Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Monmouth Public Library | YA Fic Portman, F. 2009 | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
From Frank Portman, author of the cult classic "King Dork "that John Green says "will rock your world," comes a novel about Andromeda Klein, who has a few problems of her own.
Her hair is kind of horrible.
Her partner-in-occultism, Daisy, is dead.
Her secret, estranged, much older and forbidden boyfriend-in-theory, has gone AWOL.
And her mother has learned how to text.
In short, things couldn't get much worse. Until they do. Daisy seems to be attempting to make contact from beyond, books are starting to disappear from the library, and then, strangely and suddenly, Andromeda's tarot readings are beginning to predict events with bizarrely literal accuracy.
Omens are everywhere. Dreams; swords; fires; hidden cards; lost, broken, and dead cell phones . . . and what is Daisy trying to tell her?
In the ensuing struggle of neutral versus evil, it's Andromeda Klein against the world, modern society, demonic forces, and the "friends" of the library.
Author Notes
Frank Portman (aka Dr. Frank) is also the author of King Dork and the singer/songwriter/guitarist of the influential East Bay punk band the Mr. T. Experience (MTX). MTX has released about a dozen albums since forming in the mid-1980s. Frank lives in Oakland, California. You can visit him online at frankportman.com.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up-Lately, Andromeda Klein's life has been very weedgie, which in her lexicon means creepy and spooky. Her best friend, Daisy, recently died, but may in fact be haunting her. The "Friends" of the Library plan to sell the unique collection of books at the International House of Bookcakes, a.k.a the Clearview Park Public Library, which could severely impact the writing of "Liber K," her spiritual grimoire. All of this combined with St. Steve's leaving, The Mom and The Dad's annoying habits, and her osteogenesis imperfecta which causes her to mishear information, is enough to convince Andromeda that her life is wretched. Things appear to pick up with the appearance of her HGA (Holy Guardian Angel), Huggy, and the Precious Sponge, Byron, both of whom may help her on the road to spiritual enlightenment. Frank Portman's relevant, humorous story (Delacorte, 2009)Åfor mature teens coupled with Deidre Lovejoy's excellent narration makes this an entertaining listen. Lovejoy presents Andromeda with just the right mix of sarcasm and self-degradation and captures the unique quirks of the other characters. The inclusion of the lexicon at the end of the narrative helps define occult terms and Andromeda's frequently misheard words. The scenes of teen drinking and drug use, along with strong language and sophisticated humor, make this most appropriate for older teens who will better identify with Andromeda's parental difficulties and daily struggles. Give this to fans of Portman's King Dork (Delacorte, 2006) and those who enjoy dry wit.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Portman's second novel (after King Dork) offers the story of Andromeda Klein, a tarot and occult-obsessed loner contending with typical teenage challenges-a cruel social order, being summarily dumped by her crush-as well as with the recent death of her best friend, Daisy; the possibility that her occult practices are having real-world consequences; and her library's decision to purge its shelves of little-read books that happen to be her favorites. Andromeda is also hard of hearing, and her ongoing misinterpretations give the book its appealing, idiosyncratic voice and unique lexicon (discombobulated becomes "action-populated," and "bacon" means pagan). Portman's depiction of Andromeda's struggles in her claustrophobic world is skilled and affectionate; despite her strangeness, readers will identify with her feelings of isolation. The frequent references to the occult make for a slow, intricate and arcane journey and are likely to limit the book's audience. However, those up for the challenge will find plenty of food for thought. As Portman writes, "Most magical writing is deliberately obscure, designed to hide crucial matters from the uninitiated yet reveal them to those who know how to read the texts properly." Ages 14-up. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
A disappointing second outing from the author of King Dork (2006) introduces Andromeda Klein, teenage occultist. Hearing-impaired Andromeda enjoys reading tarot, planning her future masterpiece, Liber K, and studying the magic she calls ouijanesse. Once, Andromeda had an excellent older boyfriend (St. Steve) and a partner in the occult (the Most Holy Soror Daisy Wasserstein). But since St. Steve's disappearance and Daisy's death from leukemia, Andromeda's been alone. Andromeda is a compelling character, whose reclaiming of misheard words and misspelled text messages gives her unique and likable flavor. It's Andromeda's story that suffers, a low-action, pensive outing from an unreliable narrator. Andromeda's discoveries move slowly; while there are many narrative mysteries for readers, the occult mystery Andromeda tries to solve is extremely difficult to follow. For readers who are occult fans, this quirky text will be a self-satisfied joy; for others, an unreadable morass. Alas, the conclusion (satisfying but easy, with a frustrating and unnecessary near-magical disability cure) is a rush job after hundreds of pages of meandering magickal confusion. (Supernatural. 12-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Portman's follow-up to King Dork (2006) will leave some readers turning to less demanding fare, like, say, advanced calculus. Yet it's a must-read simply because of how rare it is to see any topic tackled with such manic specificity. Andromeda is a high-school junior obsessed with magic. (How many teens do you know who have a favorite occultist?) With the help of a well-worn Tarot deck, copious rituals, and a vast array of tomes with titles like Babylonian Liver Omens, Andromeda scrutinizes her world in search of synchs that will help elucidate why she is flat-chested, how to navigate a mean-girl environment, and what to make of the leukemia death of Daisy, her former partner-in-astral-journeys. Though clearly Andromeda hides behind her rituals, Portman's handling of the subject is nonjudgmental and lots of fun. Laughs are guaranteed, particularly as Andromeda's poor hearing leads to constant misinterpretations, which she dutifully incorporates into her lexicon (example: bagel worm agony stands for naked girl magazine). With impish prose and ridiculously researched detail, Portman fully fleshes a one-of-a-kind character whose idea of the perfect pick-up line is Want to see my Necronomicon? --Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2009 Booklist