The Heartbreak Messenger
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- 10,99 €
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- 10,99 €
Publisher Description
Breaking up is hard to do—so why not pay someone to do it for you?
Twelve-year-old Quentin never asked to be the Heartbreak Messenger. It just kind of happened, and he can't let a golden opportunity pass him by. The valuable communication service he offers is simple: He delivers breakup messages. For a small fee, he will deliver that message to your soon-to-be ex. If you order the deluxe package, he'll even throw in some flowers and a box of chocolates. You know . . . to soften the blow.
At first, Quentin's entrepreneurial brainchild is surprisingly successful, which is great, because he suspects his mom, who works as a car mechanic, is worried about money. But as he interacts with clients, message recipients, and his best friend, Abigail, it doesn't take long for him to wonder if his own heart will remain intact. In The Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance, Quentin discovers that the game of love and the emotions that go with it are as complicated as they come—even for an almost-innocent bystander.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After seventh-grader Quentin accepts $20 to deliver a breakup message for a friend's older brother, a new business is born: he becomes the "Heartbreak Messenger," hired to perform breakups for the weak-willed. Quentin believes his single mother, an auto mechanic, is struggling to pay their bills, so there's an altruistic side to his entrepreneurship, but he also enjoys the power the job gives him. Problems arise, including bad reactions from the recipients of his services, as well as the friction created as Quentin lies to his close friend Abby about his secret profession. His complicated feelings for Abby don't help, especially after she starts dating another boy. The laughs are plentiful in Vance's debut, between Quentin's wry voice and the awkward situations the author creates (like when Quentin gets decked by a girl after delivering the bad news); Quentin's communicative, protective relationship with his mother is another high point. The lessons Quentin learns about love, compassion, and himself can be slightly heavy-handed, but overall it's an entertaining and funny read with a clever conceit. Ages 10 13.
