The ending was unsatisfying, but the main character's teenage angst rang true. Sort of like a snobby NYC version of Perks of Being a Wallflower (but not as good). Maybe more like if David Sedaris were writing as a young depressed boy. ( )

James Sveck is an isolated young adult caught in the summer before he is to begin college at Brown University. The only person in his life with whom he is able to successfully relate to is his grandmother; otherwise, James prefers s...

James Sveck, el narrador de esta novela, es un adolescente inteligente y precoz, ha terminado el colegio y durante el verano trabaja en la galería de arte que su madre tiene en Manhattan y en la que casi nunca entra nadie. Pese a haber sido admitido en la prestigiosa Universidad de Brown no está seguro de querer ir, lo que de verdad le gustaría es comprarse una casa en el campo y pasarse el día leyendo, sin ser molestado, detesta relacionarse con gente de su edad, a la que evita y con la que piensa que no tiene nada en común. La narración de James nos ofrece una sarcástica y divertida mirada sobre su confusa vida, sobre cómo su desestructurada familia y su psiquiatra tratan en vano de ayudarle, o sobre cómo intenta, torpemente, aclararse y salir de su aislamiento. Considerada por la crítica estadounidense como una de las mejores novelas que se han publicado en los últimos años sobre Nueva York, Algún día este dolor te será útil es una aguda y emotiva novela sobre un joven capaz de cuestionarse a sí mismo, a su familia y al tiempo que le ha tocado vivir.

One of my favorite books of all time. It's been three years since I last read it now, but I think about it pretty regularly. There's a lot of emotional depth in this book, and certain passages are better descriptions of feelings I've had in my life than I've found anywhere else.

The summary here, IMO, doesn't capture the vibe of the book correctly. For example, the book James's grandmother as an annoying "D-list celebrity". She's the person he loves the most. ( )

As a homeschooled teenager, I fully sympathize with the main protagonist when he describes how uncomfortable he is with his peers and his trepidation at being launched into college, living with and constantly interacting with other young adults. I also feel his confusion when he begins to realize that adulthood is not necessarily free from the things that he dislikes the most in his peers.

However, despite my liking of the character, I did not particularly care for the style of the writing, nor did I find the story particularly engaging. ( )