''Grow Up'' is a novel by author
Ben Brooks.
The novel was published in 2011 by
Canongate Books Ltd. It centres on Jasper, a teenager who is in his final year of compulsory education and, like his friends, engages in
drugs
A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestio ...
, sex and
drink
A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothie ...
in his spare time.
The novel received mixed reviews. Anna Winter of ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.
In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'' wrote "Ben Brooks's
coming-of-age novel
In literary criticism, a bildungsroman () is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth and change of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood (coming of age). The term comes from the German words ('formation' or 'edu ...
has sex and drugs – but not a lot else"
while a review on ''Scotsman.com'' said that "''Grow Up'' is a sharp and witty exploration of adolescent life in modern Britain".
"Brooks's novel is achingly self-reflexive" says reviewer Jane Housham of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''.
The reviewer for ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' mentions a "horrible tendency to over-egg his similes and metaphors".
References
2011 British novels
Canongate Books books
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