Jennette McCurdy, the former child star turned New York Times bestselling author, has released her debut novel, Half His Age. The book follows her acclaimed memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died and explores themes of class, desire, loneliness and power.
The novel centres on 17-year-old Waldo, a high school student in Alaska who begins an affair with her creative writing teacher, Mr Korgy. McCurdy has revealed that the story was inspired by a relationship she had as a teenager with a much older man on the set of iCarly. In an interview on the podcast Call Her Daddy, she described the entanglement as “creepy” and “twisted”, noting that the man would show her films and play music he thought she would like, which she pretended to enjoy despite not liking them.
McCurdy said the man was already in a long-term relationship, which he used to exert control, telling her: “I’m gonna leave my girlfriend, I need to be with you.” The red flags, overstepped boundaries and sexual politics from that experience all influenced Half His Age. The novel is told from Waldo’s perspective, giving her agency and a voice, much like McCurdy took ownership of her own story in her memoir.
While the book has been praised as audacious and thought-provoking, some critics have noted that Waldo’s character feels underdeveloped, with her online shopping addiction appearing superficial. The novel is set for release on 20 January and has been called one of 2026’s most provocative reads.
