Thursday, January 26, 2006

Heavy Metal and You--Christopher Krovatin

Yes. I know. I have no excuse. Well, other than holidays with a toddler. I started this book ages ago and then time got away from me. But then I finished it in a big burst of reading on Monday. Life just gets in the way.

Sam and Melissa are complete opposites. Sam is a metalhead--a serious metalhead who knows metal history. Melissa is a preppie girl. They fall for each other, but the relationship is doomed. Melissa tries to change Sam too much, while at the same time being intrigued by his bad boy image. She tries to escape her preppie lifestyle by dating Sam, but it falls apart.

I loved the heavy metal music references (aside: I love metal. I bought my toddler the thunderlords cd--heavy metal music for kids.) I loved how Sam brought intelligence to the scene. Even to the seemingly illogical practice of moshing...

This is a solid first novel. It's a good romance book for boys--it's not heavy on the romance, but the relationship is the major plot in the story. Juggling a new girlfriend who seems perfect and out of your league with your best friends who are at odds with her, is a difficult thing to do. Krovatin portrays this nicely. There's enough metal, drugs and swearing to interest boys, and enough of the relationship to interest girls. I'd keep it for the high school kids because there is strong (realistic) language, but also because I think middle schoolers just won't really get it.
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Reading:
On My Nightstand:

4 comments:

Leila said...

I loved this book. It made my favorites list last year -- and I'm tempted to re-read it just so I can list it again. (As a favorite re-read, of course.)

I ended the book with a huge, huge crush on Sam.

Anonymous said...

i adoere this book. I have never felt so in touch with a book ever. This book is so mega awsome but thats just my pov i sooo fell in love with all the characters

Unknown said...

Up the irons! No sleep til Hammersmith! Rock on!

Uh...in other words I loved this book, too. But I am an aging metalhead...

Art

Anonymous said...

I loved this book when I first read it which was when I started to get into metal. I remember finding it at my local libary and the title and cover just jumping out at me I read it at least three times and let one of my friends read it before finally returning it about a month overdue.

It's hard to say what I liked so much about the book when I read it at first but now looking back it's really about how passionate Sam is about his music which is something I have a great passion for as well. If I like a band I'll look up everything I can about them but I digress. This is an excellent book and would recomend ot to any one who's passionate about music or is looking for a good read

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