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The Porcupine of Truth
The author of Openly Straight returns with an epic road trip involving family history, gay history, the girlfriend our hero can't have, the grandfather he never knew, and the Porcupine of Truth The Stonewall Book Award-winning novel from the author of Openly Straight and Honestly Ben !"Words like 'brilliant' are so overused when praising novels--so I won't use that word. I'll just think it." -- Benjamin Alire Sáenz, author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe "Undeniably human and unforgettably wise, this book is a gift for us all." -- Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungle Carson Smith is resigned to spending his summer in Billings, Montana, helping his mom take care of his father, a dying alcoholic he doesn't really know. Then he meets Aisha Stinson, a beautiful girl who has run away from her difficult family, and discovers a secret regarding his grandfather, who disappeared without warning or explanation decades before. Together, Carson and Aisha embark on an epic road trip to try and save Carson's dad, restore his fragmented family, and discover the "Porcupine of Truth" in all of their lives.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2015
69 people are currently reading
4725 people want to read
About the author
Bill Konigsberg
10 books2,048 followersBill Konigsberg was born in 1970 in New York City. Expectations were high from birth - at least in terms of athletics. His parents figured he'd be a great soccer player, based on his spirited kicking from inside the womb. As it turned out, the highlight of his soccer career was at Camp Greylock in 1978, when he was chosen for the Camp's "D" team. There were only four levels. Bill played alongside the likes of the kid who always showered alone, the chronic nosebleeder and the guy with recurrent poison ivy.
Early in his life, Bill decided he wanted to be a disc jockey, a professional baseball player, or the Construction Worker from The Village People. None of these career paths worked out for him. Yet. He still holds out hope for a Village People revival and has set up a Google Alert in case it happens.
A B- student throughout high school, Bill was voted Most Likely to Avoid Doing Any Real Work In His Life by a panel of his dismissive peers. He proved them wrong with a series of strange-but-true jobs in his 20s - driver recruiter for a truck driving school, sales consultant for a phone company, and temp at Otis Elevators.
He moved to Denver in 1996 and was voted Least Stylish Gay Guy in the Metro Denver Area (including Loveland!) for each of the years from 1996-98. His fashion-free wardrobe robbed him of prospective dates countless times, as did his penchant for wearing a mustache that didn't suit him.
He worked at ESPN and ESPN.com from 1999-2002, where he developed a penchant for sharing too much information about himself. That character flaw earned him a GLAAD Media Award in 2002, for his column "Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays." That coming out essay made him a household name to tens of people across the country.
He continued oversharing in graduate school at Arizona State, where he added People Pleasing to his growing list of character defects and parlayed that into the title of Most Chill Teacher of freshman composition.
As a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press in New York from 2005-08, Bill once called his husband, who was at the time working a desk job, from the New York Mets dugout before a game. "I'm so bored," Bill whined. He slept on the couch for a week after making that call.
He wrote a novel called Audibles at Arizona State, and sold that novel to Dutton Books for Children in 2007. His editor asked him to change the title so that it would appeal to people other than "football players who read." The resulting novel, Out of the Pocket, received strong reviews from his mother, father, significant other and one girl who had a crush on him in high school. It won the Lambda Literary Award in 2009.
His second novel, Openly Straight, hit the bookshelves in late May of 2013. He describes the novel as "Twilight-like, only without vampires and wolves and angsty teenage girls. Also, set in an all-boys boarding school in Massachusetts. Otherwise, it's like an exact replica."
His third novel, The Porcupine of Truth, was released in May of 2015. He chose to put a porcupine in the title because this is America, and no one here knows what a platypus is. The novel won the Stonewall Book Award and PEN Center USA Literary Award.
Next came Honestly Ben, a companion book to Openly Straight. He wrote it so people would stop yelling at him about Openly Straight's ending. Honestly Ben received three starred reviews and made lots of people swoon over Ben some more, which irks Bill to no end as Ben is loosely based on his husband, Chuck. No one seems to swoon over Rafe, who is loosely based on Bill. Harrumph, says Bill.
The Music of What Happens arrives in February of 2019, and it's a romance between two boys, and it includes a food truck that makes cloud eggs. Bill has an egg phobia.
Bill currently lives in Chandler, Arizona, which is the thinking man's Gilbert, Arizona. He has a husband who is clearly too good for him, and two cute dogs, Mabel and Buford, who complete him.
His bl
Early in his life, Bill decided he wanted to be a disc jockey, a professional baseball player, or the Construction Worker from The Village People. None of these career paths worked out for him. Yet. He still holds out hope for a Village People revival and has set up a Google Alert in case it happens.
A B- student throughout high school, Bill was voted Most Likely to Avoid Doing Any Real Work In His Life by a panel of his dismissive peers. He proved them wrong with a series of strange-but-true jobs in his 20s - driver recruiter for a truck driving school, sales consultant for a phone company, and temp at Otis Elevators.
He moved to Denver in 1996 and was voted Least Stylish Gay Guy in the Metro Denver Area (including Loveland!) for each of the years from 1996-98. His fashion-free wardrobe robbed him of prospective dates countless times, as did his penchant for wearing a mustache that didn't suit him.
He worked at ESPN and ESPN.com from 1999-2002, where he developed a penchant for sharing too much information about himself. That character flaw earned him a GLAAD Media Award in 2002, for his column "Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays." That coming out essay made him a household name to tens of people across the country.
He continued oversharing in graduate school at Arizona State, where he added People Pleasing to his growing list of character defects and parlayed that into the title of Most Chill Teacher of freshman composition.
As a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press in New York from 2005-08, Bill once called his husband, who was at the time working a desk job, from the New York Mets dugout before a game. "I'm so bored," Bill whined. He slept on the couch for a week after making that call.
He wrote a novel called Audibles at Arizona State, and sold that novel to Dutton Books for Children in 2007. His editor asked him to change the title so that it would appeal to people other than "football players who read." The resulting novel, Out of the Pocket, received strong reviews from his mother, father, significant other and one girl who had a crush on him in high school. It won the Lambda Literary Award in 2009.
His second novel, Openly Straight, hit the bookshelves in late May of 2013. He describes the novel as "Twilight-like, only without vampires and wolves and angsty teenage girls. Also, set in an all-boys boarding school in Massachusetts. Otherwise, it's like an exact replica."
His third novel, The Porcupine of Truth, was released in May of 2015. He chose to put a porcupine in the title because this is America, and no one here knows what a platypus is. The novel won the Stonewall Book Award and PEN Center USA Literary Award.
Next came Honestly Ben, a companion book to Openly Straight. He wrote it so people would stop yelling at him about Openly Straight's ending. Honestly Ben received three starred reviews and made lots of people swoon over Ben some more, which irks Bill to no end as Ben is loosely based on his husband, Chuck. No one seems to swoon over Rafe, who is loosely based on Bill. Harrumph, says Bill.
The Music of What Happens arrives in February of 2019, and it's a romance between two boys, and it includes a food truck that makes cloud eggs. Bill has an egg phobia.
Bill currently lives in Chandler, Arizona, which is the thinking man's Gilbert, Arizona. He has a husband who is clearly too good for him, and two cute dogs, Mabel and Buford, who complete him.
His bl
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January 28, 2015
I wrote it!
May 28, 2015
So. Fuck Carson.
Seriously, fuck that asshole. He's the kind of jerkoff that would insist that the A in lgbtiqa stands for ally. He's the kind of douche who would be upset that there was no space saved for him in a feminist space. He's gross. His inner thoughts (and boners) for his friend are fucking gross.
I suffered through this book to see if the text ever dealt with the fact that the protagonist was fucking gross. And. It did not. At the very end (the last fifty pages?) when Carson's grandfather's boyfriend showed up, things got a little better? But mostly, his grandfather fell into the same tropes you often see with cis white gay men.
So basically, fuck this book if you aren't a white cis boy.
Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get some blowback on my hatred of this book, so let me break down what made me uncomfortable.
A) The way Carson thinks about Aisha. Aisha is a lesbian, yes. So all of Carson's creepy "Ooh, but we could be boning if only she wasn't into giiiiiiiirls", was fucking gross. Even if Aisha was bisexual, just being interested in men doesn't mean that she'd be into Carson. So basically, he was five seconds away from whining about being friendzoned. But also, every time he thought about Aisha sexually, without any accompanying guilt, or weird feelings made me feel physically nauseous. He seriously thought if Aisha was made straight, he could date her, and wished for it without anything in the text stating that wasn't okay.
B) Carson is incredibly self centered. He does all sorts of things without ever thinking about how that could make another person feel, and again, the text does not punish him for it, nor does it made any sort of expression that is wrong. He fucking makes a joke about Aisha having to put out to have a place to sleep. I guess the audience is suppose to laugh at that, but FUCKING POOR TASTE YOU FUCKING DICK. Rape jokes aren't fucking funny. And if Aisha has been sleeping on the street, she's probably been raped, or threatened with it before. It was gross, and again, not addressed in the text.
C) I'm not arguing that teenage boys aren't fucking gross. However, that doesn't mean you have to normalize it. I could handle Carson being a fuckboy, but only if the text didn't give it tacit approval.
Basically, if this book had been mostly about the end, dealing with new family members, and changing beliefs, I could have been into. Instead, I felt miserable and ill and did not want to finish.
Two stars because I liked the ending.
Though, to be honest, subject to change. Depends on how I feel in the morning.
Seriously, fuck that asshole. He's the kind of jerkoff that would insist that the A in lgbtiqa stands for ally. He's the kind of douche who would be upset that there was no space saved for him in a feminist space. He's gross. His inner thoughts (and boners) for his friend are fucking gross.
I suffered through this book to see if the text ever dealt with the fact that the protagonist was fucking gross. And. It did not. At the very end (the last fifty pages?) when Carson's grandfather's boyfriend showed up, things got a little better? But mostly, his grandfather fell into the same tropes you often see with cis white gay men.
So basically, fuck this book if you aren't a white cis boy.
Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get some blowback on my hatred of this book, so let me break down what made me uncomfortable.
A) The way Carson thinks about Aisha. Aisha is a lesbian, yes. So all of Carson's creepy "Ooh, but we could be boning if only she wasn't into giiiiiiiirls", was fucking gross. Even if Aisha was bisexual, just being interested in men doesn't mean that she'd be into Carson. So basically, he was five seconds away from whining about being friendzoned. But also, every time he thought about Aisha sexually, without any accompanying guilt, or weird feelings made me feel physically nauseous. He seriously thought if Aisha was made straight, he could date her, and wished for it without anything in the text stating that wasn't okay.
B) Carson is incredibly self centered. He does all sorts of things without ever thinking about how that could make another person feel, and again, the text does not punish him for it, nor does it made any sort of expression that is wrong. He fucking makes a joke about Aisha having to put out to have a place to sleep. I guess the audience is suppose to laugh at that, but FUCKING POOR TASTE YOU FUCKING DICK. Rape jokes aren't fucking funny. And if Aisha has been sleeping on the street, she's probably been raped, or threatened with it before. It was gross, and again, not addressed in the text.
C) I'm not arguing that teenage boys aren't fucking gross. However, that doesn't mean you have to normalize it. I could handle Carson being a fuckboy, but only if the text didn't give it tacit approval.
Basically, if this book had been mostly about the end, dealing with new family members, and changing beliefs, I could have been into. Instead, I felt miserable and ill and did not want to finish.
Two stars because I liked the ending.
Though, to be honest, subject to change. Depends on how I feel in the morning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2022
Assigned reading for MLIS 7421: Multicultural Youth Literature.
Wow, this is, like... literally one of the worst things I have ever seen win an award in my life. I am completely baffled as to how this book won the 2016 Stonewall YA Award, for a lot of reasons:
1. The protagonist isn't even queer. His friend is a lesbian. His friend who we watch the narrator hypersexualize and objectify every five pages.
2. The narrator cannot seem to go a single chapter without talking about his dick, and how everything his friend does gives him a boner. If I'd had to sit through one more mention of it or one more dick joke, I was going to chuck this book across my living room.
3. The writing is horrible. It's meant to be funny and the protagonist is supposed to be this super witty improv genius, but he's not funny, literally nothing he says or does is charming or amusing in the slightest, and whenever he's not thinking about his dick or how hot his new friend is, he's literally thinking to himself, "What can I say that's funny?" over and over. No joke, in one chapter, there are three different occasions where he gets upset because he isn't part of a conversation and he literally narrates that he's desperately trying to think of something hilarious so he can be the center of attention. It's awful. Awful. Literally one of the worst narrators I've ever read.
I can't even form a proper review for this. I refuse to try. I made it through about 150 pages before I slammed it shut and typed this up. I can most assuredly say that I will not be picking up anything else by this author, nor would I ever recommend this book to anyone.
Wow, this is, like... literally one of the worst things I have ever seen win an award in my life. I am completely baffled as to how this book won the 2016 Stonewall YA Award, for a lot of reasons:
1. The protagonist isn't even queer. His friend is a lesbian. His friend who we watch the narrator hypersexualize and objectify every five pages.
2. The narrator cannot seem to go a single chapter without talking about his dick, and how everything his friend does gives him a boner. If I'd had to sit through one more mention of it or one more dick joke, I was going to chuck this book across my living room.
3. The writing is horrible. It's meant to be funny and the protagonist is supposed to be this super witty improv genius, but he's not funny, literally nothing he says or does is charming or amusing in the slightest, and whenever he's not thinking about his dick or how hot his new friend is, he's literally thinking to himself, "What can I say that's funny?" over and over. No joke, in one chapter, there are three different occasions where he gets upset because he isn't part of a conversation and he literally narrates that he's desperately trying to think of something hilarious so he can be the center of attention. It's awful. Awful. Literally one of the worst narrators I've ever read.
I can't even form a proper review for this. I refuse to try. I made it through about 150 pages before I slammed it shut and typed this up. I can most assuredly say that I will not be picking up anything else by this author, nor would I ever recommend this book to anyone.
June 6, 2015
I loved my last read from this author, Openly Straight. This book took longer to hook me in, but I did enjoy it, and there were some nicely emotional moments, especially towards the end.
The narrator, Carson, has come with his mother to Billings, Montana, to spend the summer caring for the father he hasn't seen since he was three. His father is dying of the complications of alcoholism, and one of the things that the dad harks back to when he becomes emotional is the loss of his own father, who disappeared when he was a teenager. Then, in a box of old papers, Carson finds proof that his grandfather had still been in contact with his grandmother, getting a divorce from her a year after his father was told he'd vanished without a trace. The mystery is something for Carson to latch onto in his adrift summer. And the thought of bringing a living father back to his father, giving the man he's just reconnected with and is losing a valuable gift, obsesses Carson.
His summer looks up immeasurably when he meets Aisha, a beautiful girl who is homeless, and to whom he is instantly drawn. They have similar non-sequitur off-the-wall senses of humor, which they use to avoid being serious. Carson offers her a place to live temporarily, and finds his first true friend. He fantasizes about having found someone to love romantically, until she reveals that she was kicked out of her home for being caught with her girlfriend. Carson's budding romance has a serious flaw, but the friendship blossoms, and with her help he sets off on a quest to find his grandfather.
I've read a few reviews that disliked the fact that Carson continues to fantasize about Aisha potentially developing feelings for him, even after he finds out she's a lesbian. Or that take his continued teen-boy reactions to her looks as creepy and shallow. I thought that it was realistic and in a way brave of the author to make Carson not the perfect straight sidekick. How many stories of gay boys lusting after their straight best friends do we read, and sympathize with the poor guy's impossible desires? Why would it be any different for a straight kid to keep lusting after the gay girl, just because he knows she isn't likely to return it? To fantasize about her discovering she's bi after all, and falling for him? This is just the mirror image. I'd bet Konigsberg knew he'd catch a little flak about that, but it made me believe in Carson more.
The end is conveniently rounded off, and yet it was also the point where I felt the emotions of this tale the most. Good endings are not always perfect endings, and I was happy with the way doors that closed led to windows that opened. An interesting book about families and LGBT and trying to make connections across the generations.
The narrator, Carson, has come with his mother to Billings, Montana, to spend the summer caring for the father he hasn't seen since he was three. His father is dying of the complications of alcoholism, and one of the things that the dad harks back to when he becomes emotional is the loss of his own father, who disappeared when he was a teenager. Then, in a box of old papers, Carson finds proof that his grandfather had still been in contact with his grandmother, getting a divorce from her a year after his father was told he'd vanished without a trace. The mystery is something for Carson to latch onto in his adrift summer. And the thought of bringing a living father back to his father, giving the man he's just reconnected with and is losing a valuable gift, obsesses Carson.
His summer looks up immeasurably when he meets Aisha, a beautiful girl who is homeless, and to whom he is instantly drawn. They have similar non-sequitur off-the-wall senses of humor, which they use to avoid being serious. Carson offers her a place to live temporarily, and finds his first true friend. He fantasizes about having found someone to love romantically, until she reveals that she was kicked out of her home for being caught with her girlfriend. Carson's budding romance has a serious flaw, but the friendship blossoms, and with her help he sets off on a quest to find his grandfather.
I've read a few reviews that disliked the fact that Carson continues to fantasize about Aisha potentially developing feelings for him, even after he finds out she's a lesbian. Or that take his continued teen-boy reactions to her looks as creepy and shallow. I thought that it was realistic and in a way brave of the author to make Carson not the perfect straight sidekick. How many stories of gay boys lusting after their straight best friends do we read, and sympathize with the poor guy's impossible desires? Why would it be any different for a straight kid to keep lusting after the gay girl, just because he knows she isn't likely to return it? To fantasize about her discovering she's bi after all, and falling for him? This is just the mirror image. I'd bet Konigsberg knew he'd catch a little flak about that, but it made me believe in Carson more.
The end is conveniently rounded off, and yet it was also the point where I felt the emotions of this tale the most. Good endings are not always perfect endings, and I was happy with the way doors that closed led to windows that opened. An interesting book about families and LGBT and trying to make connections across the generations.
August 15, 2015
How have I not reviewed this yet? Another great book by a very fine author at the peak of his talents.
March 21, 2020
My first thought about this one is HOW ON EARTH DID SO MANY PEOPLE LOVE IT? My second thought is FUCK CARSON. My third thought is that I want trigger warnings for shitty straight boy characters.
What in the actual fuck is this book? It is most definitely the biggest book disappointment I've ever experienced. Earlier this year I read a different book by Bill Konigsberg, The Music of What Happens, and I love it. I have listened to that book three times this year already and it is perhaps one of my favorite reads of the year so far. Which is I why I am so surprised that Konigsberg also wrote this piece of garbage. I don't think I can remember the last time I rated a book one star, I may have never done so? The only reason I even gave it that was for Aisha who was an okay character, not great, but leaps and bounds above Carson.
Let's unpack this trash
Synopsis: Carson and his mom go back to Montana because his dad is dying. He hasn't seen his dad in like 14 years though? Their entire relationship was very confusing for me. His mom is pretty crazy and not the best parent. Upon arrival, she drops Carson off at the zoo of all places to kill some time alone. While wasting time, he meets Aisha. Aisha is black and a lesbian which was a disappointment for Carson because he is a privileged white straight boy who expected everything to be about him and his boner all the time. Aisha has been homeless for some time after her very religious father kicked her out after she came out. So Carson and Aisha become friends, somehow, and she ends up living in the basement of his dads house with him. Then they are cleaning and find some info on Carson's long lost grandpa who abandoned his dad when he was 17. Obviously, Carson needs to find his grandpa and save the day before his dad dies. This results in a cross country road trip full of homophobia, religious zealots, and garbage.
I would like to petition books to provide a content warning for straight boys and jesus. Please and thank you. Had I had that I never would have picked this book up; all I wanted was a nice queer read, was that too much to ask?
Carson is a piece of trash. He is selfish and obnoxious and completely obsessed with his own boner with disregard for anyone else's feelings. The way Carson both treated and thought about Aisha was disgusting. I honestly can't believe people are okay with it. He was constantly so horny over his lesbian best friend that he actively wished she had gone to conversion camp so they could be together. YEAH THAT FUCKING HAPPENED. He also popped a boner after she was threatened in a coffee shop and he kept watching her sleep.
Let me get something clear. Regardless of someone's sexual orientation, if they say they aren't into you, you have absolutely NO RIGHT to continue to be gross to them. Back the fuck off. What's worse though is wishing someone else had gone through hardship and abuse so they would change their sexuality in order to be straight. gross.
Then on top of all the gross sexual harassment and pervy thoughts, we had Jesus. oh jesus you really needed to be a part of this story didn't you? A lot of time was spent trying to change minds about religious beliefs and that shit just doesn't work. The vast majority of the time you cannot and will not change someones mind on what they believe, ESPECIALLY when it comes to christians.
It's pretty clear that I wasn't the intended audience for this book based on the sheer fact that I am queer as fuck and an atheist. Moreover, I can't actually pinpoint who the heck this is targeted for. I would hope that no one, no matter their gender or sexuality, would see the harmful tropes and messages preached in this book.
What's really bad is that the author is queer. How did he think it was okay to talk about the lgbtq+ community in such ways. Even when we got another gay character at the end, it was very much an old white gay guy stereotype. Not to even fucking mention that this book won a STONEWALL BOOK AWARD??! what in the actual fuck.
I understand what this book is trying to do, despite it's absolutely terrible effort. It wants to start a conversation about the intricacies of the queer community and religion. I get it. cool. whatever. Maybe it's trying to throw some concepts about fucking up families in there too. okay. Some advice? skip this book entirely and pick up Autoboyography by Christina Lauren instead.
This is by far the worst book I've read this year and perhaps the lowest rating I've ever given. Don't read this book. Save yourself.
What in the actual fuck is this book? It is most definitely the biggest book disappointment I've ever experienced. Earlier this year I read a different book by Bill Konigsberg, The Music of What Happens, and I love it. I have listened to that book three times this year already and it is perhaps one of my favorite reads of the year so far. Which is I why I am so surprised that Konigsberg also wrote this piece of garbage. I don't think I can remember the last time I rated a book one star, I may have never done so? The only reason I even gave it that was for Aisha who was an okay character, not great, but leaps and bounds above Carson.
Let's unpack this trash
Synopsis: Carson and his mom go back to Montana because his dad is dying. He hasn't seen his dad in like 14 years though? Their entire relationship was very confusing for me. His mom is pretty crazy and not the best parent. Upon arrival, she drops Carson off at the zoo of all places to kill some time alone. While wasting time, he meets Aisha. Aisha is black and a lesbian which was a disappointment for Carson because he is a privileged white straight boy who expected everything to be about him and his boner all the time. Aisha has been homeless for some time after her very religious father kicked her out after she came out. So Carson and Aisha become friends, somehow, and she ends up living in the basement of his dads house with him. Then they are cleaning and find some info on Carson's long lost grandpa who abandoned his dad when he was 17. Obviously, Carson needs to find his grandpa and save the day before his dad dies. This results in a cross country road trip full of homophobia, religious zealots, and garbage.
I would like to petition books to provide a content warning for straight boys and jesus. Please and thank you. Had I had that I never would have picked this book up; all I wanted was a nice queer read, was that too much to ask?
Carson is a piece of trash. He is selfish and obnoxious and completely obsessed with his own boner with disregard for anyone else's feelings. The way Carson both treated and thought about Aisha was disgusting. I honestly can't believe people are okay with it. He was constantly so horny over his lesbian best friend that he actively wished she had gone to conversion camp so they could be together. YEAH THAT FUCKING HAPPENED. He also popped a boner after she was threatened in a coffee shop and he kept watching her sleep.
Let me get something clear. Regardless of someone's sexual orientation, if they say they aren't into you, you have absolutely NO RIGHT to continue to be gross to them. Back the fuck off. What's worse though is wishing someone else had gone through hardship and abuse so they would change their sexuality in order to be straight. gross.
Then on top of all the gross sexual harassment and pervy thoughts, we had Jesus. oh jesus you really needed to be a part of this story didn't you? A lot of time was spent trying to change minds about religious beliefs and that shit just doesn't work. The vast majority of the time you cannot and will not change someones mind on what they believe, ESPECIALLY when it comes to christians.
It's pretty clear that I wasn't the intended audience for this book based on the sheer fact that I am queer as fuck and an atheist. Moreover, I can't actually pinpoint who the heck this is targeted for. I would hope that no one, no matter their gender or sexuality, would see the harmful tropes and messages preached in this book.
What's really bad is that the author is queer. How did he think it was okay to talk about the lgbtq+ community in such ways. Even when we got another gay character at the end, it was very much an old white gay guy stereotype. Not to even fucking mention that this book won a STONEWALL BOOK AWARD??! what in the actual fuck.
I understand what this book is trying to do, despite it's absolutely terrible effort. It wants to start a conversation about the intricacies of the queer community and religion. I get it. cool. whatever. Maybe it's trying to throw some concepts about fucking up families in there too. okay. Some advice? skip this book entirely and pick up Autoboyography by Christina Lauren instead.
This is by far the worst book I've read this year and perhaps the lowest rating I've ever given. Don't read this book. Save yourself.
June 3, 2015
If I had to sum up my feelings towards this book in one word, I think it would be "disappointed".
That's not to say that this is necessarily a bad book. In fact, I thought that it was a pretty okay book. Average, if you will.
The problem is that I thought that Bill Konigsberg was more than just an average writer. His first two books are amazing. And this one is just... well, average.
Carson Smith is Konigsberg's first legitimately unlikeable protagonist, and I really didn't care for that. There's nothing worse than an author who tries to get the reader to sympathise with a terrible person, but that's exactly what happens here. I curse J.D. Salinger for ever writing "The Catcher in the Rye" and influencing generations of writers to tell stories about annoyingly self-centered characters. It's a trend that can die any time now.
I also think that the whole commentary on religion wears thin because it runs only skin deep and is supported entirely by clichés. There's nothing to be said in these pages about the hypocrisy of fundamentalist Christianity that hasn't been said thousands of times before. We get it: spirituality is good, organised religion is bad. What else do you have to say about it? It turns out that Konigsberg doesn't have anything else to say at all.
I will say that while I wished that the "gay history" part of the book (I.e. the last third or so) ran a little deeper than basic information that anybody who knows anything about gay history already knows, it was definitely the best part. The book ended strongly, and that probably earned it another star in my rating.
I just know that Bill Konigsberg is capable of writing so much better than this. I guess I'll have to wait for the "Openly Straight" sequel for that trend to hopefully continue.
That's not to say that this is necessarily a bad book. In fact, I thought that it was a pretty okay book. Average, if you will.
The problem is that I thought that Bill Konigsberg was more than just an average writer. His first two books are amazing. And this one is just... well, average.
Carson Smith is Konigsberg's first legitimately unlikeable protagonist, and I really didn't care for that. There's nothing worse than an author who tries to get the reader to sympathise with a terrible person, but that's exactly what happens here. I curse J.D. Salinger for ever writing "The Catcher in the Rye" and influencing generations of writers to tell stories about annoyingly self-centered characters. It's a trend that can die any time now.
I also think that the whole commentary on religion wears thin because it runs only skin deep and is supported entirely by clichés. There's nothing to be said in these pages about the hypocrisy of fundamentalist Christianity that hasn't been said thousands of times before. We get it: spirituality is good, organised religion is bad. What else do you have to say about it? It turns out that Konigsberg doesn't have anything else to say at all.
I will say that while I wished that the "gay history" part of the book (I.e. the last third or so) ran a little deeper than basic information that anybody who knows anything about gay history already knows, it was definitely the best part. The book ended strongly, and that probably earned it another star in my rating.
I just know that Bill Konigsberg is capable of writing so much better than this. I guess I'll have to wait for the "Openly Straight" sequel for that trend to hopefully continue.
September 2, 2015
Don't you hate it when you're reading something that, on the surface anyway, is breezy and fun and humorous, and as you get more deeply engrossed, you realize that it's been subversively feeding you some pretty deep stuff, to the point that it could be described as transformative? If you really do hate that, then don't read this, because Bill Konigsberg packs quite a wallop with his story of Carson and Aisha and their epic road trip and bad fathers and porcupines that assume god-like proportions. I loved everything about this book.
October 9, 2016
I've seen some people defending this book, but as a gay girl this book made me feel absolutely disgusting. Carsons attitude towards Aisha was disgusting, his thoughts about her were disgusting. This book made me so uncomfortable I felt like crawling out of my own freaking skin. Fuck this book. I was hoping for a book that had teenagers go on adventure where one of the characters just happen to be gay. What I got was a way someone could tell an LGB story without making it about someone other then a straight cis white boy.
November 21, 2015
The title of this book should've been Procupine of Preaching. Cause that's what this book actually is - a preaching of how good religion can be.
Fine, I get it, there is a big issue out there for LGBT+ people who are also religious or come from religious household. But do we really have to treat them like idiots with the emotional range of a 10 year old? As an atheist, I was very happy during the first few pages when Carson plain out said he doesn't believe in God. How many character like that can be found in YA? or just general fiction?
Why couldn't the story have progressed with him, as the narrator still thinking there is no god but learning to accept it might give other people comfort? And, even if you have question his own believes - give him a good reason. Not just "these people said something nice so I guess there is a God."
Did he ever talk to atheist before? And if this feels like I'm exaggerating, let me put it this way (since we're not the LGBT+ issue anyway): isn't it annoying how you only get character having relationship with both girls and boys when it's a coming out as gay storyline? You hardly get characters who are just bi cause that's who they are, it's gay people trying to figure out who they are. That's what this is. People only bring out atheism when it's about talking how religion can actually be good. I'm sick of it.
Then, there's the preaching about alcoholism. Again, I get it. But there's a right way to do it, again trust your readers to be mature enough to understand complexity. Also, this time, it's done in a very stupid way. The worst thing to say to someone with background of alcoholism in the family is "never drink". The problem is drinking itself, it's abusing it. Children to alcoholic parents need to be tough how to drink *responsibly*, how to enjoy alcohol and not see it only as a toll to deal with problems.
And, lastly - this is just badly written. 2/3 of the book is the set-up to the main issue, and it's not only too long it's just not done properly. Too much here is just not believable:
-Aisha is too perfect, she almost feel like a Mary-Sue and come on, we're all grown out of writing those within 6 months top since started writing.
- Carson got no character! Like.... zero! The only thing I can say about him is that he likes telling jokes. That's not really a character is it? even that's not very believable either, it's hard for me to imagine such a person even exists.
And the worst: none of the changes are earned by actions, or by development. I don't wanna say anymore cause of spoilers, but the author was so into having a lovy-dovy ending and tear-full happy moments that he forgot he needs to actually make them happened on their own.
I am disappointed to the point I'm not read Konigsberg's next book, I was excited cause I really like Ben and related to his story. But seems like all of his books suffer from the same mediocre writing which disrespect the reader and has zero plot!
Fine, I get it, there is a big issue out there for LGBT+ people who are also religious or come from religious household. But do we really have to treat them like idiots with the emotional range of a 10 year old? As an atheist, I was very happy during the first few pages when Carson plain out said he doesn't believe in God. How many character like that can be found in YA? or just general fiction?
Why couldn't the story have progressed with him, as the narrator still thinking there is no god but learning to accept it might give other people comfort? And, even if you have question his own believes - give him a good reason. Not just "these people said something nice so I guess there is a God."
Did he ever talk to atheist before? And if this feels like I'm exaggerating, let me put it this way (since we're not the LGBT+ issue anyway): isn't it annoying how you only get character having relationship with both girls and boys when it's a coming out as gay storyline? You hardly get characters who are just bi cause that's who they are, it's gay people trying to figure out who they are. That's what this is. People only bring out atheism when it's about talking how religion can actually be good. I'm sick of it.
Then, there's the preaching about alcoholism. Again, I get it. But there's a right way to do it, again trust your readers to be mature enough to understand complexity. Also, this time, it's done in a very stupid way. The worst thing to say to someone with background of alcoholism in the family is "never drink". The problem is drinking itself, it's abusing it. Children to alcoholic parents need to be tough how to drink *responsibly*, how to enjoy alcohol and not see it only as a toll to deal with problems.
And, lastly - this is just badly written. 2/3 of the book is the set-up to the main issue, and it's not only too long it's just not done properly. Too much here is just not believable:
-Aisha is too perfect, she almost feel like a Mary-Sue and come on, we're all grown out of writing those within 6 months top since started writing.
- Carson got no character! Like.... zero! The only thing I can say about him is that he likes telling jokes. That's not really a character is it? even that's not very believable either, it's hard for me to imagine such a person even exists.
And the worst: none of the changes are earned by actions, or by development. I don't wanna say anymore cause of spoilers, but the author was so into having a lovy-dovy ending and tear-full happy moments that he forgot he needs to actually make them happened on their own.
I am disappointed to the point I'm not read Konigsberg's next book, I was excited cause I really like Ben and related to his story. But seems like all of his books suffer from the same mediocre writing which disrespect the reader and has zero plot!
December 16, 2014
Occasionally I read a book and know immediately that it's going to end up on one of my syllabi. This was true for Bill Konigsberg's first two books (Out of the Pocket; Openly Straight), and it's true for The Porcupine of Truth. I can't wait to talk about this novel with my students.
So many of the boys/men in Konigsberg's narrative are broken; they're lost, alone, and angry, paralyzed by what they think they know and fearful of what they don't. As a result, they lash out, hurting themselves, hurting others, harboring secrets, and harboring resentments that prevent them from giving or receiving love.
This is true for Carson, the teen protagonist, and his dying father, with whom Carson is supposed to spend the summer. To be honest, I didn't care for either of them as the book opened. Carson's father I actually loathed. But, this is a book about a journey, and, like Carson, as I learned more, my deepening understanding opened up pathways to empathy.
I think what I appreciated most about the book (and what I imagine my students will want to explore) were the many kinds of journeys Carson experiences:
(1) the physical distance Carson literally travels with Aisha (his new friend who has been kicked out of her home) on their road trip from Montana to California,
(2) the historical journey Carson has to take as he tries to unearth the details of his grandfather's disappearance,
(3) the journey of faith both Carson and Aisha undergo as they grapple with institutionalized homophobia and prejudice and their devastating consequences,
(4) and, finally, Carson's own slow trajectory toward self-acceptance, which includes reconsidering his parents, his family's history, and even Aisha, whom he frequently and frustratingly objectifies.
Throughout the book Carson is simultaneously smart, selfish, sensitive, profane, ridiculous, moody, and genuine. He lingers...as does this complex book.
So many of the boys/men in Konigsberg's narrative are broken; they're lost, alone, and angry, paralyzed by what they think they know and fearful of what they don't. As a result, they lash out, hurting themselves, hurting others, harboring secrets, and harboring resentments that prevent them from giving or receiving love.
This is true for Carson, the teen protagonist, and his dying father, with whom Carson is supposed to spend the summer. To be honest, I didn't care for either of them as the book opened. Carson's father I actually loathed. But, this is a book about a journey, and, like Carson, as I learned more, my deepening understanding opened up pathways to empathy.
I think what I appreciated most about the book (and what I imagine my students will want to explore) were the many kinds of journeys Carson experiences:
(1) the physical distance Carson literally travels with Aisha (his new friend who has been kicked out of her home) on their road trip from Montana to California,
(2) the historical journey Carson has to take as he tries to unearth the details of his grandfather's disappearance,
(3) the journey of faith both Carson and Aisha undergo as they grapple with institutionalized homophobia and prejudice and their devastating consequences,
(4) and, finally, Carson's own slow trajectory toward self-acceptance, which includes reconsidering his parents, his family's history, and even Aisha, whom he frequently and frustratingly objectifies.
Throughout the book Carson is simultaneously smart, selfish, sensitive, profane, ridiculous, moody, and genuine. He lingers...as does this complex book.
June 4, 2015
Porcupine is nothing short of outstanding. This is unlike Bill’s other two books and it tackles some life’s most difficult aspects, including the impact of secrets, religion and how parents impact their children. He wraps all this up in an entertaining package that had me laughing at times, angry at others, and crying more than once.
In Porcupine, 17-year-old Carson travels to Billings, Montana, with his mom so they can take care of his dying father. This is after the family’s been separated for more than a decade. Carson’s dropped off at the zoo so his mom can check in on his dad alone. At the zoo, Carson meets Aisha, who he soon finds out is living at the zoo having been thrown out of her house because she’s a lesbian. There’s a rocky start to their friendship as they sort each other out, but soon they end up on a mission.
The story on Carson’s grandfather is that he abandoned his family decades before, and it’s something Carson’s father has never gotten over. As he’s sorting through things in the basement, however, Carson comes across boxes of his grandmother’s things, and there are items in there that reveal there’s far more to the story. Carson and Aisha take off on a road trip from Billings to Thermopiles, Wyoming to Salt Lake City and finally to San Francisco to uncover what really happened to grandpa.
I’m not going to talk about any more of the plot becuase I don't want to spoil it. Bill weaves his plot perfectly, doling out bits and pieces to Carson, and to the reader, in a perfect way that keeps the road trip going… and the reader completely engaged. I was thrilled I didn’t piece anything together too quickly so that I could take in the story’s crescendo at the same time Carson did. (Looking back I should’ve caught on to some clues, but I’m glad I didn’t.)
Read full review at: http://www.jeffandwill.com/2015/06/04...
In Porcupine, 17-year-old Carson travels to Billings, Montana, with his mom so they can take care of his dying father. This is after the family’s been separated for more than a decade. Carson’s dropped off at the zoo so his mom can check in on his dad alone. At the zoo, Carson meets Aisha, who he soon finds out is living at the zoo having been thrown out of her house because she’s a lesbian. There’s a rocky start to their friendship as they sort each other out, but soon they end up on a mission.
The story on Carson’s grandfather is that he abandoned his family decades before, and it’s something Carson’s father has never gotten over. As he’s sorting through things in the basement, however, Carson comes across boxes of his grandmother’s things, and there are items in there that reveal there’s far more to the story. Carson and Aisha take off on a road trip from Billings to Thermopiles, Wyoming to Salt Lake City and finally to San Francisco to uncover what really happened to grandpa.
I’m not going to talk about any more of the plot becuase I don't want to spoil it. Bill weaves his plot perfectly, doling out bits and pieces to Carson, and to the reader, in a perfect way that keeps the road trip going… and the reader completely engaged. I was thrilled I didn’t piece anything together too quickly so that I could take in the story’s crescendo at the same time Carson did. (Looking back I should’ve caught on to some clues, but I’m glad I didn’t.)
Read full review at: http://www.jeffandwill.com/2015/06/04...
February 11, 2015
Funny, smart, snarky, with unexpected heart, actual depth, and some of the best dialogue you'll read in a YA novel this year.
November 5, 2017
Talk about epic road trip this story is one hell of a road trip where secrets will be revealed and secrets will be made new.
Carson Smith is going to spend his summer helping his mother take care of his alcoholic father. As his father is dying Carson is determined to find out who his grandfather is. He has disappeared into thin air and Carson wants to surprise his father with finding his grandfather.
One day Carson is brought to a zoo by his mother and it is there that he meets Aisha Stinson. This is the beginning of an epic road trip as Carson invites Aisha along to find his grandfather so his father can see him one more time before he dies.
As they go along following clues as to where his grandfather is they learn a lot about who his grandfather really is. This is a must read story that will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what clue is next. What adventure will they go on next.
Carson Smith is going to spend his summer helping his mother take care of his alcoholic father. As his father is dying Carson is determined to find out who his grandfather is. He has disappeared into thin air and Carson wants to surprise his father with finding his grandfather.
One day Carson is brought to a zoo by his mother and it is there that he meets Aisha Stinson. This is the beginning of an epic road trip as Carson invites Aisha along to find his grandfather so his father can see him one more time before he dies.
As they go along following clues as to where his grandfather is they learn a lot about who his grandfather really is. This is a must read story that will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what clue is next. What adventure will they go on next.
September 6, 2022
I don't normally write long reviews on books but I wanted to with this one for two reasons.
1. It's a bloody great book
2. For some reason some people have taken issue with is and reviewed it harshly (I feel)
If I'd taken heed of the reviews I likely would not have read this, and that would have been a massive shame and a loss for me. This book was brilliant, beautiful, funny, sad and life affirming but some reviews would have you belive it's about a sex craved child who mentions his penis every other word. HE DOES NOT. I think he mentions his junk twice on 325 pages and this is within context, he's 17 and horny. Who wasn't? I guess the issues people have had, and I kind of get it, is that the main heterosexual male character is lusting after his lesbian friend. However again this is in the context of the story and is used to highlight his feelings of abandonment and to show how he grows as a character. That's all! Any other explanation is simply wrong.
So now thats over, the story itself.
I love this guys books and have read many of them. This is a tale of finding yourself, finding your family and learning to love yourself.
The main characters are wonderful and really grow on you and the supporting characters really add to the story.
This book is excellent and deserves every award it has won. It made me happy at times and sad at times and it's the first book in a long time that has made me cry (several times).
I highly recommend this book, it is beautiful and fantastic.
1. It's a bloody great book
2. For some reason some people have taken issue with is and reviewed it harshly (I feel)
If I'd taken heed of the reviews I likely would not have read this, and that would have been a massive shame and a loss for me. This book was brilliant, beautiful, funny, sad and life affirming but some reviews would have you belive it's about a sex craved child who mentions his penis every other word. HE DOES NOT. I think he mentions his junk twice on 325 pages and this is within context, he's 17 and horny. Who wasn't? I guess the issues people have had, and I kind of get it, is that the main heterosexual male character is lusting after his lesbian friend. However again this is in the context of the story and is used to highlight his feelings of abandonment and to show how he grows as a character. That's all! Any other explanation is simply wrong.
So now thats over, the story itself.
I love this guys books and have read many of them. This is a tale of finding yourself, finding your family and learning to love yourself.
The main characters are wonderful and really grow on you and the supporting characters really add to the story.
This book is excellent and deserves every award it has won. It made me happy at times and sad at times and it's the first book in a long time that has made me cry (several times).
I highly recommend this book, it is beautiful and fantastic.
November 2, 2015
You ever randomly pick up a book at the library due to the cover? I do that often and end up forgetting about it and not reading further into it. I'm so happy I didn't do that with this book. This is a book about life that will make you think, hope, and love the many wonderful music references (I'm a sucker for any book referencing Tegan and Sara!). I won't be writing a summary I just felt the need to say if you're glancing at reviews and wondering if you should read this book, I highly recommend giving it a try. It made me laugh, cry, and emotionally connect to everything going on. This is one of those books I'd recommend everyone everywhere to read! I absolutely adored it and hope it is made into a fabulous movie someday!
June 15, 2015
A heartfelt novel, beautifully written, about family, friendship, the nature of God, religion, being "other", being loved, bad puns and a porcupine of truth.
July 28, 2017
4 Platypires for The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg
“I worry sometimes that our world actually values a lack of intelligence. Like we are considered normal if we spend our time thinking about what one of the Kardashians wears to a party, and we are considered strange if we wonder whether a bee’s parents grieve if said bee dives into the Central Park Reservoir and never makes it back to the hive.”
I picked up Porcupine after attending a teen book con in my city of Houston. I was pretty excited to meet the author after reading Opening Straight, a book I enjoyed very much. I actually picked this book up having no clue what it was about but I am so glad I did.
I loved the characters in this novel. The characters and their banter with each other were realistic. They were broken characters going along a journey into finding their own truth. This a book about religion, friendship, loss and family that I think teens and adults would find relatable.
This a book that I would highly recommend.
“I worry sometimes that our world actually values a lack of intelligence. Like we are considered normal if we spend our time thinking about what one of the Kardashians wears to a party, and we are considered strange if we wonder whether a bee’s parents grieve if said bee dives into the Central Park Reservoir and never makes it back to the hive.”
I picked up Porcupine after attending a teen book con in my city of Houston. I was pretty excited to meet the author after reading Opening Straight, a book I enjoyed very much. I actually picked this book up having no clue what it was about but I am so glad I did.
I loved the characters in this novel. The characters and their banter with each other were realistic. They were broken characters going along a journey into finding their own truth. This a book about religion, friendship, loss and family that I think teens and adults would find relatable.
This a book that I would highly recommend.
November 9, 2023
There is a part of me that does not hate this book. I enjoyed the concept and the snappy writing. I adored Aisha and Turk. I cried a little bit at the end when Aisha's dad hugged her and still refused to accept her, which is why I'm writing this from a place of sadness instead of anger. Because if I were angry, I don't think I'd be quite as coherent as I'm being right now.
This book is dragged all the way down by our main character and narrator, Carson Smith. I can cut him a little bit of slack because he's seventeen and he can't make friends and life sucks, but I also think that the reason he can't make friends is not so much because he's "weird", but because he's an absolute asshole. Seriously, if I met him in real life, I think I'd spend about 80% of the time wanting to strangle him and the other 20% barely tolerating him. I got so incredibly tired of him sexualizing Aisha and trying to wish her straight. I got tired of the naval-gazing and the angst and the absolute unwillingness to look beyond himself for one fucking instant and step into another person's shoes.
Case in point: that volleyball scene with Aisha. That entire scene just made me angry. He goes and does this one selfless thing and then just bitches and whines about Aisha making new friends and not needing him. He is the third generation of Smith men to be incredibly needy and not know how to be alone. It got really old really quickly.
I also got very, very tired of his stubborn refusal to even listen to other people's ideas about God. And that brings me to my other point: how spirituality is dealt with in this book. As someone who's been reading Richard Rohr and Elizabeth Goudge for the past three years, this book and the way it discussed spirituality and faith felt not so much basic as bottom-of-the-barrel starting point. And maybe that's the point, and I'm glad that it was even talked about in a YA book, but it all felt very surface-level. I can't be too upset about it, though; everyone's on their own journey.
Openly Straight was a great book, and I went into The Porcupine of Truth expecting Bill Konisberg to be on that same level of greatness. This book is a real disappointment.
This book is dragged all the way down by our main character and narrator, Carson Smith. I can cut him a little bit of slack because he's seventeen and he can't make friends and life sucks, but I also think that the reason he can't make friends is not so much because he's "weird", but because he's an absolute asshole. Seriously, if I met him in real life, I think I'd spend about 80% of the time wanting to strangle him and the other 20% barely tolerating him. I got so incredibly tired of him sexualizing Aisha and trying to wish her straight. I got tired of the naval-gazing and the angst and the absolute unwillingness to look beyond himself for one fucking instant and step into another person's shoes.
Case in point: that volleyball scene with Aisha. That entire scene just made me angry. He goes and does this one selfless thing and then just bitches and whines about Aisha making new friends and not needing him. He is the third generation of Smith men to be incredibly needy and not know how to be alone. It got really old really quickly.
I also got very, very tired of his stubborn refusal to even listen to other people's ideas about God. And that brings me to my other point: how spirituality is dealt with in this book. As someone who's been reading Richard Rohr and Elizabeth Goudge for the past three years, this book and the way it discussed spirituality and faith felt not so much basic as bottom-of-the-barrel starting point. And maybe that's the point, and I'm glad that it was even talked about in a YA book, but it all felt very surface-level. I can't be too upset about it, though; everyone's on their own journey.
Openly Straight was a great book, and I went into The Porcupine of Truth expecting Bill Konisberg to be on that same level of greatness. This book is a real disappointment.
July 20, 2015
Last year I read a Bill Konigsberg novel for the first time. OPENLY STRAIGHT was a good summer read, but not one of my favorites of the year or anything. His recent release, THE PORCUPINE OF TRUTH, still caught my attention with its adorable cover and a blurb that promised an epic road trip.
The story starts when Carson's mom leaves him at the zoo. They've come to Billings, Montana for the summer to help his dying father in his final days, and she needs to ditch him for a bit to take care of things. At the zoo Carson meets Aisha, who has been kicked out by her father because she's a lesbian. It's the beginning of a fast friendship between two weirdos with similarly off-beat senses of humor.
Yes, there is an epic road trip. Carson and Aisha set out to find what happened to Carson's grandfather. He was a missing person, but they found evidence in the basement that he was in contact with his wife after he officially disappeared. I liked that their road trip encounters a lot of problems, including car trouble and difficulty finding places to stay. It's a pretty realistic road trip for two teenagers without many resources and rapidly dwindling parental approval.
There is a lot of religious discussion, which doesn't bother me, but I know isn't everyone's cup of tea. Carson doesn't really believe in anything, and Aisha is turning against her childhood beliefs since her very Christian father treated her in such an un-Christlike way. On their road trip, they encounter people who believe a variety of different things and discuss them. I thought it was a good reflection of reality and very revealing of all the characters.
THE PORCUPINE OF TRUTH is a very funny novel that tackles tough subjects like alcoholism, homeless LGBTQ youth, and racism. (Aisha is black.) The irreverent tone balances the dark matter without being disrespectful of it. Definitely worth a read.
The story starts when Carson's mom leaves him at the zoo. They've come to Billings, Montana for the summer to help his dying father in his final days, and she needs to ditch him for a bit to take care of things. At the zoo Carson meets Aisha, who has been kicked out by her father because she's a lesbian. It's the beginning of a fast friendship between two weirdos with similarly off-beat senses of humor.
Yes, there is an epic road trip. Carson and Aisha set out to find what happened to Carson's grandfather. He was a missing person, but they found evidence in the basement that he was in contact with his wife after he officially disappeared. I liked that their road trip encounters a lot of problems, including car trouble and difficulty finding places to stay. It's a pretty realistic road trip for two teenagers without many resources and rapidly dwindling parental approval.
There is a lot of religious discussion, which doesn't bother me, but I know isn't everyone's cup of tea. Carson doesn't really believe in anything, and Aisha is turning against her childhood beliefs since her very Christian father treated her in such an un-Christlike way. On their road trip, they encounter people who believe a variety of different things and discuss them. I thought it was a good reflection of reality and very revealing of all the characters.
THE PORCUPINE OF TRUTH is a very funny novel that tackles tough subjects like alcoholism, homeless LGBTQ youth, and racism. (Aisha is black.) The irreverent tone balances the dark matter without being disrespectful of it. Definitely worth a read.
August 23, 2019
...and a solid four-stars at that!
Certainly an interesting one! I went into this book with very high expectations, as Openly Straight is one of my favourite books, whilst also knowing very little about this book, and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
There's a lot of emotions in this book, and the balance between the funny stuff and the heavy stuff is done well. There's quite a diverse selection of characters, a lot of very insightful quotes, and you know...there's a road-trip!
I just, urh...I kind of struggled to like Carson for about 85% of this book, for the most part. He did have a couple of (what I thought were) redeeming moments though, and he even acknowledges the things I'm not really fond of about him in a a couple of "oh shit, I'm being stupid" moments, but I just...couldn't quite connect with him. Aisha, on the other hand, I absolutely adore! I think she's a brilliant character, and I really liked the overall story and the element of mystery and everything. It was just Carson who I had an issue with, which is kind of unfortunate, seeing as he's the narrator!
It's a decent book, and I shall definitely read whatever Bill may write next!
*and a side-note, this book is SO PRETTY! The general design, and the little porcupine on the bottom-left on the front of the hardcover...I'm a fan. :)
Certainly an interesting one! I went into this book with very high expectations, as Openly Straight is one of my favourite books, whilst also knowing very little about this book, and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
There's a lot of emotions in this book, and the balance between the funny stuff and the heavy stuff is done well. There's quite a diverse selection of characters, a lot of very insightful quotes, and you know...there's a road-trip!
I just, urh...I kind of struggled to like Carson for about 85% of this book, for the most part. He did have a couple of (what I thought were) redeeming moments though, and he even acknowledges the things I'm not really fond of about him in a a couple of "oh shit, I'm being stupid" moments, but I just...couldn't quite connect with him. Aisha, on the other hand, I absolutely adore! I think she's a brilliant character, and I really liked the overall story and the element of mystery and everything. It was just Carson who I had an issue with, which is kind of unfortunate, seeing as he's the narrator!
It's a decent book, and I shall definitely read whatever Bill may write next!
*and a side-note, this book is SO PRETTY! The general design, and the little porcupine on the bottom-left on the front of the hardcover...I'm a fan. :)
March 13, 2016
So I'd be reading along, enjoying a buddy road trip story and suddenly - bam! "Religion sure is lame, isn't it? Haha!" Picture me doing that for 300 pages, and that's my reading experience.
In the world of Porcupine, every religious person is an Evangelical Christian. How do I know? The author never mentions any other religions, or even most Christian denominations, despite them all having wildly different views on homosexuality. I know that a character's views and an author's views are not necessarily the same - but when an author spends an entire novel hammering a point home with no dissenting views or nuance, you really have to assume it's his own POV his pushing.
This book is neither as deep nor as funny as it would like you to believe. There's a lot of philosophical musing that doesn't get any further than the shallowest questions and resolves itself with pop culture platitudes. The protagonist is really annoying a lot of the time, and just, painful to imagine being around. I honestly think Koningsberg was trying to be David Levithan and failing.
The sad thing about this book is the human core of the story - a boy trying to reconnect with his estranged father and discover a long-buried family secret - is quite interesting and compelling. Unfortunately, it's buried in a ton of shallow bullshit.
In the world of Porcupine, every religious person is an Evangelical Christian. How do I know? The author never mentions any other religions, or even most Christian denominations, despite them all having wildly different views on homosexuality. I know that a character's views and an author's views are not necessarily the same - but when an author spends an entire novel hammering a point home with no dissenting views or nuance, you really have to assume it's his own POV his pushing.
This book is neither as deep nor as funny as it would like you to believe. There's a lot of philosophical musing that doesn't get any further than the shallowest questions and resolves itself with pop culture platitudes. The protagonist is really annoying a lot of the time, and just, painful to imagine being around. I honestly think Koningsberg was trying to be David Levithan and failing.
The sad thing about this book is the human core of the story - a boy trying to reconnect with his estranged father and discover a long-buried family secret - is quite interesting and compelling. Unfortunately, it's buried in a ton of shallow bullshit.
September 10, 2015
I LOVE THIS BOOK. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE.
I won it from somewhere- It arrived in the mail with no explanation, so I'm going to assume it was from Goodreads, and if so I thank you, and also, you need to remedy the vagueness so we the winners of this amazing book, can thank whomever made it possible.
You know when you read a story, and even though you are nothing like the characters, you can relate to them and you GET them, without ever having been in their shoes? This is how I felt about Carson and Aisha.
I'm not going to do the summary thing, because this story is truly complex and it would be like, 8 pages long and still not even get close to what the book actually means, and you can get that from the 6 million other reviews... but all I'm going to say is this:
The Porcupine of Truth is the best YA road trip book I've ever read. There is so much story, and so many things that happen, and every one they encounter, and every action they take has meaning to the story. If you liked Paper Towns, then this is about 8 billion times better, more interesting, and funnier. Margo can kiss it.
This book is super funny. And it's sad. And it's deep and religious, without being preachy. It's about friendship, and family and acceptance and love.
And it's so damn good.
I won it from somewhere- It arrived in the mail with no explanation, so I'm going to assume it was from Goodreads, and if so I thank you, and also, you need to remedy the vagueness so we the winners of this amazing book, can thank whomever made it possible.
You know when you read a story, and even though you are nothing like the characters, you can relate to them and you GET them, without ever having been in their shoes? This is how I felt about Carson and Aisha.
I'm not going to do the summary thing, because this story is truly complex and it would be like, 8 pages long and still not even get close to what the book actually means, and you can get that from the 6 million other reviews... but all I'm going to say is this:
The Porcupine of Truth is the best YA road trip book I've ever read. There is so much story, and so many things that happen, and every one they encounter, and every action they take has meaning to the story. If you liked Paper Towns, then this is about 8 billion times better, more interesting, and funnier. Margo can kiss it.
This book is super funny. And it's sad. And it's deep and religious, without being preachy. It's about friendship, and family and acceptance and love.
And it's so damn good.
August 4, 2021
This book had so much potential. A black female lesbian is what mainly drawn me to the book, but upon reading it, I was not happy. This book is so unremarkable, I can’t remember any of the characters names. What I do remember is that the main character completely fetishizes his supposed “friend” (the black gay girl). Every chapter he continues to fantasize sexual things about her which is disgusting. He’s also very entitled and stubborn, he could never let her be happy. As for the storyline itself, it was boring. I didn’t read the last couple pages because it felt so drawn out. Also, the “humor” in this book is completely unfunny and kind of cringe to be frank. All in all, this book gives poor representation. I don’t recommend.
October 1, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. I thought the road trip was realistic and the discussions that occurred between the characters about homosexuality were realistic. I am a Christian and I am always appalled by professed Christians who can "disown" their children because of their sexual orientation, which happened to the main character, Aisha. Her father but in my Christian opinion that is not what a father should do and not what I think Christ would do.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this GLBT book. It is pretty eye-opening in many ways.
October 6, 2015
What do God, homosexuality, bad puns and porcupines have in common? This book.
While this wasn't a life changing story (FOR ME), I still loved how thought-provoking it was. I liked how the issue of religion and being gay was treated and all the questions it raised about society. Carson was a very relatable protagonist, but honestly, I feel like I learned something from every character. Some of them were downright awesome. And some parts were really funny. And there was no romance, which was nice actuallyx Definitely recommend this book is you like deep YA and John Green.
July 7, 2015
Not a terrible book, but not a great one either. I figured out the end long before the protagonists did. I found the narrator a little irritating but overall it was a unique take on the father-son and road trip tropes. The last few chapters were genuinely moving, but it didn't quite feel earned--what were mediocre characters on a somewhat interesting plot line co-opted a depth of emotion and pain from a group of people otherwise absent from the book.
September 4, 2017
Not even going to finish it. After reading 50 pages of some dbag trying to figure out a way to get a woman who isn't interested in men to still sleep with him, I had to stop.
My breaking point was him thinking of ways to go into the bathroom and sneak a peek at her while she's showering. Giving a homeless girl a place to stay but he only has the bare minimum of humanity to leave her alone while she gets clean. I don't care if it gets better. I don't care. It's gross to begin with.
My breaking point was him thinking of ways to go into the bathroom and sneak a peek at her while she's showering. Giving a homeless girl a place to stay but he only has the bare minimum of humanity to leave her alone while she gets clean. I don't care if it gets better. I don't care. It's gross to begin with.
March 27, 2016
Sobbed my way right through the ending of this book. I think I'm always down for the epic road trip -- the metaphoric quest for meaning in life. And maybe my favorite part of this novel were the times when Carson and Aisha wrestled with religion and god. Also smiled whenever it was obvious that Carson was forever attracted to Aisha, even when that was clearly not going to happen. :)
June 2, 2016
OK, but not great. It bothered me that Carson couldn't get past wanting Aisha to not be lesbian and to want him. He gets creeped out by the idea of being pressured to be gay when he's not, but doesn't see that his wanting her to be attracted to him is the same.
Felt a little heavy handed at at times and wrapped up a bit too neatly for believability.
Felt a little heavy handed at at times and wrapped up a bit too neatly for believability.
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