Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

Required Post-Covid reading to better understand the tumultuous life of high schoolers and why educators MUST change how we teach so teens are able to get through Life, not get through some end-of-the-year test.

This book has been banned in many school libraries in my state so obviously it must be read and talked about widely! Since it’s written in first person, listening in Audible is amazing. There is NOTHING worth banning here, it’s well written, full of hope and redemption, an excellent teenage book and highly enjoyable for this adult. I’d be thrilled to give it to every 15 yr old in my life.

Cliff is big (REALLY big) and angry (SO MUCH ANGER) and feels like a total outsider whose life is out of control. His dad is a monster. His brother is dead. His mom isn't helping with either situation. School suuuuuuucks.Aaron is The Golden Boy, so of course he and Cliff have traded face punches. Cliff has plans to end Aaron after the latest incident, but misses his chance because Mr. Football Star has an accident and almost dies. Can't really pummel someone who came back from the dead, right?Then Aaron shows up at school to tell Cliff that God spoke to him during the coma, gave him a list of things to do with Cliff--VERY SPECIFICALLY CLIFF-- as his partner. Things that will fix the mess that is their high school.These also happen to be things that Cliff hates about their school/community.How can Cliff say no?And so begins a dive into the mind of a teenager who is dealing with a lot, who has blinders on about some things, and is deeply passionate about others.While Cliff and Aaron get to work, they begin to better understand their classmates, friends, families, and themselves. You will laugh and cry and FEEL SO MANY THINGS. Mostly very glad you picked this book up.(Definitely upper teenagery due to frank content about sex, drugs, suicide, violence, and more.)

This book has been in my tbr pile for quite some time. Sometimes, I just let the Universe decide what to read next. I go to my book collection and just randomly pick one with my eyes closed. I read this in two days. Raced through it. Dayum!! Should be required reading in schools. It really puts life in perspective. The funniest thing.... Even forty years out of high school.... I find, I am still making it up as I go along. Opening one door at a time!

A very good book that I would have given five stars to except for use of a stereotypical "Christian-behaving-badly" villain. All Christians are flawed simply for the fact all Christians are human, but a specific character in this novel was over the top. That being said, I love how this book addressed important spiritual issues of God and our purpose in life. Cliff and Aaron are very flawed and very different from each other, but they fumble and stumble through God's list in very believable ways. They don't magically become heroes overnight. They are not even heroes by the end of the book. All they're doing is what we're all doing every day, trying to find our place in this world, on this day.

I bought this book on a lark. I read the excerpt, cracked up, and thought "this sounds like fun." I had no other expectations and I don't usually read stories with male protagonists. But this was exceptional. Not in a literary, eloquent, poetic style, but a real, in-your-face, honest look at people's emotions and questions about life. My heart ached for Cliff and his brother and his family situation, the never-ending angst at school, his own self-loathing. The story takes you on a journey of angst and wicked humor mixed with hope and some deep soul-searching. And touching . . . I wasn't expecting that at all. Preston Norton has some amazing storytelling skills. Go on. Try it. I dare you to not love this book.

This book was witty, smart, and human. The author has to be around teen boys on a regular basis. No one could write them so well otherwise, even given that fiction writers tend to be good at making things up. I was horrified at the goings on at the school and in Cliff's home life, then charmed at the friendship Cliff developed with one of his greatest enemies. I was shocked about the twist involving HAL, as I am usually better at sleuthing these things out. But it made for a very satisfying read. Well done!

If u love to read add this to your list ! My 17 yr old has read it 4 times