Common Sense Media Review
Edgy, quirky road trip fantasy skewers reality TV and more.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say this book is polarizing, with some readers praising its deep emotional impact and unique, layered storytelling, while others criticize it for its slow pacing and unlikable characters. Many reviews highlight the book's humor and insightful moments, but note that it is more suitable for older teens due to adult themes, including strong language and sexual content.
- emotional impact
- layered storytelling
- humor
- adult themes
- character issues
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
When Cameron, a high-school slacker, finds out he has fatal mad cow disease, he sets out on an epic quest to find a cure and maybe save the world, too. Accompanied by his friends -- Gonzo, a dwarf, and Balder, a Viking god disguised as a long-suffering yard gnome (don't ask) -- Cameron faces an increasingly bizarre series of misadventures involving a punk angel, New Orleans jazz musicians, and snow globes in this very postmodern retelling of Don Quixote.
Is It Any Good?
Fans of Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty) will recognize the alternative-world fantasy elements in this book, but any resemblance ends there. Though the middle section stretches too long as Cameron moves from one absurd situation to the next, readers will stick with Bovine for its male bonding and humorous send-ups of fast-food restaurants, self-esteem, and reality shows. The over-the-top elements ultimately serve a quieter purpose, asking teens to ponder what it means to really live an engaged life.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the CESSNAB, the cult-like youth compound with the motto, "Don't hurt your happiness." Would you want to live in a place like that? Was it a utopia or dystopia?
Would you want to participate in a "realitymercial" where you could order custom-made lives? What is the author trying to say about "reality" TV?
Why do you think the author chose to make a yard gnome a key character in the novel?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Delacorte Press
- Publication date : September 22, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 496
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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