Review: Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton
SYNOPSIS:
Cliff Hubbard is a huge loser. Literally. His nickname at Happy Valley High School is Neanderthal because he’s so enormous-6’6″ and 250 pounds to be exact. He has no one at school and life in his trailer park home has gone from bad to worse ever since his older brother’s suicide.
There’s no one Cliff hates more than the nauseatingly cool quarterback, Aaron Zimmerman. Then Aaron returns to school after a near-death experience with a bizarre claim: while he was unconscious he saw God, who gave him a list of things to do to make Happy Valley High suck less. And God said there’s only one person who can help: Neanderthal.
To his own surprise, Cliff says he’s in. As he and Aaron make their way through the List, which involves a vindictive English teacher, a mysterious computer hacker, a decidedly unchristian cult of Jesus Teens, the local drug dealers, and the meanest bully at HVHS–Cliff feels like he’s part of something for the first time since losing his brother. But fixing a broken school isn’t as simple as it seems, and just when Cliff thinks they’ve completed the List, he realizes their mission hits closer to home than he ever imagined.
REVIEW:
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
A poignant, moving, and captivating read that challenges social norms, bullying, and suicide with wit and charm. I am enamored with this story, while it initially started out a little slow, within 75 pages I was addicted and simply couldn’t put it down. Preston Norton masterfully tackles tough topics in YA while keeping it light-hearted with humor, modern references, and a realistic portrayal of just how hard navigating high school in the 21st century.
It is challenging to put into words Cliff Hubbard’s life. While struggling with the loss of his brother (his only friend), an abusive parent, and bullies, you can’t help but want to cheer Cliff on, he is the definition of under-dog. Then Aaron sees God, and suddenly Cliff has a friend and a purpose. What ensues is Aaron and Cliff attempting to complete the List. But this story is about so much more than completing a List from God. Along the way, Cliff finds friendship, love, role-models, closure, but most importantly Cliff finds himself.
Cliff is so much more than a Neanderthal, so much more than his brother’s death. I didn’t quite realize the emotional toll this book was taking on me until page 324, as I blink through a blur of tears…TEARS I didn’t see coming. You see, with each task Cliff and Aaron checked off the list, they were also chipping away at a piece of my heart. While I was laughing at he absurdity of it all, they were breaking down my defenses.
While I absolutely loved how the story played out, there were unexpected surprises and twists I never saw coming. The story left me feeling raw and exposed and I am just trying to grasp the extent of exactly how amazing this book was. I cannot recommend this book enough, Norton managed to find the perfect balance between fun and serious and what can I say other than I desperately want more.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
