Lyga has crafted credible protagonists in his first work of fiction about two misfit teens who forge a friendship. Donnie (aka Fanboy) is a comic-book aficionado, who lives with his newly remarried, pregnant mother and his “step-fascist.” Rule-abiding and honest, Fanboy’s goal in life is to meet writer and illustrator Brian Michael Bendis, to show him his own graphic novel. Unfortunately, Fanboy is tormented at school and has fantasies about school massacres; he finds comfort in his talisman, a single bullet. Enter Kyra (aka Goth Girl), who is confused and frustrated with Fanboy as she observes him refusing to stand up for himself. She reaches out to him, and the two quickly establish an uneasy albeit powerful relationship based on their mutual disdain for most of their peers and their love of comics. Although it seems likely that Goth Girl’s recklessness and cynicism will have a detrimental effect on Fanboy, he begins to see her as vulnerable, and helping her gives him new purpose. Because it’s authentic and well-written, teen readers will appreciate the complexities of these unique characters, and root for them to triumph. (Fiction. YA)
