“This is a lot more about an unusual boy trying to fit in, trapped in a world he never made, if you will, than it is about Jeopardy. Jeopardy plays a pretty small part in the story, which wouldn’t be a complaint except that, based on the title and cover, this was definitely sold as a Jeopardy-centric thing, no?
It doesn’t feel good to shit on the story because the story is a quiet, pleasant one about a misfit, so saying, “Nice job not fitting in here either, misfit!” feels shitty somehow. I think the real deal is that this was either sold wrong or maybe could have used another hand in the story to encourage Mr. Rostan to draw more parallels or talk more about Jeopardy or something. Because that’s probably the selling point of the book and what really separates it from a typical story of a misfit who also has a bit of a Betty/Veronica thing going on.
Boy, it’s too bad I was never in a Betty/Veronica situation…maybe I was a little one time, but that was like in high school. That doesn’t really count. Or maybe it does? Because isn’t Archie in high school?
I guess I was just a little bit in that situation once, and I know the answer to that situation: Ask your mom. I mean, assuming your mom is a reasonable person like my mom is. My mom is kinda crazy about some shit. Don’t ask her about politics. And while she doesn’t always pick ’em too good for herself, Exhibit A being my dad, she did have a pretty good nose for the girls I dated and which ones were cool and which ones were…I don’t know, in it for the money? Maybe they were in it for the money and then found out there was no money? Maybe they were in it for the money and just really bad at being in it for the money? Whatever, I don’t know why they were there. But my mom always knew. Or at least she claims she did. She didn’t really tell me at the time. Maybe this is like the famous “Who made us miss our flight that one time?” story where I’m convinced it was her fault and she was convinced it was my fault.
Boy, it’s too bad I’ve never had to worry about a girl being in it for the money. That would mean I had money!”