My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Goodman Media
Interest: Author
Challenge: None
Buy the Book: Amazon
High school sophomore Adam Zeigler, who lost his father to a sudden accident two years ago, thinks the best way to live life is behind the spotlight. As a member of the theater crew, he believes he's achieved it all when he wins the coveted job of spotlight operator. But that was before a young actress, Summer, appeared in his view. Instantly smitten, Adam is determined to win her over. But to do so, he'll have to defy his best friend and break the golden rule of his school: techies and actors don't mix.
Set against the backdrop of a high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Zadoff's latest is a bromance, a love story, and theater story in one. The politics of love and high school collide as Adam struggles to find the courage to step out of the shadows and into the light.
If you haven't read Allen's debut Food, Girls and Other Thing I Can't Have... do it. It's hilarious... heartfelt, and just a feel good novel about life in general, friendships, relationships, growing up and finding a voice. I was hoping that I would get some of that again when reading My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies, and I did. And more.
Somehow, Allen can take these books with serious topics and make them humorous, but not in that cheesy or forced way. (You know what I'm talking about, right?) One of the most memorable aspects of this novel is watching Adam struggle and then finally come to terms with the death of his father. One thing that I would have liked to have seen resolved was Adam's relationship with his older brother Josh. We got that resolution with the Techies and the Actors... even a little bit with Derek, but it felt like we got cheated out of that conversation with Josh.
The actor/techie romance aspect, was at the least very entertaining! It was a very cute love story... awkward at times, but I think that's what made it so convincing.
Everything I was expecting and a little more!