Carson Phillips’ mission in life is to graduate, get the hell out of his small town, and attend Northwestern. He is willing to do everything, including blackmailing his high school ‘peers’—or rather, the people at his school—to achieve these goals.
The writing style of Chris Colfer in this piece is incredibly humorous, boldly sarcastic, and brimming with emotion! The protagonist bears some resemblance to his character in Glee. Essentially, Carson resembles Kurt, with Journalism taking the place of fashion and singing.
What particularly caught my attention about this book is Carson’s pervasive negativity. His superiority complex can be quite unsettling at times. Although I understand that his air of superiority towards nearly everyone is merely a facade to conceal his insecurities, I thought it as somewhat overbearing. Fortunately, the shortcomings of the other characters are more pronounced which make Carson more likable in a away.
What I really love about it though was his bond with his grandmother and his sidekick/assistant/bff Malerie. This dynamic reveals a softer aspect of him—the genuine Carson, devoid of his habitual cynicism towards everything.
I could certainly identify with him to some extent, recalling my own experience as a teenager striving to please while serving as president of our high school student body. I believe if I had come across this book during my teenage years, it would have resonated deeply with me. However, now that I’m no longer a teenager, I found it challenging to connect with Carson and his struggles.
The conclusion didn’t quite satisfy me, though. While his realization offered some redemption, I felt he deserved a respite after enduring so much hardship. Alas, the book wanted to make a bold statement, which I respected. Despite this, I still found it enjoyable and had many laughs, making it a book I’d happily recommend as a great read for young adults.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Published on November 5, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
About the Author
Chris Colfer is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor best-known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the FOX television series “Glee”.
He is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the first three novels in the “Land of Stories” series (“The Wishing Spell”, “The Enchantress Returns” and “A Grimm Warning”) as well as “Struck By Lightning: The Carson Philips Journal” which is a novelization based on the script he wrote for the film “Struck By Lighting” (Colfer also co-produced and starred in that movie)
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