Customer Reviews

Burger Wuss (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Ever since I read Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, I've been on this fantastic young adult novel kick and stimulated quite a few forgotten memories in the process. Well, the trip down memory lane has only gotten better with my most recent find, Burger Wuss. As a former teenage employee of a major fast-food chain, I can definitely relate to some of the most hilarious antics I've ever read in a book.

Burger Wuss is not just about fast-food. It's about being a teenager and falling in love, then having your dreams squashed by someone bigger and better. And it's about revenge. Sixteen-year-old Anthony has hatched this devious plan of payback after getting his girlfriend, Diana, stolen by school bully, Turner. And what better way to put the plan in action then getting hired at Kermit O'Dermott's -- the exact place where Turner works. And for good measure, throw in a little rivalry with the other burger joint in town, Burger Queen; a whacked out employee named Shunt who's made it his main goal in life to undermine the fast-food chain; a too-serious boss, Mike, who spouts corporate lingo and upbeat team spirit pledges at any given moment; and two best friends, Rick and Jenn, who have found love with one another on a totally nauseating level. Burger Wuss is a hilarious and sarcastic spin on love, hamburgers and getting even.

M.T. Anderson has written an easy-to-read, clear and concise novel. The perfect teen angst novel that everyone can relate to, especially those who have been there, done that. And not just for kids -- take it from me, grown-ups will love this story and all it can do for them. Sit down, relax and enjoy this funny spoof of a book.

By the end of the first chapter I was laughing so hard, I had tears in my eyes. This is definitely the funniest book I've read in a long time--I highly recommend it.

I read a lot of young adult novels even though I'm in my thirties. While this one has a lot to say, there are some problems in the telling that take away a lot of the story's value.

Anthony has taken a job at fast-food restaurant O'Dermott's (a thinly-disguised McDonald's) because he wants revenge on Turner, who "stole" Anthony's girlfriend. Turner turns out to be even more of a jerk than Anthony realized, and so Anthony comes up with a master plan of revenge in conjucntion with co-worker Shunt, who is on a one-man anti-fast-food crusade. The plan involves angering their long-time rivals, Burger Queen.

While Anthony's "voice" is distinctive, much of the book is not believable and there are few characters to admire, with perhaps Shunt being the main exception. Anthony's former girlfriend correctly tells Anthony she wasn't anyone's to "steal", but aside from this she behaves in typical teenage sheep-follows-the-crowd fashion. Stacey, Turner's girlfriend, openly admits that Turner is a jerk but doesn't seem to want to do much about it. Rick and Jenn, a cooing-lovey-dovey couple, turns out to be idiots as well: Rick admits the secret to getting girls is getting them drunk, and essentially tells Anthony that his lack of pawing girls is what lost him his girlfriend. In other words, treat girls with respect and they'll think you're a wuss. I don't think the author is espousing this view, but neither is Anthony proven right in his view that respect is the way to go.

All in all, a good effort but unsatisfying and disappointing in several regards.

"Burger Wuss" was a very truthful and descriptive story on the troubles of growing up. I read this book for my eigth grade honors reading program. I enjoyed reading this book because it gives an in depth look on the harsh reality of being a teenager. Also, the book's characters are very well drawn out and depicted wonderfully throughout the story. Written by M.T. Anderson, the book is about a young boy who is fiercely set on revenge. The book tells of the obstacles in life one must overcome. I would rewcommend this book to all teenagers from eigth grade on into high school.

This is a fabulously original, intelligent story about love, heartbreak, crappy jobs, and revenge. For those who thought the characters were "weird" and unrealistic, where the he** did you go to school? Every character was accurate, the details were outstanding. This novel is offbeat and at some points over the top. It stands out among the majority of "teen novels" by assuming the reader can appreciate a unique narrative and often biting humor. Plus, the cover is great! I recommend it.

Who hasn't been there? Your best friends are sickeningly in love while your own love life is in total disarray. You're tired of getting nowhere as the good guy while the big bully that is picking on you is a huge jerk and gets everything he wants while he's at it! All while you're at that age where everything bad seems like the end of the world. Agh... what to do!!

In this case the nice guy or "Burger Wuss," Anthony loses his girlfriend to the incredible jerk, Turner. Not wanting to let it go Anthony decides to hatch a brilliantly evil scheme to instill revenge on Turner. This involves getting a job at O'Dermitts and starting a war between them and rival joint, Burger Queen. You have to love the fast food parodies!

All in all a good quick read. The only problem I have are that I really took such a liking to Anthony that I hated to read about all the terrible things that happened to him. Luckily the ending was decent enough to pull it off though. Would definitely recommend this to hesitant young readers & I look forward to trying another one of M.T. Anderson's titles.

"Burger Wuss" is about a teenaged boy who starts dating the "girl of his dreams". It is bliss for a few months of them spending time together. He does not make any "moves" on her (though he thinks about it) because he respects her. Then, he finds her at a party underneath a faster boy- he wants revenge on the boy, but instantly forgives the girl. He begins to set a plan in motion to get revenge on the girlfriend-stealing-jerk... and that is the whole book.

He gets hired at a burger joint (like McDonalds) to be closer to Turner (the jerk) but ends up getting tied in a whole bunch of knotted relationships that are much more complex than he believes them to be.

It is short and to the point= but maybe a bit too much to the point. I didn't believe the whole infatuation with Diana (the ex-girlfriend) I had barely met her before they were already breaking up because she was cheating on him.

I didn't understand the "revenge" part either. If the kid had any sense, he'd be angry at Diana, not Turner. He frustrated me, but I guess that's what teenagers do.

The only redeeming character was Shunt. He was a misfit who wanted to bring down the entire burger conglomeration- that they were abusing the animals before they were cut up. Shunt's character was believable and almost entertaining- and even interesting. The rest of the people were flat and didn't have much of a story.

And Shunt only took up about 10 pages. He wasn't in the story much until near the end.

If you liked MT Anderson's style of writing in this book (repeatedly saying "like" and run-on sentences) then you will probably like "Feed". It was a much better book of his and had a great plot.

"Burger Wuss." That title's gotta intrigue you, right? SOUNDS funny, doesn't it?

Well, it is... at times. It's also lame, childish and boring. It goes from the timeless love story of Diana and Anthony, all those touching moments, like Diana's polymer teeth- "perfect polymers- taste bitter, but beautiful," the way D can put away a pizza, even how sweet their relationship is- Until Anthony (or "Little Miss Wuss") finds Diana in the arms of another.

I made that sound a little steamier than it actually is, but there are several reference to Turner (the CREEP) and his green sateen. Anthony MUST make him cry. Muhaha.

You get the idea.

It's written in an overly dramatic style- appreciated at times, annoying the rest of the while- and it DOES have some good moments. "Before her... I would pace in circles trapped inside the house, and drink all of the orange juice, and pace some more thinking about popular kids and their fast cars.."

Yes, Anthony is...one with a bad sense of humour most of the time. It is unfortunate that we're plagued with his insufferable rants on how beautiful/wonderful Diana was and curse Turner in his green sateen.

You'll notice I've made several references to the green sateen? There is a reason for this. It's mentioned approximately ever 10.1 sentences.

It has good character development and a relatively solid plot. Kudos to the author for that, at least. It's good to read if you're excessively bored. Otherwise, I don't really recommend it.

I loved Anderson's first book, Thirsty, a teenage vampire novel, and particularly his gift for re-creating the simultaneously spooky and comic elements of adolescent angst. Burger Wuss is a wonderful satire of the strange intersection of adolescent sensibility and the corporate world. It takes place in a thinly disguised McDonald's, where so many teenagers get their first exposure to real world employment; Anderson has a wonderful comic gift for language; two of his most brilliant characters are the fast food manager who talks entirely in corporatespeak, and young Shunt, who embraces an equally artificial language of anti-corporate militance. The satire may be a little subtle for the young, but it will be just right for the literate reader with enough self-knowledge to locate himself in Anderson's complex hierarchy of the "coolness."

...for teens and adults alike. Hands down, this shrewd and hilarious take on modern teen life is the best book I've read in a very long time. A laugh-outloud-riot of a novel. Better than carrot cake, even.