Half His Age: A Novel

Half His Age rides the aftershock of McCurdy’s memoir, raising the question of whether she can turn confessional force into fiction or just got fast-tracked. The answer sits awkwardly in between. Waldo is seventeen, parentified, and drawn to Mr. Korgy, a thirty-nine-year-old teacher whose main quality is availability in all the least useful ways. The jsilbait affair is explicit but beside the point. The shopping binges matter more. Desire here is avoidance, each late-night purchase a rehearsal for being wanted. The mother-daughter thread carries the book. Mom’s absence, rendered in sticky notes and deferred promises, is harsher than the central scandal. McCurdy writes consumer detail sharply and humiliation well. It slips on accountability. Waldo’s self-awareness replaces consequence, softening real damage. Readable, occasionally incisive, and a little too forgiving. ❤️ 🇮🇱

I haven't read a book in about ten years, and I've been wanting to read "im glad my mom died", but I saw this was a new one from jeanette mccurdy, just realased 2 days ago, so I was intrigued. I couldn't stop reading, this is such a good book, I put it down once, and read the 2nd half later that day. Im definitely a fan, I love her style of writing.

I devoured this book. The short chapters launch the way through the upheaval of the awkward, often irrational choices we make as teens, clawing and grabbing at the little things that make us feel good in the moment. McCurdy's blunt and bold writing is gritty and opens up the dirty truth of wanting to feel special when our parents cannot do that for us and the truth the can come from looking for love in the wrong places