By
Chris Zimmerman
October 7, 2010 - 10:07
Piper’s life has been anything but a cake walk. Having been born deaf, she has grown to overcome her impediment despite a family that views it as a weakness. With her sights set on the attending Gallaudet University, Piper’s dream is quickly squashed when she learns that her parents have raided her college fund to pay for an expensive procedure to cure her new born sister of deafness. Feeling betrayed by her family, Piper takes it upon herself to earn a new college fund by selling herself as the manager of DUMB, a local Seattle band with the potential to make it big; that is if their conflicting personalities don’t tear the group apart first.
Five Flavors of Dumb is as smart as it is funny. Labeled as a teen read, the book is a breath of fresh air from the usual supernatural romances cluttering today’s bookshelves. John’s voice is fresh and unique, perfectly capturing the angst of being a teenager. The story is heartfelt and layered with most of the cast undergoing a remarkable amount of growth on their way to discovering who they are. By the time the final performance rolls around readers will have found themselves caught up in DUMB’s antics, unconsciously forgetting the band’s fictitious existence.
Like any good book brimming with appealing characters, an original plot, and more than a few twists, Five Flavors of Dumb will leave readers craving for more.
Rating: 8.5 / 10
ComicBookBin
