A Really Nice Prom Mess (by Brian Sloan)
common sense media says
Strip club on prom night? Worth a parent preview.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this novel gives a humorous slant to a lot of dangerous behavior by teens, including drinking, buying and smoking pot, eluding police, and visiting strip clubs. When one drunk teen vomits into a fish tank, for example, another character quips, "At least you won't have to feed the fish for a while." While the ultimate message is acceptance, the book reinforces questionable stereotypes (for example, when Cameron screams, he says, "I know I'm gay and a sissy and all that"; several adult men hit on Cameron and one informs him that in terms of sexiness, "in the gay world, a teenager trumps a twenty-something any day of the year.") Cameron briefly contemplates suicide; this is treated in a superficial way. Cameron and Shane worry about telling their families and friends they're gay, but everyone accepts the news pretty well, with one friend just upset he hadn't known the truth sooner.
Violence:
Cameron's boyfriend Shane punches him when Cameron kisses Shane's date.
Sex:
Lots of sex talk, situations, and innuendo, manly involving a gay teen. Cameron attends a party where teens were "making out and getting it on." A girl wonders if there are "fag fish" who "can give each other blow jobs." Cameron kisses five people in the course of the night, including three adult strangers. Cameron goes to a gay strip club where he tips dancers and ends up with one in his lap. The stripper wears "glitter panties" on his "barely covered ass." Cameron enters an amateur strip contest where he learns "two teenagers bounding up and down can really get a bunch of middle-age men very, very excited." A teen girl tries to sneak a boy into her room by climbing up a trellis.
Language:
Lots of derogatory names for gay characters, including "fag," "faggot," "dyke," "fairy," "fudge packer," and "cake boy." Other language includes "bulls--t," "bitch," "f--k" (in various forms), "pissed," "ass," "dick," "asshole," "prick," "Christ on a cracker," "bastard," "retard."
Consumerism:
Types of alcoholic beverages; Seventeen magazine; car brands; celebrities; product brands such as McDonald's, Old Navy, and Diesel.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Lots of underage drinking to excess, including beer and Jagermeister. Mother gives her daughter a cocktail; dad winks at his son taking a bottle of vodka as "a little grease for the wheels." Cameron's date vomits and passes out. She smokes a cigarette because she says it helps her sober up; Cameron joins her so she doesn't feel "persecuted." Cameron buys pot and smokes it, finding the dance more fun when he is high. A drug dealer goes to a high school party to find teens so he can sell pot.
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Most useful reviews by all members
pcnat4
parent of 14 year old
parent of 14 year old
A book with great laughs and characters you'll love instantly.
Though many people will look at the "Not Age Appropriate" sides of the book, it should not over look that fact that it’s a great book that will hook you in and not let go until you're done. It’s for any teenager to read if they feel like they have to hide who they truly are. The characters are relatable and you feel like you want to become friends with the characters. They're realistic and believable to read and you'll want to know what's going to happen next for them. It's a book that will entertain you and it'll teach you a lesson on lying and taking chances. I personally loved this book and have bought it to reread over again. I recommend people to read it to be entertained and have some great laughs at the characters predicaments.
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