The Adventures of Michael MacInnes

By Jeff Carney

A poet, a maverick, "the wandering outlaw of his own dark mind" Michael MacInnes, an orphan attending a prestigious boys' school in 1924, doesn't fit into his surroundings. Lucky for him, neither does his new roommate, Roger Legrande. Physics is Roger's passion. But with expulsions from two other prep schools already under his belt, a secret that dare not speak its name, and a roommate like Michael MacInnes, he, too, quickly finds himself on the wrong side of authority whether that means publishing an underground literary magazine, performing an aerial rescue mission at a local girls' school, or taking on the brutish school bootlegger. ? This debut novel spins an uproarious yarn about a pair of Prohibition-era rebels who aren't afraid to stand up against prohibitions in general.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374301468
• ISBN13: 9780374301460
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.9" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

THE ADVENTURES OF MICHAEL MACINNES tells the story of a teenage orphan who receives a scholarship to an exclusive all-boys high school. Set in Prohibition-era America, the book follows our hero as he carves out a place for himself at his new school. MacInnes starts his academic career by accidentally stealing the Dean's car, and things take off from there. His adventures include standing up to bullies, falling in love, and starting an underground school newspaper. MacInnes is an original character. He is a poet who tries to live an idealized, romantic life. Sometimes the rest of the world isn't kind to poets, however, as MacInnes discovers. In a way, this is a classic fish-out-of-water tale, but the interesting part is that everyone at Stoney Batter School is a fish-out-of-water. No one feels completely at ease. No one's life is perfect, regardless of how it might look to outsiders. But MacInnes has a gift for helping those around him recognize their own inability to fit in. Some appreciate having the truth about themselves revealed, while others resent the mirror that MacInnes holds before them. I really enjoyed THE ADVENTURES OF MICHAEL MACINNES. MacInnes fights ignorance and intolerance with cleverness and good humor. There are wild adventures, interesting characters, and amusing dialogue. The only thing I didn't like was the story's supernatural element. Giving MacInnes a type of spirit guide who pops up occasionally was unnecessary and detracted from the rest of the tale. The story could easily have lost that fantasy element and been stronger for it. But otherwise, this was an interesting novel that I liked a great deal. Finally, I have to issue a warning for younger readers. This one is definitely meant for an older audience. It is set in high school and includes pretty much every adolescent issue you can imagine. Everything from drinking and smoking to sex and a sadistic staff member at the school. I thought the issues were handled well, but those dreaded "adult themes" aren't for everyone. Reviewed by: K. Osborn Sullivan

Honor Among Delinquents

This young adult novel is a fine debut by Jeff Carney. The story is set in a prep school, Stoney Batter, in 1924. The title character, along with his misfit friends, has some exciting adventures, including stealing a car, getting soused on bootleg whiskey (remember Prohibition was still on), and privately printing an underground journal to rival Stoney Batter's more mainstream Review. MacInnes gets in trouble for all these things and more, but redeems himself every time. Although the book is aimed at teens, controversial topics abound. Despite the time period, the sexuality of the young protagonist (and other charcters) is by no means suppressed. Nor does Carney pull any punches against organized religion. This reviewer would not be surprised to someday find MacInnes on a list of banned books. But it would find itself in good company with the likes of Catcher in the Rye. MacInnes is well written throughout. Literary allusions abound, including echoes of James Joyce, whose readers will no doubt note similarities between Michael and Stephen Dedalus. And in perhaps the novel's strongest scene, set in a sewer tunnel, do we see an homage to Thomas Pynchon? To those not easily offended, this book is highly recommended.