The Book: The House of Tomorrow, by Peter Bognanni
The Story: Sebastian’s parents died when he was very young and since then he’s been living with his grandma in a glass dome outside of town. She has all these semi-crazy beliefs and, while Sebastian is allowed to leave the dome from time to time, he is pretty much totally cut off from society. When she gets sick and ends up in the hospital, Sebastian meets a family that totally turns his world on its head. Jacob is his age, has had a heart transplant and loves cigarettes and punk music. Jacob’s sister Meredith is pretty slutty but is a good girl, deep down. Their mom is sorta neurotic but takes care of her kids and dotes over Sebastian. He and Jacob become friends and start playing music together. Sebastian is introduced to half a zillion things that he never knew existed and is just pulled between that old life with his grandma, where he was comfortable and known and loved, and this new live with Jacob’s family, where he’s “normal” and involved in the world.
What I Thought: Quirky, quirky, quirky. Everything about this book: the characters, the town, the situations…. it was all just quirky. While big issues like family and health and friendship and loyalties were all explored, it was all done with a light touch and it made the whole book seem whimsical and fun. The guts of this book were touching and I know my heartstrings were tugged, but not in an obvious The Five People You’ll Meet in Heaven kind of way, more of an About a Boy (the book, not the movie) way… ya follow?
For me, what made this book was the characters. Teenage boys in the Midwest? Perfectly done. Single mom just limping through? Right on. Crazy religious-nut Grandma? Spot on. The way that these characters interact with each other and their dialogue was seriously wonderful. I get bent out of shape when things like this “feel wrong,” but Peter Bognanni knew his characters well and it really showed.
This book wasn’t perfect by all means. The writing itself was sometimes weak and the plot was full of these kind of bizarre circumstances. The “Bubble Boy” thing has been done before: kid that’s been trapped is now let loose… we’ve all seen it or read it or whatever. The plot was kind of predictable. Yadda yadda. I’m pretty sure it’s this guy’s first novel, so I’m going to give him some leeway. For a first shot, this was seriously great.
Conclusion: While this book isn’t filed as YA, I can see it as a YA book almost easier than an adult book. I’d recommend this to teenagers and to adults who want a fun, quirky, touching read. Also, if you’re a fan of punk rock, there are half a zillion “shout outs” here that would probably make any fangirl/boy’s day. There’s a blurb on the cover by the guy who wrote Love is a Mix Tape, and I think it’s totally appropriate. If you liked that book, you’ll like this one. Give it a go.