With Jason Strider's qualifications, he doesn't seem the likely candidate for a life centered on drugs, sex and an insignificant day job. His Cornell English degree and potential should warrant a more promising future, or so one would think. Instead, the young man spends his time smoking illegal drugs, drinking late into the night and wondering which filthy pair of pants he is going to wear. The mildly poignant story centers around his desperate search for the girl who, in a late night drunken escapade, borrows a pair of his favorite pants. When she fails to resurface or return his calls, Jason continues his seemingly meaningless existence arriving routinely late to work and becoming a burden on his college friends. At first, a meaningful friendship with an elderly woman in his apartment complex just gives him another excuse to smoke. As they become closer, she forces him to look at his life in another light, one without shame and regret.

I Just Want My Pants Back is simultaneously shocking and surprisingly comical. Jason's character opens the reader's eyes to how easy it can be to drop into a groove and never achieve our aspirations. Adult themes are present throughout the story. While some may interpret the story as immoral, the obscene material assists in creating the authentically plausible storyline.


Review By Erin Gurry
Rating: 3 out of 5