Getting the Girl: By Markus Zusak

Getting the Girl

SUMMARY

Cameron Wolfe, first introduced in Fighting Ruben Wolfe, wants a girlfriend. He wants sex. He wants to separate himself from his brothers' shadow. He wants to find himself and be something more than the underdog in the family. And he doesn't know how to go about getting what he wants. He is attracted to a girl who treats him horribly so he stands outside her house at night, hoping for glimpses of her. He likes his brother Ruben's girlfriend-and she treats him like a human being. When she and Ruben break up, Octavia shows an interest in Cameron and even though his brother already has another girlfriend, he beats up Cameron and Octavia walks away. Ruben has some bigger problems, though, and violence is once again his method of solving them. However, this is Cameron's story, and he discovers that he is much more than he ever thought he could be.

REVIEW

Many of you have probably heard of Markus Zusak, and if you haven’t you should have. His most famous books I Am the Messanger and The Book Thief have won countless awards including being named a Printz honor book and Publishers Weekly best book of the year. But of course this review isn’t about either one of those books (which are both sensational books as well), this review is about another remarkable book that is quite a bit less known, Getting the Girl.

Getting the Girl is the sequel to Fighting Ruben Wolff, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. It begins with the protagonist Cameron feeling like he wants more out of life than being the underdog and second string, but not really knowing how to achieve it. He’s in love with a girl who hates his guts, and he doesn’t really connect with anyone outside his family. All in all he’s not doing so well.

But then he starts to write and with the help of his sister and his brother’s ex-girlfriend Cameron starts to turn things around for himself, and discover there’s a lot more to Cameron Wolff than meets the eye.

Getting the Girl is a sensational coming of age story. It takes the lovable yet quiet brother and shows what’s really going on in his head. Teenage readers will truly connect with Cameron’s writing, and while some of it may seem unbelievable at parts, the love and attachment the reader will feel to the characters and the level of writing Zusak exhibits in this book make it a must read to any fan of young adult literature.

INFO

Publisher: Push

Published: June 1, 2004

Price: $8.99