I adored this book. Really adored it. Really, really adored it.
It's just your basic boy-meets-girl, boy's-friends-don't-like-girl, girl-doesn't-like-boy's-friends, girl's-friends-don't-like-boy, boy-doesn't-like-girl's-friends story. Except that the boy is a metal head and the girl is a prep.
I fell in love with Sam Markus, not only for his ability to wax poetic about Death Metal (seriously, he gave better monologues about music than that guy in American Psycho) but for his perspective:
Oh my fucking GOD. Hipsters.
I'd met these kids all over the place. These are the kids who are so sure that they're so ahead of everyone else, and that they're so much more intelligent than most other people because of their music choice. You know one of those kids, I bet. Y'know, the kid who thinks because they like Brainiac or the Specials instead of KISS or Jay-Z, they're the great minds of their generation. I've always thought that, as much as I utterly loathed some of it, music was still music, be it Annihilator or Good Charlotte or Ja Rule or Sigor Ros or Christina fucking Aguilera, and that assholes are assholes, regardless of their musical taste. Hipsters, though, were the anti-what-I-just said. There are hipsters for every musical genre: metal hipsters, Goth hipsters, rap hipsters, even country hipsters (well, a few). And by the look of it, I had two emo/indie megahipsters in front of me - the worst kind. I don't know why, but it just seemed like those two genres of music bred more hipsters than any other.
It's so TRUE! (And all of you emo/indie hipsters know it, too. You know you do.) I also fell in love with him because of his adorable friends and for his life philosophy:
I was about to flip out. My blood boiled in my head. My ears felt like they had fire ants inside of them. Don't let that side out, I told myself. Don't let that side out! You're more than that!
Thank God, though: Brent and Irish had no such desire to restrain.
"Hey, fuck you, you hipster trash!" snarled Irish, throwing up a stern middle finger.
"I think I hear a Sk8er Boi calling in the next room," cackled Brent, flipping the girls an equally stern bird. "How about you go wax existentialism with him, you screaming infidelity skanks?!"
"Hurry!" laughed Irish. "He might started crying otherwise!"
And me? I just smiled, waved, and said, "Bye, ladies."
"Ugh," scoffed Sweater Vest, stomping away.
And that was why I loved my friends. Because when it all came down to it, they shared the same Holden Caulfield ideals that I did: Live how you want, feel how you feel, and fuck all the phonies in your way.
Lovely. Read it.
Krovatin really strikes a power chord with "Heavy Metal and You." The language and dialogue are alive and true. The characters are full and believable. The story is what every metal head with a conscience must experience and endure.
I came from a generation of metal heads prior to Krovatin’s. Born in 1970, I remember when Metallica first hit the scene and Slayer’s ‘death metal’ was a new sound. Still, I tried to find myself in a world of phonies, copycats, and wannabes. “Heavy Metal and You” is my story as it is for thousands of other guys whose adolescents was spent loving heavy music and pretty girls but couldn’t make them love each other.
This is a must read for anyone who is looking for the heart of that passionate, artistic guy with an Iron Maiden t-shirt in your language arts class.
Posted by: Heath | 19 March 2006 at 08:10 PM
Heavy Metal and You is an amazing book! About how, boy meets girl, girl meets boy's friends isn't impressed, friends meet girl aren't impressed.
A breathtaking novel on what Sam Markus goes through while he is dating this girl. The book comes to life as you read it and the characters are life like and the vivid settings in none other then New York.
An excellent book and a great read for the metal heads in all of us!
Posted by: Nicole | 23 July 2006 at 03:37 PM
omg i love the book too i fell in love withsammy i think he would be the perfect guy<<<3
Posted by: megz | 23 July 2006 at 09:11 PM
Awesome. You have inspired me to go read it. Next time I go to B&N, that's exactly what I'm picking up. Thanks for the great review! I needed something different to read.
Posted by: Cindy | 28 July 2006 at 12:32 PM
Rad. I hope you like it -- if you think of it, check back in when you're done and let me know!
Posted by: Leila | 28 July 2006 at 12:40 PM
I got it just last night and and of course I was hooked! I read it all in one night, couldn't stop, actually and I think I fell in love with Sammy too, lol. And even though I don't like metal, I am a music lover, so I was amazed at all his knowledge about music and everything. I just want to say thanks *again* for recommending such a great book to me! Your reviews always help me out when I'm trying to decide which book I'm going to buy.
Posted by: Cindy | 30 July 2006 at 10:27 AM
Wow that reveiw has inspired me to read it! I mean, i had skimmed through it before in the book store and it looked really intresting but i couldnt get it for the obvious reasons: Too expensive and i was pretty much broke at that time. But one of my freinds is reading it and shes like "OMFG YOU NEED TO READ IT!" XD but i went to the book store the other day and the price went waaaaaaaaay down so i got it. And I really Like it! I like it because I, am i music lover and personally a musician. So even when i fins=ish it im gonna read it over and over again.
Posted by: James | 16 September 2006 at 01:07 PM
i loved this book so much im writing an english paper on it. lol.
Posted by: sonia stokes | 06 December 2006 at 09:04 PM
i loved this book so much im writing an english paper on it. lol.
Posted by: sonia stokes | 06 December 2006 at 09:04 PM
This book is amazing im only half way through it and its simpley brilliant.
Posted by: sam ford | 13 April 2007 at 03:07 PM
WHEN IS THE SECOND BOOK COMING OUT I MUST HAVE IT ITS LIKE A DRUG!!!
I NEED MY DRUGS..
and the same goes for steve!
Posted by: brianna bernardi and steve maley | 15 May 2007 at 04:32 PM
i loved the book but when i went to slayers myspace and heard the music (if you can call it that) i dont understant how anyone can be pasionate about that. but whatever there obviusly are ppl like that an no offence to that and music any kind is something to be crazy over.
Posted by: fatima | 04 June 2007 at 03:45 PM
i loved the book but when i went to slayers myspace and heard the music (if you can call it that) i dont understant how anyone can be pasionate about that. but whatever there obviusly are ppl like that an no offence to that and music any kind is something to be crazy over.
Posted by: fatima | 04 June 2007 at 03:45 PM
i loved the book but when i went to slayers myspace and heard the music (if you can call it that) i dont understant how anyone can be pasionate about that. but whatever there obviusly are ppl like that an no offence to that and music any kind is something to be crazy over.
Posted by: fatima | 04 June 2007 at 03:45 PM
i loved the book but when i went to slayers myspace and heard the music (if you can call it that) i dont understant how anyone can be pasionate about that. but whatever there obviusly are ppl like that an no offence to that and music any kind is something to be crazy over.
Posted by: fatima | 04 June 2007 at 03:45 PM
i loved the book but when i went to slayers myspace and heard the music (if you can call it that) i dont understant how anyone can be pasionate about that. but whatever there obviusly are ppl like that an no offence to that and music any kind is something to be crazy over.
Posted by: fatima | 04 June 2007 at 03:45 PM
This book was amazing. He wrote a wonderful story. I just LOVE it. It talked about everything from Music, Friends, Love, Relationships, everything about this book is great. I read it in one day. It really is a must read. :] I really think you'll enjoy it just as much as I did. but then again...I'm a sucker for metal head guys. LOL. Peacee. <3
Posted by: Sandra | 09 June 2007 at 10:02 PM
absoultely loved this book i have read it at least fifteen times and it never gets old for me the characters the storyline it all just comes to life until you feel like your right there beside sam brent and irish
Posted by: .... | 10 August 2007 at 01:43 AM
New book from Krovatin is coming out June 2008...this one's even better than Heavy Metal and You, guys!!
Posted by: JustAnotherFan | 02 October 2007 at 05:38 PM
i totally fell in love with sammy too!
definately read this book.
its breath takeing
Posted by: ally | 07 November 2007 at 10:53 PM
well actually the music is fine but to talk about it and know that much about it is insane i dont think i could do that.. no offence!!
-B
Posted by: brianna bernardi | 10 December 2007 at 05:31 PM
i absolutley loved this book and totally fell in love with sam it was amazing how passoniate someone could be with his music i need the next book! i love how he relates to all the bands AMAZING!
Posted by: xxdarkxatxheartxx | 22 December 2007 at 10:59 AM
ok, I love music. It's what keeps me going. Honestly when I feel like everyones turned there back on me music is where I go, most the time heavy metal :D
techno, electronic,crunk,indie, rock,hardrock ,alternative, 'emo',metal, and screamo I was way into this book. It's my fav. <33333333 thank you!
Posted by: | 28 June 2008 at 10:25 PM
this is one of my all time favorite books. ive read it multiple times and it never gets old.
the way chris is straight up in his entire literary existance is something that keeps me coming back to this great love story.
no bullshit and no smokescreen.
cant wait to read Venomous.
Posted by: EX1T | 24 November 2008 at 11:46 AM
i so love this book, i borrowed it from the library and kept it 4 a month after it was due because i never got tired of reading it. sammy markus is amazing. my dream guy, lolz!
Posted by: Devi Ramnath | 12 December 2008 at 11:25 AM
im a guy..heavy metal fan.... i hope more books of this kind will dominate aaaaaaaaaaaaaahahaahahahaha..
[email protected]
Posted by: wilmer | 14 September 2009 at 04:00 PM
wow. this was the best book i have EVER read. i read it more than 4 times and still cant get enough of it. im a Huge metal head and sammy marcus just did it for me. the most perfect book in the world. slayer is my posion and i learned so much about metal music and slayer its self through this book! and then just tieing it into mondern day drama between ciques and all thattd drama-y stuff made it perfect congrats Christopher Krovatin! u made the best damn book ever.
Posted by: alex | 22 September 2009 at 08:23 PM
i stumbled upon this book in a used book store. im so glad i did! The book is written really well with unforgetable characters that are very REAL. Chris Krovatin wrote an excellent story which honestly has me wanting more.
and i totally love sammy markus!
Posted by: Talia | 23 August 2010 at 02:41 AM