Customer Reviews

Submarine: A Novel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I try not to judge books by their covers, but I couldn't help starting this book after seeing it at the library. I am very glad I did! Oliver, the young narrator, is full of hilarious observations and reactions to situations that we all seem to encounter at some point or other. It is clear the author put a lot of thought into his writing, and I found myself either laughing out loud or smirking many many times throughout the story.

This is the kind of book you can't put down, and hope that it doesn't end. I will be awaiting his next book anxiously!

...If you appreciate characters with a unique view of their world. Oliver Tate is a sharp fifteen-year-old navigating a tangle of relationships. He manages with marvelous dexterity and insight. The language is a pleasure. How unusual and refreshing to find a writer who knows how to capture the world of a smart teenager. I will be looking forward to Mr. Dunthorne's future work! He is a writer of rare and unique voice.

The cover of this book caught my eye, so I started reading the jacket. Three sentences into the description I closed the cover and walked to the register. Sold.

This is an enjoyable romp inside the mind of a 15-year-old boy with girl problems and parent problems. Only this boy is intelligent, pedantic, richly observant, and prone to bouts of imprudence.

Dunthorne wrote this character and his shenanigans wonderfully. I tore through this book and had fun doing so.

If you read Marissa Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics and enjoyed it, you'll love this book. This one just reads a little faster.

(Note: Dunthorne's a Brit, so if you hate reading about Pounds, Quid, Torches, and GCSEs, better to avoid this one (but you're selling yourself short with that kind of egocentrism.))

This is an incredibly funny book, lit by a narrator's who voice is at once universal (like many teenagers, he frequently slips into 'purple prose') and yet distinctive (he's a near sociopath). Very original, very humorous, note the book can sometimes feel overly contrived. However, it's a truly brilliant read nonetheless.

Very excited to see Ayoade's interpretation of the story and the tale had some very hilarious parts. I literally laughed out loud. Very dark, dry, witty humor at its best. A fun, quick read that'll leave you wanting closure for sure!

I hate to do the old book/movie comparison, but I picked up this book because I loved the movie and wanted to read the material it was based on. I found Oliver's narration to be spot-on funny in both formats, but whereas in the movie, he comes across as an endearing, if a bit unusual, teenage boy, in the book, he borders on mean-spirited/creepy. There were a couple of episodes that went from "I remember what it felt like to be that age" to "Wait a minute, this kid needs some serious therapy." I also felt like the movie improved on the narrative structure by actually providing some arc/closure to the characters as opposed to just being a string of unrelated incidents. I was surprised to see how little Graham features in the book considering that he was such a fully fleshed-out character in the movie.

There aren't many books that expemplify intelligence and character in young teens. Even more so, the heroes rarely have such candid dialoge or engaging vocabulary. This is honest description of todays suburban youth is entertaining and captivatingly humorous. The content is comparable to C.D. Paynes Youth in Revolt, though not nearly as exciting and nerve racking.
Highly recommended to any one who enjoys unlikeable heroes and has experianced a dysfunctional posh cliche childhood.

For a debut novel "Submarine" is a quite admirable effort. The wit, verve and flow of narrative are impressive, especially in the first half of the book. The story's main character Oliver Tate is a present day Holden Caulfield from South Wales and most of the story revolves around his first relationship and problems in his parents' marriage. The self-righteous stubbornness may be annoying at times, but that just helps to make the protagonist more believable.
If you liked this, you'll probably also enjoy "Vernon God Little" by DBC Pierre.

This a first novel, and as such it is rather well done. There does not appear to be much of a plot, as the story just seems to be meandering along. That being said, it is interesting as a "coming of age" tale, set in Wales, which is somewhat different for me.

The characters need more definition, but there are sone truly amusing scenes along the way. We follow the protagonist as he learns about having sex for the first time, and also trying to save what he feels to be the crumbling marriage of his parents. There are bus and train trips, camping out under the stars both alone and with a girl, and also a quite amusing scene that takes place in the control room of a stage production.

I hope that the author improves on his characterization in his next book, but continues to try to both amuse and educate us (as there are numerous new and unusual words scattered throughout the book). It's a good first effort, but I think he is capable of better.

Oliver's character is not the most likeable, but the book is entertaining and comical. His point of view is slightly detached, and the characters are pretty wacky and original. This book is a must for every teenager. It's practical; it's direct; sometimes it's even romantic - definitely one of my favorites.