DUNKOFF

In this novel, a teen in the mid-1990s tries to write a great book but only finds hardships.

Harry Dunkoff wants to escape his dreary life in Memphis, Tennessee. At the age of 12, he dreams of being a rock star on MTV; at 16, he aspires to be a writer. He drops out of school to concentrate on completing his first novel (“School takes up all my time. It’s a waste. I need that time to write”). But his parents demand that he get a job, and after catching him drinking and snorting cocaine, they arrange for treatment. Eventually, Dunkoff goes off on his own to find freedom and write his book. While he takes on paying jobs, he also fuels his days with alcohol and a cornucopia of drugs. This not surprisingly leads to trouble, but so does the teen’s trusting nature, as several people betray him. Dunkoff unwittingly becomes a drifter and moves around to such lively cities as Miami, Boston, and Key West, Florida. He punches away on his “genius” novel while struggling to find a place where he can settle down. In this grim story, Wade aptly delivers a complex protagonist; Dunkoff is well read but makes a handful of foolish decisions. Although it’s often hard to get a read on the apathetic teen, bursts of emotion reveal his humanity, like his occasional tears. Nevertheless, he doesn’t earn much sympathy, as he lies, steals, and comes across as an idler who simply doesn’t want to work. In addition, his book in progress follows the misadventures of one John Wayne Quixote, a dull, overt take on Cervantes’ classic novel. Wade smartly keeps Dunkoff’s first-person narration concise and straightforward, persistently driving the story from one setback to the next. Despite the teen’s candor, his entanglements with sex, drugs, and violence aren’t excessively detailed save for one short, graphic scene. The ending may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it befits the work’s overall tone.

An unlikable protagonist stars in this intriguing, darkly illuminating tale.