"I'm the Kid you saw on TV. Remember the little freak who took a crap on his parents' oak-stained kitchen table when they confiscated his Game Boy? Remember how the camera cleverly hid his most private parts with the glittery fake daisy and sunflower centerpieces? That was me. Gerald. Youngest of three. Only boy. Out of control." --Reality Boy
Reality Boy was such a breath of fresh air. Instead of delving into a world of supernatural and paranormal mystery/romance, or even into a coming of age story about love, Reality Boy answers a question that disappears as quickly as it appears in our subconscious: "What happens to those poor kids that have had to grow up on Reality TV." King's novel shows us how one child, who happens to be the problem child, grew up and apparently never shed is "Crapper"image.
Gerald has been known as the Crapper, ever since the first time he released his bowels in protest on national television. He is an angry person, who can turn violent, without familial support. His mother is too busy giving all her attention to her first born, his father is busy appeasing his mother, and his other sister has left the nest and the craziness that is their houshold. Gerald has had to deal with other people's misconceptions of who he is as a person, and has to figure out who he really is, without other people's ideas including his mother, who treats him as if he has a learning disability and will go no where.
I really liked seeing Gerald work through the mess ups and hang ups in his life. He was an interesting character to delve into the mind of, and his little girlfriend was the right mix of personalities to compliment his character. They were both messed up, and this set the mood of a real young adult novel. They are both working through their hang ups, but through that they help each other grow. The ending was just right.
I gave this book a 4/5 for originality and for great characters (even the ones you want to kick).
Thank You Edelweiss.
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