What do you think?
Rate this book
Incomplete
Mild-mannered English teacher Brian Smith has a big he used to be a rock star. Kind of. In the summer of 2000, his one-hit-wonder punk band released a radio-friendly pop song and made it big. Then, just as quickly, it all fell apart. Though he's been living a quiet white-collar life for the last two decades, settled in his static suburban normalcy of treadmills and lesson plans and parenthood, a chance discovery leads to a collision between his old world and his new one. What happens when the rock & roll ghosts of the past come back to haunt you? This retired rock star is about to find out.
Incomplete is a rock & roll version of The Goldfinch - with echoes of Nick Hornby and Frank McCourt. This coming-of-age novel examines art, love, grief, guitars, writing, and everything else that defines us.
Incomplete is a rock & roll version of The Goldfinch - with echoes of Nick Hornby and Frank McCourt. This coming-of-age novel examines art, love, grief, guitars, writing, and everything else that defines us.
460 pages, Paperback
Published August 28, 2020
2 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Joel David Levin
2 books8 followersJ.D. Levin is a mild-mannered librarian by day… and a mild-mannered rock & roller by night. He has worked as a public school educator for almost two decades – first as an English teacher, then as a Teacher Librarian.
Outside of the classroom, he’s written songs for/with Far From Kansas, the Briar Rose Ramblers, Kailua Moon, and Grammy-nominated slack-key guitarist Danny Carvalho.
Levin is a graduate of UC Berkeley (BA ‘01), Stanford University (MA ‘02), CSUN (MA ‘09), and CSULB (TLSC ‘15).
He lives on the central coast of California with his wife, two daughters, and cluttered collection of musical instruments. Incomplete is his first novel.
Outside of the classroom, he’s written songs for/with Far From Kansas, the Briar Rose Ramblers, Kailua Moon, and Grammy-nominated slack-key guitarist Danny Carvalho.
Levin is a graduate of UC Berkeley (BA ‘01), Stanford University (MA ‘02), CSUN (MA ‘09), and CSULB (TLSC ‘15).
He lives on the central coast of California with his wife, two daughters, and cluttered collection of musical instruments. Incomplete is his first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 9, 2020
Incomplete follows the story of a rock star turned English teacher who takes his talents to the classroom to shape young minds. He thinks his past is behind him until one of his bright students stumbles upon his past and starts asking questions. As Rick tells the story of his past, the reader begins to see the connections. J.D. Levin has created complex characters that represent archetypes that we all experience in our own coming of age stories.
September 30, 2020
I loved reading this because it was super self-indulgent...like hanging out with a dear old friend whom you miss a lot! 😉
November 23, 2020
Here’s the thing: I’m a teacher and love teacherish books. This book explores the high school and college years of a high school teacher (who happens to be in the same discipline I’m in) and does so in a way that is authentic and engaging. I’ve had trouble staying focused on a book during “pandemic teaching” but Incomplete was the perfect escape from reality for me for a couple of days. Great first novel, JD!
October 15, 2020
I enjoyed every moment of Incomplete and am eagerly awaiting a sequel! From the witty and wonderful writing to the captivating storytelling and honest, relatable characters, this novel does not disappoint.
January 29, 2021
Levin’s compelling debut examines age-old questions of love, grief, and art.
It’s been ages since Brian Smith, the now high-school English teacher, used to be a rock star: it was in the summer of 2000, when Brian’s one-hit-wonder punk band released a radio-friendly pop song and made it big. But then, just as quickly, it all went to pieces. And now, Brian is content living his mundane life as a young father, husband, and a teacher trying to make a difference in his students’ lives. The things change when the whip smart, articulate, and determined fifteen-year-old Veronica becomes Brian’s student. A school essay sets Veronica on the trail of Brian’s past. As the ghosts of his rock & roll past resurface to haunt him, Brian finds himself on a crossroad.
Levin traces in the minutiae of each small moment of Brian’s life while delving into his inability to come to terms with his past, his longings and regrets, and the self-doubts, fears, and insecurities of his younger self while exploring the thin line between jealousy and rage and love and hate. Over the course of the narrative, readers engage with the challenge of adolescence and young adult life, and learn about the harsh realities of pursuing an art career.
Along the way, Levin takes readers on a tour of the vibrant rock & roll music scene, exploring the music of The Beach Boys and others legendary bands. Levin expertly captures a sense of place, and his intelligent writing and sharp wit combined with his ability to skillfully handle his entertaining cast and snapshots across two timelines make readers thoroughly invested in the story.
The pacing is measured, the prose crisp, and the plotting tightly constructed. Brian’s conflicts over his impossible desires and broken dreams are brilliantly distilled, and they seamlessly fit together into the affecting narrative. Throughout, there are beautifully crafted moments of tenderness between Brian and Mel and their young daughter Sam.
With his keen understanding of human psyche and compassionate eye, Levin makes Brian’s story deeply affecting, providing a profoundly moving view of the future touched by the past. The book’s strength lies in Levin’s ability to provide freshly minted perspectives on a coming-of-age story that may seem old and familiar.
This poignant novel about learning to live with past failures and love one's imperfect self will greatly appeal to lovers of literary fiction.
It’s been ages since Brian Smith, the now high-school English teacher, used to be a rock star: it was in the summer of 2000, when Brian’s one-hit-wonder punk band released a radio-friendly pop song and made it big. But then, just as quickly, it all went to pieces. And now, Brian is content living his mundane life as a young father, husband, and a teacher trying to make a difference in his students’ lives. The things change when the whip smart, articulate, and determined fifteen-year-old Veronica becomes Brian’s student. A school essay sets Veronica on the trail of Brian’s past. As the ghosts of his rock & roll past resurface to haunt him, Brian finds himself on a crossroad.
Levin traces in the minutiae of each small moment of Brian’s life while delving into his inability to come to terms with his past, his longings and regrets, and the self-doubts, fears, and insecurities of his younger self while exploring the thin line between jealousy and rage and love and hate. Over the course of the narrative, readers engage with the challenge of adolescence and young adult life, and learn about the harsh realities of pursuing an art career.
Along the way, Levin takes readers on a tour of the vibrant rock & roll music scene, exploring the music of The Beach Boys and others legendary bands. Levin expertly captures a sense of place, and his intelligent writing and sharp wit combined with his ability to skillfully handle his entertaining cast and snapshots across two timelines make readers thoroughly invested in the story.
The pacing is measured, the prose crisp, and the plotting tightly constructed. Brian’s conflicts over his impossible desires and broken dreams are brilliantly distilled, and they seamlessly fit together into the affecting narrative. Throughout, there are beautifully crafted moments of tenderness between Brian and Mel and their young daughter Sam.
With his keen understanding of human psyche and compassionate eye, Levin makes Brian’s story deeply affecting, providing a profoundly moving view of the future touched by the past. The book’s strength lies in Levin’s ability to provide freshly minted perspectives on a coming-of-age story that may seem old and familiar.
This poignant novel about learning to live with past failures and love one's imperfect self will greatly appeal to lovers of literary fiction.
September 1, 2020
I was blessed to be a reader of a pre-pub draft and must say: you'll like this one.
For adults who used to love (or still love) YA novels but have a bit more life to reflect on, for writers or musicians or teachers or anyone who loves the beach and a good tune...for anyone!
"This coming of age novel examined art, love, grief, guitars, writing, and everything else that defines us."
Check it out via Barnes and Noble or Amazon today!
For adults who used to love (or still love) YA novels but have a bit more life to reflect on, for writers or musicians or teachers or anyone who loves the beach and a good tune...for anyone!
"This coming of age novel examined art, love, grief, guitars, writing, and everything else that defines us."
Check it out via Barnes and Noble or Amazon today!
March 20, 2021
What an accomplishment! Congrats Joelie!
December 2, 2021
(review coming soon)
June 27, 2021
In his charming debut novel, author Levin masterfully captures the struggles, angst, hope and elation in the roller coaster of a teenager’s emotions. As adult protagonist Brian recollects on his journey to adulthood, the reader is swept into a world of friendships, family, and music against the backdrop of a quaint Southern California town. Brian’s narrative remains Incomplete, however, as this reader awaits the compelling conclusion in Levin’s upcoming sequel.
“I realize that nostalgia is a beautiful liar” (Levin)
“I realize that nostalgia is a beautiful liar” (Levin)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews