Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Pages: 312

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Real life / social issues

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and sexual references

The Back Cover

Marcelo Sandoval hears music that nobody else can hear—part of an autism-like condition that no doctor has been able to identify. But his father has never fully believed in the music or Marcelo’s unique perception of reality, and he challenges Marcelo to work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer…to join “the real world.” There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm. He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it’s a picture he finds in a file – a picture of a girl with half a face – that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover sums up the story well.

What’s good?

Marcelo is a beautiful and endearing character whose disconnect with the real world forces us to question what normalcy really is. This is a simple but emotional story with a strong plot, good supporting characters, and many poignant moments. Marcelo’s voice carries a subtle sadness as he navigates a world outside his comfort zone. It's almost painful to witness his vulnerability.

Best Part: Marcelo’s dog, Namu Amida Butsu.

What isn’t good?

Avoiding a concrete diagnosis of Marcelo’s condition was a cop out. The lack of commitment gave the author a licence to ignore the inconsistencies of Marcelo’s behavior (as compared to, say, a child with Asperger's Syndrome) which conveniently enables Marcelo to understand situations that the average autistic child would not. 

Worst part: The pace is a bit slow.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good story with a great protagonist, excellent language, and creative plotting. However, it was too simple for me. I couldn’t help but compare it to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, a novel that is much more complex and entertaining.

Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World. New York: Scholastic, 2009.