Review Day: The Pursuit of Cool

It's Review Day!!!!!!!!

Title: The Pursuit of Cool
Author: Robb Skidmore
Rating: 3.5 stars

Book Blurb:

The Pursuit of Cool is a humorous, intense, and heartbreaking story of a pop culture obsessed, tragically romantic young man, sure to appeal to fans of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, John Hughes movies, and the 1980s...

A novel that uniquely captures the 1980s, The Pursuit of Cool tells the story of Lance Rally and his turbulent college years. He faces pressure to live up to his super-achieving family and is fueled by grandiose ambition. He wants to become a success but is easily distracted and obsessed with pop culture. He also has a deeply romantic nature and though inept he is sincere and falls in love quickly. He discovers emotional complexities as relationships with a beautiful psych major and a feisty goth girl change him. Friendships with a punk rock actor and a subversive scholar challenge his future plans. This journey is a funny and emotional ride through album covers, dance techniques, all-nighter revelations, and corporate internships gone bad. The story comes alive with music and movies which give Lance solace as he questions his beliefs and his heart gets crushed. He tries to capture that illusive quality, that magic of youth, the essence that is "cool."

Join Lance on his intense and amazing ride!

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My Review:

A definite 1980s inspired novel, this novel will make you love the characters.  Lance, a lovable college student who's trying to figure out what he wants to do in life, goes through college meeting people and living the typical college student life.  He went to college with a *study hard, work hard* mentality and ended up with a different experience.  He's such a lovable character!  He reminds me of a mix between Ducky and Ryan from Pretty in Pink.  The lovable male character who's kinda goofy and different, loved easily, intelligent, but has a depth that only a few people can truly see.  I also enjoyed all of the supporting characters - LaCoss, Carson, Stephanie, Lance's parents...  They were all great characters - very true to the 80s.

One of the best aspects of this novel is how Robb adapted the 1980s popular film feel into a moving, humorous, lovable novel that is still modern.  It delicately balances the 1980s and the 2000s college life feel into one.  I loved it!

I'm a fan of the 1980s films, but they aren't ones movies I typically watch over and over again until I'm going crazy.  I can only see myself re-reading this book a couple more times.  It has a familiar feel to it, because of the theme of a college kid trying to make his way through, but is still very different.  I loved the different take on the college experience.  Great book, and one I think is a great buy.

I recommend this book to anyone (ages 16+) who is looking for a novel version of the 1980s films made by John Hughes.  Pick up your own copy of The Pursuit of Cool on Amazon (paperback and Kindle).  Happy Review Day!