"A Catcher in the Rye for the ADHD Generation"—raw, humorous, and achingly real.
Meet Oscar: the witty, defiant anti-hero you can't stop rooting for. He's eighteen, brilliantly ADHD, and about to ruin his life—again.
Meet Grammy: his wingman. She's late-70s, unapologetic, and done with everyone’s B.S.
Oscar Danielsson would rather hide in his room than face high school graduation. Between his spectacular mistakes, self-medicating for his ADHD, and an overwhelming case of existential dread, getting out of bed feels as hard as getting into Northwestern. His only real friend? His aging spaniel, Enzo. His biggest fear? Everyone finding out he's not nearly as promising as they expect. And then, after one mistake too many, everything goes sideways.
A scrape with the law he can barely remember mysteriously launches Oscar on a bumpy cross-country road trip with an unlikely chaperone: his late-70s, free-wheeling Grammy who's secretly tired of playing by the rules. Leaving behind the girl he's falling for (“adorkable” Bette), his beloved dog, and all his comforting vices, Oscar discovers that even a journey based on a lie can lead to the most honest destination.
Promising Young Man is a poignant, darkly witty work of contemporary Midwestern-American fiction about a disaffected teenager’s extraordinary mind and his struggle to find his place in our confusing world.
Perfect for readers who loved:
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- The Virgin Suicides
- On the Road
And anyone—in high school, college, or deep in their career—who's ever felt like a square peg in a round world.
Tropes:
- Dark humor
- Road trip adventure
- Intergenerational friendship
- ADHD representation done right
Oscar will melt, break, and then repair your heart.
"Axel's writing crackles with energy and hard-won insight, capturing Oscar's inner monologue in a way that feels both authentic and deeply relatable."
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