Fly on the Wall

By: E. Lockhart

Narrated by: Caitlin Greer

At the Manhattan High School for the Arts, where everyone is “different” and everyone is “special,” Gretchen Yee feels ordinary. She’s the kind of girl who sits alone at lunch, drawing pictures of Spider-Man, so that she won’t have to talk to anyone; who has a crush on Titus but won’t do anything about it; who has no one to hang out with when her best (and only real) friend, Katya, is busy.
One day, Gretchen wishes that she could be a fly on the wall in the boys’ locker room–just to learn more about guys. What are they really like? What do they really talk about? Are they really cretins most of the time?
Fly on the Wall is the story of how that wish comes true.©2006 E. Lockhart; (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

Praise for fly on the wall:

“I think this might be the best YA novel…I’ve ever read. It’s hilarious, and it’s so very smart. I mean, I’m serious…It’s really amazing.”—John Green, author of the New York Times bestseller The Fault in Our Stars

“A super-smart, super-sweet, and super-fantastic read.”—Sarah Mlynowski, author of Don’t Even Think About It

“With an appropriate nod and wink to Kafka, this unexpectedly sharp comedy charts its own metamorphosis.”—The Horn Book Magazine

“Fast-paced, hysterically funny, and a pleasure to read.”—Teenreads.com

“Fine fun for fans of both Kafka and Spider-Man.”—Kirkus Reviews

IRA Young Adult Book Choice

I probably should have read reviews.

I went on YouTube for book recommendations and there was this guy that just lit up when talking about this book. He was so happy and saying must read but said not to much else about it. I blindly read the description, got the book, and was super thankful it wasn’t that long. I started so I finished. I picked it so I’m not going to ask for a refund. If I was asked to recommend, I wouldn’t even recommend this to my 11 or 12 old self that loved to read as a kid. I was so glad it was done I didn’t even think to rate it, just seeing the title annoys me from how my time felt utterly wasted, so I’m having it taken off my library. To each his own, I see some people like it.

Ok

I thought the narrator did a really good job. The story was ok but too predictable.

A WHOLE lot of fun!

This story was great fun. It started of a bit on the slow side but it sucks you in when you are not looking! It is a lot of fun to be in the character of Gretchen and a little frustrating when she cannot "fix" some bully problems (just like real life!!) but can only work on and change the things about herself.

Great Listen

My only real complaint was the euphemisms that the author used for various parts of anatomy -- gherkin was very overused! The story and the narration were excellent. I've often wondered what would happen if girls really understood boys and vice versa, too bad it can't really happen!