Though its first-person narrating voice is fast-paced, powerful and unquestionably authentic, Hick is a debut novel. Beyond this voice, what makes the book so extraordinary is that, although all of the worst things imaginable do befall this 13-year-old girl, she is never defeated by them. Luli always fights back; she always resurfaces. Set as a coming-of-age novel, Hick tracks the real perils that modern teenagers so often face. And it does so with bright wit, energy, and an indomitable spirit. This is a book that will grab the reader from the first page and not let go. And it is written by a woman who is becoming a cultural force in the hippest parts of Los Angeles.
Hick
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Portes's chilling debut tracks a 13-year-old Nebraska girl's hard-going life on the road. Young Luli knows losers—her "aging Brigitte Bardot" mother, Tammy, and her father, Nick, go at each other every night at the Alibi, the watering hole in hometown Palmyra, Neb. Tammy runs away one morning, and Nick soon follows, leaving Luli alone at home with the Smith and Wesson .45 her Uncle Nipper gave her. Pistol in tow, she hitches rides heading west to Vegas. A crooked man (literally; he "looks like an italic," says smart-alecky Luli) named Eddie picks her up briefly before throwing her out of the car. Next comes cocaine-snorting grifter Glenda, who enlists Luli as an accessory to a robbery that goes awry. Glenda takes Luli under her wing. The two cross paths again with Eddie, who rapes Luli and ties her up in a secluded motel. Glenda comes to her rescue, but the confrontation with Eddie ends badly. Luli's flippant narration makes for a love-it or hate-it read. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“[A] knockout…[a] bold, brash, up-yours coming-of-age story rubbed raw with gritty sexual awakening.”—The San Diego Union-Tribune
“In her debut novel, Portes paints a poignant picture of a teenage girl fleeing her past and landing in Vegas, where she’s forced to grow up fast.”—OK MAGAZINE
“A bracing drama, a study in tenacity against the gnarled teeth of domestic storms.” —The Los Angeles Times
“Portes is an edgy writer whose talent is apparent on every page. Her honest, raw portrayal of Luli is harrowing, yet Portes also punctuates many of her observations with a keen and jaded humor. Hick announces the arrival of an exciting young voice. Portes’ snappy prose shines through despite the disturbing plight of young Luli…”—The Rocky Mountain News
“Portes' writing and Luli's courage make this book a standout and, at times, beautiful novel.” —The Omaha World-Herald
“A terrific and addicting read. It just barrels along, fueled by the adrenaline and enthusiasm of its youthful narrator.”—The Kansas City Star
“[A] smart and sassy tale.”—The Oregonian
“Her approach is so subtle and non-preachy that Hick‘s cinematic equivalent would be more indie drama than after-school special...Through Luli’s eyes, Portes expertly captures the loneliness of poverty and the harsh monotony of being a child with no one to take care of you...She’s the antithesis of the modern American teenager; she has grit. Her story is especially interesting as it is based on the real-life experiences of Hick‘s author, Portes...Eccentric and wild, her characters are larger than life, but they never become unreal...Luli’s endurance...can only inspire.”–Popmatters.com
“Compelling.”—Library Journal
“Wonderful, touching.”—The Nougat Magazine
“There probably was a time in the U.S. when parents read books to their kids at night; a time when people really cared about their neighbors and acted appropriately. Luli is America gone wrong personified. Hick is the coming of age novel for our twisted times.”—Jeffrey A. Tipton, author of Surviving the City
“[C]ompletely blew me away…It's the best novel I've read this year…do not not read this book. this is a spectacular debut.”—Tony Dushane, Drinks with Tony radio show
“Luli’s road trip makes Holden Caulfield’s experiences in “The Catcher in the Rye” and Huck’s in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” seem almost quaint. It is truly a coming-of-age story for today… Portes tells a fast-paced story and has created a memorable character in Luli.” —Lincoln Journal-Star
“Impressive…Luli is so well-drawn and her voice so original and authentic that the reader can't help but get caught up in her story…engrossing...” —Dallas Morning News
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By K. Landow
Format:Paperback
I loved this book. It's dark and gives you a lot to think about, even months after finishing it. Portes is a gifted writer and I can't wait to read more. Perfect for book groups--that is, book groups who like darker reads. If you like Virgin Suicides (the book, not the movie), read "Hick."
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
To be the child of two drunks at thirteen is to be an adult, aged by the need to survive the very parents charged with your well-being. Luli McMullen knows this drama inside-out, tired of being caught in the middle as her parents slowly self-destruct. In this paean to lost-between-the-cracks children, Luli tries to make sense of a chaotic life, her circumstances weighing heavily on too-slender shoulders. When both parents descend into the madness of alcoholism in a tortured marriage, the child exists on small fantasies and macaroni and cheese. And those are the good days. Everything is measured by the number of drinks consumed, violence escalating by the hour, until one day, her father driving into the sunset and her mother gone with yet another man, Luli takes their example and heads for the road. What she finds on her journey isn't much better than what she left behind, the world outside her door just as cold and uncaring.
Leaving Nebraska with her thumb in the air, the first ride Luli accepts is a challenge. Acting tough and provocative, the teen is soon booted to the curb, thinking it just as well, the driver, Eddie Kreezer, too close to crazy for comfort. Next Luli hitches a ride with the world-weary Glenda, a coke-sniffing hustler on a mission and a deadline she doesn't care to explain. While Glenda appears trustworthy, at least not as dangerous as other options, Luli becomes more wary with each passing day, unable to trust this woman's motives any more than her own mother's inconsistencies. Holding herself together with street-smart dignity, the child watches and waits, adapting to the needs of the moment; unfortunately, her best interests are never the issue, as Eddie Kreezer comes back into the picture, an associate of the enigmatic and blustery Glenda.... Read more ›
Leaving Nebraska with her thumb in the air, the first ride Luli accepts is a challenge. Acting tough and provocative, the teen is soon booted to the curb, thinking it just as well, the driver, Eddie Kreezer, too close to crazy for comfort. Next Luli hitches a ride with the world-weary Glenda, a coke-sniffing hustler on a mission and a deadline she doesn't care to explain. While Glenda appears trustworthy, at least not as dangerous as other options, Luli becomes more wary with each passing day, unable to trust this woman's motives any more than her own mother's inconsistencies. Holding herself together with street-smart dignity, the child watches and waits, adapting to the needs of the moment; unfortunately, her best interests are never the issue, as Eddie Kreezer comes back into the picture, an associate of the enigmatic and blustery Glenda.... Read more ›
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Tony Dushane
Format:Paperback
i read about 6 - 12 novels per month depending on how many authors i need to interview....and then there are those precious moments when i can read a couple of novels for pleasure.
i was contacted by the publicist and sent this novel. i agreed to interview andrea, but only skimmed the synopsis of the book before agreeing to the interview since i like to read the book a couple of days before interviews to have it fresh in my mind.
the book completely blew me away. i'm so happy i wasn't too cool for school and blew off the interview or i never would've read this book. it's the best novel i've read this year.
i don't want to give any storyline away, but the voice of the pubescent female is nailed. flawless. it reads poetic, almost like a song.
i finished my novel where the narrator is a pubescent boy, and there were passages in here so amazing i seethed with jealousy for not thinking of them first.
do not not read this book. this is a spectacular debut.
i was contacted by the publicist and sent this novel. i agreed to interview andrea, but only skimmed the synopsis of the book before agreeing to the interview since i like to read the book a couple of days before interviews to have it fresh in my mind.
the book completely blew me away. i'm so happy i wasn't too cool for school and blew off the interview or i never would've read this book. it's the best novel i've read this year.
i don't want to give any storyline away, but the voice of the pubescent female is nailed. flawless. it reads poetic, almost like a song.
i finished my novel where the narrator is a pubescent boy, and there were passages in here so amazing i seethed with jealousy for not thinking of them first.
do not not read this book. this is a spectacular debut.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Rose Stanton
Format:Paperback
This is a novel you can't put down. It drives you to follow it even when you can no longer breathe. The resonance of Luli's voice will take you by surprise, the world she describes seen through her eyes darkly yet steely with wit. Luli will set up camp in your heart. A mirror for our times. A tragic, courageous and indomitable pursuit of the America just on the other side.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There probably was a time in the U.S. when parents read books to their kids at night; a time when people really cared about their neighbors and children said their prayers before bed. Luli is America gone wrong personified; hanging in there, but the thread is getting weaker everyday. Hick is the coming of age novel for our twisted times and is a spirited read.
Jeffrey Tipton
Jeffrey Tipton
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Effie Mayhew
Format:Paperback
Make sure you give yourself plenty of quiet time to read this one, you won't be able to put it down once you start. You'll think about this little girl and wonder about her long after you put the book down. A great read. I recommend 100%.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Word Nerd
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm about to read this black diamond of a novel again. However, my first review stands:
James Joyce meets Toni Morrison meets Charles Bukowski meets Dorothy Allison meets Hubert Selby Jr. meets Will Self meets Andrea Portes.
They all rumble in a dark alley and something wonderful stalks out.
James Joyce meets Toni Morrison meets Charles Bukowski meets Dorothy Allison meets Hubert Selby Jr. meets Will Self meets Andrea Portes.
They all rumble in a dark alley and something wonderful stalks out.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
forms the back-drop to this impressively honest and frightenly emotive first novel. Both brutally jarring and captivatingly funny, full of hope and horror, it is simply impossible to put this book down once started. I read it in one long night, then sat back in wonder. Wonder as to how any first time novelist could look deep into the darkest part of her soul and calmly let us all in.
So if you like your novels tearing, hopeful,laugh-out loud funny, and raw, Hick is for you. But be warned: once you finish it you can put it down:
but it'll still stay with you..
So if you like your novels tearing, hopeful,laugh-out loud funny, and raw, Hick is for you. But be warned: once you finish it you can put it down:
but it'll still stay with you..
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent quick read
I stumbled on the movie adaptation of Hick one night and decided the book was worth a shot.
The life of Luli is a tragic story filled with details to make you cringe. Read more
The life of Luli is a tragic story filled with details to make you cringe. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Jenna L.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Blah
I watched the movie first, I thought it was pretty good. I feel like I didn't get enough form the movie, so I wanted more. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Bright_Light
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hick
Hick is the story of thirteen year old Luli, a self-proclaimed "hick" who lives off of saltine crackers and old Halloween candy while her drunken father wastes away pining over her... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ash
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good as the movie but....
It was interesting as far as the story goes byt the writing was pretty awful. Save your money and watch the movie on Netflix, it's much better.
Published 1 month ago by Opinionated Girl
3.0 out of 5 stars
Salacious Crumb
It was interesting to read a book like this written by a female from a female perspective. I thought the movie was better.
Published 2 months ago by montressor7
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good book
Excellent book, not age appropriate for a 13 year old like myself, but you have to be mature to handle it.
Published 2 months ago by Courtney wagner
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Haunting Story
The first time through I felt it was a fairly well written story. Then, I found myself re-reading it. The story tends to be somewhat haunting. Read more
Published 3 months ago by G. MILLERD
5.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't put it down....
I first chose this book because Eddie Redmayne was in the movie and I love him, but when I got into reading it was fantastic. It only took me two days to read the entire thing. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Casey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hick is great !
I loved "hick" because it's different and risky. I watched the movie first but it doesn't do the book justice. I liked this book a lot and I'll probably read it again and again.
Published 4 months ago by larissa vaughn
4.0 out of 5 stars
good book
I read this book after I saw the movie. I enjoyed them both. The main character is a crazy girl that does a lot of crazy things and doesn't let anything bad that happend to her... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jeff Parks
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