Youth in Revolt
C.D. Payne
In General:
"Here are the journals of the most precocious diarist, whose ongoing struggles to make
sense of school, deal with his divorced parents and lose his virginity result in his
transformation from naive fourteen-year-old to modern youth in open revolt."
The blurb on the back cover sums it up quite nicely. This 500 page (paperback) novel
in simply a ride of "six months in the life of the world's most dangerous teenager...".
This book is actually three books:
- Youth in Revolt
- Youth in Bondage
- Youth in Exile
It's
funny,
witty, and carried well for its length. "
Being fourteen and coming of age
was never this hilarious¹". Warning: this review from now on will contain
spoilers!
Plot:
- Book I: Youth in Revolt - in which Nick Twisp introduces himself. "...if I grow up to
become a ganster, perhaps I will be know as Nick the Prick.... as soon as I turn 21, I'm
going to jettison it for something a bit more macho. Right now I'm leaning toward
Dillinger... I am 14 years old (nearly) and live in Oakland." Over the next 160 pages,
Nick falls for the gorgeous Sheeni whilst on holiday, ends up with her dog (their love
child Albert), goes home, and gets into a lot of trouble in order to move back with
Sheeni. When his dreaming and scheming finally comes to fruition, his plan has been
foiled by Trent (the competition). Sheeni has left for a French language immersion
school, near Trent. "I've been stabbed. Stabbed in the back!"
- Book II: Youth in Bondage - in which the gloves are off. Nick proclaims a vendetta
against Trent and starts complicated and illegal plots to get Sheeni back. There is an
illegal Road Trip to Sheeni's school, underage sex, stolen cars and burglary. A plot is
hatched using sleeping pills in breakfast drinks, which backfires (literally!) on Nick.
There are multiple dogs (Albert, Al Bear and Kamu the Wonder Dog), halucogens,
illegal birth control pill smuggling and an evil french split personality. Things are really
starting to heat up for Nick/François, the convoluted plans all begin to cave in - plots
in plots in plots - and Nick has many new enemies. Finally, over a thanksgiving dinner,
the Trent spills all to Sheeni, and Nick has to make a break for it "Now, how do I get
to San Francisco airport? More to the point: How do I get past all the police
roadblocks?"
- Book III: Youth in Exile - in which Nick crashes at his sister's place, and invents the
Wart Watch and Roadsters, then travels back to town posing as a Swiss girl, Carlotta.
For a while in this book, the plot breaks down, relying on old standbys to keep the
book moving. However, there is an unexpected windfall for Nick, deluded lovers, and
more plots. Nick/François/Carlotta finally gets together with Sheeni, and becomes
fantasically rich. Of course, they all live happily ever after (although as the police are
still looking for Nick, he is resigned to living the rest of his life as Carlotta, but that's
OK as the love of his life is with him). "I'm rich, intelligent, healthy, virile, not
violently ugly, and enjoy the relatively unequivocal affections of one of the
Outstanding Teens of this or any other epoch. I must be thankful for my good fortune.
On the whole I am splendidly equipped for this great adventure we call human
existence."
Main Characters:
- Nick - Narrator, desperate and intelligent
- Sheeni - Object of Nick's undying devotion, crafty and intelligent
- Trent - Sheeni's ex-boyfriend and Nick's competition
- Dwayne - Son of Nick's Dad's Housekeeper, likes Nick
- Jerry - Nick's Mom's partner
- Apurva - Vijay's sister, Nick's "girlfriend", likes Trent
- Vijay - Apurva's brother, Nick's friend and partner in crime, lover of Taggarty
- Lefty - Nick's best friend, loves Millie
- Millie - The girl who Lefty loves
- Carlotta - Nick poses as this Swiss girl
- François - Nick's french daredevil split personality
- Fuzzy (Frank) - Nick's friend and partner in crime, lover of Heather
- Paul - Sheeni's brother, introduces Magic Mushrooms to the plot, later Lacey's partner
- Lacey - Nick's Dad's partner, who later leaves him for Paul
- Wally - Nick's Mom's partner
- Lance - Nick's Mom's partner, a police officer
- Mom - Nick's mother
- Dad - Nick's father
- Joanie - Nick's sister
- Bernice - Nick's partner in crime, hates Sheeni and Taggarty
- Taggarty - Sheeni's friend, lover of Vijay
- Heather - Sheeni's friend, lover of Fuzzy
- Sonya - Carlotta's friend, loves Trent
- Bruno - Likes Carlotta
- Mr Ferguson - Nick's communist neighbour (ends up marrying Dwayne's mother)
The Verdict:
As you can see, Youth in Revolt is a very involved novel. While a harsh critic may say
it's a long story of one guy's attempt to get laid, I think this novel is a witty and
fascinating read. Hyperboles feature often, and the language could only be described
as florid, yet Youth in Revolt is a high quality read.
¹ Los Angeles Times
Nodeshell rescued.