Friday, April 08, 2011

Fan Club Friday - SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR

I just finished the best book. It's a YA called SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR by Matthew Quick (a fellow Little, Brown dude) and I just have to encourage you all to pick up a copy. His story follows Amber Appleton, a secretly homeless girl who lives on a school bus with her little dog and alcoholic mom. She refuses to focus on her downer life situation, and instead keeps her eyes on where she wants to be one day. And her favorite hobby seems to be lifting the spirits of everyone around her -- the more eccentric, the better.

The thing I most love about Amber is her voice. Amber is funny, quick-witted, and super frank. I've found myself talking like her this week while reading the book. She's charming and her little Amber-isms are so catchy! She's down with J.C. (yep, that's the Savior, if you're wondering), she's spunky enough to stand up to the jerks on the football team (word), and she writes killer haikus, (sucka!).

My heart broke for her, (homeless and freezing on a school bus), yet I also found myself smiling so often as I tagged along on her day-to-day. Then, when a fatal tragedy finally kinks her armor of optimism, I was worried we wouldn't get the real Amber back. (and PS, I had a nightmare last night about a scene toward the end - spoiler alert - confronting a killer)

Matthew Quick really stunned me because I expected the protagonist to be a boy - sorry, I know that's generalizing. I just haven't come across many men who can identify closely with the female teen perspective; but since it's not really a coming-of-age piece and more of an inspirational surviving-wicked-circumstances book, maybe that helped. Or maybe he's just super keyed in. Either way, it worked. I think only he could have written her unique 'tude into existence... sorta like a rock star.

So yeah, I'm a fan. You should be, too.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

With Sorta Like A Rock Star Matthew Quick has given us a most memorable and inspiring character in Amber. I agree with Alecia that it is Amber’s voice that truly brings her to life. Amber lights up the pages with her positiveness and kindness and the cast of characters she interacts with are entertaining and completely believable. When Amber is devastated by a truly horrible event you want to root for her, but fear for her as well. But Amber IS a rock star and hauls herself up and takes us along with her. This is one of the best novels I have read in a long time. Bravo, Mr. Quick.

Alecia Whitaker said...

PJ - I wish I knew who you were, but your profile is blocked. Just want to say, I think you may have written a better review here in the comments section than I did in the blog. Ha! Thanks for stopping by.

Micol Ostow said...

LOVED that book! Amber is such an amazing character, the book is FILLED with hope, and Quick's voice is so great.