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Angry Young Man
In Angry Young Man, award-winning author Chris Lynch takes us into the mind of a boy whose journey of self-discovery leads to the unthinkable.
167 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2011
22 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
Chris Lynch
61 books162 followersChris Lynch is the Printz Honor Award-winning author of several highly acclaimed young adult novels, including KILL SWITCH, ANGRY YOUNG MAN, and INEXCUSABLE, which was a National Book Award finalist and the recipient of six starred reviews. He is also the author of FREEWILL, GOLD DUST, ICEMAN, GYPSY DAVY, and SHADOWBOXER, all ALA Best Books for Young Adults; EXTREME ELVIN WHITECHURCH, and ALL THE OLD HAUNTS.
He holds an M.A. from the writing program at Emerson College. He mentors aspiring writers and continues to work on new literary projects. He lives in Boston and in Scotland.
He holds an M.A. from the writing program at Emerson College. He mentors aspiring writers and continues to work on new literary projects. He lives in Boston and in Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 21, 2011
Beautiful. I woke up on the morning I started reading this book and went down to my first breakfast at the new resort I was staying at for the last leg of my trip to Zanzibar. The girl I was with slept fourteen hours every night (hi, Miranda!), so I always had the mornings to myself at that resort. I went up to the waiters to find out how to order breakfast because it was never the same at any of the hotels.
The mustachioed waiter said, “This is where you write your order,” and showed me the sheet of paper.
“But what are my options?” I asked.
The non-mustachioed waiter said, “Optionsssssss! You have many options!” and then grinned at me conspiratorially because we were already kind of friends. I had a Spanish omelet, which they guarantied me was the best. I got to the table and pulled open my Kindle to take a look at the first couple of pages of Angry Young Man. My plan was to move on to something else if it didn’t catch my interest. I was immediately hooked, though, and spent the rest of the day inside of this so beautiful story.
As a sibling story, this reminds me of J.D. Salinger’s and David James Duncan’s writings. It has that cadence of family lingo built from years of affection and harassment. One brother is the sensitive one in this story – the Seymour Glass, Holden Caulfield, Irwin Chance, or Bill Bob Orviston – the magic brother. The other is the more mainstream brother, who has ancestors in the Salinger and Duncan stories as well. The mainstream brother tells the story, but with so much love for the heartbreak of the sensitive brother that I fell for them both a little. It seems more similar to Brothers K than the Salinger books because it pokes fun at the drama of the sensitive brother, even while sympathizing with him. Salinger takes the anger and alienation more seriously.
I think that this book has the potential to be controversial like Catcher in the Rye is controversial, though. The other day, a friend of mine posted a quote on facebook that made me think of Angry Young Man and Catcher. “Ultimately . . . any text speaks through its reader. . . . Consequently the meaning of the text is often only as moral as its reader. If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation of the text." It’s from Khaled Abou El Fadl in an article titled “The Place of Tolerance in Islam.” It’s easy to blame books for violence, and this feels like a book that will get blamed for violence. I don’t think it should be, though.
I just found out that my financial aid for this term of school is set to be about one-fourth of what it was last term, and the aid office is being very frustrating about it. And it makes me so angry! It is so infuriating to have people be cavalier with your livelihood. I don’t think we’re intended to endorse or condemn the boys in this book, but they seem so realistic to me, so like how you react when your family and home is threatened. I get who they are and why they do what they do, and I am them right now, shaking my fist at the financial aid office. And they’re realistic in this lovely way. Lynch tells you just the right things about who they are and what they do.
Also, there are some great women in here, even though it is not about them.
Despite the ultimate seriousness and social relevance of this story to American society, which contrasted weirdly when I was reading it with drinking soda and cider in a tiki hut down by the beach, it was sort of wonderfully lighthearted and entertaining. I guess it kind of reminds you that most of us are somehow displaced and imposed upon by the injustices of the world. It made me look at the waiters, both mustachioed and non-, who worked from 6:30 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m., and wonder if they don’t feel something like the brothers in this book. Like you can’t just not do something about so much injustice.
The mustachioed waiter said, “This is where you write your order,” and showed me the sheet of paper.
“But what are my options?” I asked.
The non-mustachioed waiter said, “Optionsssssss! You have many options!” and then grinned at me conspiratorially because we were already kind of friends. I had a Spanish omelet, which they guarantied me was the best. I got to the table and pulled open my Kindle to take a look at the first couple of pages of Angry Young Man. My plan was to move on to something else if it didn’t catch my interest. I was immediately hooked, though, and spent the rest of the day inside of this so beautiful story.
As a sibling story, this reminds me of J.D. Salinger’s and David James Duncan’s writings. It has that cadence of family lingo built from years of affection and harassment. One brother is the sensitive one in this story – the Seymour Glass, Holden Caulfield, Irwin Chance, or Bill Bob Orviston – the magic brother. The other is the more mainstream brother, who has ancestors in the Salinger and Duncan stories as well. The mainstream brother tells the story, but with so much love for the heartbreak of the sensitive brother that I fell for them both a little. It seems more similar to Brothers K than the Salinger books because it pokes fun at the drama of the sensitive brother, even while sympathizing with him. Salinger takes the anger and alienation more seriously.
I think that this book has the potential to be controversial like Catcher in the Rye is controversial, though. The other day, a friend of mine posted a quote on facebook that made me think of Angry Young Man and Catcher. “Ultimately . . . any text speaks through its reader. . . . Consequently the meaning of the text is often only as moral as its reader. If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation of the text." It’s from Khaled Abou El Fadl in an article titled “The Place of Tolerance in Islam.” It’s easy to blame books for violence, and this feels like a book that will get blamed for violence. I don’t think it should be, though.
I just found out that my financial aid for this term of school is set to be about one-fourth of what it was last term, and the aid office is being very frustrating about it. And it makes me so angry! It is so infuriating to have people be cavalier with your livelihood. I don’t think we’re intended to endorse or condemn the boys in this book, but they seem so realistic to me, so like how you react when your family and home is threatened. I get who they are and why they do what they do, and I am them right now, shaking my fist at the financial aid office. And they’re realistic in this lovely way. Lynch tells you just the right things about who they are and what they do.
Also, there are some great women in here, even though it is not about them.
Despite the ultimate seriousness and social relevance of this story to American society, which contrasted weirdly when I was reading it with drinking soda and cider in a tiki hut down by the beach, it was sort of wonderfully lighthearted and entertaining. I guess it kind of reminds you that most of us are somehow displaced and imposed upon by the injustices of the world. It made me look at the waiters, both mustachioed and non-, who worked from 6:30 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m., and wonder if they don’t feel something like the brothers in this book. Like you can’t just not do something about so much injustice.
July 2, 2011
2.5 stars
A menacing cover, a title promising darkness and danger... and the story itself just doesn't deliver.
What kind of person becomes a terrorist? Violent? Crazy? Not necessarily. Lynch offers a very convincing portrait of such a person - a teen without a father figure, sensitive, vulnerable, tender, easily influenced, unable to fend for himself or fit in, inevitably bullied and, yes, sympathetic.
The strength of Angry Young Man is in characterization. Troubled Alexander (Xan) as seen through the eyes of his older, more confident brother Robert - is a highlight of the novel. He is an epitome of a displaced, disenfranchised youth who falls for the wrong cause.
The whole first part of the books builds tension, laying ground for something really bad to happen, but then gets off the rails, culminating in a too neat and comfortable ending. I would also like to know who this Angry Young Man is that is alluded to in the title, because Xan certainly wasn't.
A disappointing story, but I still stand by my recommendation of Chris Lynch's earlier, more superior work Inexcusable
A menacing cover, a title promising darkness and danger... and the story itself just doesn't deliver.
What kind of person becomes a terrorist? Violent? Crazy? Not necessarily. Lynch offers a very convincing portrait of such a person - a teen without a father figure, sensitive, vulnerable, tender, easily influenced, unable to fend for himself or fit in, inevitably bullied and, yes, sympathetic.
The strength of Angry Young Man is in characterization. Troubled Alexander (Xan) as seen through the eyes of his older, more confident brother Robert - is a highlight of the novel. He is an epitome of a displaced, disenfranchised youth who falls for the wrong cause.
The whole first part of the books builds tension, laying ground for something really bad to happen, but then gets off the rails, culminating in a too neat and comfortable ending. I would also like to know who this Angry Young Man is that is alluded to in the title, because Xan certainly wasn't.
A disappointing story, but I still stand by my recommendation of Chris Lynch's earlier, more superior work Inexcusable
January 7, 2011
Let's get this straight - I didn't hate the book. I know I gave it only one star, but I have my reasons.
First, I LOVE the cover. It's kind of simple but it just tells me so much. It just tells me that this book will be about an angry young man and there will be trouble. Yes, trouble. I'd rate this as one of my favorite covers because I think it says so much while being so simple.
I liked the story about meeting his father. I thought that was pretty funny though it didn't have much to do with the rest of the book.
I like the way it was written. I liked Robert as he did seem like a typical big brother. I thought it was realistic how he behaved towards his brother. Annoying, loving, rude, sometimes clueless, and slightly protective.
We weren't inside Alexanders head so I don't know why he did some of the things he did. His need to wear his tinted glasses made me think that there was something more to him but for the most part he just was the same guy throughout the book. I felt bad that he felt so left out and young all the time. I had a hard time remembering that he was an older teen and not much younger.
I don't get it. Yeah, he's a hothead at times but I got the vibe that he was more weird than anything. That didn't work for me. I didn't get "angry", I got a crazy mix of mentally unstable and weird. I saw some stupid and impulsive things. I felt that the whole cause for him being angry was just silly. I felt like the book was going somewhere and that the Cause was preparing for this dastardly deed but ultimately they came off as pranks. Not anything angry, just something you'd see on a prank show or Jack***. Scratch that, these are pranks that I'd see in a YA book for younger kids. I guess the cover just built me up and I expected more.
About the ending, I didn't feel like it matched with the rest of the book. I thought to myself, "Is this a joke? Is this really happening?". I did not get the jump from A to Psycho.
My biggest problem with the book is the total lack of responsibility for their actions. There was a need to punish others but no need to be accountable. For example, the mom just swept everything under the rug and brushed off her problems. Here's a thought - you got yourself into this mess now try to work it out! Her lack of stepping up almost cost her her kids. That made me so mad. Why not face it and own up to it? Either way you look at it, your boys are involved. They are old enough to help so let them. Instead it gets crazy and ridiculous and everything "works out". Ugh. Am I wrong to think that what they did was SERIOUS?!?! After the "incident" in the end, we get treated to a prologue of sorts that I felt was extremely out of place. Hey, let's do this "incident" but it's okay now. I was hoping there would be some mention of therapy or something. Ugh.
First, I LOVE the cover. It's kind of simple but it just tells me so much. It just tells me that this book will be about an angry young man and there will be trouble. Yes, trouble. I'd rate this as one of my favorite covers because I think it says so much while being so simple.
I liked the story about meeting his father. I thought that was pretty funny though it didn't have much to do with the rest of the book.
I like the way it was written. I liked Robert as he did seem like a typical big brother. I thought it was realistic how he behaved towards his brother. Annoying, loving, rude, sometimes clueless, and slightly protective.
We weren't inside Alexanders head so I don't know why he did some of the things he did. His need to wear his tinted glasses made me think that there was something more to him but for the most part he just was the same guy throughout the book. I felt bad that he felt so left out and young all the time. I had a hard time remembering that he was an older teen and not much younger.
I don't get it. Yeah, he's a hothead at times but I got the vibe that he was more weird than anything. That didn't work for me. I didn't get "angry", I got a crazy mix of mentally unstable and weird. I saw some stupid and impulsive things. I felt that the whole cause for him being angry was just silly. I felt like the book was going somewhere and that the Cause was preparing for this dastardly deed but ultimately they came off as pranks. Not anything angry, just something you'd see on a prank show or Jack***. Scratch that, these are pranks that I'd see in a YA book for younger kids. I guess the cover just built me up and I expected more.
About the ending, I didn't feel like it matched with the rest of the book. I thought to myself, "Is this a joke? Is this really happening?". I did not get the jump from A to Psycho.
My biggest problem with the book is the total lack of responsibility for their actions. There was a need to punish others but no need to be accountable. For example, the mom just swept everything under the rug and brushed off her problems. Here's a thought - you got yourself into this mess now try to work it out! Her lack of stepping up almost cost her her kids. That made me so mad. Why not face it and own up to it? Either way you look at it, your boys are involved. They are old enough to help so let them. Instead it gets crazy and ridiculous and everything "works out". Ugh. Am I wrong to think that what they did was SERIOUS?!?! After the "incident" in the end, we get treated to a prologue of sorts that I felt was extremely out of place. Hey, let's do this "incident" but it's okay now. I was hoping there would be some mention of therapy or something. Ugh.
May 20, 2019
The main pov character was such an asshole for most of the book, in general and toward his brother in particular. The ending was good though.
March 14, 2011
This book does have a positive message about turning your life around, even after you have royally messed up. I like how close the brothers are, even though they are quite competitive and Robert does not initially seem to realize how much his teasing affects Xan. Xan and Robert are well-drawn characters that evoke reader sympathy.
A slice of life story about a family in hard times, this short novel just didn’t move me the way it should have. Nothing much really happens. Xan definitely gets in over his head with the radical group, but aside from an arrest for a minor crime, he really suffers no major consequences. I am still scratching my head over which brother truly is the “Angry Young Man.” Considering Xan’s deep-rooted emotional problems, the book’s ending seems trite and way too easy. A dark and explosive front cover and strong central characters are barely enough to sustain the slow-moving plot. While I do think some reluctant readers may relate to the brothers and their declining neighborhood, for me, Angry Young Man is not something I’ll really remember a month from now.
A slice of life story about a family in hard times, this short novel just didn’t move me the way it should have. Nothing much really happens. Xan definitely gets in over his head with the radical group, but aside from an arrest for a minor crime, he really suffers no major consequences. I am still scratching my head over which brother truly is the “Angry Young Man.” Considering Xan’s deep-rooted emotional problems, the book’s ending seems trite and way too easy. A dark and explosive front cover and strong central characters are barely enough to sustain the slow-moving plot. While I do think some reluctant readers may relate to the brothers and their declining neighborhood, for me, Angry Young Man is not something I’ll really remember a month from now.
March 15, 2011
I'm surprised that so many goodreads readers didn't like this book. I found it funny, insightful and compelling. I thought the brothers' relationship was complex and true to life in that complexity. And there is a scene describing a soccer match that is probably the best description of soccer play that I've ever read. Some language, violence and talk of sex.
May 27, 2019
Honestly, I don't know to explain what happened. I know, but I can't process it. There are just many strange characters, strange motives, and strange coincidences. My morals are confused and so is my logic. Yes, it is possible, but wow. Just to think about it is confusing, because it is so human but so numbing. I am confused but not disappointed. But I don't see the purpose of this book. Who knows???
July 7, 2011
4.5 stars.
Chris Lynch, you still have it in you!
After being thoroughly disappointed by INEXCUSABLE and wanting to hug SINS OF THHE FATHERS for the rest of my life and being thoroughly confused by FREEWILL and not in a good way, I wondered if there was a more inconsistent author than Lynch.
But Angry Young Man is quite the wow book. The humanity of the writing is almost unbearably beautiful. A surprise of AYM was how lovely the female characters were - both Babette and Carly. Babette especially, but Lynch had sensitivity for Carly, the Christian fanatic. After the overwhelmingly unlikeable Gigi in Inexcusable, I was starting to wonder if Lynch's thing were his male characters, while his female fell by the wayside. AYM disproves this. But what I loved about AYM is Lynch's ability to take a not wholly sympathetic character as his main one and give him such a rhythmic, extraordinary and compelling voice. Robert is the kind of character who would be a secondary antagonist in most YAs - the bullying perfect older brother, under whom the younger brother feels lost and overshadowed. And Xan? What did he did with Xan was equally special. Xan is a disturbed person, but Lynch's writing of him made him so real and awkwardly relatable that it actually made me feel sick throughout the book. What was going to happen? What was Xan going to do? What was Robert going to do? Oh holy shit, was it all about to go wrong?
More, please, Chris Lynch.
Half a star taken off because the storyline felt underdeveloped in parts, especially Xan's bond with Harry. I have an extreme amount of admiration for Lynch's ability to take a secondary character as the main character, but, in all honesty, he wasn't 100% successful. I would have liked to see Xan's relationship with Harry get deeper and darker, and I felt that we needed to see more of it to understand how Xan could be so enthralled by someone who even Carly admitted was dangerous.
Also, don't think that this is 100% depressing. It's not. It has moments of humour that had me scoffing and laughing to myself, and the scene where Robert verbally kicks Wayne's ass is glorious.
Chris Lynch, you still have it in you!
After being thoroughly disappointed by INEXCUSABLE and wanting to hug SINS OF THHE FATHERS for the rest of my life and being thoroughly confused by FREEWILL and not in a good way, I wondered if there was a more inconsistent author than Lynch.
But Angry Young Man is quite the wow book. The humanity of the writing is almost unbearably beautiful. A surprise of AYM was how lovely the female characters were - both Babette and Carly. Babette especially, but Lynch had sensitivity for Carly, the Christian fanatic. After the overwhelmingly unlikeable Gigi in Inexcusable, I was starting to wonder if Lynch's thing were his male characters, while his female fell by the wayside. AYM disproves this. But what I loved about AYM is Lynch's ability to take a not wholly sympathetic character as his main one and give him such a rhythmic, extraordinary and compelling voice. Robert is the kind of character who would be a secondary antagonist in most YAs - the bullying perfect older brother, under whom the younger brother feels lost and overshadowed. And Xan? What did he did with Xan was equally special. Xan is a disturbed person, but Lynch's writing of him made him so real and awkwardly relatable that it actually made me feel sick throughout the book. What was going to happen? What was Xan going to do? What was Robert going to do? Oh holy shit, was it all about to go wrong?
More, please, Chris Lynch.
Half a star taken off because the storyline felt underdeveloped in parts, especially Xan's bond with Harry. I have an extreme amount of admiration for Lynch's ability to take a secondary character as the main character, but, in all honesty, he wasn't 100% successful. I would have liked to see Xan's relationship with Harry get deeper and darker, and I felt that we needed to see more of it to understand how Xan could be so enthralled by someone who even Carly admitted was dangerous.
Also, don't think that this is 100% depressing. It's not. It has moments of humour that had me scoffing and laughing to myself, and the scene where Robert verbally kicks Wayne's ass is glorious.
March 1, 2018
The first few pages aren't particularly good, but it gets better, then takes a wrong turn with the introduction of cartoonish animal rights advocates.
I thought this whole thing was going to be about toxic masculinity--about deconstructing it, pointing out its flaws, starting to build something more functional in its place. But no. It's about how toxic masculinity is bad as long as it challenges the status quo. Toxic masculinity is fine, according to this book, as long as it's aimed at unpopular people making your life difficult, even if they're ostensibly doing something legal--because, hey, deus ex machina, they're also mafia! And stupid. So very stupid. Deus ex, waves wand, happy resolution. Never mind if you just sent the mafia after someone innocent, because they're probably annoying too, or at least not family and so not actual people who matter.
Yeah. This book. So very disappointed. [sigh]
I thought this whole thing was going to be about toxic masculinity--about deconstructing it, pointing out its flaws, starting to build something more functional in its place. But no. It's about how toxic masculinity is bad as long as it challenges the status quo. Toxic masculinity is fine, according to this book, as long as it's aimed at unpopular people making your life difficult, even if they're ostensibly doing something legal--because, hey, deus ex machina, they're also mafia! And stupid. So very stupid. Deus ex, waves wand, happy resolution. Never mind if you just sent the mafia after someone innocent, because they're probably annoying too, or at least not family and so not actual people who matter.
Yeah. This book. So very disappointed. [sigh]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2011
WOW- i couldn't believe this got such bad reviews. I loved this book, read it in a day since it was so intriguing and short-which was really nice. I felt like i could easily recommend this to any reader especially those who like a little darker stories. Yes, there were sudden plot endings but you can only expect so much from a short book and i think that is okay sometimes you don't want to read a 400 page book. I enjoyed reading and learning about the dynamic of the brothers relationship and how different they were, and the struggles of their family but how regardless of everything their bonds came before everything else.
June 25, 2023
This was a quick and easy read. I really did enjoy it for what it was.
The two brothers of the story, Robert (the older one) and Alexander-Xan (the younger one) have a believable, sibling relationship. Which is something I really appreciated.
The whole story is told from Robert's point of view, a decision I equally like and dislike for different reasons.
I like this because we really get into Robert's head, obviously, but the author does a fantastic job of showing us rather than telling us just how much Robert cares for his little brother and Ma. All he wants is for his brother to find his place in the world. He also wants to protect and help his Ma out in any way she'll let him.
The reason I don't like it being from only Robert's perspective is because supposedly the 'Angry Young Man' is Xan. And we don't really see his true thoughts on things and his reasonings behind his actions. We get Robert's ideas of why Xan falls into the crowd he does and I do think it's accurate for the story, but I guess I would have liked to be in Xan's head for a little bit.
I do love how realistic Robert is though. Xan is the troubled one so the author could have made Robert the 'better' brother. Yes, Robert is seemingly more put together than Xan. He has a job, and girlfriend, and is in his second year of community college, but he's also kinda an asshole. He's mean to his brother, but protective of him. He wants the best for Xan but refuses to be his keeper. He's more of the 'Angry Young Man' than Xan is and is even referred to as such just once in the book. He gets angry but isn't so awful that he wants to hurt anyone or cause trouble (unless it's in defense of the people he cares about), unlike Xan and his little group.
Xan never goes too extreme with the crusade in the book which I feel like maybe was needed?
Xan is also described as 'an awkward loner, too sensitive to make it in the real world and too different to find a place for himself'- which, for me, doesn't come off as well as the summary describes. Yes, Xan is awkward and definitely a loner, unlike his brother. He says odd things and has some odd behaviors which I would have liked to know the motivations behind. But mostly he comes off as a follower.
This is shown and told to us throughout the book and is actually something I found worked. You end up feeling a little bad for Xan.
But this whole time I didn't really get 'Angry' from Xan. There were only two close times, but I felt that it fell flat.
The first was during the soccer game and the next was when Xan was talking to Robert about their wildly different middle school experiences.
That chapter was probably my favorite part of the whole book. It was almost like Robert was finally seeing into Xan's world for the first time from an outsider's perspective. The reader and Robert come to an understanding of Xan, it's the closest thing was get to being in Xan's head.
But this whole time there's this tension and anxiety that Xan was going to snap in some dramatic way. Hell, he even talked about the urge to kill with Robert at the beginning of the book! But nothing like that happens.
The stuff Xan does do is all off-page because it's from Robert's perspective. We only see the aftermath and get vague explanations.
The whole time I was waiting for some big blowup or something and it didn't happen.
Which leads me to the ending.
The ending for me was disappointing. Even with what happened I just found the whole thing anti-climatic and not really satisfying. Plus the boys had no consequences as well which I'm not sure I agree with. Don't get me wrong, I love a good or happy ending, but everything felt kinda empty in the end.
Anyways, this is a very long rant, I didn't even cover all the small things. I didn't realize I had so much to say about this book!
It is worth the read and I do recommend it. The absolute highlight of the book was the brother's relationship.
-TRS
The two brothers of the story, Robert (the older one) and Alexander-Xan (the younger one) have a believable, sibling relationship. Which is something I really appreciated.
The whole story is told from Robert's point of view, a decision I equally like and dislike for different reasons.
I like this because we really get into Robert's head, obviously, but the author does a fantastic job of showing us rather than telling us just how much Robert cares for his little brother and Ma. All he wants is for his brother to find his place in the world. He also wants to protect and help his Ma out in any way she'll let him.
The reason I don't like it being from only Robert's perspective is because supposedly the 'Angry Young Man' is Xan. And we don't really see his true thoughts on things and his reasonings behind his actions. We get Robert's ideas of why Xan falls into the crowd he does and I do think it's accurate for the story, but I guess I would have liked to be in Xan's head for a little bit.
I do love how realistic Robert is though. Xan is the troubled one so the author could have made Robert the 'better' brother. Yes, Robert is seemingly more put together than Xan. He has a job, and girlfriend, and is in his second year of community college, but he's also kinda an asshole. He's mean to his brother, but protective of him. He wants the best for Xan but refuses to be his keeper. He's more of the 'Angry Young Man' than Xan is and is even referred to as such just once in the book. He gets angry but isn't so awful that he wants to hurt anyone or cause trouble (unless it's in defense of the people he cares about), unlike Xan and his little group.
Xan never goes too extreme with the crusade in the book which I feel like maybe was needed?
Xan is also described as 'an awkward loner, too sensitive to make it in the real world and too different to find a place for himself'- which, for me, doesn't come off as well as the summary describes. Yes, Xan is awkward and definitely a loner, unlike his brother. He says odd things and has some odd behaviors which I would have liked to know the motivations behind. But mostly he comes off as a follower.
This is shown and told to us throughout the book and is actually something I found worked. You end up feeling a little bad for Xan.
But this whole time I didn't really get 'Angry' from Xan. There were only two close times, but I felt that it fell flat.
The first was during the soccer game and the next was when Xan was talking to Robert about their wildly different middle school experiences.
That chapter was probably my favorite part of the whole book. It was almost like Robert was finally seeing into Xan's world for the first time from an outsider's perspective. The reader and Robert come to an understanding of Xan, it's the closest thing was get to being in Xan's head.
But this whole time there's this tension and anxiety that Xan was going to snap in some dramatic way. Hell, he even talked about the urge to kill with Robert at the beginning of the book! But nothing like that happens.
The stuff Xan does do is all off-page because it's from Robert's perspective. We only see the aftermath and get vague explanations.
The whole time I was waiting for some big blowup or something and it didn't happen.
Which leads me to the ending.
The ending for me was disappointing. Even with what happened I just found the whole thing anti-climatic and not really satisfying. Plus the boys had no consequences as well which I'm not sure I agree with. Don't get me wrong, I love a good or happy ending, but everything felt kinda empty in the end.
Anyways, this is a very long rant, I didn't even cover all the small things. I didn't realize I had so much to say about this book!
It is worth the read and I do recommend it. The absolute highlight of the book was the brother's relationship.
-TRS
September 2, 2022
“Do you ever get the feeling like you want to kill a guy? Actually, for real, kill him?”
“Well, Brother,” I say, “like every other sentient being, I have to answer, yes. Yes, I do. Pretty much every day. I’ve killed a couple, even, but they weren’t popular people, so it was okay.”
“I do wish you would stop with the staring right now, as, what with the topic and all, it’s a bit unsettling. But I’m making a wild guess that you think about killing folk. I think as long as you keep it in the playground of your mind, you’re okay. And don’t let it take up too much space, even in your fantasy world. If murder supercedes humping in your dreamscape, I’d say that is a pretty effective definition of insanity.”
Cautious excitement made me pick this book up at my library. I wanted a thriller about a villainous character, but I was a little leery of reading a book about a school-shooter - which is what I was sure this was going to be. Spoiler alert, he doesn’t murder innocent kids or anything, so it’s a safe read in these disgusting times.
“It’s easy for you, All-American Eyes,” he says to me, not for the first time. “People look at you, and it’s all apple pie, and Vote for Robert. People don’t look at me like that, and you know it.”
“Xan, the only thing people see in your eyes that they don’t see in mine is delusion.”
“It’s true, though, you are more Caucasian than I am. Nothing personal Robert.”
“Okay. One, you are talking about my person, so how can it not be personal? Do you know what the word ‘personal’ actually means? Two, are you suggesting that I should be personally offended at looking either more or less Caucasian than you? And three, you look exactly as Caucasian as me, Alexander. That is just going to have to be one more cross for you to bear.”
“You know what it’s like for me, Robert? It’s like going through customs, all day long.”
“You don’t even have a passport! How would you know that?”
He shakes his head sagely, like he pities me. “You’ll just never get it, will you?”
“Well, cripes. Whatever it is, I hope I never get it. Is it contagious?”
I loved the brothers’ relationship; the way Robert teases Alexander for all his eccentricities really roots this book in reality. Sometimes it’s a little mean with how sensitive Xan is, but that’s just how brothers are. Still, it’s good to see how devoted they are to each other.
“Hiya, Carly,” I say, giving her a wave.
She looks at me almost sheepishly, even physically withdrawing ever so slightly.
“Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” I say, laughing.
It wasn’t. It wasn’t a horrible breakup between us, more of a fizzle. We just saw things very differently back then. Increasingly differently. Like, toward the end I found a new, big fat difference pretty much daily. Mostly it came down to a clash of her growing spirituality versus my constant whining for sexual stuff. She maintained that her yearning was more profound than mine. I maintained that hers was not provable and mine was.
“Have you found Jesus yet, Robert?” Carly asks, not as unfriendly as it sounds.
“I didn’t even know he was lost, the rascal.”
This was a very quick read! A lot of humor and humanity with a little bit of danger thrumming through the storyline. I’ll have to add this one to my next batch of book purchases.
“Well, Brother,” I say, “like every other sentient being, I have to answer, yes. Yes, I do. Pretty much every day. I’ve killed a couple, even, but they weren’t popular people, so it was okay.”
“I do wish you would stop with the staring right now, as, what with the topic and all, it’s a bit unsettling. But I’m making a wild guess that you think about killing folk. I think as long as you keep it in the playground of your mind, you’re okay. And don’t let it take up too much space, even in your fantasy world. If murder supercedes humping in your dreamscape, I’d say that is a pretty effective definition of insanity.”
Cautious excitement made me pick this book up at my library. I wanted a thriller about a villainous character, but I was a little leery of reading a book about a school-shooter - which is what I was sure this was going to be. Spoiler alert, he doesn’t murder innocent kids or anything, so it’s a safe read in these disgusting times.
“It’s easy for you, All-American Eyes,” he says to me, not for the first time. “People look at you, and it’s all apple pie, and Vote for Robert. People don’t look at me like that, and you know it.”
“Xan, the only thing people see in your eyes that they don’t see in mine is delusion.”
“It’s true, though, you are more Caucasian than I am. Nothing personal Robert.”
“Okay. One, you are talking about my person, so how can it not be personal? Do you know what the word ‘personal’ actually means? Two, are you suggesting that I should be personally offended at looking either more or less Caucasian than you? And three, you look exactly as Caucasian as me, Alexander. That is just going to have to be one more cross for you to bear.”
“You know what it’s like for me, Robert? It’s like going through customs, all day long.”
“You don’t even have a passport! How would you know that?”
He shakes his head sagely, like he pities me. “You’ll just never get it, will you?”
“Well, cripes. Whatever it is, I hope I never get it. Is it contagious?”
I loved the brothers’ relationship; the way Robert teases Alexander for all his eccentricities really roots this book in reality. Sometimes it’s a little mean with how sensitive Xan is, but that’s just how brothers are. Still, it’s good to see how devoted they are to each other.
“Hiya, Carly,” I say, giving her a wave.
She looks at me almost sheepishly, even physically withdrawing ever so slightly.
“Oh, it wasn’t that bad,” I say, laughing.
It wasn’t. It wasn’t a horrible breakup between us, more of a fizzle. We just saw things very differently back then. Increasingly differently. Like, toward the end I found a new, big fat difference pretty much daily. Mostly it came down to a clash of her growing spirituality versus my constant whining for sexual stuff. She maintained that her yearning was more profound than mine. I maintained that hers was not provable and mine was.
“Have you found Jesus yet, Robert?” Carly asks, not as unfriendly as it sounds.
“I didn’t even know he was lost, the rascal.”
This was a very quick read! A lot of humor and humanity with a little bit of danger thrumming through the storyline. I’ll have to add this one to my next batch of book purchases.
May 18, 2019
The book that I have read is entitled Angry Young Man by the author Chris Lynch. The book is about two brothers who have two different personalities. The narrator, Robert, is the older of the two brothers and is in college with a job working at an auto shop while the younger brother, Alexander, or also known as Xan, is a shy and lonely person that has no job at the beginning. The story tells how life has been unfair to Alexander and how Robert had it easy. This makes Xan mad and want to make the world a better place. So he decides to join an organized crime group and go around town vandalizing things to make a point. Their family is tight on money so Xan is willing to do anything for money, which is why he joined this organized crime group. What I liked about this book is how it described the different personalities between the two brothers. Even though they have been close to each other their entire lives, they have completely different characters. One thing that I disliked about the book is that it was slow paced and took a bit too long to get to the point. Overall, I did enjoy the plot and what the author was trying to convey in this book. I liked how he gave the background story to each character and how he made them come to life. I would rate this book a three out of five because of the slow pace. I would recommend this book to my peers because it has an excellent plot.
June 11, 2023
(3.5)
I think 3.5 stars is a good rating from me. First off, I didn’t quite connect with the author’s writing style. There were times it fit but other times where it felt too formal and mature for teenagers. And I kept thinking, “Does Xan have some kind of mental disability?” because of his odd mannerisms. Maybe that was just me though.
The reason I almost gave this 4 stars was because of the message and oddly realistic family dynamic. I like the grit, the family’s struggle, and the very real events that can happen. The back and forth of the family loving each other then annoying or pissing each other off was extremely relatable - even more so considering their situation.
My main complaints were that 1) I felt like I got an entire novel’s worth of a story in less than 200 pages, and 2) the story wasn’t what I thought it’d be based on the back cover’s blurb. Since the book was so short, we as readers weren’t given details that would’ve benefited if the book was at least 300 pages, or even ~250.
On a positive note, I do REALLY love the cover and the scene in the story that the title came from!
I think 3.5 stars is a good rating from me. First off, I didn’t quite connect with the author’s writing style. There were times it fit but other times where it felt too formal and mature for teenagers. And I kept thinking, “Does Xan have some kind of mental disability?” because of his odd mannerisms. Maybe that was just me though.
The reason I almost gave this 4 stars was because of the message and oddly realistic family dynamic. I like the grit, the family’s struggle, and the very real events that can happen. The back and forth of the family loving each other then annoying or pissing each other off was extremely relatable - even more so considering their situation.
My main complaints were that 1) I felt like I got an entire novel’s worth of a story in less than 200 pages, and 2) the story wasn’t what I thought it’d be based on the back cover’s blurb. Since the book was so short, we as readers weren’t given details that would’ve benefited if the book was at least 300 pages, or even ~250.
On a positive note, I do REALLY love the cover and the scene in the story that the title came from!
October 16, 2025
this book was quite honestly one of the best books I've read in a while, but maybe its because I've got the judgement of a five year old, it represented relationships between brothers exceptionally well, and I've been reading the reviews, and some people say that Robert was kind of an asshole, but I believe that is the universal, big, popular brother experience. And honestly I was counting on him snapping multiple times, because I truly believed that out of anyone he deserved to do so the most, the ending was quite lackluster, and the repeating theme of Alexander mentioning murder yet never really doing it? it is both very relatable yet.. disappointing. I'm glad Xan didn't ever kill anyone, because he was always described as a soft eyed, sensitive boy.
albeit we never really got to see how he managed to leave the "good cause" organization or heck why he even left, I expected a more angsty or bittersweet ending, definitely not, the happily ever after we got. (that's exaggerating.)
albeit we never really got to see how he managed to leave the "good cause" organization or heck why he even left, I expected a more angsty or bittersweet ending, definitely not, the happily ever after we got. (that's exaggerating.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2021
The story follows two brothers. One who is the All American star even when he is out of school. Robert can do no wrong, but his younger brother Alexander is another story. He has been a misfit since as long as they can remember, and now he won't go to school or get a job. Robert can't help but be frustrated with his brother who he shares a room with and still won't pull his own weight. Then their mother starts getting harassed about money she owes and the pressure really piles on for Alexander to help.
What makes the two boys so different from each other? And how does the past affect how they are now? What does their future hold?
We often don't think about what the thought process is for someone who decides to become a terrorist. We just know that what they are doing is bad, very bad. But Angry Young Man explores how some well intentioned people can be swept up in the cause, even when it takes a dangerous turn.
What makes the two boys so different from each other? And how does the past affect how they are now? What does their future hold?
We often don't think about what the thought process is for someone who decides to become a terrorist. We just know that what they are doing is bad, very bad. But Angry Young Man explores how some well intentioned people can be swept up in the cause, even when it takes a dangerous turn.
January 20, 2023
After reading this, I’m left feeling unsatisfied with the ending. Yes, I still rated it 4 stars because I did enjoy the characters & the anticipation of the title. Which I thought would be brought into fruition more… judging from the title, I expected a little more anger but I guess towards the end, I liked the fact that the anger became a problem with both the brothers. I liked their relationship & I honestly loved Robert’s witty, carefree attitude. The bantering was refreshing & his evasiveness to his brothers reality was loud. I just wish their was more of a plot because I didn’t really understand what the author was trying to convey here.
The whole activist/terrorist avenue was also random in my opinion. Especially when Alexander went down this path because of a girl & then completely abandoned pursuing any relationship with said girl. I was hoping for more of a story between Carly & Xan simply because these sporadic actions of Xan, were a product of knowing her.
The whole activist/terrorist avenue was also random in my opinion. Especially when Alexander went down this path because of a girl & then completely abandoned pursuing any relationship with said girl. I was hoping for more of a story between Carly & Xan simply because these sporadic actions of Xan, were a product of knowing her.
March 19, 2017
I read Angry Young Man by Chris Lynch which is about a lowlife family struggling to get by. The mother has two kids, Alexander and Robert. They both have different dads but are only a year or so apart in age. Roberts dad who makes steady visits to the family, has a grudge against their mother and finds ways to disrupt their life as much as he can. Robert, the perfect child, the one who has it all together and Alexander, the kid without a life, the loser, who doesn’t know where to go with a rough background find themselves stuck in Alexander's mess. There are two factories in town which Alexander and his friends want to end at least one of them. Going out every night to what the family thinks is a visit to his girlfriend's quickly turns into an illegal operation to help the world with a “good cause”. Does Alexander and his misfits cause the world to be a better place or will everything erupt right in front of them? I liked how the book described the family and the kids situations but that led to the book going along slow at points. It gave an accurate representation of how a family can live in this world with similar characteristics. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars because it can be slow, but overall is a nice, exciting, and unpredictable book.
August 26, 2017
2 stars
I would have liked it better if the story had been from Xan's point of view. Some parts of the story dragged a little bit. I would have connected more to the characters if I knew more about the main character's psychological distress, I would have enjoyed the read more.
Robert's point of view was interesting considering the fact that it's a family member dealing with his brother distress.
I would have liked it better if the story had been from Xan's point of view. Some parts of the story dragged a little bit. I would have connected more to the characters if I knew more about the main character's psychological distress, I would have enjoyed the read more.
Robert's point of view was interesting considering the fact that it's a family member dealing with his brother distress.
June 4, 2023
3.5/5
November 10, 2023
No words.
February 4, 2024
2.5. This started out ok but the ending definitely felt like it was rushed and didn't seem to fully fit or make sense. It has very mixed reviews and now I see why.
August 17, 2022
I'm gonna need to reread the last two pages but
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Hear me out
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Hear me out
March 12, 2017
When I first started reading this there was a quality banter between the siblings and I thoroughly enjoyed them picking on each other. I didn't read the full synopsis before reading so I wasn't sure what to expect. Right about when they were at the vegan restaurant is when I started becoming disinterested. From that point on, the story just seemed dull and the whole "good causes" shit was not my cup of tea. I hated every aspect of it. I like to think of myself as an open minded person but I really hate reading about people who think they're "doing a good cause" when in reality, they were hurting more than helping.
The doctor with the illegal alien shit really pissed me off. Yeah, let's hurt this person because they hurt that person and so on and so on. Because that's how justice works, right? As if that doctor learned anything??? Even after he was poisoned, or whatever was put in his drink, he still CLEARLY viewed the world the same way. So WTF was the point?
The story ended poorly. I hate books like this, when the beginning captures you and as the story goes on you're just like....why did I waste my time. Disappointing.
The doctor with the illegal alien shit really pissed me off. Yeah, let's hurt this person because they hurt that person and so on and so on. Because that's how justice works, right? As if that doctor learned anything??? Even after he was poisoned, or whatever was put in his drink, he still CLEARLY viewed the world the same way. So WTF was the point?
The story ended poorly. I hate books like this, when the beginning captures you and as the story goes on you're just like....why did I waste my time. Disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2011
I'd actually been meaning to pick up Inexcusable by Chris Lynch for the past few months, but when I had the opportunity to read Angry Young Man I decided to make that my introduction to Lynch instead. Angry Young Man is the story of two brothers, told from the perspective of the older brother Robert, who lives in a small apartment with his little brother Alexander and his mother. The boys have two different fathers and their mother has never married. Robert is taking classes at the local community college, working to help out his mom, and spending a lot of time with his girlfriend, while Alexander mostly just spends time in his room. When Alexander does the unthinkable Robert has to decide how far he'll really go for his little brother.
This book took me awhile to get into, which is kinda significant when you consider it's under 200 pages so taking 100 to catch my interest is over half the novel. The issue I had was that Angry Young Man only develops a plot in the last quarter of the book. I've repeatedly said that I don't mind novels without plots (hello literary fiction) but this is a young adult book with fairly basic characters and writing so it just doesn't work without any plot driving the reader to turn the pages. It was really difficult to even try to give a synopsis of the story without giving away spoilers, since the story doesn't even really start until three quarters into the book. I did find it nice to read a novel written in a masculine voice for a change as I seem to mostly pick up YA with female narrators.
My favourite thing about Angry Young Man is the relationship that Lynch portrays between Robert and Alexander. He shows that even when people love each other, they can still sometimes do heartless things, like ignore their younger brother when he is being bullied. The way the brothers interacted felt very believable. On the other hand, I couldn't care less about all the relationship drama the book contained including Alexander going out with a girl Robert once dated.
The major problem I had with Angry Young Man was not only that there wasn't a plot for most of the book, but that when it did occur I really didn't buy it. Of course, the book is written from Robert's perspective not Alexander's so it is impossible to really get inside his head, but Lynch made him become suddenly "angry" and it just felt odd. I never truly felt Alexander was even actually angry, he seemed more jaded and a bit of a loner, and his sudden transition to extremist felt awkward and unbelievable. Angry Young Man is a book which is definitely attempting to appeal to a specific audience- that of angry young men- but I think from a literary perspective it would mostly be appropriate for younger teens who might not notice the gaping flaws in character development.
This book took me awhile to get into, which is kinda significant when you consider it's under 200 pages so taking 100 to catch my interest is over half the novel. The issue I had was that Angry Young Man only develops a plot in the last quarter of the book. I've repeatedly said that I don't mind novels without plots (hello literary fiction) but this is a young adult book with fairly basic characters and writing so it just doesn't work without any plot driving the reader to turn the pages. It was really difficult to even try to give a synopsis of the story without giving away spoilers, since the story doesn't even really start until three quarters into the book. I did find it nice to read a novel written in a masculine voice for a change as I seem to mostly pick up YA with female narrators.
My favourite thing about Angry Young Man is the relationship that Lynch portrays between Robert and Alexander. He shows that even when people love each other, they can still sometimes do heartless things, like ignore their younger brother when he is being bullied. The way the brothers interacted felt very believable. On the other hand, I couldn't care less about all the relationship drama the book contained including Alexander going out with a girl Robert once dated.
The major problem I had with Angry Young Man was not only that there wasn't a plot for most of the book, but that when it did occur I really didn't buy it. Of course, the book is written from Robert's perspective not Alexander's so it is impossible to really get inside his head, but Lynch made him become suddenly "angry" and it just felt odd. I never truly felt Alexander was even actually angry, he seemed more jaded and a bit of a loner, and his sudden transition to extremist felt awkward and unbelievable. Angry Young Man is a book which is definitely attempting to appeal to a specific audience- that of angry young men- but I think from a literary perspective it would mostly be appropriate for younger teens who might not notice the gaping flaws in character development.
July 25, 2011
Angry Young Man is the story of two brothers. The elder, Robert, is our narrator. He's the popular, assured one with the cool girlfriend (Babette), the community college plan, and future goals to be a kids' sports coach. Xan, on the other hand, is the misfit of misfits. It's hard to describe Xan. You really have to read him to get him. He's awkward, super sensitive, socially floundering, and his intensity about injustice rules his life. The book begins with Xan putting on a pair of amber sunglasses that conceal his eyes. Since the eyes are the windows to the soul, Xan doesn't want anyone looking in. You can't help but like Xan, but you know from page one that life has to be an ongoing source of trauma for him. Robert mercilessly but lovingly gives Xan a hard time. All the time. Yet Robert, who never protected his brother adequately in high school, now wants to see Xan figure out his life. The boys both live with their mother. She works all the time, spends much of her life exhausted, yet she insists on sit down dinners with her sons at least once a week. This is a close family. A loving one. And one now tormented by a slimy debt collector who's hounding them over the mother's unpaid credit card bills. When Robert brings Xan with him to his community college classes, and Xan starts attending a social worker's beginning course, Robert little realizes that Xan is going to take a turn for the truly troubling. Suddenly aware of even more injustices plaguing the world, Xan takes up company with a local group of young students whose acts border on terrorism. And there is Xan, the sensitive, misled young man, fulfilling the increasingly dangerous wishes of the group's militant leader. Robert fights to save Xan from the group and from himself (Xan, that is) while at the same time trying to stave off the harrassment of the debt collector. Things begin to spiral out of control, leaving the reader wondering if everyone is going to meet an unpleasant downfall.
Sounds heavy, right? Parts are, though nowhere near as heavy as Chris Lynch's novel from a few years back, Inexcusable. This new book, despite its conflict for the characters, is full of humor. Lynch writes about brothers who fight but love one another, from the point of view of a very funny, if angry, narrator. It's the way the narrator speaks and sees the world that makes you like him so much. Robert and Xan are polar opposites, bound by blood. Even when Robert is giving Xan the worst treatment, you know he loves Xan. This is a brief book, but don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't a lot within its pages. Is this the best teen book of the year? Well, I'm not sure of that yet. The ending seemed a trifle abrupt to me, although I also found it very satisfying.
Sounds heavy, right? Parts are, though nowhere near as heavy as Chris Lynch's novel from a few years back, Inexcusable. This new book, despite its conflict for the characters, is full of humor. Lynch writes about brothers who fight but love one another, from the point of view of a very funny, if angry, narrator. It's the way the narrator speaks and sees the world that makes you like him so much. Robert and Xan are polar opposites, bound by blood. Even when Robert is giving Xan the worst treatment, you know he loves Xan. This is a brief book, but don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't a lot within its pages. Is this the best teen book of the year? Well, I'm not sure of that yet. The ending seemed a trifle abrupt to me, although I also found it very satisfying.
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
There are two young men in Chris Lynch's new novel with reason to be angry. Robert and Alexander have been raised by a single mother who struggles to make ends meet. Robert had the unpleasant experience of meeting his father once, while Alexander knows nothing about his sperm donor. The two brothers are different as night and day, but still living at home and still sharing the same tiny room, they have developed a sometimes strained but tolerable relationship.
Robert, the older brother, attempts to describe his unusual sibling. He wishes others would understand Alexander (Xan). In fact, he wishes he could understand him. Xan definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer. Although smart enough, he quit school and spends his days just hanging around, while Robert works hard for a local mechanic so he can contribute to the household expenses. At the same time, he also attends the local community college. These different approaches to life make for almost daily arguments.
Even though Xan irritates Robert, he tries to get his younger brother involved in activities that will get him out of the house and hopefully build Xan's self-esteem. For a short time, soccer appears to be a possible solution, but Xan's erratic behavior ends up turning the team against him.
When Robert learns that Xan is starting to attend a class at the community college aimed at inspiring social activism, he has hopes that maybe things are changing. Unfortunately, Xan gets involved with a less than desirable group who call themselves the Good Causes. When the leader of the group reveals some radical ideas that get him kicked out of the Social Responsibility class, Xan is already deeply involved with the group.
Robert watches from a distance until he discovers the group's activities are becoming more violent. He fears Xan's need for acceptance will result in his involvement in a dangerous situation. In the meantime, Robert's attempts to protect their mother from problems of her own have him battling his own angry impulses.
Author Chris Lynch expertly portrays two young adults struggling to find their way in a world out to stack the odds against them. Alexander is a typical misfit lucky enough to have a brother willing to stand up for him. Robert's hard work and confidence is inspiring, even when it becomes obvious that he isn't as sure of himself as he would like people to believe. Lynch makes great use of humor to lighten the tense moments in this sometimes rather dark tale.
There are two young men in Chris Lynch's new novel with reason to be angry. Robert and Alexander have been raised by a single mother who struggles to make ends meet. Robert had the unpleasant experience of meeting his father once, while Alexander knows nothing about his sperm donor. The two brothers are different as night and day, but still living at home and still sharing the same tiny room, they have developed a sometimes strained but tolerable relationship.
Robert, the older brother, attempts to describe his unusual sibling. He wishes others would understand Alexander (Xan). In fact, he wishes he could understand him. Xan definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer. Although smart enough, he quit school and spends his days just hanging around, while Robert works hard for a local mechanic so he can contribute to the household expenses. At the same time, he also attends the local community college. These different approaches to life make for almost daily arguments.
Even though Xan irritates Robert, he tries to get his younger brother involved in activities that will get him out of the house and hopefully build Xan's self-esteem. For a short time, soccer appears to be a possible solution, but Xan's erratic behavior ends up turning the team against him.
When Robert learns that Xan is starting to attend a class at the community college aimed at inspiring social activism, he has hopes that maybe things are changing. Unfortunately, Xan gets involved with a less than desirable group who call themselves the Good Causes. When the leader of the group reveals some radical ideas that get him kicked out of the Social Responsibility class, Xan is already deeply involved with the group.
Robert watches from a distance until he discovers the group's activities are becoming more violent. He fears Xan's need for acceptance will result in his involvement in a dangerous situation. In the meantime, Robert's attempts to protect their mother from problems of her own have him battling his own angry impulses.
Author Chris Lynch expertly portrays two young adults struggling to find their way in a world out to stack the odds against them. Alexander is a typical misfit lucky enough to have a brother willing to stand up for him. Robert's hard work and confidence is inspiring, even when it becomes obvious that he isn't as sure of himself as he would like people to believe. Lynch makes great use of humor to lighten the tense moments in this sometimes rather dark tale.
December 13, 2012
Having read Inexcusable and Freewill, I expected much more from Lynch in this novel. I was expecting something horrible to happen with the turn of every page and it never comes to fruition. The title is Angry Young Man but no one seems very "angry", mostly just irritated.
This book does not push the envelope for me and definitely does not live up to the hype of the back cover blurb. "This edgy exploration of what goes on in the mind of someone pushed to the brink examines the seeds of extremism that exist in everyone" This book is not edgy, I felt the "exploration" was minimal at best, and without giving away to much, I didn't think the "extreme" was very extreme.
Lynch is known for his edgy work, and this is NOT it. I thought the main character/narrator Robert was bland and forgetable and his brother Xan was not much more than a pair of amber colored glasses walking around being awkward.
Pete Hautman's Invisible and even to some extent Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted were better (featuring deeper, disturbed young men) than Angry Young Man. Sorry, but this one misses the mark for me.
This book does not push the envelope for me and definitely does not live up to the hype of the back cover blurb. "This edgy exploration of what goes on in the mind of someone pushed to the brink examines the seeds of extremism that exist in everyone" This book is not edgy, I felt the "exploration" was minimal at best, and without giving away to much, I didn't think the "extreme" was very extreme.
Lynch is known for his edgy work, and this is NOT it. I thought the main character/narrator Robert was bland and forgetable and his brother Xan was not much more than a pair of amber colored glasses walking around being awkward.
Pete Hautman's Invisible and even to some extent Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted were better (featuring deeper, disturbed young men) than Angry Young Man. Sorry, but this one misses the mark for me.
Read
March 11, 2016"Angry Young Man" by Chris Lynch is a book about two brothers who are very different from each other. The older one, Robert, is on a soccer team, has a girlfriend, and goes to classes at a community college. His brother, Alexander (or Xan for short), is more of an introvert. He's talented at soccer, but doesn't like the other team members. He wears tinted glasses to hide glimpses of his soul from other people. Regardless, they live with their mother and try to help her pay bills.
Xan joins an animal-liberating vegan group, much to his family's dismay. Every night, he and his group go out and risk confrontation from the police, and getting fines the family can't afford. A strange man keeps coming to their house, and saying their mother owes him a lot of money, and wont give up until he gets it. On top of that, Robert has to try and keep his part time job as an assistant gym teacher.
This book is really slow and boring. It's only 200 pages long, but it took 3 months to read. nothing really happens, besides the brothers arguing about the same things. Every now and then, the mom joins the argument too. I also didn't like how Robert was the one narrating, because he was judgmental and boring. If he didn't understand something, or it wasn't something he would do he'd get all mad and obnoxious. I would not recommend this book.
Xan joins an animal-liberating vegan group, much to his family's dismay. Every night, he and his group go out and risk confrontation from the police, and getting fines the family can't afford. A strange man keeps coming to their house, and saying their mother owes him a lot of money, and wont give up until he gets it. On top of that, Robert has to try and keep his part time job as an assistant gym teacher.
This book is really slow and boring. It's only 200 pages long, but it took 3 months to read. nothing really happens, besides the brothers arguing about the same things. Every now and then, the mom joins the argument too. I also didn't like how Robert was the one narrating, because he was judgmental and boring. If he didn't understand something, or it wasn't something he would do he'd get all mad and obnoxious. I would not recommend this book.
October 5, 2011
Review by Jenny F.
Anger can kill; but will Alexander actually do it? He’s had enough of the torment, the lame excuses, and the misery that’s been thrown on top of him, so he joined the Good Causes, a group who says they’re devoted to making the world a little better; however, when they start digging up graves and poisoning doctors, his big brother, Robert, is worried that he’s going overboard. Then robert finds out about the bomb. Deep inside his hear, Robert knows that Alexander is a good person, and if there’s one person who can save him, it’s Robert. But Robert’s caught up in anger too, also with the unfairness of the world, and he’s tempted to use the bomb – can he overcome this madness and save both of them before it’s too late! This novel is breath-taking; it exposes the gaping flaws of the human world (which is understandable, since no one and nothing is perfect) and slams you into the heart of monstrosity. Even though the beginning is not so great, don’t ever get discouraged; the true genius of this book will explode at you near the end, and you need to read the beginning to experience the full blast of the brilliance.
Reserve the book here: http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/recor...
Anger can kill; but will Alexander actually do it? He’s had enough of the torment, the lame excuses, and the misery that’s been thrown on top of him, so he joined the Good Causes, a group who says they’re devoted to making the world a little better; however, when they start digging up graves and poisoning doctors, his big brother, Robert, is worried that he’s going overboard. Then robert finds out about the bomb. Deep inside his hear, Robert knows that Alexander is a good person, and if there’s one person who can save him, it’s Robert. But Robert’s caught up in anger too, also with the unfairness of the world, and he’s tempted to use the bomb – can he overcome this madness and save both of them before it’s too late! This novel is breath-taking; it exposes the gaping flaws of the human world (which is understandable, since no one and nothing is perfect) and slams you into the heart of monstrosity. Even though the beginning is not so great, don’t ever get discouraged; the true genius of this book will explode at you near the end, and you need to read the beginning to experience the full blast of the brilliance.
Reserve the book here: http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/recor...
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