Fly on the Wall

Publishers Weekly

Narrator Gretchen Yee will grab readers from the first page with her snappy commentary. Even at her Manhattan arts high school, she's a misfit. But the comic-book obsessed artist gets an unexpected chance to live as an alter ego when, for a week, she turns into a literal fly on the wall, trapped inside the boys' locker room. Lockhart (The Boyfriend List) sets up a clever parallel by making Gretchen's class read The Metamorphosis, and-like Kafka's protagonist-it is unclear what caused Gretchen's change (she suspects a philosophical old man she met on the subway, or a strange soda she drank on the way to school, among other things). Her sense of humor offsets her generally negative outlook, and the pace picks up during her time as a fly. As Gretchen buzzes around hundreds of naked bodies, she witnesses a lot of locker room drama, and worries about the morality of spying even as she categorizes their bums or describes an uncircumcised penis. She also realizes how insecure boys can be (she even learns that confidence is not always what makes someone sexy-sometimes, as in the case of her crush-its just the opposite). The conclusion wraps a bit neatly (and without much introspection), but readers will find enough thoughtful material here to keep buzzing through the pages. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

At Manhattan High School for the Arts, where everyone prides themself on being different, Gretchen feels ordinary. The most radical thing she has ever done was dye her hair red. Then she wishes she could be a fly on the wall of the boy's locker room. The next morning, she wakes up with her wish granted. For one week, Gretchen is privy to all that goes on in the boy's locker room. At first she sees this as the opportunity of a lifetime: to check out all the boys naked. Nevertheless, as this becomes old she begins to observe the social politics of boys when there are no girls or teachers around. She learns an immense amount about the various boys she knows, boys in general, and about herself. While Lockhart has an interesting plot premise, great style, and a very engaging narrator, her basic story execution is sloppy. Gretchen is a very interesting character, but two-thirds of the book is her observing, not doing. Lockhart also ignores a fundamental rule of fantasy: it must make sense. When Gretchen turns into a fly for a week, neither her parents or the school (a small one, at that) seem particularly concerned. Gretchen is never concerned about turning back into a girl and does not even mention what she eats as a fly. The story is interesting, nevertheless, especially for girls who always wonder what boys DO, do in the locker room. 2006, Delacorte Press/Random House, Ages 12 up.
—Amie Rose Rotruck

VOYA

Kafka serves as muse in Lockhart's newest effort that shares only some of the themes in common with Metamorphosis. Instead Lockhart takes a swat at comedy when student artist Gretchen Yee magically transforms into a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room in the private Manhattan school for the arts which she attends. While morphed, Gretchen analyzes and compares the various gherkins present-and she certainly is not talking about pickles-for nearly a third of the book. Thankfully Gretchen experiences a metamorphosis of her own. Lockhart examines the theme of individuality through Gretchen's revelation that it is still possible to express herself within the comic style of drawing that she loves so much; of tolerance when Titus, Gretchen's love interest, announces that his dad is gay; of family duty when Gretchen gains the wisdom to accept her parents' divorce; and of courage when Gretchen finally asks Titus out on a date. Although entertaining at first, the humor wears thin after about ten pages. Frank dialogue and witty food metaphors in place of actual body-part names-biscuits for breasts for example-provide a chuckle here and there. The occasional use of profanity rings true coming from students in an urban high school. Lockhart obviously intends to target older high school teens, as evidenced by her allusion to Kafka, and while certainly an interesting tribute to him, this work of chick lit may create slightly less of a buzz. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P J S (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2006, Delacorte, 182p., and PLB Ages 12 to 18.
—Erin K. Kilby

KLIATT - KLIATT Review

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, March 2006: Paying homage to both Kafka and Spider-Man, Lockhart's latest answers the question that most teenage girls ask: What do guys really do in the locker room? Gretchen Yee is an ordinary girl in a school for extraordinary students, the Manhattan School for Art and Music. She's mostly a loner whose love for comics is evident in her artwork, much to the dismay of her art teacher. Gretchen tries to stretch her wings, but she's tied down by everything else going on in her life--her crush on the boy who doesn't notice her, her best friend's constant busyness, and most of all, the separation of her parents. Part One: Life as an Artificial Redhead is the story of Gretchen the outsider whose father has moved out and whose mother takes off for a trip. Part Two: Life as a Vermin is the story of Gretchen, the fly who is trapped in the boys' locker room where she sees everything (yes, everything), and finally starts to understand the social hierarchy of the male species. In Part Three: Life as a Super Hero, Gretchen wakes up as herself, but better, and suddenly life looks a lot different. A fun and fast read, Fly on the Wall gives readers a peek behind the closed doors of male adolescence. Age Range: Ages 12 to 18. REVIEWER: Michele Winship (Vol. 42, No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Gretchen Yee, 16, feels painfully ordinary in a school where everyone is an overachiever. Teachers at The Manhattan School for Art and Music don't appreciate her artistic skill, and she feels like she doesn't fit in with the students. She longs to understand what others think of her, and her wish to be a fly on the wall of the boys' locker room comes true. She spends a week there observing her classmates, learning and seeing more than she ever expected. In addition to humorously discovering the mysteries of male anatomy, the teen sees the casual cruelty of her ex-boyfriend, and that her best friend sacrifices her own happiness to keep from upsetting her. She also discovers that there are boys who like her and some who are hiding painful secrets. With this knowledge, Gretchen gains confidence, which ultimately allows her to be a better person. When the insect character emerges, Lockhart's writing style moves from prose to near poetry as she weaves in and out of Gretchen's mind. This technique allows readers to know what the protagonist is thinking, keeps the pace of the quickly moving story, and suspends disbelief with the very absurd concept. Although containing some strong language and mature situations, this novel is a good choice for teens who are unsure of their place in the world, including reluctant readers.-Stephanie L. Petruso, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Odenton, MD Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

While many kids may feel ignored and invisible, Gretchen actually becomes a fly and spends her insect life in the locker room of the boys' gym. Fortunately for readers, the first section of the story introduces her so-called normal life as an art student at Manhattan High School for the Arts. Coming from a blended family that is rapidly disintegrating into separate quarters for each parent, Gretchen finds comfort in her drawings of comics, especially Spidey. She suffers from a crush on Titus, another Art Rat, and her homework assignment of Kafka's "Metamorphosis." Time spent as a fly watching boys change into and out of gym clothes gives Gretchen a perspective that no other girl has on the boys' real characters, their hairy behinds and the nitty-gritty of certain puzzles, such as Titus's self-consciousness about his gay parents. Rather than focusing on the hocus-pocus of being an insect, it's all about the new point of view. Unresolved are the issues from when two boys get beat up by a bully, but Gretchen emerges to make some changes in herself and her world as a result of her new perspective. Fine fun for fans of both Kafka and Spiderman. (Fiction. YA)