As you'd imagine from the synopsis, this is more like a series of vignettes than a novel. It's an interesting approach, and it works as well here as it did in Boyhood. (I loved that movie; if you found it boring, maybe avoid this.)

This is an incredibly clever book and I hope you put it on your radar. (NOTE: just because Martin goes from 11 to 17 doesn't make this YA. So if you're not a fan of that, consider this anyway. It's a lot of fun.)

Recommended.

I received an advance ebook in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the publisher!
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The Martin Chronicles is told in a series of chapters that are sequential, each one skipping ahead a bit. They tell the story of a boy coming of age in 1980s New York City, struggling with the things you would expect for a high school boy- changing friendships, a budding crush, putting together college applications, and the struggle to decide “what you’re going to be when you grow up” that adults try to push you to determine so early on in your life.
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Once I realized that the intended format of the book was not your typical lead-up-to-one-main-event novel, I really enjoyed it. Be prepared for the writing style to be a little different- no more emphasis is placed on any one event above others, so certain things that seem more significant are treated the same as minor day to day occurrences. The tone is one of backward-looking nonchalance.
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That said, I liked the pace of the unfolding chapters, each one giving us more insight into Martin’s comings and goings. They were relatable with equal parts deep emotions and comic relief, and I identified with the struggles Martin faced, even being of the opposite gender. I loved that the book was written from his perspective, looking back from a short period of time in the future, but not so far into the future that he had a lifetime of experience to compare his high school years to. It felt like he was still figuring things out as he told the story. I found it interesting to get the male perspective on the day to day challenges of high school, from someone who was “middle of the pack”- not the most popular kid but not a nerd, not a brainiac but not a troublemaker, not from the most strict family but also not allowed to do whatever he liked. I liked the pace of the unfolding chapters that gave us more insight
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Overall, while nothing majorly significant happened to set the book apart or blow me away, I enjoyed this relatable coming of age story and I give it 3.75⭐️.