New York : Knopf, c2008.
294 p. ; 22 cm.
This novel made its way to the movie screens late this summer - after receiving critical praise at Sundance 2013. After seeing the positive reviews of the film, I wanted to read The Spectacular Now, and I'm glad I did.
Sutter Keely is the hero/antihero of this well written novel. He's a senior in high school who loves having fun, going to parties, having and not having girlfriends, telling good stories, drinking, and hearing himself talk. In spite of his growing dependence on alcohol, and in spite of being a bit of a fast-talking, self-satisfied goof-off - Sutter has a lot of heart and really wants to do right by those he cares about.
The novel avoids easy plot events that seemed to be coming, and instead deals with the very real and often difficult emotional life of its characters - all while entertaining the reader with humor, sparkling dialogue, and an interesting plot. The only really tricky thing about the book is its matter of fact acceptance of Sutter's alcoholism - but even there, the novel allows events and the reactions of others to get the reader really thinking about the complications of substance use.
Tharp has a wonderful ear for dialogue and makes a novel that young people can just enjoy for its humor and easy-to-relate-to situations, while really going deeper into the complicated process that a young person will face if they are trying to be authentic, decent, true to themselves, and caring toward those they love. Definitely a novel worth reading.
