Will

by Maria Boyd

THE CRIME

It all started when Will mooned the girls' school bus. It wasn't his finest moment. And it's the last time William Armstrong will sully the St. Andrew's community, says Principal Waddlehead-er, Waverton.

THE PUNISHMENT

That's when a teacher worried about Will's home situation comes up with an idea. Why not let Will, a talented guitarist, give back to the school in a progressive manner? Why not have him play in... THE SCHOOL MUSICAL?

THE MUSICAL

Now Will is stuck in the school production of The Boy Friend. He's a laughingstock, and he has to give up his weekends for a show set at a girls' finishing school.

THE PLAYERS

There's the trombone-playing seventh grader who proclaims himself Will's best friend and refuses to leave his side. Then there's the undeniably attractive leading lady. Although she might be in love with her costar, the new football hero (and dazzling singer!).

Sharp-witted, funny, and poignant all at once, this is the story of a boy going through a difficult time who, in a most unlikely way, discovers the person he truly wants to be.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, LGBT, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Teen

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

Maria Boyd has spent the better part of the past seven years working as a teacher in two Sydney boys’ high schools, a job that ensured her, among other things, at least four belly laughs a day. Before that she was completing her Masters in Cultural Studies, and before that, she was travelling the world from her base in London.She has explored many different types of opportunities in her working life but nearly all of them have had something to do with young people and teaching. There is no coincidence in this - she enjoys and believes in them both. Maria lives in Sydney. WILL is her first novel.

Reviews

[Ryan Buckby · Rating 4 out of 5]

i enjoyed this story it was a feel good australian story that brought me back to being in high school and all the things involved with school.

i loved all the aussie slang and way the characters spoke because its as close you can get to what kids speak like in australia most of the time.

[Thebookbutterfly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore this book.
Will is an absolutely fantastic narrator and man, did I love being inside of his head. He was sarcastic, tough, occasionally embarrassed,
and often sweet. He was a fully fleshed out main character: he has his faults and obvious flaws, but if anything that only made him authentic and endearing.

Elizabeth was wickedly fiesty and strong. It's refreshing to read a male-POV and have the love interest be someone strong, smart, and witty. She's not just the unattainable girl that lives down the street: she is a fully developed character that you can closely indentify with. She has her dreams and her passions and I love that this is the girl Will is head-over-heels for. Gives teenage girls hope that guys don't just care about looks! :)

Mark made me laugh and had me rooting for him. This was a fantastic take on LBGT-fiction, because he was a real, three-dimensional character that I came to care for very much. Maria Boyd took the gay sterotype and dumped it on its head. He also had some great comebacks up his sleeve.

Chris--I probably go to school with this boy, I have probably met him before, talked to him. That's how realistic Maria Boyd makes Chris. The sweet guy, the one who adores his baby sister, and is great for advice and laughs. The one who is at a loss to be anything more than a friend to girls. School captain, rugby player, and drummer--I can identify with him because he just THAT guy. The one everyone looks up to because he is cool and has every leadership quality in the book.

Zachary Cohen--how can I possibly articulate how much I came to love this boy? He absolutely crazy and wonderfully smart and he was the reason that I kept grinning while I was reading this book. He is what results when an author mixes wisdom and silly and crazy and love together: Gosh, do I love this seventh grade trombone-player. I want to meet this boy someday so we can have a cup of tea together and discuss life.

Maria Boyd turns sterotypes around in WILL. She writes heart into her characters. Pick it up! You won't be disappointed :)

[Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

That’s it. I’m moving to Australia and becoming a high school teacher! These writers! I swear. First Melina Marchetta and now Maria Boyd. The moment I saw the Marchetta blurb on the back cover, I knew I was in for a treat and just as she promised the protagonist was awesome. I love love LOVED Will (the character) and really liked Will (the book). Will's voice was so good. It was clear, strong, hilarious and utterly charming. Maria Boyd did a fantastic job. Not only was Will amazing but I just loved Zach and Chris too. I was actually ready to give this another half star (What can I say? I'm just a big ol' softy for you Australia!) until some wonky pacing at the end. Put it this way (not exactly a spoiler but...): there was this big climatic emotional payoff about 85% of the way through and then it was like life as normal the last 15% of the book until the last couple sentences and boom! It's over. I think some of the events of the last 20% could have been rearranged. But all that aside, I just adored Will. I can't wait to read what Boyd writes next.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because the author is visiting my school next week. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have approached it.

Now, while I didn't have particularly high expectations (the cover makes me shudder, as does the nondescript nature of the title), I thought the musical aspect of the story would at least earn it some respect in my eyes. Well, it doesn't. Other than vaguely touching on the premise of The Boyfriend, the idea is basically never brought up. Not the songs. Not the real meat of rehearsals. Other than auditions, you never actually see what's going on. UGH.

The first half was HORRID. I really wanted to stop reading. The writing was so ridiculous, the characters so papery and just... gah. Everything came together too quickly. I understand that Will overcame his problems, but no one changes that quickly.

However, there were a few things that stopped me from giving it one star:
1) I liked the ending. It wasn't absolutely perfect, and that was great.
2) I loved Mark and Chris, and Will's natural relationships (and struggles, in Mark's case) with both.
3) That the book ends with his Dad, and not with Elizabeth.


Still, on the whole, this book was pretty awful. It was not really about a musical, it was not even really a romance. Every little piece of a genre it tried to employ, it employed poorly. I really hated it.

(As an aside, I also hated that the dialogue was all in bold. That's like the stamp of bad fanfiction, people. Not published novels).

[★ Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading for Year 12 SACE English Communications
Why is this on the booklist? Oh man, I was reading better written books in year 8. Having to read this as part of a year 12 subject is embarrassing. I should have done Studies.

I would have enjoyed this more if I was an illiterate 12 year old.

[Russell Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the author of young adult fiction myself, I know that we, as writers, strive to both entertain and instruct with our books. Encouraging young people to read by providing a fun story is paramount, and Maria Boyd, with Will, provides a supremely entertaining story. Her hero Will, from whose perspective she writes, is engaging, funny, and has a uniquely refreshing voice. From the moment you meet Will, you rush to go on his journey with him. Will is also conflicted, as characters should always be to make them real, but I won’t reveal his problem here, for it would have to come with a spoiler alert. Suffice it to say that Will pulls a stunt so heinous that the headmaster at his school decides his punishment will be the ultimate: he is sentenced to participate in the school musical. Now, as a former theater teacher, I don’t like the idea of theater being punishment, but I do know that, like in this novel, participation in school theater is infectious, and anyone who does so, whether by choice or edict, will be won over. And seeing Will won over (and this is not a spoiler, as it is inevitable) is an enjoyable experience. Now, the instructional part of the novel: not only do we learn about the danger of stereotypes, but we learn about coping. And, furthermore, since the novel is set in Australia, there is a wealth of unfamiliar terms, mild expletives, and different school structure that readers are exposed to. This alone can open up a young reader to a new world, and I encourage readers to think before Googling, for most of these unfamiliar things soon become familiar. I was thrown, at first, by the term “footy.” I soon realized this was what Australians call one who plays football. Then, of course, I learned that football in Australia refers to either rugby or soccer. Likewise, I was totally confounded by the word “muso” until it became clear it is Australian slang for musician. So there is a lot to be learned while being entertained by Maria Boyd and her Will. And finally, since my books deal with gay teens, I was pleased to see that there is, indeed, a gay character in Will, and the gay character is treated with sensitivity. Said gay character also is open and out, and that is a plus in a world where all too often gay teens in reality are not comfortable with their sexual orientation. It is wonderful for them to see a good role model. Thank you, Maria Boyd.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I didn’t like: I wish there was a guide to Australian slang because there were entire passages of the novel I didn’t understand because it was all slang!

Things I liked: This book was super caring of the issues it handled. It dealt with the death of the parent, sexuality, new relationships, invisible social rules, and making mistakes. It also did a good job of emphasizing that if you do make a mistake because rough stuff is happening in your own life, that gives understanding but does not take you off the hook for your actions. The book also handled the apology process really well! It showed how a good apology should look like, and how you can say your sorry and then not really mean it. It also did a good job of handling homophobia present in high schools. I also liked how it showed that teachers being involved does not always help social situations. Sometimes they can make things worse. I also liked how it explained the social rules of high school. They don’t really have any rhyme or reason, but everyone is still expected to follow them. I’m also a sucker for any book that involves a high school theatre production. It wasn’t life changing, it was a perfect book to read over a few days in the summer.

[Miffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are aspects of this book that do not stand the test of time. Although an accurate representation of the thoughtlessness of some teens, there were times that the sexism and ableism just jumped out and slapped me in the face. How far we’ve come.
And at the same time - this book was and is groundbreaking. Written in 2009, it has the first openly gay character I ever read about. Is honest about the way that young men hide their emotions behind a veneer of cool or tough. About how it’s really really hard to stay authentic in the face of relentless stereotyping. And it celebrates how shaking all that off and trying your best to be kind, thoughtful and honest is worth it every single time. On balance, there’s so much to like about Will. This was a satisfying reread. Well worth my time.

[Danya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the authenticity of Will's voice, and the realistic emotional struggle he goes through dealing with his dad's death. However, I felt like in terms of plot, not a lot happened in the story, and what did happen was pretty cookie-cutter contemporary YA. (Also, there was a lot of unexplained Australian slang that went over my head.)

[Alexia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was asked to read this book by a friend and I enjoyed it perhaps more than the average American because I understand British English and especially Australian slang.

Set at a high school, Will is a well-liked year 11 student who is prone to shenanigans both with his mates and on his own much to the disappointment of his teachers and his mum. After his latest stunt, his favorite teacher and principal decided the best punishment would be for him to play his guitar as part of the band for the school musical. Will is horrified.

What happens next, however, changes Will's life in unexpected ways and ultimately becomes the essence of his punishment term paper: stereotypes. It also becomes a healing process over the loss of his father.

For anyone who is concerned if this is appropriate for teens to read, it absolutely is appropriate. There is some profanity, but some of it is indeed in Australian slang so your teen probably won't understand it. There is some mild reference to drinking and at a private party, there is drinking. However I can't stress enough that this is Australian culture, not our culture, and the legal drinking age there is 18. There is kissing which is not explicit whatsoever. There is a gay character named Mark who is a new student who is a football player who also acts in the musical. On two separate occasions, a few male football players want to attack Mark simply for being gay which is absolutely not okay. I have read a lot of YA literature and this is very mild.

[Deanne Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the best part about this novel is how it shows a young man grieving his dad. I found the meltdown moment genuinely moving and the author was finally displaced by Will's character. Otherwise, although I enjoyed aspects of the novel, Zach's character for example, I found the authorial intrusion frustrating. Everything is too spelled out or obvious rather than allowing the story to speak for itself. It's like hitting you on the head with a 4 by 2 or using a jackhammer rather than hitting you on the head with a pillow or using a chisel. Positioning the reader through language choices rather than explaining stereotypes in a lesson, in my opnion, is far more effective for teens.

[Louisa with an A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice easy read but it did seem a little bland and superficial at times.

I do love reading Aus Ya because the characters are so life like and reasonable, there's no 16 year olds talking about the meaning of life in a pretentious manner.

Will is just the same, it's entertaining and fun to read about how one stupid teenage boy goes around doing stupid teenage boy things.

The ending did seem to drag on for a while and Will and Elizabeths relationship was left very anticlimactic but other than that it was enjoyable.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this book.

First read it a year after release and every so often re-read it, one of only a couple of books that I do that to. There are plenty of layers to Will that you find out the further you read on. At this point in time, 14 years later it might have slightly dated. There is so much depth to all of the other characters which would have been good to see, but it's kind of perfect the way it is.

[Kimberly]

The book itself was fine. I’m annoyed that there was no real ending. One minute story, the next an explanation of football. I liked the realistic portrayal of the main character’s self understanding and exploration. Completely lost at the reason it could be banned anywhere.

[William Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly enjoyable as I picked up something I thought would light to get my reading going again. It was light but had some great depth and characters and an excellent plot tums up from this reader

[Jackson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is highly unethical and the story line is just blasphemous.
My brain couldn't deal with reading this shit as it had such a weak plot. It also had spelling mistakes which has led my to decide to kill myself.
The book was also very predictable just like my death is going to be.

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly didn't expect to enjoy this book as thoroughly as I did.
It's just high-school hijinks and a little emotional growth, and learning to deal with grief and people who are different and your own mistakes. But it's handled in a way that feels genuine and authentic.

[MBF · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I couldn't put it down! I loved the array of characters and how different they were in comparison. I also loved how this book helped break down stereotypes. I highly recommend

[Drehgfuiewrfeas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing, Will inspires me to moon school buses everyday, its truly an amazing piece of entertainment, on par with Chungus In The Big Forest (download on google play)

[Magnolia Bloomfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good story, my rating is simply for the fact that there was no quotation marks for the dialogue, it was just in bold and it drove me bonkers.

[Bridgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in Year 10, and it’s forever stuck with me as a brilliant book. Highly recommend for a teenage read!

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Will who didn't have the common sense not to moon the girls' school bus and got in even bigger trouble. Here's the front-flap summary:

The Crime - It all started when Will mooned the girls' school bus. It wasn't his finest moment. And it's the last time William Armstrong will sully the St. Andrew's community, says Principal Waddlehead--- er, Waverton.

The Punishment - That's when a teacher worried about Will's home situation comes up with an idea. Why not let Will, a talented guitarist, give back to the school in a progressive manner? Why not have him play in.... THE SCHOOL MUSICAL?

The Musical - now Will is stuck in the school production of The Boy Friend. He's a laughingstock, and he has to give up his weekends for a show set at a girls' finishing school.

The Players - There's the trombone-playing seventh grader who proclaims himself Will's best friend and refuses to leave his side. Then there's the undeniably attractive leading lady. Although she might be in love with her costar, the new football hero (and dazzling singer!).

Sharp-witted, funny, and poignant all at once, this is the story of a boy going through a difficult time who, in a most unlikely way, discovers the person he truly wants to be.

I didn't realize that summary was going to be so long.

Anyway, I liked this book, or actually, I am rather fond of it. I couldn't really understand Will's prankster tendencies, but his awkwardness and protectiveness and leadership and mistakes all made him fun to read about.

I love the variety of topics tackled by this book: losing a parent, meeting someone who's gay, being put out of your comfort zone, standing up for the little guy, breaking conventional high school boundaries. It's all presented well - nothing feels awkward and Will's responses are genuine. I now see I may have had a teeny crush on Will as I read this book. I hated Will at some points for his stupidity, lack of action, or his mistakes.

Will's friends, old and new, are also really great to meet. Chris is an athlete, but loves his baby sister more than anything. Zack/Freak is adorable. Andrews, the teacher who got him into this mess, can be awfully chill in an "I'm a sneaky viper" way. Mark (aka love rival aka new friend) seems to have every talent there is - he can sing, he can act, he's athletic; finding a difficulty for him to overcome seems like it would be difficult. And then there's Elizabeth. She's the play's star, beautiful, and happens to have really conservative parents. This could get interesting. :)

The plot's cute. There isn't much doing - it's mostly characters interacting with each other and whatnot from the play's auditions until the closing show. I guess stuff happens - secrets are revealed, people make out, a fight occurs, people get yelled at. Looking at it that way, lots of things happen. Never mind. I just can't deal with the plot or something. I guess if you wanted to put a big label on the book it'd be "Will goes on a journey of accepting the loss of his father" or something like that. It's not a depressing book, though, so I wouldn't base your opinion on that one lame line.

One thing that bothered me for a while was the author's different way of punctuation dialogue - instead of quotations and whatnot, she uses bolded type. It can get sort of confusing, especially when Will's having a conversation with someone - you can't always tell whose talking. For the most part, I was able to get used to the way she writes and just go with it.

A really tense scene near the end was "ruined" for me by a friend. Of course, it was really all my fault because I asked her to read it out loud. That was really the problem - she made it funny. What you should learn from my story: DON'T ASK YOUR FRIEND TO READ THIS BOOK ALOUD. Or do. Whichever you like... Thanks. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

In retrospect, mooning the Lakeside Girls' bus was probably not the smartest thing to do.

But, at the time, seventeen-year-old Will Armstrong thought it was a brilliant idea. So did all of his mates.

Unfortunately the principal was not as impressed.

To make up for (once again) sullying the reputation of St. Andrew's College, Will is sentenced to two months hard labor as a man of all work . . .

For the high school musical.

Will can play guitar fine, so it isn't the music that's the problem. It's more the giving up all of his free time, hanging out with a bunch of geeks and generally being a laughing stock for being involved in a dumb musical production.

As if that isn't bad enough, the trombone player from Year 7 seems to be permanently attached to his hip declaring Will his best friend, the male lead is annoyingly perfect, and the leading lady makes Will go soft in the head. It's hard enough navigating high school as it is, Will has no idea how he's supposed to negotiate all this extra musical nonsense in Will (2010*) by Maria Boyd.

First things first: Will joins the ranks of Australian books brought to the US by wise publishers. Unfortunately in this case, that means a lot of this book felt like reading a foreign language. A lot of the school culture is a wash in understanding. The grades for students seem to be different. The kids seem to play soccer and football--which I thought were the same things everywhere but in the US? And the slang is often unknowable.** In other words, a lot of the nuances of this story were very likely lost on me.

Adding to the jarring nature was the book's style (at least in the advanced reader's copy I read): Instead of conventional dialog with quotation marks, the story features dialogue in bold. This approach gives a fast and loose feel to conversations, but it also makes it a bit hard to follow who is speaking. It was also, for me, just a bit . . . off putting.

Confusion aside, Will is an interesting slice-of-life book about the culture of an Australian boys school (I'd imagine) and also about putting together a musical (I'd imagine). But Boyd's book is also a bit more than that as she explores Will's relationship with his mother and his complicated feelings about his father. Will is a funny and compelling story about Will going, almost literally, from zero to hero in his own eyes and in the eyes of the St. Andrew's community as he works on the musical.

While Will had its high points (and low, poignant, points), the writing was often repetitive with a lot of talk about Will's gut churning in lieu of describing actual feelings. While the middle of the book was great, the start and finish dragged a bit with an ending that bordered on the trite. Boyd is at her best while writing the humorous parts of the story. The young trombonist who attaches himself to Will, for instance, is particularly funny and developed to a point not seen in many of the other secondary characters.

All told, Will is a genuine and amusing male narrator in a heartfelt and sometimes even hilarious story.

*This book was originally published in Australia in 2006. 2010 was the publication date of the first US edition.

**Racial slurs and curse words may have been thrown around at one point but not being Australian it's impossible to say (1) if that was the case or (2) if any of the words were as "bad" as their equivalents in this country.

Possible Pairings: Fat Kid Rules the World by K. L. Going, Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, The Miles Between by Mary E. Peason

[Carmen Yeung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will is a book i never thought would really be named after the protagonist, i thought the meaning of Will before reading the book was about a person willing to do something or unwilling to do so or so. It ends up having the protagonist's name Will from William Armstrong to be the title. Even though i didn't expected that, i liked the book. It was overall very cute, because even though in the beginning it was kind of inapproriate when Will wanted to catch attention and he showed his behind to everyone especially the girls in the school bus. He wanted more attention and acted really "bad" due to the accident of his father leading to him losing his father. He was punished by his teacher to be in a school play which occupied all his time that he use to spend with his friends. The outcome of him being in the school play, he started to have more "real friends", friends that give him good advice and tells him what to do, but also clings on to him like a moneytree, because Will is popular. But eversince Will showed his behind, he actually became the person to be laughed at 24/7. He was known as the kid that got punished, because he mooned the people in the bus. This didn't scar him, because he found this really pretty and nice girl in the play named Elizabeth, which i thought would be a really nice girl too in Will's description. Even though in the end they didn't get to go out, but they still had a strong friendship. I thought it was worth it as an experience for Will to be in the play.
I wouldn't relate to Will as much, because i have never experienced losing anyone important, but i think i can understand how Will feels. By losing someone important in your life, you will feel less appreciated or noticed by others less, so you will do anything just to get other people's attention. If i was Will, i dont think i will do what he did, because he said he "accidentally" did the mooning and didn't know what he was doing, If i were him i would think twice before doing something. Since i only live once, i should think twice before doing anything. Also i thought it was really nice for him to actually get friends like Zach, because they actually can talk out issues, even though Chris was a nice friend, but he was a bad influence, because he did encourage Will to moon. This book taught me to be more responsible as a person, because doing one thing wrong can scar others, or even more than just one person.

[Liz at Midnight Bloom Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took my sweet time reading Will, never finding the need to rush through the pages to see what was going to happen at the very end and just simply enjoying the story.

Will is an amusing novel that somehow gets readers to understand the many misconceptions and stereotypes that teenagers (and adults!) make when taking others only for their face value.

Take the main lead, Will, a year 11 student at an all-male Australian boarding school whose spur-of-the-moment mooning of a neighbouring all girls' school bus lands him a role in the school play as his punishment. Everyone knows it's social suicide for older high schoolers such as himself to be in the play, but he has no choice over the matter. Will hasn't been acting himself the past year and although he's disappointed his mother and teachers, they still believe in him... even if Will doesn't even really believe in himself anymore. His sarcastic, light humour only masks the surface of hurt he's gone through, especially where it's related to his father.

I don't get a chance to read novels with male points of views very often but getting inside the mindset of Will just made me wish I had him as a friend. Okay, okay, I'll fess up, I was getting a bit of a crush on him while reading. His funny narration always lighted a smile on my face; he's a sensitive musician type (though he tries to deny it!); and he's an overall good person who knows to apologize and make things right again when he's at fault.

Will may not realize it yet, but maybe- just maybe- this play could be the best thing that's happened to him in a very long time.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Year 11 Aussie Will Armstrong has been through something awful that causes him to keep acting out. For his latest prank he mooned the bus filled with the girls from Lakeside. Rather than getting expelled for one misdeed too many, the headmaster and one of his favorite teachers came up with the perfect punishment for him. Will must perform in the band for the joint school musical between St. Andrews Boys and Lakeside. Will wishes they had expelled him because now he’ll have to associate with the losers in the band and have his weekends sucked up by rehearsals; at least the actors got to hang out with the girls. What will this do to his social status which he has been carefully cultivating since year 7? The reason for his numb feelings and bad behavior is slowly unfolded through the course of the story and readers will figure it out along the way but the reveal is still moving. Strong supporting characters populate the story from Will’s best friend Chris Holden, year 7 Zach Cohen, who Will calls Freak and takes under his wing, Elizabeth Zefferelli, the play lead and Will’s crush, and Mark, the new kid from Melbourne. Subplots abound but Will coming to terms with himself and his trauma lead to growth and the girl.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some really great aspects of this book, but there are also some not-so-great parts too. I'll start with the good:

1. This book is told from the POV of an average teenage boy. He gets decent grades, and he's accepted by all, but he's by no mean the superhero of the school.
2. There's a gay teen boy as a secondary character, which I think is really important to include in YA lit.
3. The book focuses on stereotypes and how death and loss affects teens, two big issues, without being too heavy handed.
4. It's a fast and easy read (even though it took me what felt like forever to get through it).

The bad:
1. There's a lot of Australian slang. The author includes a brief rundown on Aussie football, but I thought it was unnecessary since most of the terms weren't used in the book, and they definitely weren't the focus of the book. I'd rather see a better ending than a football guide.
2. I HATED the ending. Very inconclusive, and I feel a little cheated after spending all that time with these characters.

[Oddysseus · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Will's voice is so authentic and strong that you feel as if you either knew him, want to know him, or hope that one day you'll come across him." - Melina Marchetta, bestselling author of SAVING FRANCESCA and LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI

"This book is to boys what Looking for Alibrandi was to girls. Highly recommended." - Australian Booksellers Association Kids’ Reading Guide 2006-2007

"With a fresh style, an innovative approach to dialogue to hook the boys, and lashings of teen angst and emotional development to entertain the girls, WILL has great appeal for a wide audience. Highly recommended." - Australian Bookseller + Publisher

"Will is a first novel from a huge talent ... Totally enjoyable and highly recommended." - Manly Daily

"Boyd's experiences as a teacher in a Sydney boys' high school were reflected in the deadly accuracy of the dialogue, internal and external, and the often hilarious playground scenes. This is a funny, touching and appealing account of Will's progress from a walking stereotype of an adolescent male to manhood. Recommended." - Helen Purdie, Magpies

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't quit books, but this one came close. So goofily anachronistic it resembles a lobotomized episode of Saved by the Bell, Will is one of the worst Young Adult books I've ever read. Dig: Will, the narrator and a student at an all-boys school, moons a bus full of girls from the sister school. As punishment he's forced to participate in the school musical. Author Boyd makes some overtures at contemporary relevance by predictably throwing a gay student into the mix and some sappy, half-baked lessons about stereotypes, but nothing here is done particularly well. And then it ends, with at least half a dozen plot threads unresolved. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to be done with it, but at least give me a conclusion. Horrid.

[laaaaames · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I could barely get through this and then I kind of fell for it so I think three stars is a fair rating. Sure! No one's forcing me to walk them through my rating criteria but I just like to keep you in the loop, okay.

I reeeeally hated the style the book was written in, bold instead of quotation marks for dialogue, just, whyyyy would you do that to us, Boyd. But it stopped mattering less. A little less.

I loved the Freak, and I loved Will's constant growing need to not be an asshole. I like books where most characters are good people, deep down. After all, plenty of people are. So why not live in that world in a book too?

(read: 44)