Suzy, Led Zeppelin, and Me.

Millar, Martin (author).

World Fantasy Award winner Millar takes a break from sf with this funny look at teenage angst in 1972 Glasgow. Reading, at times, like an autobiographical account, the novel has two narrative strands, one following 14-year-old Martin, who is painfully self-conscious bordering on self-loathing; the other strand follows the adult Martin, who proves himself a stalwart friend to depressed single mother Manx and looks back at his awkward teenage years with a good deal of tenderness. Fourteen-year-old Martin is a Led Zeppelin fanatic who turns to the band to escape the pressures of school and his crush on Suzy, who, by virtue of her waist-length blond hair and trendy afghan coat, is going out with the coolest kid at school. Then, much to the teens’ amazement, Led Zeppelin announces their concert tour will pass through Glasgow. That pivotal evening not only shakes up the teens’ social dynamics but also provides Martin with the most satisfying two hours of his young life. Millar’s self-deprecating humor and wild enthusiasm for the music of his youth deepen the pull of this bittersweet read.