‘Surprising, tender and deliciously absurd … a funny, poignant, and intermittently profane and raunchy novel.’
The Wall Street Journal
‘Buckle your seat belt. You're in for a bumpy, exhilarating ride … in this lively bildungsroman, rich with funny, poignant riffs on nicknames, boomerangs, Beyoncé, ageing and the possibility of life on other planets.’
The Washington Post
‘Wolfgang Herrndorf died of cancer last year at only 48; his first novel translated into English makes evident the loss of a mellifluous and memorable voice in YA literature … an addictive and artfully rendered ride through a vivid landscape.’
John Bailey, Sunday Age
'[T]eenage angst and real-life characters that will resonate with young Aussie readers.'
Sunday Territorian
‘Full of laughs and incredibly moving.’
Sueddeutsche Zeitung
‘[O]ne of the best young-adult novels I've seen for a long time … lively and touching tale of two boys having the best summer of their lives’
Kerryn Goldsworthy, Canberra Times
'[A] fun, uninhibited, desperate ride through what it means to have to make a life as an adolsecent out of what you have got … A road trip like no other.'
Marisa Wikramanayake, West Australian
‘Unusual, highly engaging coming-of-age … A great teenage read.’
Katharine England, Adelaide Advertiser
‘You will see the world with different eyes after reading this novel.’
Rolling Stone
‘German novelist Herrndorf makes his YA debut with this action-and emotion-packed story of surprise summer adventure … this alternately wild, sad, hilarious, and tender tale chronicles the development of a strange and beautiful friendship.’
Publishers Weekly, starred review
‘Social misfits hit the Autobahn. Mike Klingenberg has just finished another boring, socially awkward year in middle school and is staring down a solitary two-week stint at home, thanks to his mother’s latest round of rehab and his father’s “business trip” with a suspiciously attractive personal assistant. Just as he’s watering the lawn, imagining himself lord of a very small manor in suburban Berlin, class reject Tschick shows up in a “borrowed” old Soviet-era car, and the boys hatch a plan to hit the road. Mike’s rich interior life — he meditates on beauty and the meaning of life and spins self-mocking fantasies of himself as a great essayist — hasn’t translated well to the flirtatious physical swagger required by 8th grade. Tschick, meanwhile, is a badly dressed Russian immigrant who often shows up to school reeking of alcohol and who is also given to profound leaps of psychological insight. Their road trip (destination: Wallachia, a German euphemism for “the middle of nowhere”; also a region of Romania) is peopled by unexpected, often bizarre, largely benign characters who deepen Mike’s appreciation for humanity and life. Each episode in the boys’ journey grows more outrageous, leading readers to wonder how far they’ll go before coming to a literal screeching (and squealing) halt. In his first novel translated into English, Herrndorf sits squarely and triumphantly at the intersection of literary tall tale and coming-of-age picaresque.’
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
‘Well translated, this is a good choice for readers looking for a contemporary realistic novel with a humorous sense of adventure.’
Sarah Bean Thompson, Booklist
‘The novel was a 2010 bestseller and award winner in Germany … the story is offbeat and funny, and the main characters incisively drawn. [T]hough much of the story has a rollicking Gordon Korman feel to it, the language is often coarse and the mood chaotically dark.’
Bob Hassett, School Library Journal
With humour and insight, the late Wolfgang Herrndorf … provides a window into German society through this universal story of growing up … The pair's misadventures give readers insight into German history and topography.
Shelf Awareness
‘Berlin teens Mike and Tschick abandon their lackluster lives and embark on an increasingly weird road trip … A sharp coming-of-age journey, hilarious and heartrending in equal measure.’
Horn Book Magazine
‘[A] compelling coming-of-age tale. [Herrndorf's] authentic voice will resonate universally with teens and will draw some comparisons to Holden Caulfield and Huck Finn.’
Voice of Youth Advocates
‘I love this book! Just finished it and enjoyed every page. It’s funny, irreverent, sad, meaningful, and completely wonderful.’
Belinda Bolliger (Australian Standing Orders)
‘A novel with just one flaw: it's over too soon.’
Deutschlandradio
‘Blackly funny; the dialogue crackles and pops.’
Listener
‘A gorgeous novel that will have you falling in love with two, unique characters who just don’t know how truly special they are. I’m still not sure why they took the car, but I’m so happy I went along for the ride.’
Manly Daily
