Lolito

At 15, Etgar Allison's desires are simple: lie in bed, drink Nesquik and wait for his girlfriend to come back from vacation. But when he finds out she's been hiding something from him, his sole desire suddenly becomes to forget her. Drunk on his dad's liquor, he finds himself in an "adult" Internet chat room, where he meets the middle-aged woman who'll inspire his descent through a rabbit hole of weird, cringe-worthy and strangely sweet adventures. Lolito, released in the U.K. in 2013, is a raw look into the inner world of a teenage boy. It is the sixth novel by 23-year-old British author Ben Brooks (Grow Up).

Lolito is not for those easily offended by politically incorrect humor. But Etgar is one of the most compelling teenage voices in contemporary literature, with a seemingly endless capacity for imagination and wit. Not a thought in his head goes without embellishment. After falling down, he thinks, "I don't want to ever move. I want to be abducted by calm, quiet aliens who are searching distant planets for docile zoo exhibits." After hurting his head, he notices "there was a lump that felt like an extra head throbbing on the back of mine. It made me think of Voldemort's head on the back of Professor Quirrell's."

Lolito is reminiscent of Superbad and Youth in Revolt--stories about being a teenager caught between adult desires and childish emotions, and using humor to get through it (or least to forget about how embarrassing it all is). --Annie Atherton

Powered by: Xtenit