Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
TheWkly Analysis
Nearly four years after the release of her blockbuster memoir, Jennette McCurdy is back for her next act: fiction. Specifically, Half His Age, already dubbed “2026’s Most Provocative Read.” Inspired by her own teenage relationship, the darkly funny novel follows 17-year-old Waldo, who, in between working at Victoria’s Secret and heating up frozen dinners, falls in love with her creative writing teacher, Mr. Korgy. But Never Been Kissed’s Sam Coulson he is not. Despite his “withered with the gross decay of glaring middle-aged-ness” appearance, the Alaska teen goes to obsessive lengths to seduce Mr. Korgy — and reckons with a complicated mother-daughter relationship, power imbalances, loneliness, and female rage along the way. We asked McCurdy a few questions. Here’s what she had to say… Q: What’s one thing everyone needs to watch? McCurdy: The first season of Enlightened. It’s the best thing I’ve seen on television. Q: What’s the last thing you read that you can’t stop thinking about? McCurdy: Flesh by David Szalay. Q: What’s the last social media post you sent to your friends? McCurdy: [Something from] Stephen Spencer’s Instagram. He takes random things his toddler says and turns them into these immaculately composed songs with soulful melodies. I highly recommend “Funchy the Snow-Woman.”
|
Key Entities
- • Jennette McCurdy - Author returning with a new fiction novel
- • Half His Age - Novel described as a provocative 2026 read
- • Waldo - 17-year-old protagonist in the story
- • Mr. Korgy - Creative writing teacher central to the plot
- • Victoria’s Secret - Workplace referenced for the protagonist
- • Alaska - Setting referenced for the main character
- • Enlightened - TV series recommended by the author
- • Flesh - Book recommended by the author
- • David Szalay - Author of the book recommended
- • Stephen Spencer - Creator referenced via an Instagram recommendation
Bias Distribution
Multi-Perspective Analysis
Left-Leaning View
Not found
Centrist View
Not found
Right-Leaning View
Not found
Want to dive deeper?
We've prepared an in-depth analysis of this story with additional context and background.
Featuring Our Experts' Perspectives in an easy-to-read format.
Future Snapshot
See how this story could impact your life in the coming months
Exclusive Member Feature
Create a free account to access personalized Future Snapshots
Future Snapshots show you personalized visions of how insights from this story could positively impact your life in the next 6-12 months.
- Tailored to your life indicators
- Clear next steps and action items
- Save snapshots to your profile
Related Roadmaps
Explore step-by-step guides related to this story, designed to help you apply this knowledge in your life.
Loading roadmaps...
Please wait while we find relevant roadmaps for you.
Your Opinion
Would you read a novel centered on a teacher-student affair?
Your feedback helps us improve our content.
Comments (0)
Add your comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Related Stories
Dilbert creator Scott Adams dies at 68
Scott Adams, the creator of the long-running comic strip Dilbert, has died at the age of 68. Adams was widely known for his satirical take on...
Golden Globes 2026: ‘The Brutalist’ wins best drama, ‘Emilia Perez’ takes top comedy honors
The 83rd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills crowned “The Brutalist” as best motion picture drama and awarded Adrien Brody best actor in a drama....
Netflix has a huge night at the Golden Globes; streamers lead pack
Netflix scored big at the Golden Globes, winning seven awards, the most of any studio or platform. Overall, streaming platforms dominated the...