by Micol Ostow with illustrations by David Ostow
Barnes & Noble link
(Note: this is one of four library books I need to get finish reading before the end of the month. Moral of the story: never borrow seven books at a time when you have at home 100+ of your own you need to read...)
Once in a while, in the young adult literature world, you stumble across a book that manages to capture what it's like being a teenager in its purest essence. The social pitfalls, the schoolwork, the dreams and dares. But what it does differently is it does it without making it vapid, you with the bookworm personality or the outcast who hasn't yet asked out the love of their life. Sure, it may also be in a framework that you didn't grow up in, but hey, it's neat to get a different perspective. So Punk Rock... is one of those books.
The story follows music geek Ari Abramson, a junior at a prestigeious Jewish school, and his close friend Jonas Fein. Ari has a plan, a plan to get the attention of the popular girl Sari. His plan: start a punk rock band. He got bit by the rock bug at summer camp, learning to play guitar licks on the sly while finding a god in Lou Reed (not a bad choice, if I do say so myself). He then hires the studious Yossi Gluck and his little sister Reena. Together, they form the Tribe. They become a big hit at their school, performing at bar miztvahs and eventually small clubs in Manhattan's Lower East Side. But, the expected happens: there is band tension, jealousies, and even an incident with a Aston Martin.
The writing does it job: presenting the characters and story well enough. It drops tons of music references, so if you're not much into seventies punk as myself, you may be busting out Wikipedia to figure out what the world Ari is going on about. The characters all show, at some point, a moment of growth or affirmation of their personality. There are no truly dramatic shifts, but then again, real life isn't always so swift.
But the real star of the show are the characters. Ari is a wonderful narrator, unabashed in his honesty and yet so conflicted by his dreams. Jonas is a jerk, but you can't help but love him for him being a jerk and proud of it. Reena is, thankfully, a full-rounded female with a love for Haruki Murakami and mind-reading that would put Sylvia Browne to shame. Yossi has one of the biggest moments in the book, saying this during a tense moment:
"But if you had even the slightest ounce of spirituality in you, you'd know that prayer is about two things: self-reflection and connection."
So Punk Rock (and Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) by Micol Ostow, page 225
Yes, religion is in the book. Yossi goes on to say that Ari has nothing, while Jonas has himself (too much, but there you go). The whole point of the book is about how knowing yourself is important. While it is nothing new (hell, it's becoming an effing platitude), teenagers don't have a complete grasp on themselves. Ari hopes by being in a rock band, that he ends up getting a sense of self.
The book has nothing but good intentions, presenting a point that we often forget about as we grow up. We watch these characters get it (or not) and letting it sink in. It is funny, it is bittersweet, it is "so punk rock".
COPYRIGHT NOTE: all bold quotes are from the novel and were written by the author herself. Those words are not my own.
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