Very well written and disturbing. You think the tension is going to be released and get so dark into touching the farcical, like a Hollywood movie. But what makes it so jarring is how realistic it ends up being. That adult worldview, while reading about well developed characters in their teen years, makes it very dismal and hard-headed, which punches harder than you espect. ( )

Let me introduce you to David Federman. But the next time you meet him, I'll have to introduce you again, because you will have completely forgotten him. Boring, bland, vanilla David Federman (from New Jersey, to add insult to injury) has never fit in. He's highly intelligent, but socially awkward. He starts his freshman year at Harvard with great hope that he will finally feel a sense of belonging -- that people will recognize his genius, and that he'll be among his intellectual peers.

His first day on campus, he sees a gorgeous freshman woman. He learns she's from the Upper East Side of NYC and she's everything he's not -- attractive, wealthy, and cosmopolitan. Thus begins his descent into obsession with her.

This book exceeded my expectations. I was completely drawn in by the unique story line and surprised by an end I didn't see coming. I loved Teddy Wayne's use of language and will definitely seek out his other works.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book. Although I had a galley I listened to the audio version, which was excellent. ( )

Ew, David. ( )

Loner is told through the narrater David Federman during his first semester at Harvard and his immediate infatuation with other freshman, Veronica and his stop at nothing attitude to be with her.

Teddy Wayne did a good job at making David more and more spine chilling as the story goes. At first you feel sorry for him and want him to succeed, but then you begin questioning his actions and reasoning. The way the author uses "YOU" in replacement to Veronica gives the reader the all more creeped out vibe.

I don't want to give out too much more because I feel like I will. The book was good, definitely not something I would read often since it did such a good job at making me so uncomfortable, but it is a subject manner I feel like isn't touched on often. Wayne's writing makes you question why you still feel sorry to a character who is doing things he absolutely shouldn't be doing. ( )

I rather enjoyed this one, at least up until the ending, which I found preposterous. Maybe its a story and character, to whom I felt a certain connection. A promising bright NY suburban kid, David Federman, with few high school friends, goes to Harvard College. He finds others like himself and becomes part of a group in some senses for the first time; however, he is bedazzled by a sophisticated NYC graduate of the Chapin School and essentially follows her around campus, trying to take the same classes. He even starts dating her roommate as an excuse to snoop in her room. He ingratiates himself, and thinks they are moving towards a friendship until he steals her final paper for a class on gender relations, learning the truth. As the great Stevie Nicks sang: "Shatter your illusions of love. Is it over now? Do you know how to pick up the pieces and go home?" ( )