This book gets really mixed reviews. In some ways, I really liked it. But mostly, I didn't. I left feeling that while the book certainly had a point, I'm not exactly sure what it was. Perhaps the point is about bullying? Perhaps about being honest with one's self? Perhaps it's about quirky kids?
This book is a picture of youth - high school to be exact. A picture of mental illness. A picture of how abuse can affect a child, even when they don't think it does. It's a social commentary about kids on the fringe. Kids who are different whether it be someone who is smarter than most, gay, quirkier, or what have you. What I liked about the book, is it didn't give a right or wrong about the moral issue of homosexuality. It wasn't an opinion piece. It didn't have an agenda, which left the reader to think for themselves.
I pretty much didn't care for high school. That bias probably played into how I read the book and what I think about the characters. Most of the characters were actually endearing. I enjoyed reading about them through the eyes of Charlie, the 15-year-old narrator. It's the rated R details in the book that while important, are a little too graphic for me.
I leave you with my favorite quote from Bill, Charlie's teacher, as it relates to reading books..."be a filter not a sponge". Wise words!
No comments:
Post a Comment