Loserville (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Loserville Deborah Stevenson Johnson, Peter . Loserville. Front Street, 2009 [152p]. ISBN 978-1-59078-581-2 $17.95 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 8-12 The Loserville of the title is a television show, a cross between Jerry Springer and Brat Camp, wherein families with troubled teens can get their kids berated into good behavior on live TV. It's also the televisual destination of Lucas' friend Derek, whose moodiness and flashes of violence are worrying his father, and, more importantly, his stepmother. Narrator Lucas, a high school sophomore, and the rest of Derek's circle of friends are concerned about Derek as well, but they're convinced that his being dragged onto television will make things worse rather than better—and they're proven sadly right. The story announces Derek's eventual suicide right up front, so readers will know where the narrative is headed; however, even with that advance knowledge, it's tough to see suicidal depression in the portrayal of Derek. In fact, the narration is so diffuse in focus that there's little emphasis on anything in particular, with even Derek's television appearance lacking dramatic impact, and the story never really constructs an emotional trajectory. The writing shines in its quiet observation of human interaction, though, and the portrait of the clutch of friends, shifting and regrouping among themselves at the same time as they work their way through the usual external teen obstacles of school and family, is vivid and credible; there's even a certain realism in the way that events and behaviors that later prove significant don't stand out at the time. Those seeking a truly satisfying story of a buddy more oppressed by parents than his friends realize should look to Jennifer Bradbury's Shift (BCCB 6/08), but fans of brooding and thoughtful accounts of human dynamics may find interest here. Copyright © 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois