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This is the Part Where You Laugh
Inside jacket:
Travis plans to spend the summer as follows:
Working on his basketball game with his friend Creature.
Reading excerpts from Creature's novel-in-progress: The Pervert's Guide to Russian Princesses.
Canoeing and fishing the lake, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful girl who just moved in.
Not getting into trouble, not going back to juvie...
Searching the homeless camps for his mother, with a jar full of cash to help get her on her feet.
The summer takes a dark turn when Creature is attacked. And this sets in motion a chain of events that threatens both boys' futures. From a Powerful new voice in YA literature comes an unforgettable account of growing up, making mistakes, and growing out of the shadow of drug abuse.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2016
About the author
Peter Brown Hoffmeister
10 books79 followersAuthor also writes under Pedro Hoffmeister
Pedro Hoffmeister's new novel, American Afterlife, is a thriller with Crooked Lane Books (distributed by Penguin Random House).
Writing under the name Peter Brown Hoffmeister, Hoffmeister's previous novels have earned places on Year-End "Best Of" lists for 2016 and 2017 by The American Library Association, VOYA, and Bank Street, and starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin.
Hoffmeister is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Too Shattered For Mending, This Is The Part Where You Laugh, and Graphic The Valley. He has also written the memoir The End of Boys, the nonfiction text Let Them Be Eaten By Bears, and a new collection of essays titled Confessions Of The Last Man On Earth Without A Cell Phone.
A former troubled teen, Hoffmeister was expelled from three high schools, lived for a short while in a Greyhound bus station, was remanded to a recovery and parole program, and completed a wilderness experience for troubled teens. He now runs the Integrated Outdoor Program and represents Ridgemont Outfitters as an outdoor athlete and climbs for Elevation Bouldering.
He lives with his wife and daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
Pedro Hoffmeister's new novel, American Afterlife, is a thriller with Crooked Lane Books (distributed by Penguin Random House).
Writing under the name Peter Brown Hoffmeister, Hoffmeister's previous novels have earned places on Year-End "Best Of" lists for 2016 and 2017 by The American Library Association, VOYA, and Bank Street, and starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin.
Hoffmeister is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Too Shattered For Mending, This Is The Part Where You Laugh, and Graphic The Valley. He has also written the memoir The End of Boys, the nonfiction text Let Them Be Eaten By Bears, and a new collection of essays titled Confessions Of The Last Man On Earth Without A Cell Phone.
A former troubled teen, Hoffmeister was expelled from three high schools, lived for a short while in a Greyhound bus station, was remanded to a recovery and parole program, and completed a wilderness experience for troubled teens. He now runs the Integrated Outdoor Program and represents Ridgemont Outfitters as an outdoor athlete and climbs for Elevation Bouldering.
He lives with his wife and daughters in Eugene, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 12, 2016
the best book I've read all year. every adult in Travis's life is failing him in some way: drugs, cancer, perversion, absenteeism. the one thing he can count on is basketball and his best friend, Creature. when his choices start to jeopardize even that, Travis has to figure out how to control what he can and deal with the things he can't. amazing book, true to life, hard topics. so good.
January 22, 2016
Travis seems to have everything working against him; cancer, abandonment, addiction, and gangs. Even through all of that he still has his best friend Creature, basketball, loving grandparents and the girl he spotted who lives across the lake. The story alternates between the present and the past, allowing you to get a true feel for Travis and who he is as a person and reminds you to look past someone's social standing and see who the true person is underneath. Travis breaks the mold of the typical YA main character, however in my mind, it's Creature who really steals the show. Creature loves basketball as much as Travis, but he is also obsessed with learning and writing about historical princesses. Although I usually read to escape the harsh reality around us this book put me squarely into the underprivileged and realistic mind-frame. This book fills a niche in YA that has previously been touched by only a few authors.
May 14, 2016
Peter Brown Hoffmeister’s first young adult novel, This Is the Part Where You Laugh, opens with the young protagonist Travis releasing two small South American crocodiles he bought from a guy who posted a flier at the Chevron station—caimans—into the little lake in the middle of the North Eugene neighborhood where Travis lives. The book is compulsively readable from the first page.
When he’s not writing, Hoffmeister teaches English and outdoor skills at South Eugene High School in the Integrated Outdoor Program, and is well-loved by his students. As a teen, he ran away from home and got expelled from two boarding schools. He was placed in a minimum-security “life challenge program” in East Texas after facing legal troubles, and ran away from that too. He finally ended up at South Eugene as a student and met an English teacher who mentored him. Now, as a teacher, he mentors troubled students. The circle continues.
This Is the Part Where You Laugh focuses on teens struggling to be as good as they can in bad circumstances. The novel deals with addiction, homelessness, racism, violence, abuse—and the hope and humor that keep its characters trying in spite of all that.
Hoffmeister blends the immediacy of first person present tense narration seamlessly with memory in short, poignant chapters. Masterful withholding of key information until just the right moment heightens the suspense that keeps you reading. As I read, I loved not knowing how all the separate parts of the story would tie together, but having faith that they would—and being right. Travis’s authentic voice carries the novel, and it teems with sentences that stop you. One of my favorites: “The morning is like a new box of nails, dew silver on the grass.”
Place names invoke a kind of magic in writing—a magic of specificity. For me this magic comes through even when I know nothing about the places being named. When Travis rides his bike on streets I’ve been on—Gilham, Green Acres, 7th—and along Eugene’s river bike path, I thrill. A place I drive by every week—the park under the Washington-Jefferson Bridge—is the setting for one of the novel’s most crucial scenes, and it makes me drive by a little slower, look closer.
The novel is full of characters with complexities that make them heartbreakingly realistic: Travis’s homeless junkie mom, his grandparents in their mobile home, Natalie the girl across the lake, and his best friend Creature. And Travis, who tries over and over again to be good and do good, who keeps screwing it up, but keeps on trying anyway. It’s hard to watch, hard to read, but it’s a huge part of what makes this book so good. More than anything, it’s a book about compassion—about hearing perspectives it would be easier to ignore. Travis says, “Sometimes I get mad or jealous when I think about other people’s parents, but mostly I get confused. Why are some people the way they are, while other people are like my mom? It’s easy to say it’s the drugs, but what was it before that? Maybe we need to ask more questions.” That’s what it’s about: asking those questions.
When he’s not writing, Hoffmeister teaches English and outdoor skills at South Eugene High School in the Integrated Outdoor Program, and is well-loved by his students. As a teen, he ran away from home and got expelled from two boarding schools. He was placed in a minimum-security “life challenge program” in East Texas after facing legal troubles, and ran away from that too. He finally ended up at South Eugene as a student and met an English teacher who mentored him. Now, as a teacher, he mentors troubled students. The circle continues.
This Is the Part Where You Laugh focuses on teens struggling to be as good as they can in bad circumstances. The novel deals with addiction, homelessness, racism, violence, abuse—and the hope and humor that keep its characters trying in spite of all that.
Hoffmeister blends the immediacy of first person present tense narration seamlessly with memory in short, poignant chapters. Masterful withholding of key information until just the right moment heightens the suspense that keeps you reading. As I read, I loved not knowing how all the separate parts of the story would tie together, but having faith that they would—and being right. Travis’s authentic voice carries the novel, and it teems with sentences that stop you. One of my favorites: “The morning is like a new box of nails, dew silver on the grass.”
Place names invoke a kind of magic in writing—a magic of specificity. For me this magic comes through even when I know nothing about the places being named. When Travis rides his bike on streets I’ve been on—Gilham, Green Acres, 7th—and along Eugene’s river bike path, I thrill. A place I drive by every week—the park under the Washington-Jefferson Bridge—is the setting for one of the novel’s most crucial scenes, and it makes me drive by a little slower, look closer.
The novel is full of characters with complexities that make them heartbreakingly realistic: Travis’s homeless junkie mom, his grandparents in their mobile home, Natalie the girl across the lake, and his best friend Creature. And Travis, who tries over and over again to be good and do good, who keeps screwing it up, but keeps on trying anyway. It’s hard to watch, hard to read, but it’s a huge part of what makes this book so good. More than anything, it’s a book about compassion—about hearing perspectives it would be easier to ignore. Travis says, “Sometimes I get mad or jealous when I think about other people’s parents, but mostly I get confused. Why are some people the way they are, while other people are like my mom? It’s easy to say it’s the drugs, but what was it before that? Maybe we need to ask more questions.” That’s what it’s about: asking those questions.
July 1, 2017
از همون ابتدای این رمان جذاب معلومه که تراویس توی زندگیش شرایط خوبی نداشته. مادربزرگش سرطان گرفته. پدربزرگش ترجیح میده مواد بکشه به جای اینکه با واقعیت روبرو بشه. مادرش به هروئین معتاده و خودش هم مشکل کنترل خشم داره.
کمی بعد از شروع رمان معلوم میشه که تراویس آدم خوبیه، سخت کار میکنه، پر انرژیه، پول ذخیره میکنه که به مادرش کمک کنه، به افراد بی خانمان کمک میکنه. ولی مشکلی درونی که تراویس داره اینکه شخصیت خودتخریب گر داره و اهمیتی نمیده که چه اتفاقی براش می افته.
رمان خنده دار، و پر از احساسات واقعیه. نویسنده واقعا کار زیبا و قوی ای ارائه کرده. داستان خوب جلو میره و بعضی قسمت ها واقعا ناراحت کننده ست. نثرش ساده و سرعت پیشروی مناسبی داره.
کمی بعد از شروع رمان معلوم میشه که تراویس آدم خوبیه، سخت کار میکنه، پر انرژیه، پول ذخیره میکنه که به مادرش کمک کنه، به افراد بی خانمان کمک میکنه. ولی مشکلی درونی که تراویس داره اینکه شخصیت خودتخریب گر داره و اهمیتی نمیده که چه اتفاقی براش می افته.
رمان خنده دار، و پر از احساسات واقعیه. نویسنده واقعا کار زیبا و قوی ای ارائه کرده. داستان خوب جلو میره و بعضی قسمت ها واقعا ناراحت کننده ست. نثرش ساده و سرعت پیشروی مناسبی داره.
November 6, 2016
"What are you reading, Grandma?"
"Persuasion, sweetie. Jane Austen. It's always been one of my favorites."
"You and Creature. I've never reread a book."
"Sometimes the story is good enough, or the writing. I could read Persuasion 50 times and still enjoy it."
Grandma is a woman after my own heart.
This story, the writing is good enough. It's going to be a reread for me even though it did put my heart in a jar and rattle the shit out of it.
"Persuasion, sweetie. Jane Austen. It's always been one of my favorites."
"You and Creature. I've never reread a book."
"Sometimes the story is good enough, or the writing. I could read Persuasion 50 times and still enjoy it."
Grandma is a woman after my own heart.
This story, the writing is good enough. It's going to be a reread for me even though it did put my heart in a jar and rattle the shit out of it.
July 28, 2017
Travis has had life thrown at him from all directions. He is living with his grandparents because his mother takes heroin shots and is/was unable to provide care to him. His grandmother has cancer and is dying. His grandfather smokes his grandmother's medical marijuana. All Travis wants to do is play basketball, read the drafts of his friend, Creature, book, and look at the girl on the other side of the lake. This story is about drug abuse, gang violence, reptilian infestation, romance, and most of all, basketball.
I loved this novel. It help me realize what some of the kids at my school go through because I can picture Travis being someone I go to school with. I saw the reality he had to face, and it helped me understand it a bit better. Hoffmeister went where few authors had gone before. Not many authors write about stuff this deep. It opened my eyes, and I hope it will hope yours.
I loved this novel. It help me realize what some of the kids at my school go through because I can picture Travis being someone I go to school with. I saw the reality he had to face, and it helped me understand it a bit better. Hoffmeister went where few authors had gone before. Not many authors write about stuff this deep. It opened my eyes, and I hope it will hope yours.
March 24, 2016
I really enjoyed reading This is the Part Where you Laugh! It has dynamic characters and a plot that kept me turning the pages. It left me wanting more! Looking forward to Hoffmeister's next book.
October 26, 2016
Painful, but interesting. The title and cover is what caught my eye in the first place. Definitely doesn't wrap up in a nice neat bow. I really enjoyed reading it and especially loved the weird stories by Creature. A very intriguing writing style.
March 9, 2016
I laughed out loud. I cried. I fell in love the characters. I read it twice, and will read it again. I highly recommend this book to anyone, young adult on up.
September 15, 2016
Been waiting to read this for a long time. Great story with incredible characters. Good lesson of having to laugh when there is nothing else you can do in your life! A must-read!
November 9, 2016
why was this not a good book? I don't know. It had important topics, sad moments, funny moments.
and by funny moments I don't mean perverted Russian princesses because, really?
and by funny moments I don't mean perverted Russian princesses because, really?
June 14, 2018
I laughed. I cried. What an introspective look into the life of a teenage boy struggling to maintain standards for his life, while surrounded by abandonment, prejudice, poverty, abusers, and drug influences. Luckily, Travis had his grandparents, girlfriend, and coaches who saw his inner strengths and helped him prove he had the strength of character to rise above the chaos. This book teaches all of us to give people a chance and not judge.
October 18, 2017
I really liked the story but I hated the weird Russian princess crap to the point that I want to rip out those pages before handing it to a student. The plot of the book should grab teens, but that part would be a total turn-off (pun!).
March 8, 2018
I like the writing of this book....I was kind of sad but good.
May 20, 2023
bro this book is actually insanely good. by the end i was so invested in the characters and everything they go through, definitely a 5 star book.
March 22, 2024
I really loved reading this book. Travis going through so many hardships and focusing on things can control is something that makes this book true to life. This book was great.
February 5, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book it was very funny but there were also parts that were really sad. just for an fyi the top part of the book say 'try until you fail, cry until you laugh.' which I think is so true to the book. I hope you try reading this ok it is a super good read and I am so glad I chose to read it.
April 4, 2017
Rising sophomore, Travis, is one of the best basketball players at his school. After his half season suspension he works all the rest of the year and summer to better himself. He works out almost everyday with his best friend Creature. Travis and Creature live in a trailer park where they meet up and go to the same basketball court for workouts and to play everyday. They play basketball games with the other regular people who they see at the courts at night. Even though most of their time is used for working out and playing basketball Creature still finds time to write literature. Even thought Travis now lives with his grandparents Travis grew up with his mom having a drug addiction, and as he got older he started noticing that he needed to move out. Travis lives with his grandparents, his grandpa who smokes his wife's prescription marijuana, and his grandma who has cancer and can barely walk. Even though he lives with them he stills goes around the bad parts of town trying to find his mom and provide her with food and money to start her life over. Travis made a bet with himself that he would sleep outside in his tent for 100 nights straight. He still goes inside and hangs out with his grandparents, and of course comforts his grandma. He likes to go out on the lake behind where he lives, and he sometimes even takes his grandma out with him so she can tell him stories about her life.
May 17, 2016
From the opening pages of this compellingly-readable novel, it's clear that rising sophomore Travis has not been dealt the best hand of cards in life. His beloved grandmother is dying of cancer, his grandfather prefers to get stoned rather than deal with reality, his mother, a heroine addict, is living somewhere in the streets or woods of Eugene, Oregon, and he's dealing with anger management issues that caused his basketball season to end with a suspension. When the book starts with him releasing two caimans into the local lake, readers will shake their heads at his actions--foolish, sure to end in tragedy and the deaths of local pets, no doubt. But later, once they learn why he put the reptiles into the water, they may find a way to understand what he's done. Because, despite all odds and despite all the challenges in his life and the many strikes against him, Travis is a good guy. He works hard, saves his money to give to his mother if he ever sees her again, and brings sandwiches to the homeless who live in the nearby woods. He and his friend, Creature, spend the summer days honing their considerable basketball skills through practice and pick-up games on the local courts. Clearly, Travis has goals, including his decision to spend 100 days sleeping outside and getting to know Natalie, the athletic girl who has just moved into the neighborhood. But there seems to be something inside him--some self-destructive element or some "I don't care what happens to me" attitude--that causes him to put himself in risky situations that will surely not turn out well for him. Honestly, I quickly fell in love with Travis and rooted for him to make it, to fly past all the bad things in his life, and be okay. I also adored Creature with his mad basketball skills and his creative stories written about a series of romantic and erotic encounters with several Russian princesses. Just as outsiders would have no clue about what Travis is actually like, they are most likely to make assumptions about Creature and never dream that he loves words and writing. From the book's start, it's clear that basketball could be the boys' ticket out of their challenging lives, but it could also spell their doom. My heart simply broke at what happened to Creature and Travis's desperate efforts to save his friend. The passages in which he made one mistake after another after Creature's injury are particularly well written. Filled with humor, pathos, and raw emotions, this honest examination of a boy on the edge of something that could turn out to be either very good or very bad is a powerful and gut-wrenching read, partly because each character is so well developed and realistic. This book needs to be read by anyone planning to teach middle or high school and savored for its writing, the topics it explores, and its reminder that sometimes all that is left to us is to laugh at the absurdity of life and our attempts to make things better. I was quite impressed with the story and will eagerly anticipate more from this talented author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
Travis plays basketball, sleeps in a tent, and struggles with life during the events of one summer. I think this book will appeal to boys, even reluctant readers. The chapters are mostly very short and the long ones contain events that are compelling.
This book will definitely by on my top 10.
This book will definitely by on my top 10.
June 5, 2016
Now you can look at that title and expect comedy, or you can look at the cover photo and read the synopsis and you'll realize the title is a wry piece of advice about getting through a terrible period the only way you can.
Hoffmeister's book is a tiny stage filled with powerful characters: the cancer-stricken grandmother, a former English teacher, whose life lessons have saved her grandson, Travis; the grandfather who weaned himself off alcohol and the terrible person it made him, only to lose himself in a near perpetual high on his wife's medical marijuana. Travis' best friend, Creature (Malik), whose talent on the basketball court is matched by his writing skills evinced in his erotic essays ("The Pervert's Guide to Russian Princesses"). He loves to read and talk, but his mouth buys him terrible trouble. Natalie is the new girl who lives across the lake, living a life of privilege but doing it uncomfortably under the creepy gaze of her new stepfather. And our hero, Travis. I can't tell if he's a little thick because maybe his addicted mom was already using while she was pregnant...or if his single-minded focus -during basketball, he forgets about other players to the point of collision - was born of the things he had to do to survive while his mom dragged him from one crappy motel to the next. Did his kleptomania arise from a need to steal in order to eat or did it give him a feeling of control? When he released 2 caiman into the nearby lake to give his trailer park elderly neighbors something to talk about, thereby enlivening his grandma's dwindling days, did he not realize the terrible consequences of that act involving the deaths of several beloved pets. Does he not realize his tendency to punch first and think later may forever limit his dreams of a basketball future to pick up games on dangerous playgrounds?
At first skeptical, I was soon won over by Hoffmeister's skillful characterization and my hope that Travis would not only survive, but thrive. This is the perfect YA book for a hot summer read, but I would say its audience is 16 and up.
Hoffmeister's book is a tiny stage filled with powerful characters: the cancer-stricken grandmother, a former English teacher, whose life lessons have saved her grandson, Travis; the grandfather who weaned himself off alcohol and the terrible person it made him, only to lose himself in a near perpetual high on his wife's medical marijuana. Travis' best friend, Creature (Malik), whose talent on the basketball court is matched by his writing skills evinced in his erotic essays ("The Pervert's Guide to Russian Princesses"). He loves to read and talk, but his mouth buys him terrible trouble. Natalie is the new girl who lives across the lake, living a life of privilege but doing it uncomfortably under the creepy gaze of her new stepfather. And our hero, Travis. I can't tell if he's a little thick because maybe his addicted mom was already using while she was pregnant...or if his single-minded focus -during basketball, he forgets about other players to the point of collision - was born of the things he had to do to survive while his mom dragged him from one crappy motel to the next. Did his kleptomania arise from a need to steal in order to eat or did it give him a feeling of control? When he released 2 caiman into the nearby lake to give his trailer park elderly neighbors something to talk about, thereby enlivening his grandma's dwindling days, did he not realize the terrible consequences of that act involving the deaths of several beloved pets. Does he not realize his tendency to punch first and think later may forever limit his dreams of a basketball future to pick up games on dangerous playgrounds?
At first skeptical, I was soon won over by Hoffmeister's skillful characterization and my hope that Travis would not only survive, but thrive. This is the perfect YA book for a hot summer read, but I would say its audience is 16 and up.
September 18, 2016
Travis is a teen living with his weed-smoking grandpa and his cancer-ridden grandma who prefers to escape the harsh reality of his youth with his heroin-junkie mom by shooting hoops with his best friend Creature; a budding author whose brief slightly erotic stories about Russian Princesses sprinkle throughout the story. This is a dark and truthfully realistic coming of age story with rough lives, friendship and "brothers", romance, stupid teenage moments, touching moments, and a bit of emotional gut-wrenching towards the end. Good for any who wants something a bit more deep and gritty than the usual light coming of age fare.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Don't be fooled by the title; this is not a light or funny memoir. It is beautiful but dark. Also, there is a LOT of basketball so if you're not a fan you may run into a need to skim a lot or be dragged down in spots.
To whom would you recommend this book? Good for lovers of basketball and any for whom the troubles and relationships often found in Urban Fiction really appeal.
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Don't be fooled by the title; this is not a light or funny memoir. It is beautiful but dark. Also, there is a LOT of basketball so if you're not a fan you may run into a need to skim a lot or be dragged down in spots.
To whom would you recommend this book? Good for lovers of basketball and any for whom the troubles and relationships often found in Urban Fiction really appeal.
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
March 6, 2021
2021 Re-read: I definitely still enjoyed this book a lot, which I am pleased with cause I was really scared I wasn't going to like it as much as I originally did. The only reason I moved it down to a 4 star was that at times I found Travis to be a bit...iffy? I get that he's a teenage boy but you know my feminist mind gets the best of me. I also had a tiny problem with Natalie cause I found that she always seemed to find a way to bring the conversation back to her and her own problems which is just a big pet peeve of mine. Yes, it made me cry once again so I am pleased to say that this will remain one of my favorite contemporaries.
Oh my gosh. Ok, so I think this is the first contemporary I have ever read I'm not really sure, it's a new genre for me so I'm not sure what classifies a book as contemporary but I loved this book. I usually don't like love interests because they super annoying but I was really rooting for them. The characters were great, I loved Creature and Travis and surprisingly I even liked Natalie even though female characters usually get on my nerves. It was truly a great story and it made me cry which most books don't tend to do but this one got me. highly recommend.
Oh my gosh. Ok, so I think this is the first contemporary I have ever read I'm not really sure, it's a new genre for me so I'm not sure what classifies a book as contemporary but I loved this book. I usually don't like love interests because they super annoying but I was really rooting for them. The characters were great, I loved Creature and Travis and surprisingly I even liked Natalie even though female characters usually get on my nerves. It was truly a great story and it made me cry which most books don't tend to do but this one got me. highly recommend.
August 21, 2016
3.5
Honestly, When I started this book I wasn't sure what to think. Now after I have finished reading, I am glad I decided to stick with it. This book reminds me of how beautifully complex people are. There was a truthful and raw way that the author described each character. The characters were gritty and realistic and I found myself falling for many of them despite their continual need to run head first into danger. I kind of enjoyed the fact that not all conflicts were solved by the end of the novel, because that's how it is in real life. Overall I would recommend reading this book if you are willing to push past the first 100 or so pages.
Honestly, When I started this book I wasn't sure what to think. Now after I have finished reading, I am glad I decided to stick with it. This book reminds me of how beautifully complex people are. There was a truthful and raw way that the author described each character. The characters were gritty and realistic and I found myself falling for many of them despite their continual need to run head first into danger. I kind of enjoyed the fact that not all conflicts were solved by the end of the novel, because that's how it is in real life. Overall I would recommend reading this book if you are willing to push past the first 100 or so pages.
June 4, 2018
I can’t even write a review to do this book justice. One of the best books I’ve ever read. The characters are so good and different. The setting is sad but makes the story interesting. Also the flashbacks help move the story along and inform the reader about the characters.
May 3, 2016
A gritty, realistic book, but I like how not all the conflict strands resolve by the end of the book, so that it feels real but still optimistic.
March 10, 2017
Travis is a basketball player who knows he has to work hard to achieve what he wants. He trains every weekday morning with his best friend, Creature, doing basketball drills. Travis lives with his grandparents in a small trailer park, where his grandmother is slowly losing her battle with cancer. Travis grew up watching his mother shoot heroine in countless grubby motel rooms, flashbacks of which are intertwined with the present storyline. One day, Travis notices an athletic girl who has moved across the lake from him and the two of them slowly build a love story. When everything in Travis' life begins to take turn for the worst, he not only realizes that you can't control what life throws at you, and sometimes you just have to accept it, but also that he may have to change his lifestyle in order to have the successful future he dreams of.
I enjoyed this story. It opened my eyes as to just how rough some people have it, and it really made me check my privilege. The characters in this book make you realize that you never know what someone is going through, so you should never pass judgement based on what you see on the surface.
I thought that Travis was a very interesting character and a good narrator. He was a good person at heart, but had been dealt a bad hand in life from the start. His relationship with basketball was touching to see; he's been through more as a teenager than many people go through in their whole life, yet he could still remain somewhat optimistic because of basketball. Although I don't know much about basketball, I could tell that he was extremely passionate about his sport. The author did a good job of describing how focused Travis became when he was in the middle of a game. Travis also had interesting little quirks about him that I enjoyed, like how he challenged himself to sleep outside 100 nights in a row for now reason in particular. He was a very selfless character; he was constantly worried about his grandma, and was always making sure she was alright, and even released the two caimans into the nearby lake just so she would have an interesting last summer. He saved up all of his money and went around town looking for his homeless mother so that he could give her his earning to start a new life. Seeing all of those good qualities in Travis and then seeing the bad things he'd done, is what made Travis such a complex character. As a reader, we know that the things he did are not acceptable, but the author makes us understand Travis' backstory so that we almost feel that his actions were completely warranted. This will make me think twice when I assume that someone is just a "bad kid" because there is surely more to the story than that.
The romance was enjoyable, but Natalie seemed a bit dull and underdeveloped to me, and at other times she was very dramatic and insensitive; it never really explained why Travis liked her so much besides her attractiveness, but in the end, I didn't mind her character and was happy that Travis could find joy through her.
Creature was one of my favorite characters in this story. He was smart and witty, and always passionate about what he was doing, whether it be writing or playing basketball. It was also nice to see an athletic character who was complex and not just a stereotypical flat, jock character. He was not only extremely skilled at basketball, but was intelligent and imaginative with his writing as well, and you usually do not get to see athletes portrayed that way.
I loved the relationship between Travis and Creature; they had a very understanding dynamic about them. They always seemed to easily pick up on each other's feelings, and they read each other well. One thing I did not like was but it seemed very glossed over since we had Travis' hazy, distant point of view. This kind of correlates to how the rest of the writing was: sudden and choppy at times, which perhaps was intentional, but it could get quite distracting.
It took me a while to get into this book. I usually quit a book if I'm not completely enjoying it by 50 pages in. I had surpassed 50 pages in this book and still wasn't quite sold, but kept reading because I felt that it had good potential. Although it was a bit slow at first (I don't think I was completely immersed until about 90 pages in, and perhaps most of the blame for this goes to the plethora of basketball lingo that I had a hard time keeping up with), and even though I had a few qualms with the writing, I'm really glad I stuck with this book. I loved the plot, characters, and morals. I would recommend this book, and maybe you'll be more easily intrigued than I was at first if you enjoy basketball.
I enjoyed this story. It opened my eyes as to just how rough some people have it, and it really made me check my privilege. The characters in this book make you realize that you never know what someone is going through, so you should never pass judgement based on what you see on the surface.
I thought that Travis was a very interesting character and a good narrator. He was a good person at heart, but had been dealt a bad hand in life from the start. His relationship with basketball was touching to see; he's been through more as a teenager than many people go through in their whole life, yet he could still remain somewhat optimistic because of basketball. Although I don't know much about basketball, I could tell that he was extremely passionate about his sport. The author did a good job of describing how focused Travis became when he was in the middle of a game. Travis also had interesting little quirks about him that I enjoyed, like how he challenged himself to sleep outside 100 nights in a row for now reason in particular. He was a very selfless character; he was constantly worried about his grandma, and was always making sure she was alright, and even released the two caimans into the nearby lake just so she would have an interesting last summer. He saved up all of his money and went around town looking for his homeless mother so that he could give her his earning to start a new life. Seeing all of those good qualities in Travis and then seeing the bad things he'd done, is what made Travis such a complex character. As a reader, we know that the things he did are not acceptable, but the author makes us understand Travis' backstory so that we almost feel that his actions were completely warranted. This will make me think twice when I assume that someone is just a "bad kid" because there is surely more to the story than that.
The romance was enjoyable, but Natalie seemed a bit dull and underdeveloped to me, and at other times she was very dramatic and insensitive; it never really explained why Travis liked her so much besides her attractiveness, but in the end, I didn't mind her character and was happy that Travis could find joy through her.
Creature was one of my favorite characters in this story. He was smart and witty, and always passionate about what he was doing, whether it be writing or playing basketball. It was also nice to see an athletic character who was complex and not just a stereotypical flat, jock character. He was not only extremely skilled at basketball, but was intelligent and imaginative with his writing as well, and you usually do not get to see athletes portrayed that way.
I loved the relationship between Travis and Creature; they had a very understanding dynamic about them. They always seemed to easily pick up on each other's feelings, and they read each other well. One thing I did not like was but it seemed very glossed over since we had Travis' hazy, distant point of view. This kind of correlates to how the rest of the writing was: sudden and choppy at times, which perhaps was intentional, but it could get quite distracting.
It took me a while to get into this book. I usually quit a book if I'm not completely enjoying it by 50 pages in. I had surpassed 50 pages in this book and still wasn't quite sold, but kept reading because I felt that it had good potential. Although it was a bit slow at first (I don't think I was completely immersed until about 90 pages in, and perhaps most of the blame for this goes to the plethora of basketball lingo that I had a hard time keeping up with), and even though I had a few qualms with the writing, I'm really glad I stuck with this book. I loved the plot, characters, and morals. I would recommend this book, and maybe you'll be more easily intrigued than I was at first if you enjoy basketball.
November 29, 2018
In my humble opinion, this book was relatable in certain parts but it didn’t keep my interest long, and should receive 4 out of 5 stars. My three main reasons for this rating is because the detail was limited at some points, you got to know the “problems” and characters well, and it showed how the characters overcome those problems.
If I were to rate just the first ⅓ of the book, I would give that part 2 out of 5 stars mostly because the introduction of the characters was limited . The characters each have a story to tell, their own challenge they face throughout. The way the author tells the story was in a way hard to keep interest in. This is because he didn’t do a well job on connecting the readers to future events. The readers are effectively introduced to what happens to be a huge problem for the main character, Travis. His mom is a drug addict and he lives with his grandma who has cancer and, his grandpa that smokes. And my favorite part of this section was when the character Malik also known as Creature was introduced because readers were able to understand he wasn’t all for basketball or a typical jock, he was interested in writing stories about Russian princesses.
For the second ⅓ of the book, I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars mostly because that’s when the characters problems began and you were able to understand the main character better. In this middle section of the book, Travis injures himself as well as others which can put his basketball playing in risk. He also begins to connect most with the people in his life like his grandma and a girl he met, Natalie. The characters are learning they aren’t alone. The characters also realize how difficult life can start getting and work their way to fight the difficulty. They do this by working hard, sharing feelings or even taking time to themself. The way the author tells the story was interesting because it was from Travis’s point of view therefore you were able to understand other charcters by how he viewed them and how much he knew them. And my favorite favorite part of this section was when Travis jumped off a cliff and hurt himself because he then realized how certain actions harm his playing on the court and with that he learns from his mistakes.
Finally, in the last ⅓ of the book, I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars simply because the plot twist at the end and showing the struggle of the main character, Travis . When I get towards the end of a book, I expect the author to show Travis struggling with losing his grandma but this author instead made it to where he lost his best friend, Creature. In the book Creature was recovering from a stab wound and a few pages after Travis’s grandpa told him his grandma wasn’t going to make it much longer. Creature then had internal bleeding one night and didn’t make it. In the end, Travis came to understand his family is there for him and to always remember Creature. My favorite part of this ending was the way it ended with the final draft of Creature’s story. If I could change one thing about the way the author ended this book it would be to show how hard it is for Travis after losing Creature than having him around because then the reader would get to understand and see the character learn and develop as a person.
After reading this book, I have grown as a reader because now I know how connect with books and i know how to manage time for reading. It is clear that the author is trying to send a message with his book as well, and I believe that message is that no matter the amount of problems we face, they can be overcome. I agree with this message because learning to overcome problems comes with growing up and you are never alone. In conclusion, I would recommend this book for my peers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2019
I really liked this story. The funny thing is, I picked it up on a whim from The Dollar Tree. The hard cover doesn't have a synopsis in the book anywhere. I literally just picked it up because it was a DOLLAR. And WOAH! I really enjoyed it.
Travis has it rough. He's living with his cancer stricken grandmother, who'll pass away any day, and his grandfather who is stealing grandma's weed and pills to get high every day. His mother is a heroin addict, who he searched for regularly on his bike with food and money in his bag for her.
Travis has a best friend, Malik, often referenced as "Creature" in the storyline. They play basketball together which is Travis' passion and stress reliever.
Travis also meets and ends up with Natalie, a new neighbor, who has more money but equally the same amount of problems as is discovered through the storyline. And that is what seems to bring them closer.
Along with Travis' home life being in turmoil, a series of unfortunate events occurs, one being that he cracks his ribs from cliff jumping into the waters with Natalie. This hinders him from playing basketball and it adds to his stress. There are also sad moments with him and Natalie which probably doesn't help since she often seems to be his solace. Then Creature is stabbed during a basketball game and goes into surgery. Though Creature is fine after surgery and seems well into recovery, he ends up dying due to internal bleeding.
Travis obviously takes that very hard and ends up in Juvenile Detention and seeing a shrink for punching Creatures surgeon. He seems to be heading in the wrong direction during much of the story, with him stealing from stores, being reliant on pills and letting his anger get the best of him. But he triumphs in the end, with Natalie being a great support system.
I'm happy that the book ended with his grandmother still alive, though she is destined to pass away within the coming months. It was a little bit of a relief from all of the terrible things happening in the story. I was disappointed that Travis often thought of and sought out his mother. In the end, he finds her but it was underwhelming and with all of the leading to the moment of finding her, you would think it would be more than setting some food and money next to her unconscious body.
There aren't a lot of bad things to say about this story. It was an easy read, but a heartbreaking one. I feel like this is a great young adults novel that doesn't elude to life being perfect or talk about superficial teen problems. I loved that about this book!! This one is staying on the bookshelf for sure.
Travis has it rough. He's living with his cancer stricken grandmother, who'll pass away any day, and his grandfather who is stealing grandma's weed and pills to get high every day. His mother is a heroin addict, who he searched for regularly on his bike with food and money in his bag for her.
Travis has a best friend, Malik, often referenced as "Creature" in the storyline. They play basketball together which is Travis' passion and stress reliever.
Travis also meets and ends up with Natalie, a new neighbor, who has more money but equally the same amount of problems as is discovered through the storyline. And that is what seems to bring them closer.
Along with Travis' home life being in turmoil, a series of unfortunate events occurs, one being that he cracks his ribs from cliff jumping into the waters with Natalie. This hinders him from playing basketball and it adds to his stress. There are also sad moments with him and Natalie which probably doesn't help since she often seems to be his solace. Then Creature is stabbed during a basketball game and goes into surgery. Though Creature is fine after surgery and seems well into recovery, he ends up dying due to internal bleeding.
Travis obviously takes that very hard and ends up in Juvenile Detention and seeing a shrink for punching Creatures surgeon. He seems to be heading in the wrong direction during much of the story, with him stealing from stores, being reliant on pills and letting his anger get the best of him. But he triumphs in the end, with Natalie being a great support system.
I'm happy that the book ended with his grandmother still alive, though she is destined to pass away within the coming months. It was a little bit of a relief from all of the terrible things happening in the story. I was disappointed that Travis often thought of and sought out his mother. In the end, he finds her but it was underwhelming and with all of the leading to the moment of finding her, you would think it would be more than setting some food and money next to her unconscious body.
There aren't a lot of bad things to say about this story. It was an easy read, but a heartbreaking one. I feel like this is a great young adults novel that doesn't elude to life being perfect or talk about superficial teen problems. I loved that about this book!! This one is staying on the bookshelf for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2025
Life is cruel, unfair, and nonsensical, especially to people who don’t deserve it.
Rating: 3.65
When he started taking Percocet and when he tried to inject himself with his mom passed out next to him, I was reminded of “once I took your medication to know what it’s like.” He had so much sympathy and compassion for his mother and subsequently got a taste of what drugs did for her. Although he didn’t do either of those things with malicious intent, you can still see how they shaped who he was and who he was becoming. Having a mom addicted to drugs, a grandma with cancer, a stoner grandfather, and a dead friend who he considered a brother all while living in a racist world would be reason enough to succumb to the egregious temptations of life. He made it out with some hope for the future, but we don’t live in a world of fiction. There are so many people who can’t get the financial and emotional support they need to battle addictions, medical conditions, and other horrible things life throws their way.
Creature was so full of life. He was also a victim of the universe, but he maintained a passion for literature and basketball. All of that was taken from him. No one deserves such a violent death. I say violent not literally because he died from internal bleeding ,but I say violent figuratively. A person excited about the simple pleasures of writing and playing basketball had their life stolen and beaten to death by a merciless and remorseless world. All because he was passionate about basketball. All because he couldn’t afford an ambulance. All because he was eager to live life again. All because life decided his suffering just wasn’t enough. Or maybe it was and that’s why it was cut short.
“I've spent a lot of time alone in my life and I always wonder at the strange concept of brothers and sisters, of a family that sits down and eats dinner together, of people talking in turn about what happened during their day at school and work. I wonder how many people really have that. I wonder if that exists anymore beyond TV shows and movies, if that's something we're supposed to think is real, something we're supposed to hope for.”
Rating: 3.65
When he started taking Percocet and when he tried to inject himself with his mom passed out next to him, I was reminded of “once I took your medication to know what it’s like.” He had so much sympathy and compassion for his mother and subsequently got a taste of what drugs did for her. Although he didn’t do either of those things with malicious intent, you can still see how they shaped who he was and who he was becoming. Having a mom addicted to drugs, a grandma with cancer, a stoner grandfather, and a dead friend who he considered a brother all while living in a racist world would be reason enough to succumb to the egregious temptations of life. He made it out with some hope for the future, but we don’t live in a world of fiction. There are so many people who can’t get the financial and emotional support they need to battle addictions, medical conditions, and other horrible things life throws their way.
Creature was so full of life. He was also a victim of the universe, but he maintained a passion for literature and basketball. All of that was taken from him. No one deserves such a violent death. I say violent not literally because he died from internal bleeding ,but I say violent figuratively. A person excited about the simple pleasures of writing and playing basketball had their life stolen and beaten to death by a merciless and remorseless world. All because he was passionate about basketball. All because he couldn’t afford an ambulance. All because he was eager to live life again. All because life decided his suffering just wasn’t enough. Or maybe it was and that’s why it was cut short.
“I've spent a lot of time alone in my life and I always wonder at the strange concept of brothers and sisters, of a family that sits down and eats dinner together, of people talking in turn about what happened during their day at school and work. I wonder how many people really have that. I wonder if that exists anymore beyond TV shows and movies, if that's something we're supposed to think is real, something we're supposed to hope for.”
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