Jennette McCurdy’s debut novel Half His Age is now on shelves, and the 33-year-old author says she wrote it to unsettle readers.
At a Glance
- The memoir-turned-novelist explores a sexual relationship between a high-school student and her teacher
- McCurdy calls the book a “psychological examination” of the young woman at its center
- She hopes readers connect with the story’s look at power dynamics and “female rage”
- Why it matters: The novel adds a new voice to fiction tackling taboo relationships and consent
In a Jan. 18 interview with The New York Times, McCurdy explained that discomfort is part of the design. “If something makes you uncomfortable, it’s probably truthful,” she told the paper. “If it doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it’s probably dishonest in some way.”
From Memoir to Fiction
McCurdy, who stepped away from acting at 21 after Nickelodeon roles on iCarly and Sam & Cat, turned to writing with her 2022 bestseller I’m Glad My Mom Died. That memoir chronicled alleged abuse from her late mother, battles with addiction and eating disorders, and life inside the entertainment machine.
Her sophomore project, published by Ballantine Books, follows high-school student Waldo as she begins a sexual relationship with her married creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy. McCurdy told The New York Times she wanted a protagonist who refused to be simplified.
“I didn’t want to shy away from creating a complex protagonist,” she said.
A Different Lens on Taboo
The author placed the spotlight on the student, not the scandal. “I see this as a story less focused on the taboo itself and more on the psychological examination of the young woman who’s experiencing it,” she said, “and all the contributing factors that allowed her to fall into this relationship in the first place.”
McCurdy drew on her own past involvement with an older man. Recalling the compliments he paid her, she said: “He was like, ‘You’re so mature. I can’t talk to anyone this way. I can’t believe how smart you are.’ Like, are you kidding me? I was such an idiot. I’m so embarrassed.”
That dynamic-feeling both special and responsible-shaped the fictional teacher-student bond. “Both Mr. Korgy gives to the protagonist Waldo and … the person I was in a relationship gave to me,” she said, “that feeling of specialness … that ultimately, I was the one in charge.”
Why “Female Rage” Matters
McCurdy told The New York Times she hopes women recognize the power imbalances threaded through the plot. She’s encouraged that readers are embracing stories that surface “female rage,” a force she leaned on while drafting the novel.
“I had a lot of unprocessed anger from that experience that I wanted to explore,” she said, “and anger’s a really useful place to write from.”
Bookstore Arrival
Half His Age is available now wherever books are sold. Ethan R. Coleman reported the release for News Of Los Angeles.
