It is the tale of a year in the life of a 12 year old going on 14. It is probably not a typical a rite of passage book - but it does include the usual agenda items for those entering puberty - sex, school, relationships, family life, bulleying, adventure. It is set in the early 1980s - Malvinas War is the backdrop.
It is written through the boy's eyes. One of the flaws of the book is that although the language attempts to be 'authentically teenage' there are too many anachronisms, and the language is far too literary to be realistic. OK so Jason is a budding poet and stammerer who finds comfort in language (at one point suggests that a dictionary is light reading), it didn't quite come off. It is a bit too trite - his tormenters are defeated in a manner that most victims of bullying would find fanciful. I also think the author was trying too hard to demonstrate his knowledge of the period - constant references to period consumer items, and new technology became eventually tedious.
However, an easy read, engaging throughout - and you do feel sympathy for Jason in his attempts to fight through a difficult time in any boy's life.
My rating? 6/10
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