Here's the premise: Cliff Hubbard is a bit of a social retard. (Okay, that's probably not PC, but it's what kids would say). He's over six foot and, at 250 pounds is, hugely obese. His brother, also his best friend, has recently committed suicide; he lives in a trailer park; his father is an alcoholic; and he is teased constantly.

Basically, life's not very good.

Then, something strange happens. Aaron Zimmerman, massively cool jock who is one of Cliff's key tormentors - perhaps even the originator of his nickname 'Neanderthal' - has a boating accident. Everyone assumes he's going to die. Cliff has sort of mixed feelings about this: it's great he's no longer around, but he had been really determined to kick his butt, and if Aaron dies this sort of mucks up that plan.

But Aaron mucks up Cliff's plan further: he comes out of his coma, and talks to Cliff. An actual conversation, using his name, and being polite and everything. What is going on with the universe? Aaron claims he saw God and God gave him a list of things to do make Happy Valley High School suck less. Where does Cliff come in? God said that Aaron had to have Cliff as his side-kick. Cliff does get on board, suspiciously, but it seems like this magic list is doing more damage than good. Is Aaron just suffering from concussion? A logical conclusion, but, as the pair spend more time together, it's not something Cliff wants to believe. Surely, one person, just one, could like him for who he is without having sustained a massive brain injury.

Things sure get complicated...

I wanted to like this book; I really did. It sounded like fun - a quick read, a quick laugh, with the obligatory message that all YA books have these days. But... I just... didn't.

It's sort of hard to pinpoint why. One problem is it has a very slow start and I was getting pretty bored. But that wasn't all of it, obviously. The plot just didn't work. And I think the main problem was the characterisation, specifically, of Cliff. He's six foot and weighs 250 pounds. That's kind of the limit to his character. Okay, so there was a bit more character development than that, but really - for being such a ginormous size - he was a pretty flat character. And there's a relationship with a girl that really really doesn't work. It's unbelievable, out of character, unlikely, cringeworthy... just wrong.

I liked the references to '2001: A Space Odyssey.' That gets some points from me. But when the book tries to be all philosophical, I just got that squirmy feeling when someone's misjudged a situation and everyone feels all awkward. For example, Cliff's older brother said: "Life isn't just existing... It's a door. Don't you want to know what's on the other side? It just... well, it doesn't work. Not in this book.

I suppose I should give Norton some credit for the 'nod' to the LGBTQ community, but that's all it was: a nod. It didn't feel real. It felt like it was inserted into the book because that's what's 'in' in modern YA fiction at the moment, not because it meant anything to the author.

Like I said, I wanted to like it, and I persevered, but it was really disatisfying. By all means, go ahead and read it - I'd love to hear some positive reviews and maybe find out what I've missed, but - for me - this is a no.

Sorry Norton. Maybe I'll like your next book?

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney/Hyperion for the ARC copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are mine. This book will be released on May 22nd 2018.

I really wanted to like this book. I am a fan of contemporary novels and I always enjoy reading books with male narrators. It's usually a refreshing change from female teen narrators. That being said, I found this story mostly unrealistic in its depiction of relationships, both romantic ones and friendships. I didn't believe the love relationship at all - I recognize teen boys don't always pick up on girls' attentions but this was...odd. Overall it felt like some interesting and intense themes were treated almost too lightheartedly. I don't post negative reviews online because I don't think it's necessary to criticize someone's work and their livelihood, so I will keep my opinions here only. I wish I could appreciate this one; perhaps another reader will like it more than I did.

Cliff (Neanderthal) is a BIG guy and often bullied to the point that he loses his temper and fights back. His biggest nemesis is Aaron, the good-looking quarterback. When Aaron has a life-threatening injury & says he saw God and now has a mission to change Happy Valley High School, he enlists Cliff to help.

This is a fun book with serious overtones. The humor, language, and events actually reflect high school quite accurately. Yes, the adults are pretty stereotypical, but this is a YA book so that's expected. There are some interesting twists and turns, but all in all fun, entertaining, and a pretty good message of tolerance and to pay attention to those around you. Recommended for high school readers because there's LOTS of profanity. Probably too much for younger teens.

I didn't have high hopes for this since the start was a bit slow for my taste, but I must say I ended up breathless after I finished this book. It was so... not ordinary, I would say.

The premise of this book seems a lit bit crazy and yeah, in some ways, it definitely is that way. Our MC Cliff is of considerable height and people call him Neandhertal at school . His older brother commited suicide and he tries to deal with that. And then there is The List. Cliff gets together with his most hated enemy, douche Aaron and helps him with what he claims to see when he was in coma. This definitely didn't make sense to me at first but in the end, I was really glad author picked something so crazy. So... if you think this book is only about this, you are mistaken. It's far more complex and deep than this.

I admire author for focusing on a lot of important topics which should be discussed more in media nowdays. We have bullying here, LGBT+, body image, family, slut shaming, suicide, dealing with loss of someone you love, religion... I could go on and on. Narrative is in first person but author also deals with minor characters, which I personally enjoyed.

Eventhough narrative is a little bit slow since beginning, I recommend not to give up. First, our main character is not just some dumb douche. No. Cliff is described very realistic and I personally loved that he was not a hero at all. He was very emotional and even his girl friends were more composed than him. Same goes for other minor characters. They were very diverse and many of them had their problems on their own. Not forget to mention that we do net get only high schoolers, but adults as well. Second, this book is hella funny. I laughed out very often, most of times because of Tegan.

To sum this up, I loved this book very much. It made me realize a lot of things I didn't think of before and feel things differently. This book should be considered as must-read for high schools, I believe because it portraits what high school is about. Plus, there are many beautiful thoughts which will make perfect quotes.

Characters you can visualize and cheer for! A little unrealistic at times, but a fun read for sure. Full review on Goodreads.

I love this book. It is sad and happy and profanity laced. It it quasi-religious. It is a heck of a ride.

The narrator and main character of the book, Cliff Hubbard, is known in his school as Neanderthal. This is because he is 6 foot six and over 250 pounds. He is a loner. Much more so since the death of his beloved brother and only friend a year earlier by suicide. He is socially awkward and covers up that awkwardness by affecting a misanthropic personality. His home life is no picnic. An unemployed, abusive, alcoholic father who he hates and a mother who he adores despite her never standing up either for him or his brother.

He has a violent encounter with Aaron Zimmerman, THE big man on campus--football star quarterback, movie star handsome, getter-of-girls, and (truth be told) quite an entitled, arrogant, big-headed ass. Coming back from a week's suspension due to the fight (and after the beating his father gave im for not getting in even one bruise on Aaron), Cliff returns to school with one goal in mind: beat the living daylights out of Aaron Zimmerman.

Then he hears that Aaron has been in a coma for a week due to a head injury sustaned in a boating accident. This causes no glee in Cliff, but does pretty much completely deflate his desire to pound Aaron into the ground.

Up to this point the book is fairly a straightforward account. Not too far from the lives way too many high schoolers live. But then it takes a turn that changes the way Cliff, Aaron, and most everyone else see the world.

Aaron comes back and seeks Cliff out. He actually calls him Cliff instead of Neanderthal. Cliuff is, naturally, very suspicious of this. And he is absolutely sure Aaron is playing a game of some kind on him when Aaron tells him about The List. Aaron tells Cliff that he saw God and that God gave him a list of things to do to make their school a better place. And God told him to get Cliff to help him out.

From here the book becomes magical for me. There are no instant revelations. The characters are still who they were. But things begin to change. At first, as in all good stories, the changes are not apparent. In fact, the boys seem to be setting the school in the opposite direction as everything they do seems to backfire. But then...

The characters in this book are not pleasant. They are flawed individuals who have complex inner lives that resist easy stereotyping. The language in the book is very rough, I would not suggest it to a seventh grader, but having once been a teenager, the language seems realistic in many cases. The story itself progresses and continues to show the readers new facets of the characters. There is growth. There is not a perfect happy ending, but an ending I found to be satisfying.

Bottom line--as I said at the beginning--I love this book.

I loved how this book tackled the LGBTQ issues and themes of grief and acceptance. Highly recommended!

A bit slow to start, but once it took off (basically after Aaron and Cliff became friends) it did so with a vengeance, and I couldn't put it down. I found it relatable, moving and very poignant. I loved the idea of a popular kid and an outcast getting together to work for the school to be a better place. I also liked the fact that they made mistakes. It didn't always work - sometimes they even made it worse - but even their efforts made a difference, and got other kids on board. It was very satisfying to see Cliff grow from being "Neanderthal" to being "Cliff".

One of the best YA books I've read this year. Great characters, beautiful and thoughtful characters . The author did a great job with honest dialogue and difficult topics, suicide, drugs, lgbt youth, bullying and abuse.The author gave them proper weight without feeling preachy or forced. In difficult times like we currently are facing, it is a powerful message of how each person can impact their immediate surroundings.

Firstly, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the Kindle copy of Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton. This book will be released on May 22nd, 2018. I'm so excited for this because I really enjoyed reading it. If you'd like a quick read, something funny but still filled with gems of life lessons, you should consider this one.

I have to admit, at the first few chapters I felt like I wasn't going to like this book. Something about the way Cliff narrates things really put me off. However, as his friendship with Aaron commences, so did my love for these two characters and the book.

Readers are introduced to Cliff (nicknamed Neanderthal for his largeness) who had lost his brother, Shane to suicide and is coping badly. He struggled, lacking purpose in life. Cliff is quick with his words and is almost always sarcastic. Because of his unusual size, people tend to think he's stupid, but he's not. In fact, he's very articulate. Still, he gets bullied, the kids in school makes fun of him.

Neanderthal is incredibly heartwarming and hilarious. It is a tale of overcoming grief, finding hope, friendship, a closure, fighting for what you believe in, and finding your place in this world in spite of its shittiness-- regardless of whether God exists or not. It has been a while since a book made me simultaneously happy and emotional. One moment I'm having a hard time containing my laughter, the next I'll be holding back tears.

Like Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places, Neanderthal follows the story of a suicide survivor. I find this to be of importance as many suicide survivors often blame themselves for what happened to their loved ones, often living in guilt, thinking maybe they've contributed to the course of self destruction of their loved ones.

Readers, I am now leaving you with one of my favourite passages from the book-- thank you for spending your time here.

"We are all in an ocean," he said. "Every one of us. Some of us are barely swimming, some of us are drowning, and there are some of us still who are being tossed in waves dashed upon the rocks. And often we feel that we won't survive. Maybe that ocean is school and we're struggling to get decent grades, or to fit in, or maybe we're just trying to survive the hurtful words and actions of people who don't understand their own cruelty. But one thing is certain-- something that Hemingway is trying to teach us through Santiago-- we, as human beings, are made to transcend. I believe that there is something deep down inside us that resonates with the universe. A purpose. And once we learn what that purpose is..." Spinnelli looked directly at me.

​"... even the whole ocean cannot stop us."

I really wanted to like this, I wanted to like it so much that I forced myself to finish this even though by page 60 I was beyond ready to call it quits BUT I kept thinking that Norton would surprise me at some point making my determination worth it. I was wrong.

What is there to say? Aside from Cliff's size, he had no interesting qualities which is disappointing considering he is the main character. His relationship with Aaron was completely absurd, even if you attempted to suspend all rationale it still didn't feel genuine much like his relationship with Tegan. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, there was a complete lack of imagery.

I did appreciate bringing up the issues of LGBTQI students in small towns but I felt like it was handled poorly. I don't think Norton did a good job changing the perception at all for any students so it felt kind of pointless to even bring up the subject in the first place.

I honestly do not know what I think about this book. I nearly abandoned it...several times. Basically I did not like any of the characters. They all seemed to be exaggerated, bigger than reality. The problems in the story line were also big and exaggerated. It just didn't resonate with me.

"You know what the most dystopian idea in the world is to me?" I asked. "The idea that our feelings don't matter. We might as well be robots."

Since his older brother died, Cliff Hubbard has been alone. He has no friends in high school, but he can't sneak through undetected, since he's 6'6" and weighs 250 pounds. He couldn't be any more noticeable; his classmates have bestowed upon him the nickname "Neanderthal." They ridicule him and mock his size, his appetite, his appearance, his loneliness.

But things are, perhaps, worse in his trailer-park home. His unemployed father, usually drunk, sits around and broods and takes out his frustration on Cliff, as he also used to do with Shane. Sometimes that frustration is expressed through verbal abuse, but more often than not it's manifested through physical violence. Cliff's mother, who works herself to the bone so they don't get evicted, sees what her husband has done to her sons, but she mostly keeps quiet, which angered both Shane and Cliff.

While there are a lot of people in school Cliff doesn't like, it's golden-boy quarterback Aaron Zimmerman he hates the most. Aaron coasts through life, driving his classic sports car, having every girl in school throw themselves at him, while he and his friends ridicule those they feel are beneath them. Even the teachers give Aaron a pass.

And then one day Aaron returns to school after being in a coma following an accident. He says he had a near-death experience, during which he spoke to God, who gave him a mission: make Happy Valley High School suck less. This mission has five components that will ensure success and God tells Aaron the one person that can help him is Neanderthal. As crazy as the whole thing sounds, Cliff eventually agrees to help Aaron, both because he wants to make school suck less perhaps more than anyone (except God), and for the first time, he has a friend, a purpose.

The mission isn't an easy one: they need to set the school's meanest bully on a different path, help a gang of drug dealers realize the error of their ways, help an angry English teacher recapture his passion for teaching, deal with the school's most vindictive club, the Jesus Teens, and stop a hacker who seems to know everything that is going on. Nearly everyone thinks they're crazy, but they're more than happy to sit back and watch them fail, because it's not easy to fix a school that's so badly broken.

The deeper Cliff wades into Aaron's mission (or is it God's?), the more he starts to come into himself, and the more he realizes how little he actually knew about his brother. And while fixing what is broken in school, as in the rest of his life, isn't easy, for the first time he realizes he is more than what people say about him.

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe is a mash-up of a lot of elements prevalent in YA fiction these days, but Preston Norton puts his own twist on things. Cliff is such a memorable character—my heart just hurt for him at times, and I just wanted him to open up to people, because here's this smart, sensitive kid that everyone ridicules because of how he looks. There are a lot of supporting characters, some of whom are really fascinating, and some which don't rise above typical teen clichés.

There's a lot going on in this book, and at times I wish that Norton had concentrated the plot on one or two threads rather than multiple ones. I loved the way he pulled everything together, however, and I'll admit I was even surprised at one point with a twist he threw in. Some of the dialogue definitely rivals John Green's, but I think there's a lot more subtle (and not-so-subtle) sensitivity at play here, too. And, yeah, it choked me up, too. Damned book.

I've been reading a good amount of YA in recent years and I'm always blown away by the talent and the quality of writing that is out there. I wish not every book set in high school dealt with bullying (which seems to get crueler and crueler with every book) and teachers and administrators who let it go on unabated, if not encourage it. Believe me, I know bullying exists and the reality is, it is getting crueler, especially with the anonymity of the internet, but sometimes these books hit a little too close to home for me, even years and years after high school.

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe really has a lot of charm and a lot of heart. Cliff is a special character I won't stop thinking about for a while, and I look forward to seeing what's next from Preston Norton.

NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

This book was awesome. I have never read anything by this author, but now I want to read more!

Cliff is a great character. I think he has all of the awkward and best parts of everyone's adolescence and it makes him unbelievably relateable. He's hysterical and very raw and real. I like that he threw himself into this list from God and never looked back, even when it seemed hopeless. I loved his friendship with Aaron, too. The interactions between the two of them were absolutely hysterical.

Cliff: "Um, can we call it something other than a slumber party?"
Aaron: "How about Testosterone-Filled Man Party of Supreme Mantaculerness?"

There were plenty of actual laugh out loud moments and I loved it. It broke up some of the more serious subjects, but it also did not take away from those subjects. It was the perfect combination of funny and serious. I thought the subject of suicide was handle really well. I liked that it was told from the perspective of the person left behind and how he felt like he lost his purpose in life. I liked watching Cliff and Aaron's development. Cliff going from being a depressed anti-social person to someone whose life had meaning and friends and Aaron going from a jackass jock to a good person who cared about people.

The secondary characters all brought something to this book. While I didn't entirely buy Tegan and Cliff's relationship, I thought she was great for him and had a very big hand in helping Cliff overcome his depressive state. Even the geek squad, Noah, Lacey, and I begrudgingly admit Esther brought a lot to the development of this book. Everyone had their own backstory of despair and it flowed well with the theme of this book.

I absolutely, 100% recommend this book. It was thought provoking, engaging, and VERY well written. Don't shy away from it if you're not a religious because it does not preach at all and don't shy away from it if you are because it also doesn't bash religion. It's just an overall great book and you should definitely read it, especially if you're a teenager.

I read about a hundred pages before I put the book down and moved on to something else. The casual sexism was a bit much.