Swim the Fly is a lot of fun and a refreshing change of pace in the YA market. While this is most definitely a ‘boy’s book’, its one that girls and adults can also appreciate and enjoy. Matt, Coop and Sean’s summer goal is to finally see a girl naked, but Matt is also determined to impress a girl called Kelly. Naturally, the only way to do this is by volunteering to swim the 100-yard butterfly. Needless to say, nothing goes according to plan and ridiculous hilarity ensues.
If you’re not a fan of toilet humor, this probably isn’t the book for you. For the most part, I was torn between horror and hysterics. By all accounts, Calame appears to have pretty much nailed the inner workings of the adolescent boy — perhaps a little too well (there’s only so much time in a teenage boy’s head I can take). Yes, some parts were a little over the top, but Swim the Fly, while as gross and cringe-worthy at times as you might imagine, has some surprisingly heart-warming moments as well.
*Many thanks to Templar for providing a copy for review *
