Dodgeball High

Messed Up - Funny Though

Review by: The Audiobook ReviewDodgeball High by Bradley Sands is like Dodgeball (the movie) and the Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) song had a messed up love child raised on gore movies. Everything is about Justin and his new life is all dodgeball.

Imagine someone who loved the moving Dodgeball, and wanted a world centred around the game even more. Not just a sport, but a way of life and a means to an end. Everyone and everything in life are about the game. That's what I think Sands must have been channelling when writing this story. There are even quotes and not-so-subtle nods to the movie.

Justin, a thoroughly unlikeable narcissistic douchebag starts at a new school, where unbeknownst to him the whole population of the school is made up of children of serial killers, psychopaths, despots and dictators... and everything they need to know about how to succeed in life comes through learning about and playing dodgeball.

We experience the world as narrated by Justin who has absolutely got himself convinced he is the coolest dude in the world and the greatest at everything. He's the sort of main character you both root for and want to punch in the face at the same time.

There's a lot of gore and violence, and the typical problematic phrases one associates with "bro culture" and the like. I think the narrator probably saves this. I honestly don't know if I read this in the traditional sense that I'd have got through it... but the narrator does a good job of making you sympathise (a little) with Justin. He's deluded to the point of grandeur... but a little family history and you'll understand why.

Ultimately, it was a fun but weird listen. I'm not sure if I'll seek out more of Sands' work yet or not.

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I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. I have not let this gift affect nor influence my opinions of this audiobook and have left an honest review.