DEAR LIFE YOU SUCK
BY SCOTT BLAGDEN
GENRE:
SYNOPSIS:
Cricket Cherpin has lived at the Naskeag Home for Boys for the past eight years. He was sent to the Catholic home in rural, northern Maine when he was taken away from his neglectful, drug-addicted parents at the age of nine. As the oldest of the 48 boys living in the home, Cricket feels it is his job to look out for the younger kids or the “Little Ones” as he calls them. This sense of responsibility is his excuse for his frequent fights and suspensions from school. Cricket is constantly in trouble, and his lack of respect for authority figures, such as the nuns that run the home and his school principal, does not help his case.
Because he is on the verge of turning 18, Cricket must decide what do with the rest of his life. He knows he can’t live at the home forever. He sees only three pretty sucky options for his future --- dealing drugs, fighting professionally or simply putting an end to it. This changes when Cricket realizes some people truly care about him and the outcome of his life. One of these people is Wynona Bidaban, a girl he has been crushing on for years. As Cricket focuses on the positives in life instead of on the negatives and his tragic past, he finds that maybe life doesn’t have to suck.
Cricket Cherpin is a troubled, complicated teenager who is discovering what it’s like to become an adult. He does not welcome this, especially, because the revelation is forcing him to come to terms with a number of troubling things in his life --- his unfortunate past, his behavior and his plans for the future. Cricket often lacks the maturity or the desire to accomplish this himself. He is definitely a flawed character.
REVIEW:
This is a brilliant coming-of-age story about the foster care system. The book is sad / funny; impossible / miraculous; worldly / innocent; and charming / disgusting. The main character, Cricket Cherpin - aptly named because he is always chirping about something and pushing the envelope too far for his own good - is a ward of the state who was sent to a home for boys at the age of 8. Now, nearing age 18, life seems uncertain as it must for most foster kids for whom future opportunities such as college are nothing but a pipe dream. Although some of the language was nothing short of raunchy, I found myself rooting for this young man who tries so hard to be a good example for the younger ones, but whose prospects in spite of his good character seem bleak. Further, the hard shell he has built for protection as a coping mechanism makes him a tough nut to crack. I came to love this character that author Scott Blagden has created. It makes me hopeful that foster kids will somehow find their way even when there seems to be no way. Great, thought-provoking, poignant read. I will be looking for more of Mr. Blagden’s work in the future. Well done, sir!
This book also had a good voice, but I couldn't figure out why Cricket,the narrator, had the voice he had. He was goofy and constantly making up his own words. It didn't seem to mesh with his chaotic abusive background.
I was looking for romance, and I always look for swoon. This book had neither, though Cricket did get a girlfriend, Wynona. The book screamed, "A man wrote me!" I didn't know anything about Wynona other than she was five feet tall, thought Cricket was handsome, and had awesome boobs. I have no idea why either of them is together, so, um, blah.
I did like Cricket, though, and his relationship with Mother Mary, who's awesome, by the way. She cracks the whip and tells him what's what. I liked seeing him fawn over the kids who lived in the orphanage with him, I liked that he was confident, even though he was confused, and I liked his relationship with Caretaker--who, surprisingly--took care of him.
This book was well written, but I wanted more to the love story. I think if that had been developed more I would've loved this book.
RATING:
💗💗💗💗
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