48 Shades of Brown [With Earbuds] (Playaway Young Adult) [Preloaded Digital Audio Player]

Nick Earls (Author), Francis Greenslade (Narrator)

Book Description

Series: Playaway Young Adult | Publication Date: August 2009

Australian teenager Dan Bancroft had a choice to make: go to Geneva with his parents for a year, or move into a house with his bass-playing aunt Jacq and her friend Naomi. He chose Jacq’s place, and his life will never be the same. This action-packed and laugh-out-loud-funny novel navigates Dan’s chaotic world of calculus, roommates, birds, and love.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–An insightful, appealing, and very funny novel about a teenage boy whose world is turned upside down when his father takes a job in Geneva and he chooses to stay in Australia to finish school. Dan lives with his 22-year-old Aunt Jacq, who is in a band, and her roommate, Naomi, an attractive psychology major who makes bad choices when it comes to men. Inexperienced and unsophisticated, he quickly falls for Naomi and is devastated when his feelings are not returned. Worse still, he has to listen as she and her jerk of a boyfriend have sex in the room next door. Extremely bright and sensitive, Dan is still learning about women, relationships, and controlling his compulsive behavior. His excessive introspection sometimes slows the pace of the novel, but the character feels genuine. Dan's socially awkward, porn-obsessed friend, Chris Burns, adds comic relief. The party Jacq and Naomi throw toward the end of the story leads to a conclusion that is both hilarious and moving. Dan is a wonderful, complex character. He combines his intense curiosity about sex with a rare thoughtfulness as he tries to figure out who he is and who he wants to become. Teen boys–and girls–will find much that they can relate to in this coming-of-age story.–Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 10-12. Like Hillary Frank's Better Than Running at Night (2002), this Australian import is an unusually sharp-eyed, witty view of an older teen's anxious first year of independence. When his parents move to Geneva, Switzerland, Dan stays in Brisbane for his senior year of high school, living with his slightly older aunt, Jacq, a university student. Dan instantly falls for sexy Naomi, Jacq's housemate, and he tries to win her with the same zeal he applies to his rigorous academics, even as he struggles with a bewildering home so different from the "well-parented," "beige suburban castle" where he has grown up. Dan's minute analysis of events and his own flaws may slow readers who demand swift plots, although the story wraps up with several surprises, including a revelation of homosexuality. Older teens will relish Dan's wry, self-deprecating honesty about attraction, sex (mostly overheard), beer, calculus, and his uproariously funny, earnest search for the kind of guy he wants to be. Named Australia's Children's Book Council Book of the Year. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Preloaded Digital Audio Player
• Publisher: Playaway (August 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 174214313X
• ISBN-13: 978-1742143132
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,942,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is awesome., October 18, 2007

By 

Hyain Robere - See all my reviews

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

I cannot believe that the reviews for this book are not amazing. This book winds together beautifully. It's great for teenagers, managing to be remarkably true to life, as as well as interesting and unique.
I loved it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Amusing yet Tedious, April 8, 2005

By 

Darryl Wan (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

Dan has to make a choice, and so do you. Dan's choices are to either go to Geneva with his parents, board in Australia or stay in Australia but live with his aunt. Your choice is whether or not to read this amusing yet tedious book.

Dan chooses to live with his aunt, Jacq, and her friend Naomi. Jacq is a 22 year old who plays bass guitar in her band. Naomi is a beautiful university student who has a boyfriend named Jason. Everything goes crazy when Dan realizes that he has fallen in love with Naomi and spends all his time trying to memorize the shades of brown to classify birds scientifically and impress Naomi. As if everything isn't confusing enough for Dan, his best friend, Chris Burns, is obsessed with pornography. Throw in a dog named Boner, Dan's ability to analyze just about anything and a good deal of vomiting and you get 48 Shades of Brown.

The book is written in first person from Dan's perspective. Dan is a curious guy with a comical view on life. You'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably at some of Dan's thoughts and questions. But most of the time you'll feel like skipping a couple pages as Dan analyzes aspects of his life. His ability to examine everything from one sentence that Naomi said to his own habit of wearing socks for up to four pages could get incredibly boring. It even seems like a tedious chore after a while.

The book is written almost completely in stream of consciousness, even more so than Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. If you don't like stream of consciousness you should stay far away from this book.

48 Shades of Brown won the Children's Book of the Year: Older Readers Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia. As suggested by the award the book is targeted at an older audience. The book contains a lot of adult content (mainly sexual references) so people who are young or immature shouldn't read it.

So what will be your choice? Will you read this book and laugh along with (and sometimes at) Dan as he amusingly explores his new life? Or will you stay far far away from this tedious read? The choice is yours.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Hilarious Bore, February 4, 2005

By 

A. Dennis "A Law Student" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

When I picked up the book, I was debating on whether or not it would be good. After reading, I'm still wondering if it was worth the read.
The book has a very slow beginning. This slow beginning leads to an even slower plot development. The novel lacks action and the climax was more like that of rising action. There is the hint of wonder on whether or not Dan gets the girl, but nothing to keep one turning the pages. The ending was quick, rushed, yet to the point. I guess it's to make up for the lack of substance in the novel.However, on the bright side the book is very funny. It's edgy and Dan has a comical view on life. He analyzes everything, even the way he puts on his shoes. Many a time you will find yourself laughing at one Dan's thinking. But, there wasn't a connection with any of the characters so they and the book aren't worth remembering.