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- King Dork
King Dork
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
14+
Release Date
April 11, 2006
ISBN
0385732910
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Editor reviews
2 reviews
A strangely compelling first book
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
So&based on my personal blog, I read King Dork back in December 2006. And somehow, I havent yet managed to get a review of it up on the YABC site since then. *sigh*. So let me start off this review with what I wrote about it on my blog, since it was my immediate reaction:
I really did like the book. Still like it. The fact that I actually wrote about it on my blog means I really liked it (I do so much writing about books for YABC that I dont often mention the books that I read on my personal blogs). So, Im just telling you if you want an interesting book to read and you havent read King Dork yet, then go out and get it.
But I suppose you might want to know something about the plot, eh? Well, heres the nutshell: Tom (aka King Dork and a bunch of other not-very-flattering nicknames) is your typical high school loser. Hes got a non-existent social life, no girlfriend, no athletic ability, and a friend thats his friend mostly because of alphabetical proximity.
His biggest dream is to be in a band (though his progress with this is mostly in the coming up of new band names and album cover art). Then he discovers a book that will change his life: The Catcher in the Rye. It isnt so much the book itself, but the fact that the book was his fathers (who died under mysterious circumstances) and that Tom then discovers a secret code left behind by his father, a mysterious funeral card, and a dry cleaning receipt. He begins to try and unravel the mystery behind his father.
And then theres all the different girl trouble. And is Sam really his friend? Or, more accurately, what is Sam up to and why does it seem to spell out trouble for Tom? Can it all be connected together?
This is a great book for readers aged 14 and up and a good one for both boys and girls. Theres some sex talk (mostly an oral fixation, shall we say) and definitely a lot of rock and roll, but most of all, theres the snarky Tom himself. Trust me, go read this one. Its interesting. Its different. Its good.
I like King Dork. A lot, actually. It's a book that kind of defies description though. I'm not sure how I'm going to review it. It's kind of like...say a parent/author comes proudly wheeling in their newest offspring. "Isn't she a beauty," they gush. And rightly so. But you're looking at this baby and you notice that the poor sucker's head is a little bigger than it should be. Or maybe a little lopsided. And you're thinking, well, everyone thinks their baby is the prettiest baby out there, but that baby...hmmmm but then you look closer and actually, that big head on that baby kind of goes. It's distinctive. Interesting. Perhaps the kind of baby that you'd like to get to know, versus one you'd just kitchey-coo at and forget all about the next day. But this -- this is a baby you won't easily forget. This is a baby with some intriguing stuff rattling around in that big head. You'd just bet on it.
Anyway, I liked it. Good book. I'll put together an actual coherent review for the website instead of that baby drivel.
I really did like the book. Still like it. The fact that I actually wrote about it on my blog means I really liked it (I do so much writing about books for YABC that I dont often mention the books that I read on my personal blogs). So, Im just telling you if you want an interesting book to read and you havent read King Dork yet, then go out and get it.
But I suppose you might want to know something about the plot, eh? Well, heres the nutshell: Tom (aka King Dork and a bunch of other not-very-flattering nicknames) is your typical high school loser. Hes got a non-existent social life, no girlfriend, no athletic ability, and a friend thats his friend mostly because of alphabetical proximity.
His biggest dream is to be in a band (though his progress with this is mostly in the coming up of new band names and album cover art). Then he discovers a book that will change his life: The Catcher in the Rye. It isnt so much the book itself, but the fact that the book was his fathers (who died under mysterious circumstances) and that Tom then discovers a secret code left behind by his father, a mysterious funeral card, and a dry cleaning receipt. He begins to try and unravel the mystery behind his father.
And then theres all the different girl trouble. And is Sam really his friend? Or, more accurately, what is Sam up to and why does it seem to spell out trouble for Tom? Can it all be connected together?
This is a great book for readers aged 14 and up and a good one for both boys and girls. Theres some sex talk (mostly an oral fixation, shall we say) and definitely a lot of rock and roll, but most of all, theres the snarky Tom himself. Trust me, go read this one. Its interesting. Its different. Its good.
User reviews
1 review
Overall rating
2.0
Plot
2.0(1)
Characters
N/A(0)
Writing Style
N/A(0)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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Dissatisfying on different levels
Overall rating
2.0
Plot
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Characters
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Writing Style
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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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Reader reviewed by gordon
O.K., here's the deal with this book. If you like a character with an interesting voice and some funny comments then this book will satisfy, but beyond that, it doesn't have much to offer. The first 50 pages or so are good, but the author definitely sets up some plot elements that he never delivers on. Also some of the turns just don't work. I know that sometimes the reader must suspend disbelief, but this goes a bit beyond those bounds. Another thing that bothers me about the book is that it is seems to have been rushed. As you get into the book you'll see what I mean. The scenes have a lack of set-up, there are some overly long narrative segments where the narrator just has too much control over the story instead of letting the story unfold. It reads like a really good first or second draft that needs some work. I read the book with a group, and we all started out loving the book, but the further we got into it, the more eyes rolled, and the more disappointed we became. Although the voice starts strong, it often faulters, allowing the author to break in.
For example:
If youre in a band, even an extremely sucky band, girls, even semihot ones like Celeste Fletcher and Deanna Schumacher, will totally mess around with you. Start a band. Or go around saying youre in a band, which is, lets face it, pretty much the same thing. The quality of your life can only improve (303 304)
This passage sounds like an adult giving advice in retrospect, rather than the voice of teenager. The only way to come to the conclusions stated in this passage is to have much experience in that department, something that the narrator does not. So, as far as reading the book, I don't really recommend it. Although you'll enjoy the beginning, you might ultimately you were a bit cheated.
O.K., here's the deal with this book. If you like a character with an interesting voice and some funny comments then this book will satisfy, but beyond that, it doesn't have much to offer. The first 50 pages or so are good, but the author definitely sets up some plot elements that he never delivers on. Also some of the turns just don't work. I know that sometimes the reader must suspend disbelief, but this goes a bit beyond those bounds. Another thing that bothers me about the book is that it is seems to have been rushed. As you get into the book you'll see what I mean. The scenes have a lack of set-up, there are some overly long narrative segments where the narrator just has too much control over the story instead of letting the story unfold. It reads like a really good first or second draft that needs some work. I read the book with a group, and we all started out loving the book, but the further we got into it, the more eyes rolled, and the more disappointed we became. Although the voice starts strong, it often faulters, allowing the author to break in.
For example:
If youre in a band, even an extremely sucky band, girls, even semihot ones like Celeste Fletcher and Deanna Schumacher, will totally mess around with you. Start a band. Or go around saying youre in a band, which is, lets face it, pretty much the same thing. The quality of your life can only improve (303 304)
This passage sounds like an adult giving advice in retrospect, rather than the voice of teenager. The only way to come to the conclusions stated in this passage is to have much experience in that department, something that the narrator does not. So, as far as reading the book, I don't really recommend it. Although you'll enjoy the beginning, you might ultimately you were a bit cheated.
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