How Not to Be a Rogue by Zack Brooks seems to be marketed as a fantasy novella. While having elements of the fantasy genre, such as being an example of historical fiction (or at least historically influenced) and containing moments of secrecy or mystery (Jasmine and her gang, what happened to Jimmy’s mother), it does not contain the fantasy elements (magic—although there is the mention of mages–magical creatures, diverse races) many may expect when seeing the categorization of fantasy; however, this in no way takes away from this work’s adventurous, humorous, and surprisingly moving core. I consider this a work of medieval satire, specifically focusing on the vulnerability of the lower class/poor to violence, harsh living conditions, and the overall vulnerability of their bodies. Brooks explores this in great detail, using his witty, chatty protagonist and narrator, Jimmy, to comment on both the difficulty of surving and the pleasures of living. Calling this novella fa feast for the senses might at first seem inapt, considering how unappetizing much of Jimmy’s and other characters’ life experiences may seem. No reader can ignore or deny Brooks’ attention to detail and desire for them to enter the world he has built for them. Like Jimmy and Grumps, it’s impossible for you to escape the odor and stench that seems to be an accepted and normal part of life within the bridge or slum district in which they live. You can’t help but empathize with their hunger, being told on multiple occasions how characters have been forced to go hungry or eat whatever was available to them only to assuage their need. In addition to hunger, we are made spectators to the pain these characters endure, whether it be from physical altercations and rough play or emotional occurances like falling in love and the loss of a best friend or brother. One aspect of this novella I found particularly compelling was Brooks’ construction and championing of what I would define as nonnormative family strucutres. In this novella, we’re not welcomed into the homes of nuclear families. Here, we have familial dynamics found in communities, such as street gangs, friendships, and surrogate families (like that of Ma, her family, and Jimmy).in a text filled with peppery language and profanity (a choice in diction in which I have no qualms), I would urge readers to not overlook Brooks’ commentary and construction of relationships and communities. As for imagery, I found the novella’s setting to be extremely fleshed out, depicting the different districts (art, slum, tin, etc.) and their socioeconomic and culturally influenced spaces beautifully albeit in what seems to be an ugly world.
Lastly, in regards to the sense of sound (obviously crucial when discussing an audiobook), I’ll comment on the text’s narrator. My first impression of the narrator’s voice—at least his voice for Jimmy—was that he sounded like a young Matthew Broderick. But Jimmy’s voice is not the sole voice or persona our narrator creates. He creates very distinct voices for this novella’s colorful and expressive cast. While there were times certain characters were bestowed with acents I found a bit confusing, overall I thought Sean Duregger did a wonderful job transforming this text from a reading to a performance.
Like I said earlier, I found this novella to be a feast for the senses that left me hungry for more, much like many of the novella’s characters. I was pleasantly surprised by its open-ended conclusion and hope there will soon be a sequel that will answer some of my pressing questions and inform me of Jimmy’s fate. Like Jimmy, Brooks is a fantastic storyteller, who I expect will have a much more attentive and enraptured audience than his protagonist.
