Going Bovine

Reader reviewed by Okapi

Mirroring the Spanish tale of Don Quixote, Going Bovine by Libba Bray is the wildly funny, outrageous to the point of unbelievable tale that involves a midget, a garden gnome, and a slew of physicists. Sixteen year old Cameron is an unpopular, slacker teenager, who doesn't do anything more in life than smoke in the bathroom with the potheads. After a series of hallucinations, Cameron is diagnosed with Mad Cow disease, which means he's going to die soon. A mysterious angel and possible hallucination named Dulcie sends him on a quest with Gonzo, dwarf, throughout the United States so they can find Cameron's cure and save the universe. 

After many escapades that range from parallel world travel to stealing a garden gnome who's actually a Viking god in disguise, Cameron discovers the meaning of living opposed to merely existing. One of the central themes in this book is how everything is connected. This is one of my favorite of the book's aspects, because seemingly random things all seem to relate. Pay attention to some of the 'out of the blue' things mentioned in the beginning of the book, since they'll probably play an important role later on. 

This book was very well written, though if you know the ending, the plot collapses. I knew what would happen with 300 pages still left to go, so the plot became sort of an unrealistic drag. If you read this book, DO NOT READ THE ENDING FIRST, since it will ruin the book for you!

Reader reviewed by Michelle

So I wasn't sure I was going to like this book.  It's very different from Libba Bray's first trilogy.  But actually the only thing I really disliked was the way she gave real products fake names.  Like she couldn't say M&Ms or Star Wars, so she made up weird substitutes. 

I also thought the ending was sad, though I don't see how it could have been any different, which is the mark of a good book!

Cameron, Dulcie, and Gonzo were brilliant, funny characters that I was happy to spend a few hours with, and Cameron's quest was fascinating.  The plot is pretty impossible to describe, but if you like funny writing and a fast-paced story, then you should like this book.

Reader reviewed by Victoria Morris

I found Libba Bray through her Gemma Doyle series, so I did want to read this because I knew her voice.