The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

by Tim Tharp

Genres: Romance

Paperback

About the author

Tim Tharp lives in Oklahoma where he writes novels and teaches in the Humanities Department at Rose State College. In addition to earning a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and an M.F.A. from Brown University, Tim Tharp has been a factory hand, construction laborer, psychiatric aid, long-distance hitchhiker, and record store clerk. His first novel, Falling Dark (Milkweed Press), was awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize. Knights of the Hill Country (Knopf Books for Young Readers) is his first novel for young adults and was named to the American Library Association's Best Books of 2007 list. Tim's new YA novel, The Spectacular Now, (Knopf Books, Nov. 2008) was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award.

Reviews

[Wikar · Rating 3 out of 5]

لا بأس في عيش اللحظة
لكن افضل شيء في الحظة ان هناك واحدة أخرى غداً

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author does a good job making a instantly dislikable character from the start we meet Sutter & he is an functional alcoholic in denial from the way he talks/thinks about drinking, drink driving & his constant need to feel a buzz to deal with his day to day.

We see a redeeming quality in Sutter when he has quite the charm to wingman for his friend (ultimately accomplishing this goal as they start dating throughout the book) this is how we meet his current girlfriend Cassidy which she ends up becoming his ex due to his lack of communication & direction in life.

After becoming single & striking out with the ladies & after a particular heavy night of drinking we meet Amy as Sutter wakes up on her lawn & they hit it off, they soon become friends & learn about each other by hanging out studying & going to parties together providing a believable backdrop for romance to happen.

Once they start dating we get to see the changes they have on each other Amy (both good & bad) becoming more assertive & social, setting boundaries with family & going to the college she wants to whilst Sutter has some actual introspection on his life/relationships, being honest with Cassidy and becoming friends & being open about his dad who we learn isnt a big time banker working in the fancy building but a aloof, alcoholic womaniser who only thinks of himself.

After they make the drive to see his dad this is where I felt so much sorrow for Amy as she clearly articulates wanting Sutter in her life & sees a future together but Sutter does not & thinks he is doing her a favour by not having an honest conversation with her about breaking up instead waiting for her to leave for college to essentially ghost her.

After graduation he reminisces with some random bar flies about all the people & experiences in the book saying goodbye to them preferring to live in the spectacular now making the ending depressing and leaves no real hope for Sutter as a character providing little redemption or meaningful change to where we started at the beginning of the book.

The movie based on the book is abit more hopeful but about the same as it misses key points/side stories that are important to further develop Amy & Sutters character arcs.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember seeing the movie when it first came out and I remembered liking it. I will have to rewatch the movie because I don't like this as much as I had liked the movie. (There are rare times when a film is better than a book.) And it is mostly the character, Sutter, whom I did not like. I thought he was a smart ass (I know that was part of the point) but he did not build any empathy for me. Just an entitled white alcoholic that thought he was the knees bees. I did like Aimee though and I rooted for her throughout the book, but even she annoyed me when she put up with all his bull shit, even though I know she had low self-esteem and should be given some slack. And then Sutter acts like he's the one who saved her from her meek self. If so, she should have dumped him when, but she clung to him to the very end

At the end he "lets her go" because you know, he magnanimous and selfless. What a hero!

Now I suppose the book's lesson is that he too learns a lesson and will stop his self-destructive habits. I wonder though. I doubt it. He thinks the world revolves around him to the very last page.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Such a great book seriously. I would’ve thought there would’ve been an ending desired by many, the one where everything turns out to be alright and him Aimee live a happy ending, but I’m glad that wasn’t the case. This book shows that sometimes people don’t change or have this crazy epiphany that they are making the wrong choices. He knew that giving Amiee a chance to live her life to fullest was the right choice. She would’ve ended up either reasoning with every one of his actions or trying to convince him to change. It is disappointing that he didn’t know his worth but it’s a good break from the typical story.

[Aniyah Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I've ever picked up in I don't know how many years. This book really gets to you and makes u think about everything and life and fun and college and everything in between. That we forget to be ourselves and we don't have to do everything all at once but do it over a period of days or weeks or even years for that matter.

[Dawn Ashford-Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The film was better, and the ending of the book let it down a little, but it was still a really enjoyable read

[Ava Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it had great elements to its story!

[Booked 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oof. Sutter is awful.

[Grant Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed but eh

[Chris tos · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun read. I saw the movie a long time ago and apparently remembered nothing. So I watched the movie again after reading the book, and I can see why I remembered nothing.

The movie glosses over the importance of the protoganist’s relationship with his fat girlfriend, Cassidy. The movie did do one thing right: omit the the part where Aimee gets stupid drunk and does shit completely out of character at a party. As I read that part of the book, I felt the author was really letting me down.

It took a little while to get used to the writing style of the book, and to even relate to or like Sutter, but I totally bought in halfway through. All the third-person “Sutter-man” stuff was cringeworthy though. But I did get super into the way the author captured Sutter’s voice with the constant “I’m like” and “she’s like” before quoting people. It was unique (to me at least). I totally imagined a drunk Sutter just retelling this story at a party.

The ending of the book at first left me questioning if it ruined my experience, but the more I thought about it, it was a perfectly tragic way to leave things. Also, much better than the movie ending, which was sort of a cop out, one-toe-in-the-water type of finish.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn’t get myself to finish the book. I don’t think I’m even halfway through it. I may go back to it another time to read it again and try to actually finish it.

[Faith Rodriquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

i just remember this book being such a guy book, if that makes any sense? the mmc wasn’t very likable and the fmc was okay. their dynamic was fine and the character development for both wasn’t too bad, i kind of appreciated it. the book has some good qualities and some hard truths.

[Eleanor Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading immature romantic trash paired with unreliable idiot protagonist. I couldn’t put this book down.