<i>Freak Magnet</i> (review)
2010; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 63; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.0.1847
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Digital Games and Media
ResumoReviewed by: Freak Magnet Maggie Hommel, Reviewer Auseon, Andrew. Freak Magnet. HarperTeen, 2010. [288p]. ISBN 978-0-06-113926-0 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 9-12. "When the world's most beautiful woman walks into the room it's hard to keep from throwing up." So utters astronomy-loving Charlie (the freak) when he first spots Gloria Aboud (the magnet). Chapters alternate narration between the two teens and develop the pair's slowly budding relationship, while revealing the layers behind each character's facade. Six-foot-four Charlie, a hopeless social incompetent, wears a Superman suit under his clothes, but he is caring and loyal, visiting his [End Page 418] friend Edison faithfully in the hospital and serving as caregiver to his mother, who has Huntington's disease. Arab-American Gloria, a sensitive aspiring poet who keeps everyone at a distance, has recently been dealt the loss of her brother to the war in Afghanistan, and she struggles to connect with her sister (who's obsessed with cosplay, dressing up as anime characters) and aloof mother. While Gloria and Charlie's relationship is unlikely and by no means traditional, they find comfort and meaning in each other. The book's portrayal of Charlie in particular is refreshingly original and complex; as an unexpected hero, he models what it means to be true to who you are. While his quirky personality and embarrassing gaffes have the potential to become tiresome, the contrast with Gloria and interplay between the two help make his eccentricities endearing. The teens' reactions to their troubles (both conscious and subconscious) are touchingly realistic and balanced with humor, resulting in a skilled and moving portrait of two young people struggling to make sense of the world. Recommend this book to fans of The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl (BCCB 12/06) who are ready for a more sophisticated read. Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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