Author: Libba Bay
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 stars
"You've been assigned an identity since birth. Then you spend the rest of your life walking around in it to see if it really fits. You try all these different selves and abandon just as many. But really, it's about dismantling all that false armor, getting down to what's real."
Mad, crazy and hilarious. That's Going Bovine for you, dear bloggers. This book tells about Cameron, an average teenage boy diagnosed with mad cow disease and gone to a journey to find a cure under the guidance of a punk angel and accompanied by a dwarf and yard gnome. Yes, yard gnome.
It starts off a bit slow by telling how Cameron lives his life. He's pretty much an ignorant who doesn't care about most anything; his school, his family, and even himself. Then he is diagnosed with mad cow disease and finds out that his life is soon to be over. Then a punk angel named Dulcie shows up and tells him there's a cure and Cameron must undergo a journey (by following random signs) to find Dr. X who has the cure. Oh, and he has to take the dwarf as his wingman.
Like I said, it starts off a bit slow and I didn't really enjoy the first quarter part however the story picks up the pace and gets more interesting along the way. Especially after Cameron and Gonzo hit the road. Their road trip is crazy and hilarious; they meet a lot of bizarre people: drag queen, a supposedly dead jazz artist, teen pop star, snow globe employees, and many more. I can't say much except thumbs up for Libba Bay for creating this, she surely has a very wide and lively imagination.
However, even though it's funny and wacky, it's also quite deep. Despite all the craziness, I - as a reader - am constantly reminded with Cameron dying situation and how he realizes the things that important for him during the trip. How he - toward the end - values life and enjoys living more than before. The only thing I don't really like is the present tense use in this book, I like past tense more. But it doesn't prevent me from liking and enjoying this hilarious story.
It's an awesome book, just be patient in the beginning and you'll be rewarded.
Lynossa
