Grasshopper Jungle

Andrew Smith

Feb 2014 · Hardie Grant Egmont

About this ebook

Grasshopper Jungle is smart, cool and laconic contemporary young adult fiction.  I read somewhere that human beings are genetically predisposed to record history.  We believe it will prevent us from doing stupid things in the future.  This is my history.  There are things in here: Babies with two heads, insects as big as electric guitars, God, the devil, limbless warriors, rocket ships, sex, diving bells, theft, wars, monsters, internal combustion engines, love, cigarettes, joy, bomb shelters, pizza, and cruelty.  Just like it’s always been.  

Ratings and reviews

Very captivating story. A story about the struggles of finding out who you are and what you are. Sexuality, ethnicity, religion, history, and time in general are all things Austin struggles with as the world around him "ends". I think the inner struggles he has are on one hand very hilarious, but also really heart-wrenching at other points. Definitely the strongest parts of the story. His relationship with Robby is very well written, certainly one of the best that I've read in the gay/bi coming of age/young adult genre. I just wish it would've been expanded upon more in the sequel (Exile from Eden). As others have said it's a very unique story in the genre and it is one that I highly recommend.

This story. . . I have no idea what the heck was going on really haha. I guess it would be categorized as mature YA? It’s definitely teen characters, and I think it’s speaking to a teen audience. It’s not regular YA because has ample cussing and sex talk throughout as well as some drug use and actual sex scenes. It’s sort of about topics that really are in teens’ heads like sexual orientation, having sex, parents taking nerve pills, bullies, etc. It’s also a crazy mix of fantasy, coming of age, sci-fi, apocalypse, with a bit of horror, dark comedy, teen angst and a little dystopia thrown in. It’s definitely a story I won’t soon forget.

I found this book at my local library and it is my absolute favorite. It's unique, captivating, and funny too. I have never read anything even remotely similar.