Author: Meagan Brothers
What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Johnny's life has not been easy, but he has persevered and does not want to leave Florida to live in South Carolina. However, Johnny finds that living with Uncle Sam is better than he thought it would be, especially when he discovers and falls in love with Debbie Harry and Blondie's music at the local music store. Together with his girlfriend, Maria, Johnny learns that he also enjoys dressing up as and *being* Debbie Harry.
What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I have so much respect for Johnny: he runs the household after his father's death when his mother is too depressed to deal with it and he successful completes a stint in rehab for alcohol abuse all before he turns seventeen. And my summary above is a bit out-of-order: Johnny discovers Blondie while still in rehab, then moves to SC, where he idolizes Debbie Harry even more.
Johnny is relentlessly bullied by the rich, snobby students at his new school, who constantly call him a f****t and assault him. The bullies receive little consequences, and since this book takes place in 1998 (based my detective work via clues at the end), there was no Twitter, Facebook, or even emphasis on anti-bullying in schools.
One thing I really admire about Johnny is that when he is taunted and called homophobic names (like "gay" is the worst thing these guys can come up with 😠), Johnny never once says "I'm not gay" as a "defense;" he just brushes off those stupid guys. As he should.
Johnny enters a drag show, and I could totally read a whole spin-off or sequel novel about Johnny's adventures as Debbie. In fact, Johnny's Adventures as Debbie should be the title.
Hint, hint, Meagan Brothers. 😉
I cringed a bit when Johnny uses the word transvestite because it's so outdated--very Rocky Horror to me (but GOODNESS, how hot is Tim Curry???)
This book is on the 2009 Rainbow Book List.
My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): The book was very short, and I sped through it in just a couple hours. I wanted more from the characters because I enjoyed them so much!
I also felt compelled to research Blondie songs and listened to them while writing this review. I had never heard Debbie Harry sing in French (with the exception of a few lines in "Call Me"), and she does sound beautiful.
Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
- "I wondered if this was how my mom felt, looking at me fresh at age sixteen and not recognizing me from the boy she knew at twelve, before the accident. I wasn't a bad guy, though. I was still me. Wasn't I?" (hardback edition, pg. 19).
- "Maybe that made me sound like a crystal-toting hippie, but so what? Drugs didn't make me happy. Drinking didn't make me happy. Dancing to Blondie, on the other hand, made me feel all right" (pg. 43).
- "The fabric tightened around me, hugging my ribs. I turned and faced her. I didn't feel so tough. What was it I wanted to tell her? That she was beautiful? That even though we'd just met I already loved her?" (pg. 123).
- "You're putting on a dress and lip-synching [sic] to Blondie. Trust me, the gay community will recover" (pg. 162).
Other reviews: Reading Rants and Book Bandit
This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.
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