From School Library Journal
Grade 9–11—After his "pseudocide" in
The Gospel According to Larry (2001) and his failed presidential race in
Vote for Larry (2004, both Holt), Josh Swenson (aka Larry) returns home to Massachusetts a lost soul. When he discovers his old girlfriend studying with a guru named Gus, he decides to sign up and search for the meaning of life with her. The resulting adventures include the F.B.I., land mines, and the possibility of finding the father he never knew. The plot includes many circumstances that are very coincidental, a timeline that is inexplicable, and loving acts that are far too altruistic, even for Larry. But throughout, Josh/Larry maintains his desire to make a difference in this world, and his drive to do something goes into first gear, especially when he thinks that Walden Pond is going to be blown up. Tashjian's pace is tightly synchronized and it is worth it to trust her. Just when readers wonder how much more disbelief they can suspend, an explanation occurs and the seemingly implausible becomes believable. The serious world problem of land mines buried in over 80 countries and killing more than 70 people a day is addressed in one of Josh/Larry's footnotes. This is, after all, based on a manuscript submitted by Josh to the author, as she explains in her prologue and epilogue. Shining throughout is the character of Josh/Larry himself, a teen who will grab readers' interest, whether or not they have read the first two titles.—
Sue Lloyd, Franklin High School Library, Livonia, MI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Josh Swenson, aka Larry, has been busy for an 18-year-old. In The Gospel According to Larry (2001), he spearheaded an anti-consumerism campaign; then he ran for president in Vote for Larry (2004). But now Larry is bummed. What has he accomplished? (Most people would say plenty. This setup is the weakest part of the book.) Barely able to get off the couch to visit his beloved Walden Pond, he changes his attitude when he meets a guru named Gus, who might know the meaning of life—and maybe he’s Josh’s father. What follows is a madcap journey that will elicit gasps from readers as Josh is drawn more deeply into Gus’ cult. A sampling of the story’s oddities? Kidney donation, a beheaded dog, and many, many paint-by-number kits. The Larry stories have always been over the top, and that’s particularly true here. But just when you think Tashjian’s plotting has gone off the rails, she comes up with a twist so clever it rights everything that’s come before. This probably doesn’t stand alone (many of Josh’s signature footnotes refer to previous books), but fans will enjoy the reunion. Grades 8-12. --Ilene Cooper
