American Youth begins with a tragic incident involving adolescents and a firearm. As the police investigate a young man named Ted, Ted's mother urges him to keep his mouth shut and protect himself. At the same time, Ted's confusion and guilt over the incident lead him to increasingly self-destructive behavior. He enters high school and befriends the American Youth - a vigilante group against alcohol, drugs, and the type of liberal thought that they believe is destroying America. Ted struggles to be understood by his father, enters into a semi-relationship with the ex-girlfriend of one of the American Youth leaders, and burns himself as an outlet for his pain (a take-off on the ubiquitous cutting I seem to see popping up all over books about teenage girls) all while continuing his hunting and shooting for sport lifestyle. This is a pretty short book, and LaMarche has packed in a dozen issues for young Ted to come to terms with. As a result, the narrative is a bit scattered. I felt like I would get a small glimpse into Ted's problems, only to have the story shift to yet another issue. Perhaps, in this way, it is like the real like of a teenager - filled with angst and turmoil, and no outlet for resolution. I could see American Youth as a good choice for a high school reading list - it has various avenues for generating conversation on hot-button issues, and leaves the reader with a sense of uneasiness - appropriate for a novel focused on the current state of American youth and politics.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
American Youth - Phil LaMarche
American Youth begins with a tragic incident involving adolescents and a firearm. As the police investigate a young man named Ted, Ted's mother urges him to keep his mouth shut and protect himself. At the same time, Ted's confusion and guilt over the incident lead him to increasingly self-destructive behavior. He enters high school and befriends the American Youth - a vigilante group against alcohol, drugs, and the type of liberal thought that they believe is destroying America. Ted struggles to be understood by his father, enters into a semi-relationship with the ex-girlfriend of one of the American Youth leaders, and burns himself as an outlet for his pain (a take-off on the ubiquitous cutting I seem to see popping up all over books about teenage girls) all while continuing his hunting and shooting for sport lifestyle. This is a pretty short book, and LaMarche has packed in a dozen issues for young Ted to come to terms with. As a result, the narrative is a bit scattered. I felt like I would get a small glimpse into Ted's problems, only to have the story shift to yet another issue. Perhaps, in this way, it is like the real like of a teenager - filled with angst and turmoil, and no outlet for resolution. I could see American Youth as a good choice for a high school reading list - it has various avenues for generating conversation on hot-button issues, and leaves the reader with a sense of uneasiness - appropriate for a novel focused on the current state of American youth and politics.
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