I have a deep love for “weird girl” books, a niche genre that features messy female protagonists who explore topics like sex, rage and obsession. I tear through weird-girl staples such as Mona Awad’s “Bunny” and Jen Beagin’s “Big Swiss” like my life depends on it. On the prowl for my next read, I picked up Jennette McCurdy’s debut novel, “Half His Age.” Not only did I get my desired fix of weirdness, but I was also smacked in the face with poignant lines about the female experience and a nuanced portrayal of shifting power dynamics in relationships. 

Largely known for playing Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon TV series “iCarly,” McCurdy flipped the script and channeled her childhood frustrations and subsequent anxieties into her bestselling memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” in 2022. Since then, fans of McCurdy have waited to see if her new release will live up to its predecessor’s hype. Well, it does. In fact, she’s set the bar even higher.

The story follows Waldo, a 17-year-old high school student living in a trailer park with her single mother. On the first day of school, Waldo meets her new creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy, and quickly grows infatuated with him. With obsessive determination, she wins the 40-year-old’s attention, and the pair begin an affair. From its birth to the bitter end, their relationship sits uncomfortably on the page. Yet McCurdy embraces the discomfort to examine taboo aspects of love and sexuality that others turn away from.

From the first page, McCurdy asserts that she’s not afraid to write about vulgar subjects — readers know they’re in for a wild ride as Waldo narrates a passionless sexual encounter with a boy from high school. Once Waldo becomes transfixed on Mr. Korgy, her thoughts lean even further into what is traditionally considered grotesque. In one chapter, shortly after meeting Mr. Korgy, Waldo spells out all of her “perverted fantasies.” She narrates, “I fantasize that I lift his shirt and touch his paunch. Watch it jiggle. Study the curly hairs on his belly and lick them straight.” This line is certainly cringe-inducing — but it also resonates for readers who equate love with knowing someone’s grossest parts. 

Although showing Waldo’s unfiltered thoughts and behaviors may dissuade some readers, McCurdy opens a realistic window into a young woman’s mind for those willing to indulge in the weird. 

While the novel obviously functions as an investigation into abusive relationships between older male teachers and young women, it also offers a brilliant exploration of femininity. Waldo’s mother centers her self-worth on male validation and has taught Waldo to do the same. From a young age, she and her mother would get dolled up to keep Waldo’s father’s attention. Now, Waldo channels this energy into her everyday life, meticulously getting ready before seeing Mr. Korgy. Her entire worth hinges on how he thinks of her: “It doesn’t matter what I am to him, just that I’m something to him.” Her inner monologue is undoubtedly relatable — young women are often taught to make themselves smaller to appeal to men, and McCurdy captures the mental weight of this task beautifully.

McCurdy’s writing is sharpest when portraying the nuances of shifting power dynamics. Initially, Waldo takes on a fully submissive role, being significantly younger than Mr. Korgy and relying on him for both emotional validation and a good grade. Yet readers also get to see how she behaves in a position of power — when she begins dating a boy from her high school who likes her more than she likes him — and gain a realized perspective of who this young woman is.

“I thought it might be nice to be the more wanted one, but it’s uncomfortable,” McCurdy writes. “The unevenness reeks.”  

In under three hundred pages, McCurdy delivers an impactful piece that is shockingly relatable to a wider audience. Although the central relationship is singular, the dynamic leaves any reader with a lot to chew on. With short chapters, cutting observations and all-too-human characters, the book is easy to fly through. In this promising debut novel, McCurdy proves that whether she’s writing fiction or nonfiction, her literary voice is one of a kind.

Contact Skylar Boilard at [email protected].