The True Meaning of Smekday

[lightreads]

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the wreckage of America post alien invasion, an eleven-year-old girl sets off on an epic road trip with one of the invaders and a cat.

OMG. OMG OMG my feels, I can't. This is hilarious and sad and wonderful and quirky. I giggled, I sniffled, I gasped. I got my feels everywhere, which doesn't happen for just any old book.

Basically, if you are a sucker for very brave, very angry little girls; if two people tentatively reaching out from opposite sides of a war and a language barrier and a lot of rage to find their best friend on the other side will leave you verklempt; if you will enjoy the use of alien ethnic jokes to make a joke about human ethnic jokes; if you love cats. Run, do not walk.

So, so good.




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Comments

[norah]

YAY YOU READ IT!! YAY!

[lightreads]

Partially thanks to you! Roughly eleventy seventy people have told me to read this book, but your recent rec finally got me to do it.

[norah]

GLEE. Because I want everyone I like to know Tip and J.Lo and to have the near-painful laugh spasms I had reading it. BEST.

[jadelennox]

This book, right?

He's writing a sequel, which actually makes me sad, because nothing he's written before or since has compared even remotely, so it won't be on the same scale at all.

[hamsterwoman]

I love this book! I made my kids read it as soon as I was done, and they loved it, too, but I think I enjoyed it even more than they did.

(if this were on LJ, I would be commenting with my "scientists stop naming the koobish" icons, which I don't get nearly enough reason to use)

[hamsterwoman]

Oh, I hadn't heard about a sequel! Hmm... I agree that none of his other stuff I've read (Fat Vampire and Cold Cereal) lived up to Smekday, so I fear you're right... but on the other hand, maybe it's the delightfulness of this world that brings out the best in him as a writer? *fingers crossed*

[teafeather]

I've got a cross-country trip coming up next month and this looks like exactly what I need to keep me from freaking out at the airport. Did you read the NLS version or a different one?

[lightreads]

NLS. I recommend it. I forget the narrator's name, but she does an excellent alien voice. The book has a few interludes in which background stuff is explained in the form of comics drawn by the characters, and the audio makes this pretty comprehensible without really describing panel-by-panel.

[lightreads]

Oh damn. I was wondering if his other stuff would be as good.

[gnomad]

Basically, if you are a sucker for very brave, very angry little girls; if two people tentatively reaching out from opposite sides of a war and a language barrier and a lot of rage to find their best friend on the other side will leave you verklempt; if you will enjoy the use of alien ethnic jokes to make a joke about human ethnic jokes; if you love cats. Run, do not walk.


Hm. I ususally try to put things you rate 4+ on my list but based on this, I think not. Blegh, Cats.

[lightreads]

But alien ethnic jokes. Actually, this might do you very well for a long race someday.

[gnomad]

I will keep it in mind. I haven't been running long much lately, so I'm still stuck halfway through Spoiled.