Review: Destroy All Cars - Blake Nelson

Where I got it: Library

Rating: 3 stars

Cover Rating: 4 stars (Pretty nifty. I like the sticker of Karl Marx. Also the colors rock.)

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic paperbacks

Page Count: 218 p.

James is anti-consumerism. James is anti-mall. James is anti-cars. James is trying to be anti-Sadie, his ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately the world is filled with things one has to buy and lots of ex-girlfriends. So to get through it James writes his English papers about how much we are destroying the Earth and he writes in his journal about his girl troubles.

So James is a douche. I'm not sure if we're supposed to think he is, but he totally is. James seems to rally against things, only in his writing, and in his refusal to use shampoo. He still hangs out at the mall and rides around in SUVs even though he claims to highly dislike both. Mostly he is a typical angst-ridden teenager, who is starting to form his own beliefs and isn't sure where to place all his energy. So in the beginning I just mostly hated James, he seemed naggy. I liked him a lot better as the story progressed and he started getting over, or at least dealing with his ex-girlfriend issues. She seemed to be the main cause of all his angst, which oozed out into anti-consumerism rants. I really liked the format of this story, how it was journal entries, essays and other random things like that. It made the story very interesting. If you really like to be different and rally against things then maybe you will find James wholly relatable. I think there will definitely be some teens who love this book, it just wasn't for me. I have enjoyed Blake Nelson's previous works though and will probably continue to read him.

First Line:

"We stand at the edge."

Favorite Line:

"Gabe told her that I don't hang out more because I think the world is coming to an end and I'm preparing myself by locking myself in dark rooms and holding my hand over candle flames."