Sprout by Dale Peck

[description from Amazon]

How many secrets can you hide in plain sight?

Sprout Bradford has a secret. It’s not what you think—he’ll tell you he’s gay. He’ll tell you about his dad’s drinking and his mother’s death. The green fingerprints everywhere tell you when he last dyed his hair. But neither the reader nor Sprout are prepared for what happens when Sprout suddenly finds he’s had a more profound effect on the lives around him than he ever thought possible. Sprout is both hilarious and gripping; a story of one boy at odds with the expected.

Review:

Hmm. I'm not really sure what to think about this one, honestly. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. It's entertaining, but it's a little messy. It's better than good, but not exactly great.

For most of the book, Sprout is commenting on everything. He writes about his friends, his family, his sexuality, his teachers, his classmates, and the writing competition he is preparing for. He just talks and talks and talks, which isn't necessarily a terrible thing because he is quite funny and entertaining, but I kept wondering where the book was going. It's a bit tedious to read. There are subplot things going on while he talks, but many of those happened in the past. Near the end an actual plot emerges, but it took a lot of time to get to that point.

What Sprout lacks in plot, however, is made up for with the characters. Sprout is so observant that he could be the gay male version of Jessica Darling*, except he's less annoying. His humorous, witty descriptions of his peers bring them to life and the ways he views them help to define him as well.**

Although Sprout is a bit tedious, it's still entertaining and smart. I'll definitely be on the lookout for another Dale Peck book.

7.5/10

*I don't actually like that series very much (don't hurt me), but there's no denying that Jessica is crazy observant.
**Yes, I am going all John Green Paper Towns on you.

Bloomsbury/Hardcover/$16.99/Amazon/B&N/Borders/IndieBound

Thanks for the book, Anna! (: