Published By: Doubleday
Pages: 304
Released On: 27/08/2026
I am fourteen years old and I’m called MacKenzie Bly. It’s a good name, isn’t it? Unfortunately, I just made it up, I’m actually called Philip Stephens which, if there was ever a competition for the world’s most boring name, would be a clear winner. ‘We didn’t want to call you something that would mean you’d get teased’ is what Mum B says.
But given that I’m the size of a vending machine, hate sport, live with my Mums, one of whom teaches biology at my school, and don’t live with my Dad who plays air guitar, has ginger plaits down to his waist and writes random notes on Rizlas instead of using a diary, they might as well have called me ‘Fattus Butticus’ for all the difference it would have made….
Oh, and my best friend Sy has just moved to New Zealand.
Life is terrible.
I hope you enjoy reading this.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
It’s quite hard to review this without giving away a lot of the plot so it will be a shorter review than I normally do.
I have seen this everywhere and I was very intrigued about it.
The start of it instantly grabbbed me. Narrated by a 14-year-old, there’s always teh chance I wouldn’t relate to it. But even so, MacKenzie’s voice is so real that you’re immediately sucked in.
I don’t find books funny, generally, but this one had me giggling early on.
I mean, it is a big random and haphazard and I wasn’t entirely sure that was going on at all points. But it’s more of an inner monologue or stream of consciousness, so I suppose it was never going to be crystal clear, and yet I still enjoyed reading it.
It shows the chaotic nature of being a teenager today. And maybe that’s why it doesn’t fit into the “normal” novel form.
I believe this is an adult book from what I can gather online, but having read it, whilst I enjoyed it and I agree that it will appeal to adults, I think it is more ideal for young adults – but on the older side. It would be more relevant and familiar to them and I think they’d get more enjoyment out of it than older readers.
It isn’t an overly short book, nor is it long, but the short, snappy chapters made it quick and easy to read.
It’s not the best book I’ve read and I can’t say it completely lived up to my expectations, but it was enjoyable and humorous, with a well-written protagonist. I would recommend it to older young adults (if that makes sense).
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