100 remarkable feats of Xander Maze by Clayton Zane Comber

Xander Maze is a sensitive 15yr old whose #1 person is his terminally ill grandmother. Nan attempts to distract Xander, by instructing him to write a new list titled, “100 remarkable feats of Xander Maze.” He naively believes that achieving all the items on the list, some only remarkable for pushing Xander’s limits, will help her recover. Can Mr Remarkable really gain confidence, shed his anxiety and man-up to #100 - Save Nan?

But Nanna intentionally leaks the list naming his love interest amongst other embarrassing details, with the entire online world. The list is printed unabridged as are shorter lists throughout the novel.

#2 Make a Friend, #3 Make a Best Friend, #10 Kiss a Girl … are just the beginning.  #28 Go to a party, #58 Get a job (any job), #87 Learn to keep secrets – all earn him initial put downs and worse from school bullies, Tyson and Corey.  However, a surprising number of new friends and community members show up to help him at all the wrong or right moments.

Lily, sometimes assisted by Lachlan, encourage him daily but so does Andy (a cool senior) and her peer group including Chase and Johnny. His Mum is the main barrier – concerned that Xander is not accepting the inevitable. Running alongside Xander’s story are plenty of good deeds and problems to be solved, which enable the friends to tick off multiple “feats” from Xander’s list. Mr Abramowitz has agoraphobia, Sean Emerson (school senior) has been missing for months and Lily is struggling with her own secrets.

There are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, but readers will love Xander for his can-do attitude despite his lack of worldly experience. Xander has moments that are definitely neurodiverse and he visits Dr Way occasionally for support. The writing is too raw to be saccharine. Comber is a rising YA talent having introduced a very likeable antihero to Australian readers. Teacher’s Notes are available.

Themes: Bildungsroman, Grief, Palliative Care, Family, Neurodiversity.

Deborah Robins