Going Nowhere Faster

by Sean Beaudoin

Overview

Stan Smith has the world's dullest name, and the world's dullest life to go with it. At 17, the former junior chess champion turned "Town's Laziest Register Monkey at the Town's Only Video Store" has no car, no college, and, of course, no girl. If that weren't pathetic enough, he's got an organic-food-freak vegan mother, an eccentric inventor father, a dead-end job, a dog with a flatulence problem, and a former classmate threatening to kill him. With a 165 IQ, Stan was expected to Be Something and Go Somewhere. But when all he has is a beat-up old bike that keeps getting vandalized, he's going nowhere, faster.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316014168
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/01/2008
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Sean Beaudoin is the author of Going Nowhere Faster, which was nominated as one of YALSA's "Best Books for Young Adults"; Fade to Blue, which was called "Infinite Jest for teens" by Booklist, You Killed Wesley Payne, which was a Booklist Editor's Choice; and The Infects, which was called a "wickedly unpredictable adventure" by Publishers Weekly. His short stories and articles have appeared in numerous publications. Sean's website is seanbeaudoin.com.

Editorial Reviews

*"Written in a comically manic style, this narrative goes from one unlikely scenario to another. And, the reader goes right along with it because the story is both compelling and likeable...."—KLIATT (starred review)

"The book will appeal to many levels of readers...word of mouth will make it a favorite."
—VOYA (starred review)

"A romantic opportunity won and lost plays out believably, as does the satisfying ending."—The Horn Book

"Fans of King Dork will find this a lighter and less demanding version of the same fare."
—The Bulletin

"Going Nowhere Faster is a charming and heart-felt who-dun-it that never fails to surprise."
—Ned Vizzini, author of Be More Chill

From the Publisher

A self-absorbed underachiever drifts through typical teen issues before arriving at a pat resolution. Stan Smith (17), hoped his IQ of 165 would propel him toward greatness, or at least move him away from his embarrassing parents. Stuck working in the small-town video store, he distracts himself by lusting after Ellen Rigby and writing film treatments, while Chad Tilford's specter periodically attacks Stan's bike. When the video store is vandalized, suspicion falls on Stan and he finally addresses the malaise of his life. Interestingly, the Salinger-inspired internal musings are most effective and funny when Stan is staged with other characters. Outlandish and eccentric, Stan's caricatures of parents contribute little to the story, but do increase the pace. The school-bully thread borders on nonsensical-only addressed when the plot slows or the author vacillates between writing either a coming-of-age or a suspense novel. Beaudoin's annotated chapter and film titles are creative enough, but the derivative lists lack the same humor. Vivid characters and bursts of genuine humor notwithstanding, an uneventful storyline prevents this first novel from gaining any real traction. (Fiction. YA)

Kirkus Reviews