I *loved* King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore. Gorgeous characters, reflecting on toxic masculinity & being yourself, with some excellent banter

Anton and his friends are kings of Year 9. They're used to ruling the school and Anton wears the crown. The other kids run away when he's about but that's the way he wants it - he's got a reputation to live up to after all.

So when he gets into serious trouble at school, he doesn't really care, but his mum most definitely does. She decides it's time for Anton to make some new friends and join the Happy Campers, a local activity group. Anton would quite literally rather do anything else, especially when he finds out Matthew, the biggest loser in school, is also a member. But after Matthew unexpectedly saves Anton's life, Anton figures maybe this kid is worth a shot. Teaching him some game is the least Anton can do to repay the debt.

As the boys strike up an unlikely friendship, Anton finds himself questioning everything he thought was important. Does he want ruling the school to be his crowning glory or should he set his sights on better things?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.

Nathanael Lessore's first novel 'Steady for This' was one of the best YA/teenage books I read in 2023, and 'King of Nothing's is sure to be one of the best in 2024. It is both incredibly funny and incredibly moving in its exploration of teenage friendships and toxic masculinity.

At the start of the novel, Year 9 of Anton is 'king of the school': his status comes from his dad being in prison and his friendship with the other 'mandem' - Caleb, Marcus and Kehinde, whose strong views on how to treat women come from the 'angry podcasts' he obsessively listens to. But Anton's mother punishes him for getting into trouble at school by getting him to join a group called the Happy Campers who are refurbishing a women's refuge. There he is paired up with his classmate, the deeply unpopular Matthew, with whom Anton is desperate to avoid being seen at all costs.

However, as he spends more time with Matthew, Anton discovers that he likes himself much more when he is with him, and he starts to feel increasingly uncomfortable about the attitudes of his father and of his Kehinde. But will he have the courage to be the person he really wants to be? And how will Kehinde react if he finds out what Anton has really been doing?

This is such a lovely book - it is full of hilarious jokes, but is also genuinely heartfelt and heartwarming in the relationships it depicts, particularly Anton's relationship with his mother and grandmother, but also the new friendships he develops. It explores serious, topical issues about misogyny, but with a real lightness of touch. This is a brilliant book to share with KS3 pupils, but also one that adults will enjoy reading themselves. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

I'm clearly in the minority here but that didn't work for me at all. I didn't laugh once, I didn't like the writing and the characters annoyed me to no end.
I know the main character is supposed to be going through huge character development but I just didn't care. And all the sexist crap his friend spewed, I really could not.
I ended up skimming through most of the book and what I saw didn't change my mind.
Maybe I just didn't get it, but this really wasn't for me.

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

This book was so much fun. I loved Anton & the strong women in his life. He was walking such a narrow path & could’ve so easily toppled into a world of crimei & violence. Matthew stole my heart. Their friendship was everything. I cannot wait to use this in the bookshop as a staff pick.

Another absolute winner: brilliantly funny within the quite serious story.

Adored Steady for This recently and was thrilled to see the author’s new title and that they really are this genuinely funny and talented consistently. I just love his protagonists.

Anton might be the kind of kid that parents and teacher give up on. This book shows why this is doing so many an injustice.

Anton feels like a bit of a pretender, making a place for himself with the ‘kings’ of Year 9 because of his jailed father. His mum and grandma are worried about him, his teachers are exasperated, girls look at him wearily - the gang care more for reputation and appearance than anything else. Though Anton is clearly not your typical teen with no prospects:
“It doesn’t matter who spit on who first. What matters is that if someone starts something I’ll be the one to finish it, unless it’s a marathon or a salad.”

We know Anton is bright. But as he says “Dreams are for Tottenham fans and Martin Luther King.” It’s frustrating for us as much as his family.

Of course, the plot throws situations in Anton’s path that force him to step off the possibly dangerous route through life he started down. As punishment for his behaviour his mum forces him to join the Happy Campers in both their renovations of a new women’s shelter and a trip with the self-same group of misfits, including the totally barmy, quirky (and delightful) Matthew.

Matthew is utterly unshakable in his friendliness and optimism, as well daftness. When insulted as ‘moist’ for example (cos you need a feel for this young man!), he is pleased: “Some of my favourite things are moist. Lemon drizzle, the nose of a puppy, the condensation on a fresh carton of chilled Ribena.” I giggled constantly.

Soon Anton is hiding a budding friendship with a ‘genuine’ friend while trying to keep up appearances. We watch his attitude towards family, women and even his future change as he considers his own place honestly and it’s a pleasure in many ways, though of course we know the two worlds are bound to clash.

This contains so much heart - I empathised with Anton’s mum and Grandma, and I loved seeing Anton really think about his life. And I love Lessore’s writing and use of language, so refreshing seeing witty teens.

Covers topics teens want to be reading about but with a twist as they smirk at the constant humour while still sobbing now and then and feeling the danger to the characters through real-life hazards.

For ages 11 and above.

With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.

Another brilliant book from Nathanael Lessore. This one explores toxic masculinity and an unexpected friendship. A teen comedy wrapped up with a moving journey of self-discovery and told in the most beautifully authentic voice.

The tag for this book says 'hilarious and heartwarming teen comedy' - and it's spot on.
It's very funny and moving, and I admit that I did have to go and look up some of the slang! Still laughing at the Anton and Matthew "Cyrano' scenes and their double dates in the restaurant.
This will issue well, a must buy for the library.

Having previously enjoyed ‘Steady for This’, I had high hopes for this book. I really like the style of writing, it brings the main character to life and makes it more approachable for the intended readership (slightly harder for me to read aloud though as a middle aged librarian- my fam and bruvs don’t cut it).

The story is about Anton, who initially is not particularly likeable. As the story unfolds we follow his journey of self realisation as he works out what he really wants from life and friends. A lot of it is told in a light-hearted way, the interactions between Anton and Matthew are delightful! There are serious notes though as Anton has to cope with the death of close family member. Toxic masculinity has a light shone on it too. Lots to think about in a funny, relatable package.

An author’s second novel is always a tricky proposition, particularly when their debut has been widely celebrated and shortlisted for the Carnegie medal. But I am pleased to report that ‘King of Nothing’ is just as funny, heartwarming and authentic as ‘Steady for This’.

Anton is not a particularly likeable character at first. He is a self-proclaimed ‘King’ of Year 9 and, together with his group of friends, he intimidates the rest of the pupils and staff of their school. Anton’s scary reputation is boosted by the fact that his Dad is in prison and he’ll do anything to maintain that reputation, apart from going up against his mum – particularly as she controls the wifi code. So when Anton gets into trouble at school, his Mum drafts him into her community project and a local group called the ‘Happy Campers’ which includes Matthew who has been relentlessly bullied by Anton and his friends. But after Matthew saves his life, they make a deal. If Matthew never talks to him in public, Anton will help Matthew win over his crush, Fernanda.

But as Anton starts to spend more time with Matthew and less time with his other friends, he finds that he begins to like himself more and feel more hopeful about his future. But when his dad is released from prison, Anton’s loyalty is pulled in a different direction.

‘King of Nothing’ is a fantastic portrayal of the toxic masculinity culture so many teenage boys are exposed to these days through YouTubers like Andrew Tate, and it clearly explores Anton’s thought process as he becomes disillusioned with the ideas his dad and his friends are expressing – particularly with regards to women and relationships.

If it sounds a little worthy, the style is not like that at all. Anton’s interactions with Matthew are particularly hilarious, and the jokes make the book a lot more engaging than the gritty subject matter would suggest.

By the end of the book Anton had thoroughly won me over – I almost liked him as much as the delightfully whimsical Matthew. Another captivating read from Nathanael Lessore – perfect for the tricky ‘teen’ age category. Loved it!

I've been recommending Nathaneal Lessore's Steady for This to every librarian and teacher I meet, and I'm so glad it's on the shortlist for the Carnegie Medal this year. I was hoping that King of Nothing would deliver the same goofy humour, the bants, the insanely imagination imagery -- and it does. But it goes deeper, following the journey of Anton, who starts as a school bully, an academic failure, surrounded by toxic influences, but who, with the influence of the most delightful earnest, innocent, misfit, 'moist' Matthew - who INSISTS on befriending him - learns to respect himself and others.

In the time of Andrew Tate, this book is really needed, and hopefully the author's skill and humour will get the message across. I enjoyed Anton's character and his journey, but for me, the star of the show was Matthew - thank you for creating him, he's one in a million!

I already wish I could buy a copy of Nathanael Lessore’s first book Steady For This for every teen boy in the country, and now they need King of Nothing too! The world would be a better place. There is no shortage of authors out there desperate to reach kids with messages of kindness and tolerance, but few others actually stand the chance of getting through. Nathanael’s books are unpatronising, relatable and genuinely hilarious! King of Nothing is lighter on both the goofiness and the jokes than Steady For This, but the story goes deeper, addressing the prevalence and seduction of online misogyny. Main character Anton is just the right amount of likeable, even as he acts like his worst self, and the journey he goes on is satisfying and heartening. Basically, there is something just genuinely sweet and lovely at the heart of these brilliant books that I want to share with everybody. They give me hope!