Going Bovine (Readers' Advisory)

GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray

It is not rare for a Young Adult novel to feature a protagonist dying of a terminal illness. There are many titles out there that explore this topic, but Going Bovine by Libba Bray is the trippiest, zaniest, most hilarious example of this subgenre I have ever read. Because Cameron is dying of Mad Cow disease, his perception of reality becomes increasingly surreal as his brain deteriorates. At the beginning of the novel, he is apathetic about school, his job, and his family who seem disconnected and out of reach. But when he must accept the fact of his mortality at such a young age, it becomes fiercely urgent for him to make sense of his life, his identity, and the meaning of it all.

His absurdist imagination and sense of humor guide him through his quest to save the universe, but there is an earnest feeling under the chaos: the desperate desire to live, to connect, to find love and friendship, knowing that ultimately, not one of us can escape death. The narrative never becomes morose; rather, the story careens through adventure after bizarre adventure in scenes reminiscent of the “gonzo” journalism of Hunter S. Thompson. (It’s no mistake that Cameron’s friend, the dwarf, is named Gonzo.) This psychedelic foray into the unknown is laugh-out-loud funny, morphing into moments so poignant and touching, they left this reader in tears.

One of the great things about Young Adult literature is that it is not afraid to boldly ask the deep questions about life. As Nicola Yoon writes (Brock 2019, pp. 80), “Teenagers are naturally philosophical people. Because they’re on the cusp of adulthood, they’re still trying to figure out the world and their place in it. They’re asking themselves the big, important questions: What is the meaning of life? Who am I? Who do I want to be?” Libba Bray’s unique approach to these questions demonstrates one of the essential hallmarks of YA Contemporary Realistic Fiction outlined by Brock (2019, pp. 80, 84): “The story asks young people to consider their own values and beliefs without talking down to them or being preachy… readers of contemporary YA should be given the space to examine their own beliefs while using the story’s messages to grow in personal ways.” Bray doesn’t propose to offer answers; readers can take a walk through her hall of mirrors and decide for themselves what rings true.

In the case of Going Bovine, many of the traditional topics of contemporary realistic YA literature are present: popularity, superficiality, selfishness, changing family dynamics, bullies, passionate interest in music and hobbies, teachers who don’t understand, loss of virginity, drugs and alcohol... cosmic portals, fire monsters, time-traveling scientists, vigilante secret agents from the United Snow Globe Wholesalers… you know, normal teenage stuff.

So what makes this story of teen death so funny? As Jeff Zentner says (Brock 2019, pp. 99), it all comes down to voice: “Voice expresses a viewpoint. It’s an attitude. It’s a singular way of looking at the world… In a real sense, a book’s voice is its soul.” Libba Bray’s way of looking at the world, her voice, manages to be authentic and weird, delighting in the absurd, embracing the sincere, and ultimately, celebrating this funny, sad, beautifully strange trip called life.

Blurb:

There are so many quirky elements to this story that I wanted to just list them all: “Disney animatronics. The exploding multiverse. Happiness cults. Cosmic musical portals...” I wanted to give the reader a sense of how weird the novel gets. As I read, I switched back and forth between the paperback and the audiobook. While I listened, I started doodling and began collecting icons and images from the story. Readers who are familiar with the novel will recognize some of the images. I wanted to convey Cameron’s unraveling sanity, a collage of memories and touchstones from his life.

Excerpt: 

I loved this quote from Dulcie, the punk-rock angel who guides Cameron on his quest. I feel like she expresses a truth that many teenagers can grasp but that adults quickly forget: “Here. Now. This… This is it, cowboy. The whole ride. Pay attention.” This is one of many profound philosophical moments that reveal Bray’s earnest desire to grasp the truth and vibrancy of life, this fleeting, priceless moment.

Book Reviews:

“Talking yard gnomes, quantum physics, cults of happiness, mythology, religion, time travel, the blues, Disney World, the vacuous machine behind reality TV shows, and spring break’s beer-and-bikini culture all figure prominently in the plot, and readers may not feel equally engaged in each of the novel’s lengthy episodes. But Bray’s wildly imagined novel, narrated in Cameron’s sardonic, believable voice, is wholly unique, ambitious, tender, thought-provoking, and often fall-off-the-chair funny, even as she writes with powerful lyricism about the nature of existence, love, and death. Familiarity with Don Quixote certainly isn’t necessary, but those who know the basic plot will want to start over from the beginning and pick up on each sly allusion to the classic story.” Gillian Engberg for Booklist

“It’s a trip worth taking.” School Library Journal

If you liked Going Bovine, check out these titles:

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera 
The premise of this novel is a world where folks get a 24-hour heads-up that they are going to die. Mateo and Rufus, complete strangers, have one day left to live. The intensity of living life to the fullest, with only a short time left, made me think that this would be a great pairing with Going Bovine.

There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake
This reality-warping mystery novel is a psychologically complex ride through mystical alternate dimensions and into the heart of trauma. Shelby is led by the trickster Coyote, an indigenous spirit with sly cosmic wisdom, in the search for the truth about her family and her past. And the title is correct; there are many lies, illusions, plot twists, and jaw-dropping revelations. Fantastic book.

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
This book about twin artists, Noah and Jude, bursts with surreal, synesthetic perceptions that are so wild and hallucinatory that they remind me of Going Bovine. A story of love, grief, estrangement, forgiveness, sibling rivalry, secrets, mistakes, and trust, Jandy Nelson has created something luminous and special.

101 Artists to Listen to Before You Die by Ricardo Cavolo
This unique nonfiction title is like an illustrated musical diary. Cavolo shares his enthusiasm for a range of artists such as Bach, Radiohead, Public Enemy, Woody Guthrie, Daft Punk, and Dolly Parton, to name a few. Instead of an objective biography, this book shares Cavolo’s personal connection with each artist, celebrated in colorful illustrations that remind me of religious icons and folk art. It seemed to me that Cameron from Going Bovine would be into this book, being the avid audiophile that he is.

References:

Bray, L. (2009). Going bovine. Ember.

Brock, R. (2019). Young adult literature in action. Libraries Unlimited.

Cavolo, R. (2015). 101 artists to listen to before you die. Nobrow.

[Cosmic illustration] [Digital art]. Pxhere. https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1107088

Lake, N. (2016). There will be lies. Bloomsbury USA Childrens.

Nelson, J. (2015). I’ll give you the sun. Speak.

Pruessner, G. (2020). Going bovine fan art. [Drawing].

Silvera, A. (2017). They both die at the end. Quill Tree Books.