Jennette McCurdy's 'Half His Age' hits bestseller lists

Jennette McCurdy's debut novel, 'Half His Age,' has achieved international bestseller status after a rigorous two-year writing process involving thousands of pages and over a dozen drafts. McCurdy expressed gratitude to her readers, highlighting their thoughtful engagement with the book's complex characters and themes.

Released on January 20 by Ballantine Books, the novel centers on Waldo, a 17-year-old high school senior from Anchorage, Alaska, and his relationship with his 40-year-old married creative writing teacher. McCurdy stated the book draws inspiration from a personal experience but is not purely autobiographical.

The novel debuted strongly, reaching No. 2 on Publishers Weekly's hardcover fiction list and The New York Times bestseller list. It also claimed the No. 1 spot on Britain's Sunday Times list.

Critical reception has been mixed, with The New York Times Book Review calling it an Editors' Choice while other outlets offered less favorable reviews. The book tour commenced on January 20 in New York City with a conversation moderated by Lena Dunham, followed by international stops.

'Half His Age' is McCurdy's second published work, following her highly successful 2022 memoir, 'I'm Glad My Mom Died.' She is also developing an Apple TV series based on the memoir.