Submarine: Submarine: A Novel

by Joe Dunthorne

Book Overview

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE - " Dunthorne's] precocious talent and cheerful fondness for the teenage male are showcased in Submarine. . . . Oliver's voice is funny and dead-on."--The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)

At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver Tate is stealthily nosing his way forward through the murky and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812978390
• ISBN13: 9780812978391
• Release Date: May 2011
• Publisher: Random House Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Funny and sweet

Oliver's character is not the most likeable, but the book is entertaining and comical. His point of view is slightly detached, and the characters are pretty wacky and original. This book is a must for every teenager. It's practical; it's direct; sometimes it's even romantic - definitely one of my favorites.

Excellent

This book is truly amazing. It is both humourous and interesting from start to end. It is true what some other reviews say, that the main character does not learn much from his travails or gain morals, But not all books have to have resolutions. The ending however, is rather abrupt and a tad inconclusive. One of the things that I liked most about the book what that it seemed that quite a few of the events that took place could actually occur. It's not over-ficticious. This book is rather on the explicit side, so be careful who you buy it for.

Creative and funny!

I try not to judge books by their covers, but I couldn't help starting this book after seeing it at the library. I am very glad I did! Oliver, the young narrator, is full of hilarious observations and reactions to situations that we all seem to encounter at some point or other. It is clear the author put a lot of thought into his writing, and I found myself either laughing out loud or smirking many many times throughout the story. This is the kind of book you can't put down, and hope that it doesn't end. I will be awaiting his next book anxiously!

Buy this Book...

...If you appreciate characters with a unique view of their world. Oliver Tate is a sharp fifteen-year-old navigating a tangle of relationships. He manages with marvelous dexterity and insight. The language is a pleasure. How unusual and refreshing to find a writer who knows how to capture the world of a smart teenager. I will be looking forward to Mr. Dunthorne's future work! He is a writer of rare and unique voice.

If you like supremely precocious and intelligent characters, witty dialogue, and disturbing imagery.

The cover of this book caught my eye, so I started reading the jacket. Three sentences into the description I closed the cover and walked to the register. Sold. This is an enjoyable romp inside the mind of a 15-year-old boy with girl problems and parent problems. Only this boy is intelligent, pedantic, richly observant, and prone to bouts of imprudence. Dunthorne wrote this character and his shenanigans wonderfully. I tore through this book and had fun doing so. If you read Marissa Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics and enjoyed it, you'll love this book. This one just reads a little faster. (Note: Dunthorne's a Brit, so if you hate reading about Pounds, Quid, Torches, and GCSEs, better to avoid this one (but you're selling yourself short with that kind of egocentrism.))