Wesley Stace's Wonderkid is many things--a comical novel of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, a coming-of-age tale and an extended meditation on the nature of creativity and its necessary, but often destructive, relationship with commerce. Stace knows what he's writing about; as John Wesley Harding, he's recorded several critically acclaimed albums.
Wonderkid follows the adventures of Blake Lear, a Syd Barrett-like genius, and his cohorts in a struggling group that is reimagined and relaunched as a kids' band, becoming a Wiggles-like phenomenon. Sweet, an orphan teen whom Blake has adopted on one of his many whims, observes the Wonderkids' descent into mild debauchery, rock-star posturing and fractious tour buses in a way that recalls Behind the Music as much as it does children's television.
Stace has a sure ear for musical banter and the weary and jaded observations of the road. He cuts humorously to the bone, showing how tedium and creative ennui can lead to low-level acts of insanity and career self-sabotage. He also innately gets the mysterious alchemical process where musical magic is born, the way record companies bleed dry the very thing that gives them monetary life and purpose, and he captures perfectly how hard it is to break the contract once you've sold your soul to the devil.
Wonderkid is a blast for all lovers of rock 'n' roll, revealing how three-minute pop songs can take you on the ride of your life even when your fans are screaming soccer moms and snot-nosed kids. --Donald Powell, freelance writer