How did I get it?:
It was a gift!
Previously reviewed by the same author:
Highly Illogical Behaviour
Synopsis:
Listen — Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn’t.
Now he’s alive again.
Simple as that.
The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but he can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he’s still 16 and everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not his girlfriend anymore? That’s a bit fuzzy too.
Looks like if the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, then there are going to be a few more scars.
Oh well, you only live twice.
Thoughts:
I didn’t think I’d like Noggin. I remember when it first came out so many people were reading it. There were a lot of mixed reviews, so I put it off. However, as soon as I read Highly Illogical Behaviour I knew I wanted to read something else by John Corey Whaley. I loved his writing. Noggin is a book that I shouldn’t have enjoyed. I like unique books, but Noggin really is something else.
Noggin centres around a boy called Travis who has had his head cryogenically frozen when he becomes critically ill with cancer. Five years later, Travis wakes up attached to the body of Jeremy Pratt. Travis has to adapt to a life in which his best friend and girlfriend are five years older than him. Travis still feels like it was yesterday, but five years have passed and people have moved on.
It may sound really science-y, but this book does read like a contemporary YA book, just a very odd YA contemporary! I think if you’re expecting it to be super sci-fi then you won’t be impressed by this book. Noggin is about friendship, romance and moving on with your life.
Travis is a character that I did like, but I can see that some people would find his behaviour quite annoying. He is super pushy and all for himself. He is desperate to get his girlfriend back, despite her being older, having a fiance and against his friend’s advice.
I enjoyed that Noggin took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. Some moments were funny, some were annoying, some were sad. Noggin made me think though and I enjoyed that. I really enjoy John Corey Whaley’s writing and I’m looking forward to reading his debut novel. Yes, I totally broke the rules and I appear to be reading from recent to oldest release!
