Submarine

By: Joe Dunthorne

Narrated by: Craig Roberts

Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hello. I'm Oliver Tate, the protagonist. I am likely to use words like protagonist and, moments later, words like twonk. My ambitions are as follows: to find out why my father sometimes stays in bed for days at a time; to find out why my mother's getting surfing lessons - and probably more - from a hippy-looking twonk; and to lose my virginity before it becomes legal - in just over a year. There are other, lesser characters in the book: Jordana, who is my love interest, despite her eczema. Zoe, whose only real school friend is a dinner lady. I feel sorry for Zoe which, in turn, makes me feel better about my own life. Then there's my friend Chips, an outstanding bully. He made our Religious Education teacher cry. This book might not change my life. But there is no telling how you will react...

©2008 Joe Dunthorne (P)2011 W F Howes Ltd

Knowing, witty and absurd

Any additional comments?

If you enjoyed the film, I'd be very surprised if you didn't engage with this. My guess is that it will land more successfully with a British reader, as lots of the references are quite culturally specific, I could be wrong though. I laughed a lot while listening to this and am disappointed Joe Dunthorne hasn't written more for me to get through. Craig Roberts is excellent, he performs the book as well as he does in the film adaptation and I think anyone else reading it would not have been the same.

In contrast to another user's review, I do not think this is a book for teenagers. It's a book for people who have been a teenager (everyone) ...and have suffered from social awkwardness and come to bizzare conclusions about love and members of the opposite sex. Oliver Tate's twisted logic and rationale borders on the psychopathic but he's somehow still likeable.

I think your sense of humour will be the determining factor here, to whether this book is for you. If you enjoy Roald Dahl's adult short stories I think you'll enjoy this!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Pow-wow

Craig Roberts absolutely nails his performance of Oliver. Even better than he does in the film. Sublime novel.

disappointing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

It should have been made clear that this book is aimed at teenagers.

What was most disappointing about Joe Dunthorne’s story?

It didn't live up to any of its reviews. It was completely humourless the sound was awful and the narrator was one of the worst I've heard on audio book.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Weird accent, incomprehensible in parts.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No. I didn't listen to more than two hours of it.
I'll never get those two hours back.

0 of 11 people found this review helpful