How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend
by Gary Ghislain
Chronicle
June 2011
With a decidedly European sensibility, this French import takes readers on a madcap, quirky adventure with nerdy 14 year-old David Gershwin, who quickly falls for Zelda, a hard-case patient in his father's therapy practice. Zelda appears to be suffering from the delusion that she is a warrior from the alien planet Vahalal, and must meet with her "chosen one" Johnny Depp in order to save her Amazonian race from extinction. Beautiful and feral, Zelda's emotionally stiff manner and brash, violent behavior, even her wardrobe of designer bathing suits, seems to come straight from 1930's sci-fi serials. David uses his life's savings to bribe his (sort of) step-sister, sophisticated urbanite Malou, into taking them on a boozy road trip to gatecrash a Parisian party where Depp is rumored to be going. What Zelda doesn't count on is developing feelings for David before she has a chance to meet up with her on-screen idol. The already strange novel takes a turn towards the surreal at the end. An interesting debut, shorter and more accessible than Libba Bray's Going Bovine, this should appeal to mature YA readers looking for short, humorous, action-packed science fiction.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This review originally appeared in School Library Journal.
Zelda actually wants to do more than meet Johnny; her Mission is to "bag him, tag him and zoom him back to her home planet" to perform stud services. For some reason Vahalalians prefer Earth guys for that function.
ReplyDeleteGhislain's yarn could've easily been sunk by such over-the-top elements, if he didn't have such a light and humorous style. As is, it's an enjoyable little diversion.
Well, yeah! This book was a bit like "Mars Needs Women" only in reverse.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that comparison too.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you must go off snatching guys, you could do worse that Depp.