The Martin Chronicles

by John Fried

A powerful and heartfelt coming-of-age novel that follows Martin Kelso as he grows up in 1980s New York and faces the magic of first experiences, as well as the heartbreak of hard-won life lessons.

Martin Kelso's comfortable world starts to change at the age of eleven. Girls get under his skin in ways he never noticed before. His cousin Evie, who used to be Marty's closest confidante--the one who taught him the right way to eat a pizza and how to catch tadpoles--has grown up into a stranger, mysterious and unpredictable. Marty and his best friends once inhabited fantasy worlds of their own making, full of cowboys and cops and robbers, where the heroes always won the day. But now, as neighborhood kids are attacked on their walk to school, they find themselves wanting to play a new game that better prepares them for real life.
As life changes quickly and Marty feels less secure with himself, the difference between games and reality, friend and foe, and right from wrong becomes much more difficult to distinguish. At the same time, this new world offers possibilities as exciting as they are frightening.
This poignant debut perfectly captures the intense emotion, humor, and earnestness of young adulthood as Marty, age eleven to seventeen, navigates a series of life-changing firsts: first kiss, first enemy, first loss, and, ultimately, his first awareness that the world is not as simple a place as he had once imagined.

Genres: Fiction, Coming Of Age, Young Adult, Contemporary

259 pages, Hardcover

First published January 8, 2019

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 nostalgic stars to The Martin Chronicles! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A coming-of-age novel always gives me a sense of nostalgia, especially when set in a time period of which I’m familiar. The Martin Chronicles is set in 1980s New York.

Martin “Marty” Kelso is eleven years old, and life is changing quickly. He feels differently about girls, is confused by them, and he’s no longer sure how to act.

Times are different with his friends, too. Playing cops and robbers is losing its appeal, and one day, on their walk to school, he’s in a group of children who are attacked.

Marty is forced to grow up and feel more prepared for the real world. And while the world is opening up and becoming more enticing, it’s also scary as heck.

Following Marty from ages eleven to seventeen, we experience his firsts right along with him, and relive our own firsts. That nostalgia brings emotions, and I found The Martin Chronicles poignant, funny, and honest. I never tire of these types of stories because there’s always something to relate to.

Fried writes in a subtle and engaging style that added to the simple profundity. Each chapter has the feel of its own story, but each is a building block in Marty’s road to adulthood.

Overall, I found The Martin Chronicles memorable and relatable with a heart of gold.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com

[Katie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like reading these type of coming of age novels because it's always a good reminder of both the good and bad parts of growing up. This book follows Martin Kelso living in 1980s New York City from the age of 11 thru his teenage years. This reads better more as a short story collection about the same character as from chapter to chapter there can be significant time jumps and so it kinda lacks a good flow.

Granted it's been over 25 years since I read Judy Blume's Then Again, Maybe I Won't, but while reading this one especially in the early chapters I was kinda getting the same vibe. As a female, I find it satisfying puberty wasn't always fun for boys either. I personally enjoyed the earlier chapters of the book and the older Martin got, the less I really cared for what was going on in his life. Maybe some of that is due to the fact I have read quite a few male high school age fiction books and nothing in this one elevated it past just an average read. I guess I do tend to like junior high tales more just because it's pretty rare for me to read them. Overall, there isn't really anything significantly wrong with the book but it's not exactly memorable either.

I won a free advance copy of this book in a giveaway but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Sometimes I find comparison is the best or just easiest way to describe something. I would say imagine The Catcher in the Rye (minus some of the harshness) crossed with TV's The Wonder Years (trading the late 60's setting for the mid-80's) and you have John Fried's The Martin Chronicles. The title is deliberately meant to echo Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, and our young protagonist repeatedly attempts to start reading the classic sci-fi novel during a summer break without success. He sheepishly admits he selected it only because he thought it was his first name in the title.

In the course of ten short stories Fried details some of Martin 'Marty' Kelso's life experiences from age 12 to 18, or from sixth grade to high school graduation. Kelso is a sort-of average 'tween' / teen -- not exactly from an affluent family, but they live in a nice New York City apartment and he attends a private school. Martin deals with things typical to a young man in the throes of adolescence -- the mystery of girls; why adults act a certain way, and realizing they're not perfect; the ever-changing / evolving of friendships; peer pressure. Early on Marty is innocently debating the best of the original Star Wars trilogy with his guy friends, but by the end he is sweating being accepted into any college.

There are moments of comedy, the usual drama, and even a heartbreaking / tragic incident. A reader may not have come of age in the exact same way or era, but some will be nodding their heads in recognition with his experiences (first kiss / first taste of liquor / first getting into trouble at school). Though it's fiction it actually reads at times like an actual memoir, perhaps its greatest strength.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this ARC last spring at Book Expo and decided to read it because I lived in the Upper West Side in the 1970s and '80s when this book takes place. Frankly, stories about an only child in private school are beyond my experience; the kids in my building went to public school. I guess the reader is supposed to like the narrator. I thought he was an immature jerk. He certainly was not a good friend, cousin or son. The book does not capture living on the UWS. Yes, they go in Central Park, even in the dark, but most people on the UWS frequent Riverside. Just sayin'.

[Books on Stereo · Rating 1 out of 5]

A dull, outright bland coming of age narrative with a protagonist that is far to familiar.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin, a young New Yorker, coming of age in 90's era, lives on the upper West Side with his family. This novel takes the form of ten linked stories each illuminating a turning point in Martin's life as he navigates the familiar territories and minefields from seventh grade until he's on the threshold of college. His parents seem to have a comfortable life, but are involved in their son's progress without hovering. This was a nice, quiet book for a change with only the usual trials and challenges faced by the majority, although admittedly more privileged classes. Girls, smoking, friends who come and go and return. Nice use of the City, and little heavy drama save for that which many of us have faced despite differences in gender and life issues.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Fried has an amazing knack for instantaneously inviting you into Martin's life through realistic and relatable slices of life.

You will feel like you have always known Martin,
and that is because you do know him.

[Jovana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming-of-age novel about a young boy growing up in New York in the 1980s. The novel follows Martin Kelso from age 11 to 17 as he transitions into young adulthood. Each chapter focuses on a specific time or event, particularly highlighting many of Martin's "firsts" in life: first kiss, first job, first girlfriend, first fight with a friend, and first loss.

While I think most readers can connect with some aspects of Martin's struggles of growing up and trying to choose between right and wrong (Martin usually chooses wrong, but who doesn't?), this novel fell short for me for a couple of reasons. First, it fell short because of its inability to weave chapters together in a more structured way. The flow of the novel was thrown off at times by the sudden change in age when flipping to a new chapter. I also found a couple of the chapters just didn't fit in as well as the others or weren't interesting at all in comparison to the ones before. The writing is sometimes boring, dry, and too repetitive. I believe some of these chapters could work a lot better as short stories or short story collection. The chapter titled "Ghost" could work brilliantly as a short story. It captures the characters perfectly and sends a very strong message to readers. Although I didn't particularly enjoy all of the chapters and often bland writing style, I though the last chapter of the book tied things up really well, and almost (almost!) redeemed the novel.

[Patrick McGrady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very good coming of age story. The author does a great job of capturing the uncomfortable, insecure and all around general awkwardness of young boys. I was instantly taken back to some of my most repressed memories. I joke but I really was a pretty anxious and awkward little boy. So this novel really felt like putting on an old wool sweater that I haven't worn in a couple decades.

[Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish

This was a very typical coming-of-age novel about a boy growing up in New York City in the 1980s. I feel like throughout the first half of the book I was confused. I liked what I was reading but it felt so unimportant, but I then found out that this particular author is known for his short stories and the whole thing clicked.

A lot of this book read like a drawn out short story at times. It’s not that the moments you watch in Marty’s life are boring or insignificant, but I felt like I was just reading a group of short stories about events in a boys life. I didn’t learn anything from those moments in his life that helped shape him or anything which made the book kinda forgettable.

I just feel like things could’ve been slightly different in the book and made more of an impact. Things just felt so random and insignificant leaving the book being slightly forgettable.

However, with all the negative things I’ve said, I did enjoy the anecdotes about his life... I just felt like, as a book, it could’ve done better at creating a story with reason and purpose.

[Chrissa Kuntz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fried has conjured up a touching coming-of-age story that will be a good, interesting read for many of my students. Marty, his realistic protagonist, is heroic and cowardly, manipulative and manipulated. I enjoyed the fact that lessons about life were subtle rather than didactic.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful, charming and nostalgic look at one boy's adolescence and the lessons it brings. I defy anyone to read this book and not flashback to their own teen years! This is such a great read!

[Kathy Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Fried’s THE MARTIN CHRONICLES is a poignant, evocative, and very identifiable coming-of-age novel. Narrator Martin Kelso, looking back at his life growing up on the West Side of Manhattan in the 1980’s, reveals the highs and lows most of us have navigated. The novel begins when Marty is in 6th grade, dealing with friends and girls and parents and his cousin Evie. It ends when Marty is a senior in high school, dealing with college applications, a girlfriend, and great personal loss. Through it all, Marty is a believable narrator, with a story to tell that resonates as real and true. His voice is at times both detached and revealing – he’s a real kid going through the things most real kids do. There’s not a lot of drama here – this isn’t that kind of book. But there’s a lot of heart, and more than once I found myself remembering my own childhood.

The book is structured more like a series of memoirs than a traditional novel. There is no real plot, although each chapter has its own internal structure (and could stand alone as a short story). As the chapters unfold, Marty grows and changes, becoming the young man he is in the closing pages. This is a beautiful and memorable story with universal implications.

I have to admit I was attracted to this novel because of the title – Ray Bradbury’s THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES has always been a favorite of mine. At one point, Marty reveals that he was reading Bradbury’s novel as “summer reading” before his 9th grade year, and he had at first seen the title as “The Martin Chronicles.” I smiled at this part. We all look at the world as reflections of ourselves, in one way or another. Marty Kelso, even at 13, wanted to read the chronicles of his own life.

Bottom line, this is a wonderful and inspiring novel about a boy growing up in a world very different from the one we’re living in today. But it’s also about all of us, and how similar our experiences are, even if we have lived decades apart. I loved reading THE MARTIN CHRONICLES.

[Please note: I was provided an Advance Reading Copy of this novel free of charge; the opinions expressed here are my own.]

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novel about an adolescent boy coming of ages during the 1980's in New York City. I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories. All the better that the time period here closely mirrors my own childhood. Thus, I was eager to peruse this novel. Sadly, I came away disappointed. The book is broken into ten chapters, each chronicling an episode from our protagonist, Martin's formative years. The problem, for me, was not with the writing itself but the fact that almost all of the chapters would be trucking along quite nicely then, BAM! Martin would delve into relating actions that my squeamish self would prefer to remain in the dark about. No, I do not want to read about what males do in privacy with their privates. Furthermore, I was greatly disturbed by the actions of Martin's older cousin, Evie. That being said, the final chapter did somewhat redeem the novel (and Evie herself) and offered a touching ending that improved my opinion of the book to some degree.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite genre, the coming of age story. The author writes in a simple but memorable way and there's something about his writing that just pulls you in and keeps you there. As Marty grows up, he definitely becomes less likable (teenagers will do that, ya know?), but no less human or fascinating. Each chapter is more of a short story/snippet/vignette that could stand on its own, which I usually don't enjoy, but worked very well for this particular character/setting. My favorite chapter (spoilers) was where Marty takes over the elevator service for his building. The book sort of reminded me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but obviously with a more modern setting. Definitely a must read if you're a fan of that!

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming of age story told by Martin Kelso from 6th grade through high school growing up in the 1980’s Manhattan. A seemingly typical teenage time line, but life throws Martin a few curveballs along the way. We all make choices in life, some good and some just wrong. And then “suffer” the consequences of those choices. But Martin somehow comes out in the end not broken only a little bent. I did enjoy the story as it brought me back to my teenage years. A quick & easy read.
I won this from GoodReads giveaway. Thank you! 3.5 stars

[Nate Hawthorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was between a 3 and a 4 for me. I will give it a 4 because of the final page.

The story is well told from the point of view of a kid from middle school up to high school. Very relatable for me as it was set during the time I was approximately that age also. Truly a coming of age book, dealing with both romantic and platonic relationships and how they change as we get older. There are a few twists in there, but it doesn't stray far from the norm and does it well.

[Murillo Soranso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy prose and so well written. Marty is such a relatable character and although he’s navigating life in the 80’s, all his woes feel contemporary and current. The end is heartbreaking and beautifully written. One of the best endings I’ve read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming-of-age narrative told throughout insignificant significant moments in a young Martin's life.

I loved Martin's connection with Evie and the experiences they had together. The counsin-ly bond reminded me of taking trips with my own cousins, getting into trouble, doing everything the other did, and the inevitable transformation into young adults who no longer know how to interact with one another. Bound by the fond memories of the past, but uncertain of how to act in the present. Their positions as only children resonated with me. The growth of Max and Dave alongside him was reminiscent of childhood friends that you can never seem to let go. The chapter about him working the elevator was one of my favorites, and gleaning information from his everyday life was enjoyable.

I had to give it three stars because, while the read was enjoyable, I felt as though there was nothing that stood out to me exceptionally. It was a nice piece about a boy's life, and there was something comforting in that. However, while it was comforting, there was nothing that would make it extremely memorable. I enjoyed reading the book, and it didn't take much time to finish it, yet it didn't hold me captive in a way that I made it so I couldn't put the book down.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why Stephen Chbosky (author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower) blurbed this book. On a somewhat related note, I think I've re-read TPOBAW the most out of every book I've ever read in my life. Must've been like 10 times from the years of ~2003?-2005. Ah, the angst of youth.. the perks of being a wallflower. Anyway, I wouldn't say that I love The Martin Chronicles as much, partly because I'm now old & crotchety instead of young & impressionable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The book is written literally like chronicles, essentially a collection of short stories that could be their own stand-alone novellas, with Martin as the main character through the years of 11 to 17. The way the book is written kind of reminds me of the film Boyhood--both progress chronologically in time but feel like little discrete snapshots into the boy's life.

Martin's not always the most sympathetic character, but it was a nostalgic & warmly fuzzy yet bittersweet glimpse into his life. The whole book ached of nostalgia & I couldn't help reminiscing about my own youth as I read about his, however different his was. If you like coming-of-age stories, I'd recommend this one. It's definitely on the darker side--no rosy retrospection here--but what draws me to bildungsromans is the character development & the unvarnished depiction of being young & full of feeling.

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this novel as a Goodreads giveaway. John Fried’s novel, The Martin Chronicles, transports readers back in time to New York City in the 1980s, and back to the years between childhood and adulthood, seen through the eyes of Martin Kelso, an ordinary boy — from a safe and privileged family. The 10 chapters comprising Martin’s chronicle take him from sixth grade through his senior year of high school. And so Martin’s life unfolds in small events that leave him a little older and wiser.
The novel captures Martin’s life as a teen, in which security and the comfort of the ordinary are gradually, inexorably eroded. It won’t be enough for everyone, but those looking for well-written novel that seems almost autobiographical will find it absorbing.

[Jessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming of age books are one of my favorite genres ever, but with this book it was just ok. Martin the main protagonist of the story is an average boy growing up in NYC, but the way he handles things with his friends & girls as he grows its really frustrating and annoying. Alot of times he cant even handle his own emotions, and says alot of rude things he regrets later on and expects to be forgiven just as quickly. I get hes bound to make mistakes, but hes done it over & over again. So has he really learned anything at all ? The ending about his chilhood cousin Evie was nice and bittersweet though.

If you want to read a good coming of age book, read World of Pies. Girl version growing up in Texas, way better than this.

[Darcy Humphrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted it to be so much more, but this was just ok for me. I grew up during this time period, and I enjoy coming-of-age novels, but I just didn't love this. I didn't feel very connected to the main character, and I wasn't really invested in what happened to him. It felt like the author was trying very hard to be John Green, J.D. Salinger, or Stephen Chbosky (not saying that they're the same or comparable), but it fell flat, and the period details felt forced. I also didn't love the chunks where the book shifted from a 1st person POV, to a sort of future first person omniscient POV. It wasn't bad, I just didn't like it the way I thought I would.

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Martin Chronicles is a great coming of age story, to which many can relate. Issues we grow up with in our lives are front and center. This is the kind of book my students like to read. They've devoured it. To me, that is the best review possible. My students related to the story. Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for a copy of The Martin Chronicles. We look forward to more from John Fried.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this in a giveaway. I absolutely loved it. It was enjoyable. I felt as if I could feel his emotions at times as well as the ones of other characters. I felt happiness, sadness and more. . It gives you a viewpoint from the eyes of the main character. I'd definitely read another by this author

[Derek Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy read about the coming of age of a young boy. John Fried gives the reader insight into Marty's life growing up and trying to fit in with his contemporaries. We see him struggling with dating, his first love, his encounters with sex and his dealing with the loss of his cousin Evie. All in all a very well written and delightful book.

[Bamboozlepig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid little coming of age novel. Martin was a pretty interesting character and so was Evie. I would've liked to have seen more of Evie in the book, to be honest. There were a few hiccups where the story jumps in time, but it was still easy to follow. There were also a few chapters that kind of dragged, but nothing too bad.

[Jeff Siperly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost gave up on this book after two chapters. Actually threw the book in the garbage. Then decided, for some reason, that was wrong.
Wise decision. I really really liked the rest of this book!
Nice vignettes of a coming-of-age. Friendships, girlfriends, death. Just discovering people in general.
Kinda teared up at the end.

[brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning, I really didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. When I got halfway through, I started to feel more apart of Marty’s world and I got wrapped up into it. The ending got me to more than expected as well & really got me to think about how my life will be in the upcoming year of graduating college.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet and straightforward story of growing up; not exactly groundbreaking (and it goes through the years a bit too fast for my taste), but a pleasant, nostalgia-filled tale of growing up, with only the occasional dip into teenage cliches.