Boy Proof

Boy Proof is the story of high school senior Victoria Jurgen, who prefers to be called "Egg." Victoria/Egg is an unabashed geek, and self-selected social outcast. She dresses in a long white cloak and shaves her head, in homage to her favorite movie character, Egg from the science fiction adventure Terminal Earth. She sits by herself at lunchtime and reads. Her only school participation is in the Science Fiction club and as the photographer for the school paper. She's very bright, and accustomed to doing well in school, with a particular interest in World History, but she's not very good with people. Egg considers herself "Boy Proof". She deliberately makes herself unattractive, wearing baggy clothing and no make-up, and genuinely believes herself to be invisible. Imagine her surprise when a new student, the handsome and popular Max Carter, starts to pay attention to her. She resists his friendship, but is eventually drawn in by the things that they have in common. The two soon share a bond, but things are complicated by Max's decision to date another, more conventional, girl. I love Egg. She's smart, talented, and funny, but she's also insecure, and sometimes downright mean to other people. I cringed for her at times, and wanted to scold her at others (she's particularly harsh to a perfectly nice girl from the Science Fiction club who just wants to be her friend, and to her mother). But through it all, I identified with her, and wanted her to succeed. Egg is refreshingly unique, and impossible to forget. I especially like the fact that she's not conventional, and not afraid to go her own way, despite the pressures of high school. I think that anyone who has ever felt that sense of otherness while in school will be able to relate to Egg on one level or another. I was sorry to see the book end, because I would have liked to spend more time with Egg (though Castellucci certainly wraps things up in a satisfying manner). Highly recommended for kids 13 and up, especially girls and/or sci-fi buffs. This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on April 11, 2007.

Victoria "Egg" Jurgen is a loner and she likes it that way. Dressed in her long white cloak, with a shaved head and drawn-in eyebrows, she doesn't talk to people and doesn't want people to talk to her. Her look and attitude cause her to be "boy proof," according to her mother. Egg's unique style is fashioned after her favorite character from the movie Terminal Earth, which she has seen multiple times and as many as four times in one day. Egg refers to herself as a cinephile. She loves the film industry, especially the Sci-Fi world. Egg considers herself the smartest person at her school and feels Valedictorian is pretty much in the bag. That is until Max shows up in her AP classes. Egg's first impression of Max is that he stinks, literally. The only thing she likes about him at all is his t-shirt that has the name of one of her favorite comic books on it. Max seems to be everywhere. He is a wonderful artist and joins the school's newspaper where Egg acts as a photo journalist. Getting to know Max turns out to be a life-changing experience for Egg. As senior year progresses, Egg becomes more involved in activities that put her in contact with people. She learns what it means to be a friend and how important it is to have them in your life. She realizes that people aren't always as they seem and that being perfect isn't necessary for happiness. Egg learns a lot in one year's time; even how to leave Egg behind and become simply Victoria. Cecil Castellucci has written a thoughtful story about the sensitive time in every young adult's life - self-discovery. Written in first person, this novel launches you into Egg's world and leaves you feeling as though you are experiencing life through her eyes. The reader will sympathize with the ups and downs of the typical teenage angst that Victoria goes through in order to, once and for all, decide what it really takes for her to be happy. Reviewed by: Karin Perry

The most frustrating thing about Castellucci's arresting first novel is that every reader will know its hero, Victoria, the girl named Egg. She is such a real person that you want nothing more than to have her reach the book's ending intact. She is a completely unique yet totally relatable character, which makes her plight genuine; but she's also all Egg, and Boy Proof is HER story, that's for damn sure. This novel reads wonderfully, leading the reader on a tour of the streets and venues of Hollywood, which are vivid and wonderfully realized. The cumulative effect is that of an "off the beaten path" tour by someone who really knows, and totally adores, this setting. The story curls around geeky fanboys, aging sci fi starlets, and brilliant do-gooders. And stuck in the middle is Egg, fragile, funny, and too smart for her own good. After reading Boy Proof you are left with a warm, fuzzy feeling, and the nugget of truth that everybody has a bit of Egg in them. Bring on Castellucci's next!

I just finished Boy Proof. It was such fun to read and I have to say I was impressed at the ending. I found myself thinking a lot about someone I knew in high school at the beginning of the story, and then more and more about myself and about high school in general and how people try or refuse to try to fit in. I also liked that Victoria, too, needed to find herself. I liked that her parents were nice people, neither of them villains. It seems like that happens a lot in fiction these days. And Max's comment about finding it easy to make friends, but not necessarily keep them was very intriguing. He was such a great character! So alive that I can't forget about him even now that the book is closed.

Note: I may have accidentally posted this two times due to my lack of intellegence. I'm a big reader,and book after book I would read directed toward preteens would be a girl trying to fit in normally to accept her. This book however was a girl totally accepted herself. This book makes you think. A LOT. Egg, the main charecter, is an incredibly intellegent girl. She gets perfect grades and really that's all that's important to her. This nerd is totally obsessed with her favorite movie star Egg. She thinks she knows everything, and everything is pretty perfect for her too. Though the problem is she has never let anyone love her. ~THE POINT~ To popular girls, geeky girls, boyish girls, girls that have ever felt out of place. Not sure weather to get it? GET IT.