Living in a small town in Minnesota, Sam Carrier’s world has always been defined by other people and his Tourette Syndrome. His self-worth (or lack thereof) is a product of the intense bullying he suffers at the hands of peers and his step-father. Even his name, Jack Keegan, was taken from him when his mother remarried. But secrets have a way of working themselves out, and shortly after graduation Sam’s life begins to change. Jerk, California chronicles his transformation from Sam, a lonely teenager full of anger and despair to Jack, a strong young man with a sense of self, family and future.
I really loved this book. If you simply list the components, it sounds like a million other surface level book cliches; mean stepfather, road trip, teen pregnancy, finding God. It’s Friesen’s execution that makes it special. His own experience with Tourette Syndrome allows him to write about this struggle from a personal place.
Great for: Anyone who wants to read a book about people who live with neurological differences. It does a great job of showing teens that the world is better outside the bubble that is high school; that there are people who don’t judge on superficial characteristics. I think it’s also a YA book that translates well for an adult audience.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – At one point a doctor smiles and Sam speculates that he “got off” on destroying people’s lives. There is a teen pregnancy in the book, but the act that causes it is not really mentioned. The pregnancy is the result of a relationship that would qualify as statutory rape. This pregnancy does not occur as a result of the romantic storyline. There is kissing, lots of nearness that causes sexual tension and excitement. People mistake what they overhear for an “intimate session.” A male character is shirtless several times. A male character believes a girl is not interested in him and that she views him as a “eunuch.”
Profanity – “jerk,” “damn,” “hell,” “crap,” “sucks,” “idiot,” “pissy,” “asshole,” “dang,” “loser,” “retard,” “heck,” “screwed,”
Death, Violence and Gore – A BB gun is used to shoot targets. There are several brawl level fights. Some important people die before the start of the book, another character dies during the book. This is a big part of the story, from the funeral, to carrying out the wishes of the deceased. There is some violence that is a result of involuntary actions caused by Tourette Syndrome. The main character is afraid of hospitals recalling the intense testing he underwent as a child. There’s a rumor that a man tried to shoot anyone who came on his property, and another rumor about a man who drove over a bag of kittens with his tractor.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Sam says his father was a drunk. His stepfather drinks whiskey and beer. Although he’s not an alcoholic or drunk, he does get drunk. A man chews tobacco.
Frightening or Intense Things – The main character has Tourette Syndrome. Most frightening though is the emotional and physical abuse the characters suffer at the hands of “Old Bill.”
