''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 that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...
, 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, smoothies a ...
in his spare time.
The novel received mixed reviews. Anna Winter of ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' wrote "Ben Brooks's
coming-of-age novel
In literary criticism, a ''Bildungsroman'' (, plural ''Bildungsromane'', ) is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood ( coming of age), in which character change is imp ...
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 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''.
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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