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A review by kaylielongley
Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno
2.0
Brian Oswald, sometimes punk and sometimes metal but always angsty, is the protagonist of this little coming-of-age tale. Like every other male in popular young adult fiction, Brian’s an educated Catholic boy, covered in acne, in love with his best friend, Gretchen, always having that one thing on the brain. There’s nothing wrong with these experiences, but as our narrator reflects on his teenage years in Chicago during the 90s, Brian thus becomes every other dissatisfied youth, characteristic of John Hughes and Sarah Dessen, among others.
Author Meno tries to cater to a different audience through allusions to punk culture, such as the movement’s questionable fashion choices, underground concerts, and the necessity of swearing every other sentence. But Meno falls short, simply because his tale is mediocre at best. Nothing is groundbreaking, and the characters and their actions instead feel stereotypical. When his parents separate, Brian turns to drugs, petty crime, and a handful of Misfits albums. His relationship with Gretchen subsumes most of the book, and though there are a couple of touching moments, I was not emotionally attached. Perhaps this is because Brian’s main descriptions for her are “beautiful” and “fat.”
However, Meno does succeed in shaping Brian’s world. Heteronormativity, along with extreme racism and classism, is commonplace. Though Brian is one of many individuals who do not particularly belong, his emotional and social dysfunctions are minimal compared to his surroundings. As the novel progresses, Brian becomes increasingly more aware of these systemic issues, but he does minimal actions to solve them or even address his feelings. As a result, these influences act as mere backdrops or plot devices instead of teachable moments.
This is not to say that Hairstyles contains terrible writing. In fact, I laughed out loud throughout reading. Simply, most of its plot feels aimless, in need of sharp editing and a less moralistic ending. Perhaps I’ve gotten too old (is this possible? Moshing did indeed occur at a concert a couple days ago). Maybe I wanted something new and expected too much for this one.
Author Meno tries to cater to a different audience through allusions to punk culture, such as the movement’s questionable fashion choices, underground concerts, and the necessity of swearing every other sentence. But Meno falls short, simply because his tale is mediocre at best. Nothing is groundbreaking, and the characters and their actions instead feel stereotypical. When his parents separate, Brian turns to drugs, petty crime, and a handful of Misfits albums. His relationship with Gretchen subsumes most of the book, and though there are a couple of touching moments, I was not emotionally attached. Perhaps this is because Brian’s main descriptions for her are “beautiful” and “fat.”
However, Meno does succeed in shaping Brian’s world. Heteronormativity, along with extreme racism and classism, is commonplace. Though Brian is one of many individuals who do not particularly belong, his emotional and social dysfunctions are minimal compared to his surroundings. As the novel progresses, Brian becomes increasingly more aware of these systemic issues, but he does minimal actions to solve them or even address his feelings. As a result, these influences act as mere backdrops or plot devices instead of teachable moments.
This is not to say that Hairstyles contains terrible writing. In fact, I laughed out loud throughout reading. Simply, most of its plot feels aimless, in need of sharp editing and a less moralistic ending. Perhaps I’ve gotten too old (is this possible? Moshing did indeed occur at a concert a couple days ago). Maybe I wanted something new and expected too much for this one.