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THE TERRORS of teenage life aren't lost on Joe Dunthorne, a writer with an amazing knack for crisp, clever prose. Dunthorne explores the volatile nature of youth in "Submarine," a dark-humored read about one boy's attempt to survive his family, relationships and his own autonomy.

The focus is on Oliver Tate, a 14-year-old dictionary addict obsessed with sex and his parent's fragile marriage. Tate is a peculiar lad--think Ferris Bueller meets Holden Caufield--who's trying to sidestep family feuds, high school and all things girls. When he's not writing in his journal about the absurdities of his community, he's exploring his relationship with Jordana, a buxom girl who fuels his cynicism. All the while, he's dealing with his adulterous mother, his clueless father and the sad reality that he may be as cold as the world he inhabits.

Filled with familiar insights into the teenage mind, this debut is as entertaining as it is sharp. Dunthorne is right to expound on Tate's awkwardness, an intriguing trait that permeates the plot. After all, it is Tate's precocious--and often crass--behavior that makes this story kick. The sheer fragility of Tate shows the reader what it's like to eke through life rather than succeed in it. Although it may not have the satirical sting of Salinger's classic, "Submarine" is one debut that shouldn't be ignored.

Nicholas Addison Thomas is a freelance writer living in Fredericksburg.