Starter for Ten by David Nicholls

Pages: 469Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
Released: 2003

Plot: Brian Jackson is on his way to University. He's leaving behind his best friends Spencer and Tone and his mum and sets out into 80's college life alone. On arrival he meets the beautiful Alice who Brian falls madly in love with and the head strong Marxist Jew Rebecca. Finding a place on University Challenge, a long time secret ambition of Brian's alongside Alice he soon discovers that a life at University is more complicated that he thought.

Good Points: Well I loved this book! Brian is one of the most awkward lovable characters I have read in a long time. He always seems to find himself in those cringe-worthy moments and the story of his development into university life is great.
This being the first David Nichols book that I have read I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of detail he goes into and the world he manages to create. With characters such as his best friends Spencer and Tone who is described as a Viking, the book is soon brought to life with its humorous anecdotes and Brian's interactions with the foul mouthed Rebecca and Alice's very naked mother.
Also another thing I really liked about the book was the quick questions that reflect each chapters content and helped add a stronger input of the theme of the University Challenge when we were lost in the life of Brian.
I loved how Brian was one of those characters that you can actually imagine and compare even though the book is set during the 80's. Brian's wishful thinking and soppy behaviour just adds to his character and his geeky way.


Bad Points: By no means can this really be considered a bad point really but its as close as it can get, I did think that the University challenge bit only really happened at the end and it was way too quick. The book is basically just about the start of Brian's life at University and his long quest to 'find himself'.

To Sum Up... Although the overall relationship ending is quite predictable the overall ending isn't. Starter for Ten is a wonderful book that is both charming and HILARIOUS! Everyone I think can take something from this book and find a little Brian in themselves.
Basically READ this book. I'm definitely going to read other books by this author and you should also check out the film adaption of Starter for Ten mainly because it has both Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy which isn't as good as the book but still awesome.