walking encyclopedia. But for some reason, in other people's homes, he can finally rest peacefully.
While some may find the culmination of the story startling (I won't lie, I had to go back and reread it a few times and then sit on it a few days until I figured out whether I liked the direction the story took me) I have to say the title says it all. As a teacher, I deal with kids from ages 11-18, five days a week and it never ceases to amaze me how they can take something so small and completely blow it out of proportion. Or if they had just taken the time to think things through, they would have come to a completely different conclusion or outcome. That is really all I can say without giving away the ending of the story.
I also must add that after doing a little research on author Stephen Metcalfe and finding out that while this is his debut novel, he is not new to the field. He is an accomplished screenwriter and playwright which explains why The Tragic Age feels like it can easily be turned into a film.
The Tragic Age is a true gem in a sea of coal. A breath of fresh air that follows its own formula, it is the type of novel that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Stephen Metcalfe is a strong writer that cleverly intertwines many themes and topics without making the story feel convoluted. Lastly, while this novel would be an excellent addition to the high school classroom and would open up discussion on a variety of different topics, I must warn that there is adult language (cursing) and sexual situations. However, I hope that this does not deter educators from experiencing The Tragic Age and somehow find a way to incorporate it into the classroom. As a reader, you will find this coming-of-age novel funny, eye-opening and told through the eyes of one of the most unique male characters in Young Adult literature.
Best Wishes,
Mia
My Review: I'm hoping to keep this review short and sweet as there are so many wonderful layers to this unique, coming-of-age novel by the visionary Stephen Metcalfe. The Tragic Age is packed with themes and life lessons-- so much so that I can see this being a novel that should be read in the classroom (although language and sexual situations may be an issue; more about that later).
The story is told through Billy's perceptive yet cynical eyes. He explains how his father won the lottery which puts them in a whole new social bracket. He constantly compares his pre-lottery life to his new one. Before the lottery, his twin sister had been alive and his parents seemed to have been much happier (at least they were able to communicate better) among other things. After the big win, they buy a big house, move to a rich gated community, and appear to have everything that money can buy. We quickly come to the same conclusion that Billy has cleverly come to-- money can't buy happiness. It can't bring someone back from the dead and can't stop people from drinking-- a really bad habit his father has picked up.
I've read quite a few Young Adult novels with female characters that have Hemangiomas (red facial "birthmark") but have never come across one with a male protagonist. I was curious to see things through Billy's perspective. How does a young man deal with it?
Cancer is another topic that is laced throughout the story. Billy's not over the loss of his sister and his own mother is a cancer survivor. The Tragic Age is actually the first book I've read that deals a bit with the topic of cancer since learning my own father has it.
So here are some other things I enjoyed about the novel. The chapters are short-- ranging from just a paragraph to a couple of pages. This obviously leads to quick and addictive reading.
Billy is funny and quirky, especially when he goes off on one of his fact lectures. What's really cool about this is just when you start to wonder what in the hell does this have to do with the story, Billy always finds a way to relate it back to the topic at hand which is truly brilliant. Here is one of my favorite examples, when Billy tries to describe and deny his attraction to Gretchen:
"It's just not fair.
Norepinephrine, phenylhydrazine, and dopamine, which act like amphetamines, hit my brain's pleasure center like a locomotive. My pupils dilate. My heart pumps faster. The chemical oxytocin floods my body, creating intense feelings of caring, attraction, and warmth. Physical contact produces endorphins and continued high doses of ocytocin. These chemicals are all natural opiates that create a druglike dependency.
Translation?
I am so screwed."
Things really pick up when Twom (pronounced "tomb") Twomey enters the picture. I absolutely found Twom intriguing. Perhaps it's the mysterious bad boy thing he has going on. I loved how he shows no fear, the way he deals with the school bully John Montebello (one of my favorite parts), how he can be violent one minute but be sensitive enough to give some attention to the "fat girl". Billy can't help but gravitate toward him, perhaps because they both use facades to cover who they really are inside. I also found Twom's star-crossed love with Deliza interesting.
With Billy and Twom becoming best buds, others start joining their little group. Ephraim, the introverted "nerd" who can hack into pretty much anything and the popular, gorgeous Deliza (who surprisingly falls for Twom)-- they start breaking into houses. Their purpose is not to steal anything-- Ephraim does it for the rush and cred since he loves tech stuff, it gives Twom and Deliza a place to make out among other things and Billy...well, he sleeps. You learn pretty early on that Billy also suffers from Insomnia. He can't sleep at home which is why he is basically a walking encyclopedia. But for some reason, in other people's homes, he can finally rest peacefully.
While some may find the culmination of the story startling (I won't lie, I had to go back and reread it a few times and then sit on it a few days until I figured out whether I liked the direction the story took me) I have to say the title says it all. As a teacher, I deal with kids from ages 11-18, five days a week and it never ceases to amaze me how they can take something so small and completely blow it out of proportion. Or if they had just taken the time to think things through, they would have come to a completely different conclusion or outcome. That is really all I can say without giving away the ending of the story.
I also must add that after doing a little research on author Stephen Metcalfe and finding out that while this is his debut novel, he is not new to the field. He is an accomplished screenwriter and playwright which explains why The Tragic Age feels like it can easily be turned into a film.
The Tragic Age is a true gem in a sea of coal. A breath of fresh air that follows its own formula, it is the type of novel that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Stephen Metcalfe is a strong writer that cleverly intertwines many themes and topics without making the story feel convoluted. Lastly, while this novel would be an excellent addition to the high school classroom and would open up discussion on a variety of different topics, I must warn that there is adult language (cursing) and sexual situations. However, I hope that this does not deter educators from experiencing The Tragic Age and somehow find a way to incorporate it into the classroom. As a reader, you will find this coming-of-age novel funny, eye-opening and told through the eyes of one of the most unique male characters in Young Adult literature.
Best Wishes,
Mia
March 17, 2015
More reviews at fANGIRLconfessions
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This opinion is my own, and will not be affected by this.
Young Adult Perspective Survey
In YA novels, do you prefer to read from the perspective of a male or female?
Click Here to see answer
Outside of the blogging community, I'm one of those people who has a ton of friends. The difference between me and other bloggers I know, is that I have more MALE friends than female. I've always chalked this up to the fact that, when I was younger I was a huge tomboy -- well, to a certain extent, I still am. Instead of talking about getting my hair done, or about nails, makeup, clothes, accessories, and boys, I'm chatting about what video games I want to buy for my PS3, how I would bust anyone's ass in Mortal Kombat, or I'm arguing about how Grand Theft Auto 3 will forever be the best game in it's franchise. So to make a long story short, I have more in common with boys I know, than I do with the girls I know IRL. Weird right?
Obviously, this has transferred into my bookish habits, because I've begun to realize that within the YA genre, I typically enjoy the book more when it's from the male perspective. This is probably why every book I read with a male lead is pretty much a home run for me, and The Tragic Age delivered a near perfect pitch.
Chef Boyar-Stephen
Grab a bowl. Mix in
5 Cups of a dysfunctional family. 4 cups of a unorthodox teenage boy with a wiseass personality. 3 Tablespoons of a deceased sister who still lives within dreams.
2 Teaspoons of a unusual set of friends that include: a nerd so pathetic I wanted to slap him, a rebel newcomer with anger issues, an overly sexual girl who wasn't a friend . . . but then she sort of was, and finally a good girl who was completely oblivious to it all. Finally add 1 stick of a mind-blogging plot twist.
Bake on 500º for an hour and you have yourself a recipe for disaster.
But a good disaster always makes for a delicious meal.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
With an alcoholic dad who won 37 million dollars in the lottery, a mother who is oblivious to everything around her, and a sister who passed away too young from Leukemia, Billy Kinsey was pretty much left to his own devices. He was a know-it-all, mixing fiction with factual statements in a surprisingly not-so-annoying manner. I'm usually put off by people with this type of personality, but it was really easy for me to like Billy's character. Right off the bat I knew he would be an introvert, keeping to himself or with a handful of friends, but I wasn't truly expecting him to be this entertaining. I laughed quite a few times at his ridiculousness, and because he was so good at not allowing things to appear as they seem, all the troubling issues he was dealing with, only seemed to surface when he wanted to present them to you.
Up In Flames
What made this book for me, were the friendships, (if you can even call them that) Billy made with the supporting characters. Twom, Deliza, Ephriam, and Gretchen were as odd and uncomfortable as a stripper in church bright & early on a sunday morning. Not too mention incredibly unhealthy. Gretchen, an old friend of his twin sister Dorie, became Billy's girlfriend later on in the story, and was the only one who had any damn sense. I adored their relationship, mainly because it reminded me of how wholesome young love can really be. Being the dummy most adolescent boys are, (no offense, but we all know it's true) Billy couldn't just settle for a normal life with the girl he knew he loved but wanted to push away, instead he fell into the adrenaline rush of chaos his other friends offered.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Enter dumb, dumber, and dumbest.
Ephriam, the nerd I mentioned earlier, is suffering from depression (I picked up on this early) and is the hacker of the group. Twom is far from the brain of the operation, but he offers enough muscle for everyone, and Deliza is just there to get her rocks off with the school's new bad boy. Things kick into high gear and actually get a bit exciting, as the ragtag group of misfits begin to break into the homes of their surrounding neighbors. I was a bit surprised to find out that this was Billy's idea, and was easily engrossed by the thrill of it all. I had this strong feeling they would all get caught, but I never would've guessed things would end as badly as they did. Shit completely went up in flames . . .
Literally.
The Night Visitors
Unlike other books that are compared to The Catcher In The Rye, The Tragic Age wasn't at all what I expected. The writing was pleasant, with characters I would call my guilty pleasure, all wrapped in an explosive plot twist that went from 0 to 100 real quick, (10 cool points if you knew I quoted Drake) leaving my mouth literally gaping open. With all that I loved about this book, I will admit that the ending was probably my biggest disappointment. I'm a huge fan of crazy, and that's exactly what Stephen was giving me . . . until the very end. Things left off on a pretty good note, and to be honest, that's the complete opposite of what I was expecting, and what I actually wanted. I assumed things would continue to go south -- to blow up Billy's face. I had images of jail cells, and crying parents, but nope. Everything ended nice and dandy, which really isn't such a bad thing . . .
The Tragic Age was the perfect book I needed to pull me out of my Young Adult slump. It was a light, fast-paced, refreshing read, that all lovers of YA and The Catcher In The Rye would enjoy . . .
Hopefully.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This opinion is my own, and will not be affected by this.
Young Adult Perspective Survey
In YA novels, do you prefer to read from the perspective of a male or female?
Click Here to see answer
Outside of the blogging community, I'm one of those people who has a ton of friends. The difference between me and other bloggers I know, is that I have more MALE friends than female. I've always chalked this up to the fact that, when I was younger I was a huge tomboy -- well, to a certain extent, I still am. Instead of talking about getting my hair done, or about nails, makeup, clothes, accessories, and boys, I'm chatting about what video games I want to buy for my PS3, how I would bust anyone's ass in Mortal Kombat, or I'm arguing about how Grand Theft Auto 3 will forever be the best game in it's franchise. So to make a long story short, I have more in common with boys I know, than I do with the girls I know IRL. Weird right?
Obviously, this has transferred into my bookish habits, because I've begun to realize that within the YA genre, I typically enjoy the book more when it's from the male perspective. This is probably why every book I read with a male lead is pretty much a home run for me, and The Tragic Age delivered a near perfect pitch.
Chef Boyar-Stephen
Grab a bowl. Mix in
5 Cups of a dysfunctional family. 4 cups of a unorthodox teenage boy with a wiseass personality. 3 Tablespoons of a deceased sister who still lives within dreams.
2 Teaspoons of a unusual set of friends that include: a nerd so pathetic I wanted to slap him, a rebel newcomer with anger issues, an overly sexual girl who wasn't a friend . . . but then she sort of was, and finally a good girl who was completely oblivious to it all. Finally add 1 stick of a mind-blogging plot twist.
Bake on 500º for an hour and you have yourself a recipe for disaster.
But a good disaster always makes for a delicious meal.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
With an alcoholic dad who won 37 million dollars in the lottery, a mother who is oblivious to everything around her, and a sister who passed away too young from Leukemia, Billy Kinsey was pretty much left to his own devices. He was a know-it-all, mixing fiction with factual statements in a surprisingly not-so-annoying manner. I'm usually put off by people with this type of personality, but it was really easy for me to like Billy's character. Right off the bat I knew he would be an introvert, keeping to himself or with a handful of friends, but I wasn't truly expecting him to be this entertaining. I laughed quite a few times at his ridiculousness, and because he was so good at not allowing things to appear as they seem, all the troubling issues he was dealing with, only seemed to surface when he wanted to present them to you.
Up In Flames
What made this book for me, were the friendships, (if you can even call them that) Billy made with the supporting characters. Twom, Deliza, Ephriam, and Gretchen were as odd and uncomfortable as a stripper in church bright & early on a sunday morning. Not too mention incredibly unhealthy. Gretchen, an old friend of his twin sister Dorie, became Billy's girlfriend later on in the story, and was the only one who had any damn sense. I adored their relationship, mainly because it reminded me of how wholesome young love can really be. Being the dummy most adolescent boys are, (no offense, but we all know it's true) Billy couldn't just settle for a normal life with the girl he knew he loved but wanted to push away, instead he fell into the adrenaline rush of chaos his other friends offered.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Enter dumb, dumber, and dumbest.
Ephriam, the nerd I mentioned earlier, is suffering from depression (I picked up on this early) and is the hacker of the group. Twom is far from the brain of the operation, but he offers enough muscle for everyone, and Deliza is just there to get her rocks off with the school's new bad boy. Things kick into high gear and actually get a bit exciting, as the ragtag group of misfits begin to break into the homes of their surrounding neighbors. I was a bit surprised to find out that this was Billy's idea, and was easily engrossed by the thrill of it all. I had this strong feeling they would all get caught, but I never would've guessed things would end as badly as they did. Shit completely went up in flames . . .
Literally.
The Night Visitors
Unlike other books that are compared to The Catcher In The Rye, The Tragic Age wasn't at all what I expected. The writing was pleasant, with characters I would call my guilty pleasure, all wrapped in an explosive plot twist that went from 0 to 100 real quick, (10 cool points if you knew I quoted Drake) leaving my mouth literally gaping open. With all that I loved about this book, I will admit that the ending was probably my biggest disappointment. I'm a huge fan of crazy, and that's exactly what Stephen was giving me . . . until the very end. Things left off on a pretty good note, and to be honest, that's the complete opposite of what I was expecting, and what I actually wanted. I assumed things would continue to go south -- to blow up Billy's face. I had images of jail cells, and crying parents, but nope. Everything ended nice and dandy, which really isn't such a bad thing . . .
The Tragic Age was the perfect book I needed to pull me out of my Young Adult slump. It was a light, fast-paced, refreshing read, that all lovers of YA and The Catcher In The Rye would enjoy . . .
Hopefully.
April 15, 2015
When I started this book I thought it was going to be a cute, snarky, coming of age update to Catcher in the Rye, but it turned out to be more like a cute, snarky, coming of age update to Dante’s Inferno. Certainly there was a nihilistic edge right from the beginning that should have clued me in, but I so wanted it to be just a modern Salinger I ignored it (and attributed it, moreover, to the inevitable reflection of our current, perhaps more cynical, age.)
17-year-old Billy Kinsey lives in a rich enclave of fake people, his parents being his two primary exemplars of this type of hypocritical denizen. He has pretty much felt alone since his twin sister Dorie died of leukemia when they were eleven. Now he can’t sleep, because Dorie comes to him in dreams, presumably to accuse him of killing her since his transplanted bone marrow didn’t help her. [It is odd that Billy, who is otherwise so intelligent, even having a photographic memory, would not know that the bone marrow of an identical twin would not in fact be able to kill the cancer cells.] Billy also has a port-wine hemangioma on his face, adding to his sense of alienation and of being an outsider.
When a new kid comes to his high school, “Twom” (pronounced, portentiously, like tomb) Twomey, tattooed, pierced, and, as it turns out, dyslexic, Billy gravitates to him after the jocks try to put the very different Twom in his “place.” Soon their little group is enlarged by Ephraim, a loser-ish computer hacker nerd, and Deliza, a sort of walking oozing-sex-machine who is attracted to bad-boy Twom. The four of them begin to escape from real life by breaking and entering into (but not stealing from) the mansions of rich neighbors. The police call the perpetrators “The Night Visitors.”
But a catch has developed in Billy’s progress down through Hell. He has started a relationship with Gretchen Quinn, former BFF of Dorie, and as unrealistically perfect as Dante’s Beatrice. With Gretchen, Billy occasionally experiences happiness, but he doesn’t believe it:
"The world suddenly seems like it has the potential to be an okay place. And this bothers me because I know deep inside the world isn’t and never will be.”
As he explains at another point:
"I swear, if alien ants came to earth, they’d look around at the lack of planning and foresight and the poverty and the greed and selfishness and the ignorance and the intolerance and the overall wasted opportunity that, other than the occasional rare glimmer of light, is the basic human condition, and they’d say, Whoa! Whose great idea was this?”
Billy, gifted in so many ways, personifies at least part of what this potential alien scrutiny might reveal, in that he lacks planning, foresight, and wastes his opportunities. And as the group comprised of Billy, his fellow travelers, and their families spiral down to the innermost circle of Hell, no one seems to have learned anything.
Discussion: This is a disturbing story with lots of moments of cleverness, and a few oddly-dropped plot threads. It keeps you turning the pages, in the way in which people can’t turn away from newsreels of crashing planes or collapsing buildings. It also gives you a lot to think about, including all that your teenagers might be up to without your knowing about it.
Rating: 3.5/5
17-year-old Billy Kinsey lives in a rich enclave of fake people, his parents being his two primary exemplars of this type of hypocritical denizen. He has pretty much felt alone since his twin sister Dorie died of leukemia when they were eleven. Now he can’t sleep, because Dorie comes to him in dreams, presumably to accuse him of killing her since his transplanted bone marrow didn’t help her. [It is odd that Billy, who is otherwise so intelligent, even having a photographic memory, would not know that the bone marrow of an identical twin would not in fact be able to kill the cancer cells.] Billy also has a port-wine hemangioma on his face, adding to his sense of alienation and of being an outsider.
When a new kid comes to his high school, “Twom” (pronounced, portentiously, like tomb) Twomey, tattooed, pierced, and, as it turns out, dyslexic, Billy gravitates to him after the jocks try to put the very different Twom in his “place.” Soon their little group is enlarged by Ephraim, a loser-ish computer hacker nerd, and Deliza, a sort of walking oozing-sex-machine who is attracted to bad-boy Twom. The four of them begin to escape from real life by breaking and entering into (but not stealing from) the mansions of rich neighbors. The police call the perpetrators “The Night Visitors.”
But a catch has developed in Billy’s progress down through Hell. He has started a relationship with Gretchen Quinn, former BFF of Dorie, and as unrealistically perfect as Dante’s Beatrice. With Gretchen, Billy occasionally experiences happiness, but he doesn’t believe it:
"The world suddenly seems like it has the potential to be an okay place. And this bothers me because I know deep inside the world isn’t and never will be.”
As he explains at another point:
"I swear, if alien ants came to earth, they’d look around at the lack of planning and foresight and the poverty and the greed and selfishness and the ignorance and the intolerance and the overall wasted opportunity that, other than the occasional rare glimmer of light, is the basic human condition, and they’d say, Whoa! Whose great idea was this?”
Billy, gifted in so many ways, personifies at least part of what this potential alien scrutiny might reveal, in that he lacks planning, foresight, and wastes his opportunities. And as the group comprised of Billy, his fellow travelers, and their families spiral down to the innermost circle of Hell, no one seems to have learned anything.
Discussion: This is a disturbing story with lots of moments of cleverness, and a few oddly-dropped plot threads. It keeps you turning the pages, in the way in which people can’t turn away from newsreels of crashing planes or collapsing buildings. It also gives you a lot to think about, including all that your teenagers might be up to without your knowing about it.
Rating: 3.5/5
March 1, 2015
Stephen Metcalfe’s THE TRAGIC AGE is an impactful, intense and riveting novel with a smart, interesting and somewhat antisocial protagonist whose oftentimes profound statements are delivered in a way that is sharp, clever and witty. It’s a story that makes a statement from the start with a quick, entertaining, intelligent and opinionated narrative that tells you exactly who Billy Kinsey is, how he thinks and how he sees the world.
A number of events have led up to the Billy Kinsey we first meet. Billy might have called those events fate. His father wins the lottery. He invests well. The family moves to an affluent community. His parents fight it off but eventually conform to the behaviors of what is expected of the wealthy. His sister Dorie gets sick. She dies. Billy is forever changed.
And during this brief time we get to know Billy, his life is altered once again. Enter Twom. He is charismatic, larger-than-life, he doesn’t play by any rules but his own. He’s non-conformist. He won’t get pushed around. He stands up to those that do. He makes Billy want to embrace chaos and change. He makes Billy engage with life.
THE TRAGIC AGE is not a story that promises happy times and a happy ending. It’s sad. It’s violent. It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s ugly. It’s beautiful. It’s heartbreaking. It’s hopeful. It’s real. Its characters are destructive and pessimistic and exciting and disconcerting and free-spirited and kind and cruel. They’re shaped by their circumstances, their parents, the world they live in, the time they live in, who they are, who their friends are, and most of all the choices they make.
Author Stephen Metcalfe paints a disturbing yet authentic picture of the world today and some of the ways it has the potential to influence and impact today’s disaffected youth. He introduces a character who is brilliant and jaded and angry and fatalistic and introverted. Someone who is informed and complex and sarcastic and inventive. Someone who is capable of change, even if they don’t know it. And he does so in a way that is biting, humorous, provocative, imaginative, compelling.
THE TRAGIC AGE is a truly spectacular must-read debut. It’s poignant. It’s stunning. It’s important. It’s compelling. It’s unputdownable. It offers a no b.s. look at the world through its main character’s eyes and through his funny and informational factoids and sidebars. It delivers thrills and excitement and a touch of romance. And, as the title promises, tragedy.
Original GR comments
Wow, this book was incredible. I loved the main character's voice and the way the story played out. I chuckled at some of Billy's descriptions. I shook my head at some of his choices. I haven't read a book quite like this one in a long time.
The description called it Less Than Zero meets Catcher in the Rye (the first I loved, the latter I despised) so my interest was piqued before I even began. This was such a refreshing change up in my reads. I could not set this one down. The title fits this book to a t. And I will not say anything more for fear of spoiling how things go down at the end.
Witty, clever and a really great read.
Review TK in Feb. 27th.
A number of events have led up to the Billy Kinsey we first meet. Billy might have called those events fate. His father wins the lottery. He invests well. The family moves to an affluent community. His parents fight it off but eventually conform to the behaviors of what is expected of the wealthy. His sister Dorie gets sick. She dies. Billy is forever changed.
And during this brief time we get to know Billy, his life is altered once again. Enter Twom. He is charismatic, larger-than-life, he doesn’t play by any rules but his own. He’s non-conformist. He won’t get pushed around. He stands up to those that do. He makes Billy want to embrace chaos and change. He makes Billy engage with life.
THE TRAGIC AGE is not a story that promises happy times and a happy ending. It’s sad. It’s violent. It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s ugly. It’s beautiful. It’s heartbreaking. It’s hopeful. It’s real. Its characters are destructive and pessimistic and exciting and disconcerting and free-spirited and kind and cruel. They’re shaped by their circumstances, their parents, the world they live in, the time they live in, who they are, who their friends are, and most of all the choices they make.
Author Stephen Metcalfe paints a disturbing yet authentic picture of the world today and some of the ways it has the potential to influence and impact today’s disaffected youth. He introduces a character who is brilliant and jaded and angry and fatalistic and introverted. Someone who is informed and complex and sarcastic and inventive. Someone who is capable of change, even if they don’t know it. And he does so in a way that is biting, humorous, provocative, imaginative, compelling.
THE TRAGIC AGE is a truly spectacular must-read debut. It’s poignant. It’s stunning. It’s important. It’s compelling. It’s unputdownable. It offers a no b.s. look at the world through its main character’s eyes and through his funny and informational factoids and sidebars. It delivers thrills and excitement and a touch of romance. And, as the title promises, tragedy.
Original GR comments
Wow, this book was incredible. I loved the main character's voice and the way the story played out. I chuckled at some of Billy's descriptions. I shook my head at some of his choices. I haven't read a book quite like this one in a long time.
The description called it Less Than Zero meets Catcher in the Rye (the first I loved, the latter I despised) so my interest was piqued before I even began. This was such a refreshing change up in my reads. I could not set this one down. The title fits this book to a t. And I will not say anything more for fear of spoiling how things go down at the end.
Witty, clever and a really great read.
Review TK in Feb. 27th.
February 22, 2015
High school senior, Billy Kinsey, is both all too aware of the world around him and desperate to escape from it. His lottery winning parents’ marriage is more like a war, his beloved twin sister Dorie has died, and his constant insomnia has deprived Billy of dreams to escape to. When two very different, but equally important people- rebel, Twom and optimistic, Gretchen- enter into his life, Billy’s world is forever turned upside down in both quiet and earth shattering ways.
Stephen Metcalfe’s The Tragic Age, is an emotionally raw, unapologetically honest, and fiercely startling coming of age story about life, death, and every amazing, terrifying, fucked up thing in between.
I’ve come to find that many YA contemporaries, with their grand gestures; poetic metaphors; and emotionally manipulative premises, try too hard to be poignant or meaningful or clever or simply unforgettable...I don’t think this is one of those novels. The writing in The Tragic Age is straightforward and isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is. When it’s smart, it’s smart, when it’s funny, it’s funny, when it’s profound, it’s profound, and so on. Yes, it’s full of drama and sex and teenage life and a myriad of other things that can be found in countless YA Contemps. And no, it isn’t ground-breaking or staggeringly new. This novel simply is what it is, and what it is is an utterly engrossing, believable exploration of life that is, at turns, both laugh at loud funny and achingly heartbreaking; unabashedly intimate and cooly aloof. Through Billy’s social commentary and inner reflections, Metcalfe explores a wide range of topics, from sexuality; materialism; depression; love; bullying; to suicide, and does so in realistic, thought-provoking ways.
Metcalfe has cleverly filled his book with characters, that on the surface seem almost stereotypical and cliche (the thoughtful loner, bad boy rebel, hot promiscuous chick, gorgeous girl next door, bullied nerd, douchey joke, etc), but have been given a breathtaking amount of depth and dimension. And I love how these characters aren’t likable in the predictable ways; in fact, most of the characters can be down-right unlikable at times. But they are impossible to turn away from and captivating in their tragic flaws.
My Final Thoughts: A brutally beautiful novel, The Tragic Age took me on a stunning, unexpected journey that made me feel ALL the things! This book will stay with me for a very long time.
Stephen Metcalfe’s The Tragic Age, is an emotionally raw, unapologetically honest, and fiercely startling coming of age story about life, death, and every amazing, terrifying, fucked up thing in between.
I’ve come to find that many YA contemporaries, with their grand gestures; poetic metaphors; and emotionally manipulative premises, try too hard to be poignant or meaningful or clever or simply unforgettable...I don’t think this is one of those novels. The writing in The Tragic Age is straightforward and isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is. When it’s smart, it’s smart, when it’s funny, it’s funny, when it’s profound, it’s profound, and so on. Yes, it’s full of drama and sex and teenage life and a myriad of other things that can be found in countless YA Contemps. And no, it isn’t ground-breaking or staggeringly new. This novel simply is what it is, and what it is is an utterly engrossing, believable exploration of life that is, at turns, both laugh at loud funny and achingly heartbreaking; unabashedly intimate and cooly aloof. Through Billy’s social commentary and inner reflections, Metcalfe explores a wide range of topics, from sexuality; materialism; depression; love; bullying; to suicide, and does so in realistic, thought-provoking ways.
Metcalfe has cleverly filled his book with characters, that on the surface seem almost stereotypical and cliche (the thoughtful loner, bad boy rebel, hot promiscuous chick, gorgeous girl next door, bullied nerd, douchey joke, etc), but have been given a breathtaking amount of depth and dimension. And I love how these characters aren’t likable in the predictable ways; in fact, most of the characters can be down-right unlikable at times. But they are impossible to turn away from and captivating in their tragic flaws.
My Final Thoughts: A brutally beautiful novel, The Tragic Age took me on a stunning, unexpected journey that made me feel ALL the things! This book will stay with me for a very long time.
March 13, 2015
There is a voice inside The Tragic Age, whispering to be heard, one that had me reflecting back on my own youth and how ugly the world can be if we choose to see it that way. Billy comes from a very dysfunctional family. His mother and father had the potential to be upstanding parents, but when an (un)lucky lottery ticket cashes in their morals for blinded selfishness, they ignore heavy issues such as the death of their daughter Dorie, only to bury their problems with what money can buy. Billy knows his parents have checked out, and so he chooses the more cynical path in life and chooses to check out as well.
I was intrigued by Billy's narrative. It felt authentic to that of a teenage boy, especially one who had suffered a tragic loss, yet is still floating through life as if it never happened. He unexpectedly finds solace when a new kid shows up at school, and an old friend comes back to town as well. There were moments I found myself rooting for Billy, hoping he could emerge out from under the dysfunction of his home life and into a healthier, more stable environment among his friends. But when a problem is left untreated, it has potential to spread and take up residence in every aspect of your life.
The writing style for this novel is very unique, giving this story an edge to separate itself from others that may come across as similar. As I read this novel, it possessed the qualities of something you may see on the indie screen. Sometimes it's refreshing to come across a story that can hold its own weight, while still conquering a bold, and not so subtle narrative.
[original review at GReads!]
I was intrigued by Billy's narrative. It felt authentic to that of a teenage boy, especially one who had suffered a tragic loss, yet is still floating through life as if it never happened. He unexpectedly finds solace when a new kid shows up at school, and an old friend comes back to town as well. There were moments I found myself rooting for Billy, hoping he could emerge out from under the dysfunction of his home life and into a healthier, more stable environment among his friends. But when a problem is left untreated, it has potential to spread and take up residence in every aspect of your life.
The writing style for this novel is very unique, giving this story an edge to separate itself from others that may come across as similar. As I read this novel, it possessed the qualities of something you may see on the indie screen. Sometimes it's refreshing to come across a story that can hold its own weight, while still conquering a bold, and not so subtle narrative.
[original review at GReads!]
February 13, 2015
Oh my dear Stephen...
This book is EXCELLENT...until the ending. It does smack of that "Catcher In The Rye" adolescent angst story, but for the new generation. My only qualm is that I felt like he pulled out in the end. The book was raw and honest, but I feel like it fluffed a bit in the end. Metcalfe is a LEGIT storyteller though. You've got my ear homey (you had it since Mr. Holland's Opus though really... Richard Dreyfuss is the tits in that one) and I'd like to see where you roam from here.
Curiosity is getting the cat though (hopefully not one of mine though, Peanut and Jelly are making me a legit cat lady these days) in if you REALLY wanted that ending or if that was an editor audible. If so, krammit editors, don't come hot and heavy with the foreplay like that then not deliver the boom. (I'm crude, don't like it? Read another review)
All in all, amazing character development, plot, prose and all that flowery noise.
Ball's in your court Salinger... oh wait, he died five years ago....the floor is yours Mr. Metcalfe!
This book is EXCELLENT...until the ending. It does smack of that "Catcher In The Rye" adolescent angst story, but for the new generation. My only qualm is that I felt like he pulled out in the end. The book was raw and honest, but I feel like it fluffed a bit in the end. Metcalfe is a LEGIT storyteller though. You've got my ear homey (you had it since Mr. Holland's Opus though really... Richard Dreyfuss is the tits in that one) and I'd like to see where you roam from here.
Curiosity is getting the cat though (hopefully not one of mine though, Peanut and Jelly are making me a legit cat lady these days) in if you REALLY wanted that ending or if that was an editor audible. If so, krammit editors, don't come hot and heavy with the foreplay like that then not deliver the boom. (I'm crude, don't like it? Read another review)
All in all, amazing character development, plot, prose and all that flowery noise.
Ball's in your court Salinger... oh wait, he died five years ago....the floor is yours Mr. Metcalfe!
January 6, 2015
I know that the comparisons to Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders are both pretty bold statements. They're also both pretty apt. This book is one I would've loved if I had read it in high school (I loved it now, when I am in my mid-30s). It's an incredibly caustic book but also one that doesn't continue on the myth that high school is the best years of your life.
I loved the characters in this, and also the general plot. This is a story about grief but at the same time, Billy's grief for his twin sister never overcomes everything else. It colors his life but it doesn't really rule it, if that makes sense.
At any rate, this book is relentlessly clever, laugh out loud funny and completely its own thing. I can't wait to see what Stephen Metcalfe does next.
Highly recommended.
I loved the characters in this, and also the general plot. This is a story about grief but at the same time, Billy's grief for his twin sister never overcomes everything else. It colors his life but it doesn't really rule it, if that makes sense.
At any rate, this book is relentlessly clever, laugh out loud funny and completely its own thing. I can't wait to see what Stephen Metcalfe does next.
Highly recommended.
March 21, 2015
I won this book in a goodreads.com giveaway...thanks you.
This book was excellent...it is a riveting coming of age debut novel. That's all I'm going to say because it's only fair that you experience this brilliant novel without any other information. You will be blown away as I was. Enjoy!!!
This book was excellent...it is a riveting coming of age debut novel. That's all I'm going to say because it's only fair that you experience this brilliant novel without any other information. You will be blown away as I was. Enjoy!!!
April 14, 2015
Nothing uplifting about this story of a misfit teenager who gets involved with the wrong crowd. Even "first-love" can't save him. Angsty teens will identify with the characters though and may find the journey cathartic.
April 27, 2016
As far as teen angst stories go, this gets the job done. It's not super graceful, nor are motivations clear for many of the actions throughout. I read to the very end, waiting to see how everything played out, but some of the resolution fell flat for me.
March 24, 2015
3.5 Stars
January 7, 2018
?????
This is the second book that I have found deleted from my account????
Wth, Goodreads?
This is the second book that I have found deleted from my account????
Wth, Goodreads?
October 27, 2021
WHAT WAS THE REASON???!!!
December 10, 2020
Billy Kinsey is an outsider. It’s not just the port-wine hemangioma on the right side of his face. It’s not just the fact that he’s moved to L.A. suburb from the San Joaquin Valley, where he lived a slightly more normal life. It’s not just that he’s an insomniac. It’s not just that his father won 37 million dollars in the lottery and now his mother lunches and plays tennis and his father drinks. It’s not even just that when he was 11, his twin sister Dorrie died of cancer. Well, actually, it’s all of these things.
Stephen Metcalfe’s debut novel, The Tragic Age, is laugh-out-loud funny, tender and wry. Billy, 17, is adrift. He wants to do the right thing, but he’s not exactly sure what the right thing is. It isn’t until Willard “Twom” Twomey comes into his life, followed by the re-entrance of his sister’s childhood bestie, Gretchen, that the fog starts to lift for Billy.
Twom is a larger-than-life character. He doesn’t back down from anyone. When the school’s meathead starts teasing Twom about his name, Twom lets him have it with the back of his dinner tray.
I also soon discover that despite his revolutionary’s attitude towards rules and authority, Twom has his own highly evolved sense of right or wrong. He dislikes what he calls the “dickhead club” and he has complete empathy for the underdog.
Although I wouldn’t necessarily say that Billy’s an underdog, he sure could use a friend or two and Twom comes along at the right time.
So does Gretchen. Although Billy of course knows her, she and her family have been, until recently, living in Africa, where Gretchen’s father “was a hotshot doctor of infectious diseases.” Her arrival back in Billy’s orbit is problematic.
It goes without saying that girls can make you do insane things. One minute a guy can be, if there is such a thing, normal, the next, he’s cracking stupid jokes and running and dancing in place like a babbling, mindless idiot. Another word for this is “dating.”
The Tragic Age follows Billy as he navigates his final year of high school, falls in love and tries to figure out what anything means…and whether anything is worth it, after all. The grief he feels over Dorrie’s death is clearly unresolved; in fact, he and his parents never even talk about Dorrie. They don’t really talk about much of anything, and that’s part of Billy’s problem.
Billy is on a slippery slope and the novel’s final pages are made for the big screen. That makes sense, since Metcalfe has worked in the film biz. I’m not sure the frenetic pace suits the rest of the book, but I still really enjoyed it. Billy is a memorable character and his experience of disillusioned, navel-gazing, teenagedom will be recognizable to anyone who has ever struggled to fit in or figure out how to simply survive.
3.5 stars
Stephen Metcalfe’s debut novel, The Tragic Age, is laugh-out-loud funny, tender and wry. Billy, 17, is adrift. He wants to do the right thing, but he’s not exactly sure what the right thing is. It isn’t until Willard “Twom” Twomey comes into his life, followed by the re-entrance of his sister’s childhood bestie, Gretchen, that the fog starts to lift for Billy.
Twom is a larger-than-life character. He doesn’t back down from anyone. When the school’s meathead starts teasing Twom about his name, Twom lets him have it with the back of his dinner tray.
I also soon discover that despite his revolutionary’s attitude towards rules and authority, Twom has his own highly evolved sense of right or wrong. He dislikes what he calls the “dickhead club” and he has complete empathy for the underdog.
Although I wouldn’t necessarily say that Billy’s an underdog, he sure could use a friend or two and Twom comes along at the right time.
So does Gretchen. Although Billy of course knows her, she and her family have been, until recently, living in Africa, where Gretchen’s father “was a hotshot doctor of infectious diseases.” Her arrival back in Billy’s orbit is problematic.
It goes without saying that girls can make you do insane things. One minute a guy can be, if there is such a thing, normal, the next, he’s cracking stupid jokes and running and dancing in place like a babbling, mindless idiot. Another word for this is “dating.”
The Tragic Age follows Billy as he navigates his final year of high school, falls in love and tries to figure out what anything means…and whether anything is worth it, after all. The grief he feels over Dorrie’s death is clearly unresolved; in fact, he and his parents never even talk about Dorrie. They don’t really talk about much of anything, and that’s part of Billy’s problem.
Billy is on a slippery slope and the novel’s final pages are made for the big screen. That makes sense, since Metcalfe has worked in the film biz. I’m not sure the frenetic pace suits the rest of the book, but I still really enjoyed it. Billy is a memorable character and his experience of disillusioned, navel-gazing, teenagedom will be recognizable to anyone who has ever struggled to fit in or figure out how to simply survive.
3.5 stars
August 19, 2018
I'm only giving this book 2 stars, because I enjoyed the first few chapters. In the beginning, the main character, Billy, was funny. The writer did an excellent job of making him a sarcastic teen dealing with hard issues and keeping secrets from his parents.
Billy had one trait that got tiresome quickly. He liked to rambled off 'facts' in an inner monologue that distracted from the main plot (if there was one.) Most of these facts aren't true. I know a lot of people draw a parallel to Catcher in the Rye and Billy is likely supposed to be a unreliable narrator - but by the middle of the book I would have just called him an annoying narrator. If the book had been longer I would have definitely DNFed this book, but it was a short read so I pressed on hoping it got better.
But as my stars tell you, it didn't. It sank into a cease pool of stereotypes and darkness. I get that Billy was dealing with some heavy shit and the other kids were too - but as things went along they became more and more unbelievable like the writer just thought 'Hmmm.. what else can I toss into the plot that might make the reader stick around?'
I'm sure some readers will enjoy this book, but for me I never want to think about Billy the annoying narrator ever again.
Billy had one trait that got tiresome quickly. He liked to rambled off 'facts' in an inner monologue that distracted from the main plot (if there was one.) Most of these facts aren't true. I know a lot of people draw a parallel to Catcher in the Rye and Billy is likely supposed to be a unreliable narrator - but by the middle of the book I would have just called him an annoying narrator. If the book had been longer I would have definitely DNFed this book, but it was a short read so I pressed on hoping it got better.
But as my stars tell you, it didn't. It sank into a cease pool of stereotypes and darkness. I get that Billy was dealing with some heavy shit and the other kids were too - but as things went along they became more and more unbelievable like the writer just thought 'Hmmm.. what else can I toss into the plot that might make the reader stick around?'
I'm sure some readers will enjoy this book, but for me I never want to think about Billy the annoying narrator ever again.
June 5, 2015
Find this review and more fantastical things at The Leaning Tower of Tomes.
Source: I received this book from the publisher via Shelf Awareness in exchange for review consideration. This in no way affects my review; all opinions are my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin!
Source: I received this book from the publisher via Shelf Awareness in exchange for review consideration. This in no way affects my review; all opinions are my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin!
The review:
Billy Kinsey knows all about everything. Every page there is a fact he shares about something that relates to his life and current situation. I thought it was a unique approach, but sometimes I felt like I was reading news headlines and those “did you know?” boxes in little kid educational materials. Basically, I read books for stories, not for facts I can find all over the internet. Sometimes these random facts worked, but most of the time they were jarring and lifted me out of the story. You could say Billy’s a know-it-all, but that term, at least for me, is only applied to people who actually tell others all the things they know. Billy kept these tidbits and info bites to himself, which made him seem nerdy and quirky, if a bit passive and depressed overall.
I preferred the first half of the book over the second half. The first half dealt more with getting to know all the (immensely) flawed characters. The second half just got really dramatic, and the characters who started off so interesting and layered turned two-dimensional and cliche. I didn’t expect the book to go where it did, and I wasn’t a fan of the intense and tragic climax. I thought this was going to be a story about a boy who finds new friends, all of them vastly different, who help him out of his rut of a comfort zone and show him the world through different perspectives. It became a book about making stupid choices/decisions, peer pressure, and hiding/running from and dealing/ignoring problems.
The characters who started off so promising were Twom, Deliza, and Gretchen. Twom is a juvenile delinquent, the bad boy, the one with a dark side. Deliza is a sexy, popular girl who knows she’s sexy but is also damn smart. Gretchen is sweet, caring, and a “daddy’s girl” and “all-American girl next-door” anybody would be lucky to have as a friend. The three of them instantly intrigued me, but I was disappointed with their arcs. No one grew; if anything, their lives and demeanors just got worse and worse. Twom, who started out seeming like a major player in this whole story, sort of took a backseat, and Deliza just became his hot girlfriend and nothing more. Ephraim, Billy and Twom’s loser/geek tag-along friend, had a character arc that just exploded without warning, without any clues (at least, none that I caught). And Gretchen, sweet, wonderful Gretchen, never dared, never stood up for what she thought was real (I’m trying to not get spoiler-y). I, and Billy, wanted her to grow some balls and become more independent, more defiant. I guess you could say, though, that all the characters were real. Everyone was screwed-up somehow, and their lives -- their growth -- didn’t go the typical YA novel route. This is either brilliant or terrible; I’m not sure which. But I like and want to read about people who change and learn, and these kids… Well, I didn’t like any of them by the book’s end, and I didn’t really have much sympathy for them, either.
One thing I did really like about the book was how Billy came up with various scenarios for predicaments he was caught in. He thought of multiple ways the scene might play out -- but we, the reader, don’t find out he was just imagining the particular outcome until he actually tells us “that’s not how it happened”. I liked these instances of unpredictability; it made him an unreliable narrator without actually being an unreliable narrator. (Or, perhaps, was he really?) They got easy to pick out after a while, when the scenarios would get more and more ridiculous, and towards the end of the book I was beginning to think it had seen its limit, its welcome, a while ago. Still, it was fun to be jerked around like this for some time. It made things interesting, shook things up, and showed how gullible we as readers can be, when we take a character’s word for it.
In the end, The Tragic Age was an interesting novel that started out really good and enticing and with a lot of promise. However, it fell flat after a while, went in a direction I didn’t see coming, and had all hell break loose so fast it almost seemed out of the blue. I (think I) liked how absolutely messed-up the characters were, but really disliked how no one changed. (This is not a coming of age novel. It’s, like, a “deciding to completely throw away everything you’ve thus far learned right before coming of age” novel.) I didn’t hate The Tragic Age, there were things I did like about, but I was a bit perplexed by it and ultimately let down. It wasn’t the greatest YA contemporary I’ve read, but it’s definitely left me thinking about it a lot. So the fact that I’m still scratching my head and reading others' reviews and flipping through the pages says something. My feelings are very muddled. ♦
So tell me...
Have you read The Tragic Age? If not, would you be interested to after reading this review? What was the last "coming of age" contemporary you read? Comment below letting me know! And, as always, happy reading!
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October 2, 2019
I found this at the Dollar Tree, I've found some really great books there and I thought I'd give this one a try. If there was something between three and four stars, I might have gone with that... I did enjoy the book, but boy the end was a mind blower. I kept reading hoping it was going to say "No that didn't really happen."
I think the style of the writing, though it took some getting used to, was very effective in painting a picture of Billy and the kind of person he is. I think if the story were written differently, say in third person or something, it wouldn't have given such an in depth view into his character.
The Tragic Age has so much going on. Some new love, some old pain and loss, some parental drama, and new friends. But the end is what hit me the hardest. I kept expecting the choices Billy made to be different, and I did not expect the tragedies that actually occurred in the end.
I think the style of the writing, though it took some getting used to, was very effective in painting a picture of Billy and the kind of person he is. I think if the story were written differently, say in third person or something, it wouldn't have given such an in depth view into his character.
The Tragic Age has so much going on. Some new love, some old pain and loss, some parental drama, and new friends. But the end is what hit me the hardest. I kept expecting the choices Billy made to be different, and I did not expect the tragedies that actually occurred in the end.
June 3, 2019
What? What was that ending? It was completely out of place with the rest of the book! Just like this random car chase all of a sudden and character deaths and this somehow pulls Billy out of his depression? I honestly don’t understand. I am so confused and I honestly don’t understand the last fifty pages or so. Believe me, I tried! The tone of the whole thing completely changed and it seemed like a bad fan fiction of an already mediocre novel. It’s like the author realized the book was going nowhere and decided to try to make things interesting, but his editor didn’t feel like reading the whole thing. The writing in general wasn’t great, the plot left a lot to be desired, the characters were completely undeveloped, the ending was disconnected... just don’t read the book. The first two hundred pages were boring and mediocre. The last hundred were god awful. 1.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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