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Flounder
Seventeen-year-old Alex Ryback is adamant that he won’t end up like his deadbeat, older brother, Gerry. He’s wrapping up high school well enough, but his parents still give him a college ultimatum: maintain a 3.0 GPA or lose all financial support, following in Gerry’s footsteps.
Now thrust into higher education, Alex discovers that keeping on top of his grades while navigating his social life is no easy task. And when one, unsympathetic professor forces that 3.0 GPA to slip out of reach, he figures, what’s the point? Shouldn’t he just go crazy partying until the music stops?
Sputtering through a turbulent year containing pointless classes, girlfriends, way too much weed, an illegitimate yearbook superlative, a weapon at a house party, a laundry room confrontation, and a campus-wide, drinking scavenger hunt, Alex must ultimately determine whether he’ll let a few blunders condemn him to be a loser forever, or if he is willing to persevere and overcome his mistakes.
Now thrust into higher education, Alex discovers that keeping on top of his grades while navigating his social life is no easy task. And when one, unsympathetic professor forces that 3.0 GPA to slip out of reach, he figures, what’s the point? Shouldn’t he just go crazy partying until the music stops?
Sputtering through a turbulent year containing pointless classes, girlfriends, way too much weed, an illegitimate yearbook superlative, a weapon at a house party, a laundry room confrontation, and a campus-wide, drinking scavenger hunt, Alex must ultimately determine whether he’ll let a few blunders condemn him to be a loser forever, or if he is willing to persevere and overcome his mistakes.
285 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2022
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2023
Flounder is the charming account of a young man, Alex Ryback, exploring relationships, emotions, and day-to-day life experiences as he journeys across his senior year in high school and his first year in college.
The different adventures Alex finds himself in really took me back to my time in high school and college and they filled me with nostalgia. We all have a bit of Alex in us! I found the storyline to be full of surprises, witty humor, great dialogue, and a wonderful narrative technique reproducing situations we can all relate to. The author's love and enthusiasm for portraying everyday situations in a humorous, witty, and insightful way come out throughout the entire book.
Not only was the story compelling, but hilarious too. I laughed out loud numerous times at the different scenarios Alex got into and the way the author described them. There are a handful of very quotable lines that made this pleasant to spend time with, a read that will stick with me.
The way Alex is written seemed very real, I felt his excitement, his anxiety, his happiness, and his sadness. I enjoyed his insight and his realness. The path to the story resolution was certainly angsty and there was a point in the book when everything spirals out of control that I felt UNABLE to put the book down. There is also an underlying message of perseverance and resolve that I really liked. I truly felt Alex's emotions and struggles, and that is not an easy task to pull off. Mr. Downing is a funny writer, and funny strikes me as a sign of intelligence. He has a fantastic voice and writing style that was engaging and entertaining and pulled me in from the beginning to the very last word, so hats off to Mr. Downing and his debut novel. I can't wait to see what he writes next.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the campus novel, tumultuous but relatable family dynamics, and everyday accounts of life tribulations told from the point of view of a young man, all with a ton of wit, charm, and humor.
The different adventures Alex finds himself in really took me back to my time in high school and college and they filled me with nostalgia. We all have a bit of Alex in us! I found the storyline to be full of surprises, witty humor, great dialogue, and a wonderful narrative technique reproducing situations we can all relate to. The author's love and enthusiasm for portraying everyday situations in a humorous, witty, and insightful way come out throughout the entire book.
Not only was the story compelling, but hilarious too. I laughed out loud numerous times at the different scenarios Alex got into and the way the author described them. There are a handful of very quotable lines that made this pleasant to spend time with, a read that will stick with me.
The way Alex is written seemed very real, I felt his excitement, his anxiety, his happiness, and his sadness. I enjoyed his insight and his realness. The path to the story resolution was certainly angsty and there was a point in the book when everything spirals out of control that I felt UNABLE to put the book down. There is also an underlying message of perseverance and resolve that I really liked. I truly felt Alex's emotions and struggles, and that is not an easy task to pull off. Mr. Downing is a funny writer, and funny strikes me as a sign of intelligence. He has a fantastic voice and writing style that was engaging and entertaining and pulled me in from the beginning to the very last word, so hats off to Mr. Downing and his debut novel. I can't wait to see what he writes next.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the campus novel, tumultuous but relatable family dynamics, and everyday accounts of life tribulations told from the point of view of a young man, all with a ton of wit, charm, and humor.
March 4, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed being transported back to those early college years when I was balancing making new friends, maintaining old relationships, and trying to figure out what to do with my life. The story follows a freshman, Alex, navigating his way through this tumultuous but exciting time. Zach tells his story with a blend earnestness and humor that makes for a great read! Highly recommend!!
March 6, 2022
Flounder brought me right back to the angst of my young adult days. The main character experiences the ups and downs of high school and college with very relatable family dynamics thrown in. Regardless of when you were a young adult, you’ll enjoy the story of Alex as he learns to take responsibility for his actions like we all did!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews