Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
London : Electric Monkey, 2014.
Description
"Austin Szerba narrates the end of humanity as he and his best friend Robby accidentally unleash an army of giant, unstoppable bugs and uncover the secrets of a decades-old experiment gone terribly wrong"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member Edward.Lorn
I rarely ever read synopses anymore. The only reason I read this one was because a booktuber by the name of Katytastic mentioned it. The blurb not only piqued my interest, but fish-hooked my curiosity. Surely a Young Adult novel about giant, horny Mantises causing an end-of-the-world event couldn't
Andrew Smith has not forgotten what it's like to be a sexually-frustrated teenager. Our MC, Austin, jumps back and forth between his best friend, Robby (a super-awesome kid who just happens to be gay) and his current girlfriend, Shann. If gay characters turn you off, you might not want to read this book, because the show-stealer of this novel is Robby. Austin is great, but he does get a little annoying, but annoying in a realistic sense, because you spend half the book wanting to him to make a fucking decision. Are you, or aren't you? Is it Robby or Shann? Pick one, motherfucker! Having never been interested in the same sex, I haven't known Austin's struggle, but I remember what it was like in high school, liking two or three different girls at the same time. Not wanting to hurt any of them, but needing to decide, then making the wrong decision and... well, you get the drift. (Oh, and I fully understand that being bisexual is a thing. So, when I say "Pick one, motherfucker!" I say that knowing that Austin has to make a choice between two people, and not which gender he finds attractive. We cool? All cleared up? Good. Moving on...)
As far as the rest of the book is concerned (I didn't forget about the giant, horny, unstoppable, world-killing praying mantises, trust me), let me just say, this is the first book that has ever, ever, evereverever, lived up to its synopsis. I received exactly what I was promised on the packaging, and was not once bored with this book. As both a consumer and a reader, I was extremely satisfied. If you read the blurb and think, "I think I would like this kind of story," you will not be disappointed.
In summation: Does this book belong on my top twenty list? Probably not, but it is quite epic, and completely deserves all five of those stars up there. A classic coming-of-age tale told right, with b-movie creatures, and awesome action. Probably one of the more original books out there, and definitely not to be missed. My highest possible recommendation.
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be as epic as this single synopsis made it out to be. Oh, but it is. It is that and so much more.Andrew Smith has not forgotten what it's like to be a sexually-frustrated teenager. Our MC, Austin, jumps back and forth between his best friend, Robby (a super-awesome kid who just happens to be gay) and his current girlfriend, Shann. If gay characters turn you off, you might not want to read this book, because the show-stealer of this novel is Robby. Austin is great, but he does get a little annoying, but annoying in a realistic sense, because you spend half the book wanting to him to make a fucking decision. Are you, or aren't you? Is it Robby or Shann? Pick one, motherfucker! Having never been interested in the same sex, I haven't known Austin's struggle, but I remember what it was like in high school, liking two or three different girls at the same time. Not wanting to hurt any of them, but needing to decide, then making the wrong decision and... well, you get the drift. (Oh, and I fully understand that being bisexual is a thing. So, when I say "Pick one, motherfucker!" I say that knowing that Austin has to make a choice between two people, and not which gender he finds attractive. We cool? All cleared up? Good. Moving on...)
As far as the rest of the book is concerned (I didn't forget about the giant, horny, unstoppable, world-killing praying mantises, trust me), let me just say, this is the first book that has ever, ever, evereverever, lived up to its synopsis. I received exactly what I was promised on the packaging, and was not once bored with this book. As both a consumer and a reader, I was extremely satisfied. If you read the blurb and think, "I think I would like this kind of story," you will not be disappointed.
In summation: Does this book belong on my top twenty list? Probably not, but it is quite epic, and completely deserves all five of those stars up there. A classic coming-of-age tale told right, with b-movie creatures, and awesome action. Probably one of the more original books out there, and definitely not to be missed. My highest possible recommendation.
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LibraryThing member jimrgill
The entire time I was reading this novel, I couldn’t decide whether Andrew Smith was perpetrating an elaborate and outlandish literary prank or weaving a masterful satiric tale layered with complex metaphors that lay just beyond my cognitive grasp. Or perhaps he was doing quite a bit of
Austin, our narrator, is dealing with many of the “profound” problems that plague a typical Midwestern American adolescent male—he and his best friend Robby (with whom he is probably in love) are bullied by their thuggish parochial school classmates, he is madly in love with his girlfriend Shann, he is confused by his simultaneous attraction to both his best male friend and his girlfriend, everything makes him horny, he is perpetually bored by life in Iowa…and, oh yeah, he and Robby discover that some people in their town are transforming into giant praying mantises that just want to reproduce and devour everything/everyone in sight. So maybe that last part isn’t quite “typical,” but Austin fancies himself a historian and feels duty-bound to accurately document the end of the world.
And that’s where the postmodern twist of this very atypical YA novel enters—are these giant insects simply symbols of adolescent desire? After all, they were created through the misguided experimentation of a mad scientist in the 1970s—is their existence some sort of ironic manifestation of the consequences of Austin’s own “experimentation” with his sexuality? Is Smith just mocking the adolescent propensity to see every personal dilemma as “the end of the world”? Austin, along with Robby’s help, manages to figure out how to save the world (or at least themselves and their loved ones) from the marauding army of Unstoppable Soldiers, yet he still seems primarily preoccupied with his own personal problems.
Austin is quite a conundrum as a narrator, constantly uttering phrases like “No one knew anything about…” or “You know what I mean”—often in reference to the same phenomenon. Although he insists he is recording the end of the world, how can it indeed be the end if he, Robby, Shann, and others survive? And if no one knew anything about [insert random occurrence], how does Austin know enough about it to claim that no one knew anything about it? These are the kinds of questions that lead me to suspect that something more complex than meets the eye is going on here.
“Grasshopper Jungle” is a novel that requires discussion. You know what I mean.
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both.Austin, our narrator, is dealing with many of the “profound” problems that plague a typical Midwestern American adolescent male—he and his best friend Robby (with whom he is probably in love) are bullied by their thuggish parochial school classmates, he is madly in love with his girlfriend Shann, he is confused by his simultaneous attraction to both his best male friend and his girlfriend, everything makes him horny, he is perpetually bored by life in Iowa…and, oh yeah, he and Robby discover that some people in their town are transforming into giant praying mantises that just want to reproduce and devour everything/everyone in sight. So maybe that last part isn’t quite “typical,” but Austin fancies himself a historian and feels duty-bound to accurately document the end of the world.
And that’s where the postmodern twist of this very atypical YA novel enters—are these giant insects simply symbols of adolescent desire? After all, they were created through the misguided experimentation of a mad scientist in the 1970s—is their existence some sort of ironic manifestation of the consequences of Austin’s own “experimentation” with his sexuality? Is Smith just mocking the adolescent propensity to see every personal dilemma as “the end of the world”? Austin, along with Robby’s help, manages to figure out how to save the world (or at least themselves and their loved ones) from the marauding army of Unstoppable Soldiers, yet he still seems primarily preoccupied with his own personal problems.
Austin is quite a conundrum as a narrator, constantly uttering phrases like “No one knew anything about…” or “You know what I mean”—often in reference to the same phenomenon. Although he insists he is recording the end of the world, how can it indeed be the end if he, Robby, Shann, and others survive? And if no one knew anything about [insert random occurrence], how does Austin know enough about it to claim that no one knew anything about it? These are the kinds of questions that lead me to suspect that something more complex than meets the eye is going on here.
“Grasshopper Jungle” is a novel that requires discussion. You know what I mean.
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LibraryThing member ErlangerFactionless
GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE is a history.
This is all true.
All roads converge at the point of Austin Szerba's pen poised at the top of a blank page in a leather-bound log-book from the 70s, courtesy of McKeon Industries.
"And that was my day. You know what I mean."
Austin Szerba, a cigarette-smoking Lutheran
Except it's not for the reader. The reader perfectly understands Austin's confusion, because we all experience it, too. This is not a cookie-cutter story about the end of the world and/or being in love. This is a story about how everything can be completely screwed up, but you just have to deal with it.
"What am I going to do, Ingrid?" Austin asks his beloved golden retriever.
By the end of the story, Austin still has no idea what to do. And that is real. That is honest. That is how real life works.
The rest of the story has nothing to do with how real life works.
Some scientists at McKeon Industries try to create Unstoppable Corn to fuel the demand during the 70s. Then they try to create Unstoppable Soldiers for the government. They succeed, and proceed to be almost completely destroyed by their creations: six foot-tall praying mantis-like monsters that only want to do two things.
Austin and Robby inadvertently set those monsters loose on the world, and they must fight back to save their friends, family, and the entire planet. Be prepared for the unabashed sexuality of sixteen year-old boys, the carnage of murder and copulation conducted by the Unstoppable Soldiers, and a general whirlwind of insanity. Like Austin Szerba says, "Everything fell into place, all right. But things dropped into place so hard the entire world broke."
GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE is gory and profane and brutal and honest and meaningful and it is all true. You know what I mean.
Andrew Smith wrote this book not for anyone but himself, and I respect that so much. Make sure you read the acknowledgements page. Maybe read it before you start the book. Just so you know how it came to exist.
This is all true.
All roads converge at the point of Austin Szerba's pen poised at the top of a blank page in a leather-bound log-book from the 70s, courtesy of McKeon Industries.
"And that was my day. You know what I mean."
Austin Szerba, a cigarette-smoking Lutheran
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boy, narrates this post-apocalyptic journey of self-discovery and disaster. He is accompanied by his best friend, who he is completely in love with, Robby Brees; occasionally his girlfriend, Shan Collins, tags along for the ride. He is in love with her, too. It's all very confusing. Except it's not for the reader. The reader perfectly understands Austin's confusion, because we all experience it, too. This is not a cookie-cutter story about the end of the world and/or being in love. This is a story about how everything can be completely screwed up, but you just have to deal with it.
"What am I going to do, Ingrid?" Austin asks his beloved golden retriever.
By the end of the story, Austin still has no idea what to do. And that is real. That is honest. That is how real life works.
The rest of the story has nothing to do with how real life works.
Some scientists at McKeon Industries try to create Unstoppable Corn to fuel the demand during the 70s. Then they try to create Unstoppable Soldiers for the government. They succeed, and proceed to be almost completely destroyed by their creations: six foot-tall praying mantis-like monsters that only want to do two things.
Austin and Robby inadvertently set those monsters loose on the world, and they must fight back to save their friends, family, and the entire planet. Be prepared for the unabashed sexuality of sixteen year-old boys, the carnage of murder and copulation conducted by the Unstoppable Soldiers, and a general whirlwind of insanity. Like Austin Szerba says, "Everything fell into place, all right. But things dropped into place so hard the entire world broke."
GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE is gory and profane and brutal and honest and meaningful and it is all true. You know what I mean.
Andrew Smith wrote this book not for anyone but himself, and I respect that so much. Make sure you read the acknowledgements page. Maybe read it before you start the book. Just so you know how it came to exist.
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LibraryThing member rdwhitenack
Not an awesome book by any means, but teens into escapism may enjoy the read. With how the book wraps up I couldn't help but be disappointed with the content that persisted through the first 300 pages of text. Then again, the author did not originally want to publish this work, so it might have
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been a necessary convention for the publication to actually happen. Foul language courses through this text, as does graphic descriptions of sexual fantasies, not to mention ceaseless references to the protagonists boner. Sort of a foul Carl Hiassen or Tom Robbins or an equally morbid sci-fi Christopher Moore. I'd recommend it to 16-18 year olds that show the maturity for it, but would not personally recommend it for younger readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member PhilipJHunt
Ratings are obviously personal things and I notice that, at this early stage no-one's given it less than 4. So what's the good news? Well, Smith has created a voice and style that is refreshing and different. He really does sound like a mid-teens boy, hormone-saturated, confused, and with no sense
While the style is original, the plot is not. Industrial chemistry gone wild. Giant murdering praying mantises against which humans don't have a prayer. Two boys to save the world. Maybe.
In the end, I enjoyed the way Smith wrote more than what he wrote about.
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yet of mortality. I liked this a lot.While the style is original, the plot is not. Industrial chemistry gone wild. Giant murdering praying mantises against which humans don't have a prayer. Two boys to save the world. Maybe.
In the end, I enjoyed the way Smith wrote more than what he wrote about.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
What in the name of all things holy did I just read?!?! I don't really know, but I loved every second of it!! Teenage boys are going to LOVE this book. And I foresee it being banned at most school libraries. Which will hopefully spur more kids to read it! Ahh soo good!
Most people are probably sick
In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin is in love. He loves his girlfriend Shann, and... his best friend Robby who just so happens to be gay. He can't make heads or tails of his feelings. Is he gay too? Bisexual? Experimenting? Before he can properly figure out the answer to questions, Ealing is overrun with giant six foot tall praying mantises that only want to do one of two things. Eat or fuck (kind of like teenage boys).
Even though this is an outrageous tale, the characters seem totally real as does the serious points the author makes about scientific research done for the sake of profit at the expense of mankind.
An absolute must read. For fans of young adult literature, dystopians, black humor, gonzo writing, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Most people are probably sick
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of dystopian or Armageddon novels, and to those people i say... read this book! This isn't just an end of the world novel, it's also filled with dark humor, sexuality, teenage love, confusion, and every other possible emotion that a teenage boy is capable of feeling. It's funny, inappropriate, and deeply personal all in one go. In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin is in love. He loves his girlfriend Shann, and... his best friend Robby who just so happens to be gay. He can't make heads or tails of his feelings. Is he gay too? Bisexual? Experimenting? Before he can properly figure out the answer to questions, Ealing is overrun with giant six foot tall praying mantises that only want to do one of two things. Eat or fuck (kind of like teenage boys).
Even though this is an outrageous tale, the characters seem totally real as does the serious points the author makes about scientific research done for the sake of profit at the expense of mankind.
An absolute must read. For fans of young adult literature, dystopians, black humor, gonzo writing, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
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LibraryThing member RussianLoveMachine
Austin Szerba is obsessed with history, and so he takes it upon himself to observe and record history as the truth. He has been doing so for so long that he has volumes upon volumes of his "history books" which he wrote giving his "truthful" accounts of his observable world. Austin has two friends,
But Austin encounters bigger problems when he and Robby are witnesses to the beginning of the end of the world as they know it. Their bullies accidentally release a science experiment from their Iowa town's shady past, and soon 6-foot tall bugs begin taking over. Austin tries his best to record everything with accuracy from the unstoppable bugs, to his romantic failures with his only two friends, to ultimately linking his ancestry with his present. This hilarious novel is like a crazy horror movie, with campy gore and matter-of-fact storytelling from our ever-historically-minded and witty narrator.
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Robby, who is gay, and Shann, who is Austin's girlfriend. Austin loves them both, and he feels guilty because he knows he can't love them both in the way he wants to.But Austin encounters bigger problems when he and Robby are witnesses to the beginning of the end of the world as they know it. Their bullies accidentally release a science experiment from their Iowa town's shady past, and soon 6-foot tall bugs begin taking over. Austin tries his best to record everything with accuracy from the unstoppable bugs, to his romantic failures with his only two friends, to ultimately linking his ancestry with his present. This hilarious novel is like a crazy horror movie, with campy gore and matter-of-fact storytelling from our ever-historically-minded and witty narrator.
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LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
I love Andrew Smith's books; he's like the polar opposite of John Green. This one's like a pulpy giant-insects sci-fi movie from the sixties. Only with a bisexual love triangle and written from the point of view of a teenage boy, which means that there's at least one thing a page that makes him
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horny. It's hilarious and gross and I loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
A series of coincidental events in a small town in Iowa releases a plague virus that turns people into 6 foot tall maneating grasshoppers. Austin and his best friend Robbie know what has happened, and need to find a way to stop the breeding army created by a now-dead mad scientist.
LibraryThing member ReneeRobinson
GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE, Andrew Smith-ISBN 978-0525426035
The end of time waltzes in like the biblical plague of locusts. What once was a soothing sound while sleeping under the stars and a favored bug of child’s play has evolved into a nightmare that doesn’t go away when awake. This once controlled
A couple of teens take it upon themselves to trace the origins of this new beast. Can it be destroyed? Perhaps the kids will be destroyed. As crazy as this dino-manbug sounds (my words, not the authors) the author balances humor with nature and fear very well and creates a very interesting world.
The end of time waltzes in like the biblical plague of locusts. What once was a soothing sound while sleeping under the stars and a favored bug of child’s play has evolved into a nightmare that doesn’t go away when awake. This once controlled
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insect seems to have taken human form and it is no longer satisfied eating plant life, with its prehistoric, futuristic, dinosaur, bugman looks and actions it will not be long before the world dies as these things feast on man. A couple of teens take it upon themselves to trace the origins of this new beast. Can it be destroyed? Perhaps the kids will be destroyed. As crazy as this dino-manbug sounds (my words, not the authors) the author balances humor with nature and fear very well and creates a very interesting world.
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LibraryThing member LoftyIslanders
This "end of the world" dystopia is rife with black humor, but also filled with unexpected moments of poignancy and hope. Although the setting and various elements of the story are huge in scope, the story remains egocentric. It revolves around how the narrator and his immediate contacts are
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is that Smith shows us teens through a clean lens. There are no soft blurry edges and no rose colored lenses. There's no photo shopping. What you see is what you get.
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feeling and reacting to the things happening in their lives. It gives the story a sense of novelty, because it relies less on sentimentality and more on stream of consciousnessOne of my favorite aspects of this novel is that Smith shows us teens through a clean lens. There are no soft blurry edges and no rose colored lenses. There's no photo shopping. What you see is what you get.
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LibraryThing member cabockwrites
Dynamo of a young adult novel!
It's the story of three teens and the end of the world, especially the end of small town American (a fabulously rendered Ealing, Iowa).
But it's not that at all.
It's a story about how we learn to love, ourselves, and others, especially if you are a confused teenage
How the unexpected happens (yes something with grasshoppers) but no spoilers here.
How a writer can take on any subject and still make it funny and real and poignant.
And if you are writer, read this for the voice of the novel. It's one of the best I've read in so long a time, it makes me crazed, in a good way.
It's the story of three teens and the end of the world, especially the end of small town American (a fabulously rendered Ealing, Iowa).
But it's not that at all.
It's a story about how we learn to love, ourselves, and others, especially if you are a confused teenage
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boy.How the unexpected happens (yes something with grasshoppers) but no spoilers here.
How a writer can take on any subject and still make it funny and real and poignant.
And if you are writer, read this for the voice of the novel. It's one of the best I've read in so long a time, it makes me crazed, in a good way.
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LibraryThing member sarafwilliams
I wanted to give this a 4, I really wanted to. However, I will below explain the reasons why I didn't.
First of all, the hardback edition of Grasshopper Jungle is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. I mean it. You have a super colourful cover, and when you open the first page, a super
Grasshopper Jungle is the book I'm talking about - of course - but also the name of a shopping centre where these two super cool boys who, per chance, managed to unleash bugs the size of elephants who led the end of the world used to skate. Super cool, right? That's what I also thought!
As it is repeated various times during the book, good books are about everything. They include various themes and don't focus themselves too hard exploring a single matter. And hell yeah does this book does that. It is gripping and the plot is super cool.
Concerning the characters, you have Austin whose family life story is (too much) detailed throughout the whole book and Robby, who is a super cool kid too who smokes too much and just so happens to be a homosexual. These two guys are best friends! Plus Shann. Shann is Austin's and she spents a lot of time with both of them.
The premise of the book is absolutely thrilling. When I had it in my hands I literally felt the need to finally find out what had happened, why, who, and how they managed to find a way out of the situation. However, there were many things I was incapable of enjoyed during this book. The first one was, the amount of pages/small font - which would have been okay - but this leads me to another point. This book had a load of useless information. Sure, our main character Austin was totally obsessed about history but it takes you about 100 pages for something to happen. Secondly, many of the paragraphs were written the same way - name of some random person who is enduring an attack of some sort - and the rest of the description. Also, paragraphs between different scenes would have been swell. Despite being interested on how Austin's and Shann's stepfather's family is involved in what happened, much was useless and the book just sort of dragged on. It was a shame. Because when I tell my friends what this radiant book is about everyone feels interested.
The last pages made me smile. Not giggle. Smile. It is completely worth a read, even despite this review.
First of all, the hardback edition of Grasshopper Jungle is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. I mean it. You have a super colourful cover, and when you open the first page, a super
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soft black page is the first thing you see, creating a delicious colour block. Also, those fluorescent pages were vibrant.Grasshopper Jungle is the book I'm talking about - of course - but also the name of a shopping centre where these two super cool boys who, per chance, managed to unleash bugs the size of elephants who led the end of the world used to skate. Super cool, right? That's what I also thought!
As it is repeated various times during the book, good books are about everything. They include various themes and don't focus themselves too hard exploring a single matter. And hell yeah does this book does that. It is gripping and the plot is super cool.
Concerning the characters, you have Austin whose family life story is (too much) detailed throughout the whole book and Robby, who is a super cool kid too who smokes too much and just so happens to be a homosexual. These two guys are best friends! Plus Shann. Shann is Austin's and she spents a lot of time with both of them.
The premise of the book is absolutely thrilling. When I had it in my hands I literally felt the need to finally find out what had happened, why, who, and how they managed to find a way out of the situation. However, there were many things I was incapable of enjoyed during this book. The first one was, the amount of pages/small font - which would have been okay - but this leads me to another point. This book had a load of useless information. Sure, our main character Austin was totally obsessed about history but it takes you about 100 pages for something to happen. Secondly, many of the paragraphs were written the same way - name of some random person who is enduring an attack of some sort - and the rest of the description. Also, paragraphs between different scenes would have been swell. Despite being interested on how Austin's and Shann's stepfather's family is involved in what happened, much was useless and the book just sort of dragged on. It was a shame. Because when I tell my friends what this radiant book is about everyone feels interested.
The last pages made me smile. Not giggle. Smile. It is completely worth a read, even despite this review.
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LibraryThing member sarafwilliams
I wanted to give this a 4, I really wanted to. However, I will below explain the reasons why I didn't.
First of all, the hardback edition of Grasshopper Jungle is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. I mean it. You have a super colourful cover, and when you open the first page, a super
Grasshopper Jungle is the book I'm talking about - of course - but also the name of a shopping centre where these two super cool boys who, per chance, managed to unleash bugs the size of elephants who led the end of the world used to skate. Super cool, right? That's what I also thought!
As it is repeated various times during the book, good books are about everything. They include various themes and don't focus themselves too hard exploring a single matter. And hell yeah does this book does that. It is gripping and the plot is super cool.
Concerning the characters, you have Austin whose family life story is (too much) detailed throughout the whole book and Robby, who is a super cool kid too who smokes too much and just so happens to be a homosexual. These two guys are best friends! Plus Shann. Shann is Austin's and she spents a lot of time with both of them.
The premise of the book is absolutely thrilling. When I had it in my hands I literally felt the need to finally find out what had happened, why, who, and how they managed to find a way out of the situation. However, there were many things I was incapable of enjoyed during this book. The first one was, the amount of pages/small font - which would have been okay - but this leads me to another point. This book had a load of useless information. Sure, our main character Austin was totally obsessed about history but it takes you about 100 pages for something to happen. Secondly, many of the paragraphs were written the same way - name of some random person who is enduring an attack of some sort - and the rest of the description. Also, paragraphs between different scenes would have been swell. Despite being interested on how Austin's and Shann's stepfather's family is involved in what happened, much was useless and the book just sort of dragged on. It was a shame. Because when I tell my friends what this radiant book is about everyone feels interested.
The last pages made me smile. Not giggle. Smile. It is completely worth a read, even despite this review.
First of all, the hardback edition of Grasshopper Jungle is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. I mean it. You have a super colourful cover, and when you open the first page, a super
Show More
soft black page is the first thing you see, creating a delicious colour block. Also, those fluorescent pages were vibrant.Grasshopper Jungle is the book I'm talking about - of course - but also the name of a shopping centre where these two super cool boys who, per chance, managed to unleash bugs the size of elephants who led the end of the world used to skate. Super cool, right? That's what I also thought!
As it is repeated various times during the book, good books are about everything. They include various themes and don't focus themselves too hard exploring a single matter. And hell yeah does this book does that. It is gripping and the plot is super cool.
Concerning the characters, you have Austin whose family life story is (too much) detailed throughout the whole book and Robby, who is a super cool kid too who smokes too much and just so happens to be a homosexual. These two guys are best friends! Plus Shann. Shann is Austin's and she spents a lot of time with both of them.
The premise of the book is absolutely thrilling. When I had it in my hands I literally felt the need to finally find out what had happened, why, who, and how they managed to find a way out of the situation. However, there were many things I was incapable of enjoyed during this book. The first one was, the amount of pages/small font - which would have been okay - but this leads me to another point. This book had a load of useless information. Sure, our main character Austin was totally obsessed about history but it takes you about 100 pages for something to happen. Secondly, many of the paragraphs were written the same way - name of some random person who is enduring an attack of some sort - and the rest of the description. Also, paragraphs between different scenes would have been swell. Despite being interested on how Austin's and Shann's stepfather's family is involved in what happened, much was useless and the book just sort of dragged on. It was a shame. Because when I tell my friends what this radiant book is about everyone feels interested.
The last pages made me smile. Not giggle. Smile. It is completely worth a read, even despite this review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Brainannex
Unstoppable corn!!!!!! Eating and mating for both the teens and the grasshoppers, with a no-holds-barred style and some snort-worthy and cringe-worthy scenes.
LibraryThing member Perco
Austin.
This is what I think about
Austin.
He was an asshole. (He said it
to himself by the way)
"I was being such an
asshole to my two best
friends"
I don't know if I would love
or hate the character. I just
don't know.
Maybe I'm 50% mad at Austin
because I felt sorry for both
Shann and Robby. They
deserved to be respected.
Austin was selfish. And was
so horny too all the time.
His kissed his girlfriend. He
kissed his boy best friend. He
wanted to have a threesome
with them. He had sexual
intercourse with Shann. He
also wanted to have sexual
intercourse with Shann and
Robby's moms. EDEN NEEDS
HIM!
He was not confused at all,
especially at the age of 16. My
God.
And 50% for pity. 'Coz Austin
had B.O.
Robby.
Here comes the god of all
those shit alien bugs. Our
Hero. Robby.
A queer who had feelings for
his best friend Austin. Loved
skateboarding and smoking
around with Austin. Named
his balls 'coz Austin did.
Tried to save the humanity
with Austin.
Seriously? Couldn't this guy
live without Austin?
By the way, Robby truly
deserved a Nobel Prize, a
million dollar, and a trip to
Sweden WITHOUT Austin.
Deal with that.
Shann.
Shann got pregnant at the age
of 16. Good girl! EDEN NEEDS
HER!
I like the book. The Dr. Grady
McKeon's unstoppable corn
that dissolves balls. Ingrid a
golden retriever who couldn't
bark and loved to shit. Satan's
Pizza. And everything.
This is what I think about
Austin.
He was an asshole. (He said it
to himself by the way)
"I was being such an
asshole to my two best
friends"
I don't know if I would love
or hate the character. I just
don't know.
Maybe I'm 50% mad at Austin
because I felt sorry for both
Shann and Robby. They
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bothdeserved to be respected.
Austin was selfish. And was
so horny too all the time.
His kissed his girlfriend. He
kissed his boy best friend. He
wanted to have a threesome
with them. He had sexual
intercourse with Shann. He
also wanted to have sexual
intercourse with Shann and
Robby's moms. EDEN NEEDS
HIM!
He was not confused at all,
especially at the age of 16. My
God.
And 50% for pity. 'Coz Austin
had B.O.
Robby.
Here comes the god of all
those shit alien bugs. Our
Hero. Robby.
A queer who had feelings for
his best friend Austin. Loved
skateboarding and smoking
around with Austin. Named
his balls 'coz Austin did.
Tried to save the humanity
with Austin.
Seriously? Couldn't this guy
live without Austin?
By the way, Robby truly
deserved a Nobel Prize, a
million dollar, and a trip to
Sweden WITHOUT Austin.
Deal with that.
Shann.
Shann got pregnant at the age
of 16. Good girl! EDEN NEEDS
HER!
I like the book. The Dr. Grady
McKeon's unstoppable corn
that dissolves balls. Ingrid a
golden retriever who couldn't
bark and loved to shit. Satan's
Pizza. And everything.
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LibraryThing member mjspear
Austin is the historian of the world and he is confused. He and his BFF, Robby, are friends but maybe more than.... Austin is in love with Shann, his girlfriend with the perfect body but why does he feel conflicted about wanting sex with her? It's the end of the world...or maybe not. Austin
The plot: Austin and Robby accidentally let loose a spawn of giant grasshopper/preying mantis type insects into the world. These insects want to do only two things, one of which is eating....
Once the insects are out, the book becomes a series of violent, graphic scenes of eating and ..procreating.. Various enemies and n'er-do-wells meet their fates in gruesome detail. Austin, Robby, and Shann end up taking refuge in an underground bunker (Eden 1) and emerge, at the end of the world, to begin again.
The book is R rated with activities (sexual experimentation is detailed but not gratuitous; violence is indeed gratuitous) language (lots of f bombs) and thoughts (musings on erections, passion & more)
Part action, part reflection on the nature of sexual attraction and gender,part history book (we see the world through several lenses) GJ is the love child book of authors John Green and Stephen King. For the right reader (mature, questioning) this book is as Austin would say a "dynamo."
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switches from an omniscient voice to a personal one at break-neck speed. The plot: Austin and Robby accidentally let loose a spawn of giant grasshopper/preying mantis type insects into the world. These insects want to do only two things, one of which is eating....
Once the insects are out, the book becomes a series of violent, graphic scenes of eating and ..procreating.. Various enemies and n'er-do-wells meet their fates in gruesome detail. Austin, Robby, and Shann end up taking refuge in an underground bunker (Eden 1) and emerge, at the end of the world, to begin again.
The book is R rated with activities (sexual experimentation is detailed but not gratuitous; violence is indeed gratuitous) language (lots of f bombs) and thoughts (musings on erections, passion & more)
Part action, part reflection on the nature of sexual attraction and gender,part history book (we see the world through several lenses) GJ is the love child book of authors John Green and Stephen King. For the right reader (mature, questioning) this book is as Austin would say a "dynamo."
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LibraryThing member patsemple
I'm only 50 pages in and already in love with the writing and the characters. Given subject matter, I would reserve this book for upper level high school students -- grades 11 or 12.
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
Outrageously weird and wildly entertaining.
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So there were things that I loved about this book, like the history of Austin's family and the Robby, Shann, Austin love triangle and Austin's confusion about it. The history of Eden and how the bugs were invented was even pretty interesting but I couldn't seem to get past how crass the method of
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sharing it was at times. I get that I'm not a teenage boy but it still kind of felt like overkill, enough to knock the book down a star for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
So there were things that I loved about this book, like the history of Austin's family and the Robby, Shann, Austin love triangle and Austin's confusion about it. The history of Eden and how the bugs were invented was even pretty interesting but I couldn't seem to get past how crass the method of
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sharing it was at times. I get that I'm not a teenage boy but it still kind of felt like overkill, enough to knock the book down a star for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
When I began reading this book, I did not think I would enjoy it. It is a tale of teenager Austin, his best pal Robby and the girl of his dreams, Shann. Their life revolves around school and hanging out in their small, Midwestern town that is slowly dying. However, once I got a short way into it, I
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was hooked. The characters are great fun, even though Austin is totally preoccupied with sex, and the action is quite amusing as the town is being taken over by giant insects. This is a great end-of-world thriller with wonderful characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dawnssj
Not as bad as I feared. Not as good as I hoped.
LibraryThing member PencilStubs
“Grasshopper Jungle” is an impressive blend of simultaneous opposites. It’s totally crazy and random, yet makes sense and was meticulously plotted. The narrator, Austin, is constantly confused and uncertain, but there’s a few things he is very wise and sure about. The story is somehow
Books about teens sometimes have characters that sound too clever and grown up, or the books sound like adults trying too hard to write like teenagers. Andrew Smith (the author) doesn’t have these problems at all. Austin was the most realistic sounding teenager I’ve encountered in young adult literature. Smith captured his conflicted, muddled, horny perspective in a very honest, raw and real manner, and I really sympathized with Austin as he struggled with his love for both his girlfriend and best dude friend while trying to save the world from giant praying mantises. There’s a couple words and phrases that get repeated a lot, but they were used in such a way that they strengthen the teenage tone and conveyed more meaning than what they literally mean (when used for full effect, “Uh,” can say a lot!).
One of the main themes in this book is teens grappling with their sexual identities. I think this was handled fantastically, and I loved this one quote from Austin’s best friend, Robby: “I don’t care if you’re queer…*Queer* is just a word. Like orange. I know *who* you are. There’s no one word for that.” The book has a ton of quotable parts. I imagine readers are going to pick out particularly profound or wild quotes to display all over social media, notebooks, lockers, backpacks, etc.
Overall, an epic read. I’d recommend it to teens and adults alike.
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sensitive, provocative and intelligent, while remaining fun, humorous and exciting. Books about teens sometimes have characters that sound too clever and grown up, or the books sound like adults trying too hard to write like teenagers. Andrew Smith (the author) doesn’t have these problems at all. Austin was the most realistic sounding teenager I’ve encountered in young adult literature. Smith captured his conflicted, muddled, horny perspective in a very honest, raw and real manner, and I really sympathized with Austin as he struggled with his love for both his girlfriend and best dude friend while trying to save the world from giant praying mantises. There’s a couple words and phrases that get repeated a lot, but they were used in such a way that they strengthen the teenage tone and conveyed more meaning than what they literally mean (when used for full effect, “Uh,” can say a lot!).
One of the main themes in this book is teens grappling with their sexual identities. I think this was handled fantastically, and I loved this one quote from Austin’s best friend, Robby: “I don’t care if you’re queer…*Queer* is just a word. Like orange. I know *who* you are. There’s no one word for that.” The book has a ton of quotable parts. I imagine readers are going to pick out particularly profound or wild quotes to display all over social media, notebooks, lockers, backpacks, etc.
Overall, an epic read. I’d recommend it to teens and adults alike.
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LibraryThing member benuathanasia
A significant step-up from Andrew Smith's other works. An intriguing plot but very much a slow-burner. It feels very much a typical, nothing special, run-of-the-mill coming-of-age story with slight hints of sci-fi until just before it ends when it suddenly remembers that "Hey! This IS a science
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fiction book! Here's science-fiction!" Show Less
Awards
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Winner — Fiction — 2014)
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Young Adult Literature — 2014)
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (Fiction — 2014)
Thumbs Up! Award (Honor — 2015)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2015)
Printz Award (Honor — 2015)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Honor Book — 2015)
The Kitschies (Winner — 2014)
ALA Rainbow Book List (Selection — YA Fiction — 2015)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2015)
CCBC Choices (2015)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2014)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2014)
OYAN Book Rave (2015)
Language
Original publication date
2014
Physical description
394 p.; 20 cm
ISBN
9781405273411