November Blues Book

The Gateway Award is an annual award that goes to the best young adult ault novel of the year, as voted on by teenagers (but nominated by adults). Every year, I promise myself that I will read all of them, having something of a vested interest in YA literature. I never do quite get around to it. This year's going to be different, though, and I will review all of the books here, mostly so I remember which ones were good come voting time.

The first book I've selected, mostly because I happened to run across it in Border's the other day, is "November Blues" by Sharon M. Draper, and if it's any indication of what kind of books get picked for this award, this is going to be a somewhat difficult project. "November Blues" was not an enjoyable read, and out of all great YA novels out there, it's amazing to me that this one makes the list.

For one thing, it follows just about every cliche of the genre. Right down to the tiny little ones, like the apparent requirement that all main characters have quirky names. The main character is called November, apparently just for the sake of the groan-inducing pun (it is supposed to be a pun, right?) in the title. November also has a friend named Jericho, who starred in a another novel by the same author, "The Fall of Jericho". I haven't read it, but I have no desire to. Another genre trope shoehorned into the book: November isn't sure she was ever in love with Josh, her boyfriend, who's a nice, funny guy but, according to her, has no real depth. Young adult novels are full of relationships like that- except that the novel starts just after Josh's DEATH in a horrible accident, so the whole thing comes off as a little icky and out of place, and November as a shade insensitive.

This book is blantently a Very Special Episode of something- whether it's the series or the Gateway Award list, I'm not sure, not having read any of the other books in either category. But it's obvious that somebody needed a teen pregnancy book (the premise of the book is, by the way, that November is pregnant by her deceased boyfriend because they just didn't think to use birth control the night he died; November is an idiot). The premise unfolds with absolutely no twists and turns, except in the B-plot about November's much more interesting friends' battle with mean girl Ariana. Josh's parents do threaten to sue for custody, but there's no suspense there- Draper makes it clear that, in her universe, November will be a great mom, and her baby will fix all here problems! Which it does. The book seems, at times, to think teen pregnancy is a pretty great idea. Not convenient, sure, but the actual baby part is cool. When it's not being weird, it's just boring. Incredibly boring. Insanely boring. I've seen this basic premise done better a dozen times!

November does nothing to make it any more interesting, either. There's a recent trend in YA fiction towards female characters who function as nothing more than blank slates onto which the story can be projected. All right, no, scratch that, it's not a recent trend or just in YA fiction. Male characters has always gotten personalities and quirks, female characters get backstory and feelings for male characters. November literally has no personality except for her pregnancy and her relationships with her friends. And I am tired of things like that.

"November Blues" is not a book to which I would give any award. Here's hoping the other candidates are better.