This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Grasshopper Jungle is an incredibly weird book. If not one of the weirdest. But that weirdness is part of its charm. 
 It's the story of Austin, an incredibly confused, hormones-charged teenager. He's in love with his girlfriend Shan and he's also in love with his best friend Robbie. This of course leads to some...complications. Trying to figure out how you feel is enough of a challenge but unfortunately for Austin that's only the beginning. After finding a collection of strange object's in his boss's office, Austin (and Robbie) accidentally unleash a plague onto their small Iowan city. This plague turns people into giant praying mantises (yes you read that right) who only want to do two things (yes you read that right too). Once the plague is unleashed the book goes from strange to stranger as Austin, Robbie and Shan discover an underground bunker in Shan's backyard, Austin struggles with his libido, and they try to save the town. 
 Bizarre plot aside I really liked the way Smith handled Austin's sexual ambiguity. Yes Austin is attracted to both a boy and a girl but I don't know if bisexual is really the right word for him, at least not at this point in his life. He's still figuring it all out and I'm happy Smith left it vague. Not everyone has that epiphany moment. Love is not logical, you can't plan it and you can't help who you love. 
 Another big theme of Grasshopper Jungle is history - how we remember it, how we talk about it, how it intersects. Austin is obsessed with history and making connections between seemingly unconnected things. Austin also looks to historical precedent when dealing with current events. I liked this idea of him constantly looking to history for the right answers, as one of the big reasons we study history is so we can learn from it and try not to repeat past mistakes. Austin is just doing that on an individual scale. At the same time, however, he recognizes history's (as we know it) limitations. I thought one of the most profound quotes of the book was 
 ""You could never get everything in a book. 
 Good books are always about everything." 
 I'm still thinking over the implication of those two little lines. 
 Though Grasshopper Jungle is a unique and clever read, it wasn't always for me. There is a limit to how many times I want to read about sperm in one book. But I do think it's important to read books that push you out of your comfort zone and to force yourself to see the world from a different perspective. So in that sense I really enjoyed the experience of this book. Though I think many people of all ages can appreciate this book, the group that is going to get the most out of it are teen boys with questions about sexuality. And perhaps the parents of those teens. Grasshopper Jungle is the kind of book that encourages conversation and tells teens that it's ok to still be figuring it all out. And there are definitely some people who need a book like that. 
 Crazy, surreal, bananas. These are all words that could be used to describe Grasshopper Jungle. But insightful, thoughtful and humorous all work as well. If you're looking for a truly unique read you need to look no further - Grasshopper Jungle is like nothing you've ever read before.