Half His Age - Jennette McCurdy

Half His Age

By Jennette McCurdy

  • Release Date: 2026-01-20
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
Score: 4
4
From 140 Ratings

Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I’m Glad My Mom Died comes “a thorny examination of power, lust, shame and rage” (Los Angeles Times) from “a writer able to capture some of the darkest parts of human nature with unflinching honesty and devastating humor” (NPR)

“Unapologetic and undeniable . . . If there was ever any doubt whether the narrative command that Jennette McCurdy displayed in her bestselling memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died might translate to fiction, let it henceforth be put to rest.”—Elle

Waldo is ravenous. Horny. Blunt. Naive. Wise. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Forceful. Hurting. Perceptive. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all: Mr. Korgy, her creative writing teacher with the wife and the kid and the mortgage and the bills, with the dead dreams and the atrophied looks and the growing paunch. She doesn’t know why she wants him. Is it his passion? His life experience? The fact that he knows books and films and things that she doesn’t? Or is it purer than that, rooted in their unlikely connection, their kindred spirits, the similar filter with which they each take in the world around them? Or, perhaps, it’s just enough that he sees her when no one else does.

Startlingly perceptive, mordantly funny, and keenly poignant, Half His Age is a rich character study of a yearning seventeen-year-old who disregards all obstacles—or attempts to overcome them—in her effort to be seen, to be desired, to be loved.

Reviews

  • Could not put it down!

    5
    By Avenger1983
    Jennette’s writing style is so GOOD. Read the whole book in one sitting, loved it.
  • Wow

    5
    By Okashinami
    Finished this book in two days. I love her writing. I loved the ending, and I am looking forward to more books!
  • Quick read, easy to forget

    3
    By LastMinReview
    This was an easy, fast read and I finished it quickly, but it ultimately felt just okay. The writing kept me turning pages, yet I never really connected with the characters, and the ending didn’t land for me the way I hoped it would. Not a bad book by any means just one that didn’t leave much of an impression afterward. I think it could work for readers looking for something light and quick, but it wasn’t especially memorable for me.
  • She gets me

    5
    By laurenlivinglarge
    I love her writing. It’s so real and visceral. Can’t wait for more books.
  • Raw, Unfiltered, and Unforgettable

    5
    By MariahKeat40
    Half His Age is intense, unfiltered, and emotionally charged in a way that doesn’t apologize for itself. What I loved most is how the rage and truth are allowed to coexist, nothing is watered down, nothing is made comfortable just for the reader’s sake. The emotions feel raw and deliberate, like the story knows exactly when to press on wounds instead of smoothing them over. Everything comes together in a way that feels earned. The tension, the discomfort, the honesty, it all builds toward an ending that doesn’t try to force closure where it doesn’t belong. The open ending was especially powerful; it trusts the reader to sit with the feelings rather than handing them an easy resolution. That choice made the story feel more real and lasting. This book isn’t just meant to be read, it’s meant to be felt. It lingers, challenges, and stays with you well after you’re done.
  • What a spicy & fun book!

    5
    By happilyplanted9
    I loved this book! Sexy, spicy, weird, and well written.
  • NEED MORE ASAP!!!

    5
    By Niall horan ate this user name
    Omggg you’re my favorite author and I can’t wait so see what you write in the future. PLEASE make more of this character base, I’m connected!