Very amusing story of how Rodney's life is turned upside down by the arrival of his cousin Blake into his life. Told from Rodney's point of view he is a Senior at a US high with a girl friend, a record as a grade A student and also he is the singer in a punk rock band called Fanged Grapefruit. He lives with his Mum in a small house and they aren't rich - in fact I think his Mum has two jobs just to make ends meet. Into their lives is thrown Blake, the spoilt rich cousin of Rod's aunt for three months while his parents go away on an cruise. Blake must share Rod's small bedroom and go to school with him and Rod from Day one resents having his cousin suddenly thrown into his life. Things start off badly when Blake has boxes of stuff delivered to Rod's house that take up all the garage space where Rod and his band practice. Then, at the airport, Blake has so many suitcases, Rod will will have to make two trips to fit them in his very small car but the icing on the cake is the fact that Blake doesn't seem to know how to close or open his own car door for himself (like he has been chauffeured his entire life) and Rod leaves him sitting in the driveway when they arrive at his house because he refuses to open the door for him.
The book then sees Rod descend into paranoia as he believes Blake is hell bent on ruining his life - stealing his girlfriend - breaking up his band, etc etc. A very funny book as Rod the narrator often breaks out of telling the story to address the reader directly which is quite quirky. I read this book almost in one sitting. It would be great for younger readers too despite the characters being 15 and 17 because there is no swearing or sex or drug use in the novel; its a very clean book for teenagers to read. Recommended. ( )

Strandis funny and as long as that's all you are looking for this is fills the bill.Rod has a good life until his cousin Blake moves in and becomes his "Eddie Haskell." Lots o' humor about class differences (Rod is working class, Blake is upper). The jokes get a bit old as the plot progresses and, of course, the book ends with grudging mutual admiration. Nonetheless in an era of sad/dramatic books Strand is a breath of fresh air about normal boys. ( )