The Guy Who Pumps Your Gas Hates You

Trinder's debut novel is an irreverent look at the life of young people in a small community outside Winnipeg, where they're stuck in a teenage rut that threatens to stretch on into their 20s. Brendan is living at home with his dad, working as a gas attendant, and drinking excessively with high school pals on weekends. In a bid to revive a dream of becoming a writer, he enrolls in a creative writing class. That's where he meets Anne, a fellow student who helps open new chapters of meaning in his life. Trinder is a graduate of Red River College's Creative Communications program and a former gas station attendant, and both experiences clearly inform the book. The dialogue is laced with expletives , realistically reflecting the way people talk, and readers are rewarded with funny one-liners sprinkled throughout. Brendan's sharp-eyed observations about the people around him and his dark humor turn his tedious routine into an entertaining storyline that resembles a stand-up comedy act. Despite Brendan's cynical defenses, he has a genuine heart, and readers will enjoy watching him come of age. This is a fun and entertaining tale. (Mar.)