'Spanking Shakespeare' by Jake Wizner is a humorous coming-of-age story that follows the protagonist, Shakespeare Shapiro, as he navigates his senior year in high school. The book delves into Shakespeare's life as he writes a memoir about his embarrassing moments, deals with his eccentric family, and struggles with typical teenage issues like self-identity and relationships. Written in a distinctive voice, the book alternates between narrating Shakespeare's current experiences and sharing stories from his past, offering a blend of humor, wit, and insight into the teenage human condition.

The novel presents a depth and complexity through its protagonist's exploration of self, self-deprecating humor, and revelations that resonate with adolescents. With quirky characters, humorous anecdotes, and a touch of sweetness, 'Spanking Shakespeare' offers a hilarious and relatable journey of self-discovery and growth set against the backdrop of high school life.

Characters:

The characters are portrayed with a mix of humor and stereotype, creating relatable and amusing interactions.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is characterized by dry humor and an engaging narrative that mixes memoir with real-life teenage experiences.

Plot/Storyline:

The story follows a high school senior, grappling with typical teenage issues, through a blend of his current life and memoir writing.

Setting:

The setting captures the essence of high school life, emphasizing both personal and social experiences.

Pacing:

The pacing is brisk and humorous at first, then becomes more reflective as the protagonist's journey unfolds.

It’s hard to imagine what my parents were thinking when they decided to name me Shakespeare. They were probably drunk, considering the fact that my father is an alcoholic and my mother gets loopy afte...

Notes:

Shakespeare Shapiro is the main character and a high school senior.

Shakespeare hates his name, which he feels is a burden from his parents.

His life is full of embarrassing moments and social awkwardness.

His younger brother, Gandhi, is more popular and has a girlfriend.

Shakespeare's dad is an alcoholic and his mom is described as neurotic.

His best friends are Neil, who talks about bowel movements, and Katie, who often gets drunk.

Shakespeare's senior project is to write a memoir about his mortifying life.

The book explores themes of teenage angst, popularity, and the search for a girlfriend.

Shakespeare's writing is humorous and self-deprecating, reminiscent of David Sedaris' style.

The story includes a mix of light-hearted humor and serious moments as Shakespeare learns about relationships.

Readers often find Shakespeare relatable due to his experiences with self-pity and sexual frustration.

The book combines narrative with excerpts from Shakespeare's memoir, creating an engaging format.

It is suited for mature audiences due to themes of sex and drug use, and contains crude humor.

The humor might not appeal to everyone, as some find it excessive or crude.

Several reviews highlight the wit, but also note some characters could be more developed.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include medium levels of crude humor, discussions of sex and drugs, and potential sacrilegious themes.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance in the book as Shakespeare navigates crushes and potential relationships.

From The Publisher:

SHAKESPEARE SHAPIRO HAS ALWAYS hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favorite topic of conversation is his bowel movements.But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.

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Spanking Shakespeare?

About the Author:

It was 2003. I had finished a middle-grade novel, The World's Most Disgusting Sandwich, and was trying to get it published."It has potential," a potential agent told me. "I'd love to see other books you've written."Other books I'd written? I…

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Spanking Shakespeare

Jake Wizner