XL by Scott Brown

4*


Will Daughtry is a late bloomer, just shy of 5 feet tall, and both he and his family are losing hope that he’ll ever grow. The one positive in his life are his friendships with stepbrother Will (6’3”) and Monica (5’10”) who he’s loved since age 11. After an especially upsetting 16th birthday, when he’s given a “clown car” as a gift and then catches Will and Monica kissing, he gets really angry. Virtually overnight, he begins to grow…at a rate of 2 inches a month. For the first time in his life, he’s happy and finally “seen,” by girls and by coaches. By the time he tops 7 feet, his “nice guy” persona is dissolving and it’s starting to affect his relationship with Drew and Monica. Add to this mix a social media troll who’s threatening him and stirring up the pot, and a day of reckoning is imminent.

There’s so much to recommend this book. With its humor, focus on sports (primarily basketball and surfing) and the male protagonist POV, it will appeal to teenage boys. Brown’s extensive use of gorilla interaction as a metaphor for the three protagonists’ relationship highlights just how little we’re removed from apes. All characters are well fleshed-out, and Monica is a strong, fearless female. In a YA field populated with themes of death, abuse, parental neglect and suicidal ideation, it’s refreshing to have a story that addresses these issues without them taking center stage. The only minor cons are that there is no answer as to what is causing Will’s growth spurt and whether it will stop, his whining and callous behavior, and Tolkien references that will stump those not familiar with his stories. Ultimately, its messages are “Be careful what you wish for; it might just happen” and that nice guys don’t always finish last. As Will observed while watching the beta male gorilla Mike, “Was Mike nice because that was his nature? Or because that was his context?” and what happens when the context changes?

Recommended for ages 13 and up with minimal swearing and violence (except between gorillas) and sexual references that are alluded to but not described.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Knopf Books for Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.