I really wanted to like this book. And it isn't that the story was bad. It really wasn't. But this is an epistolary novel - and the letters are written by a 15-year-old boy named Charlie who clearly has some issues socializing - like maybe he has Aspergers or something. And Charlie writes like he is about seven years old. It was, at times, painful to read. I've taught many children with autism spectrum disorder who are even younger than Charlie is, and my 11-year-old niece has Aspergers - but none of these kids writes the way Charlie writes in this novel. His writing is far too childlike. His teacher calls him gifted - tells him how bright he is - but Charlie can barely express himself, writing in clipped sentences too simple for anyone more than half his age to have written. He is supposed to be writing essays about all these novels he is reading - these are extra assignments given to him by the teacher who thinks Charlie is so brilliant - but Charlie's writing, as evidenced by his letters, is just awful. While I was interested in the story itself and determined to read the whole novel to find out what happened to all the characters, I have to admit that by the time I was a little past half-way through it, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I heard so many good things about this novel, but I just didn't happen to be as impressed with it as a lot of other people were. I hear the movie is very good - I have a feeling I may enjoy it more than the novel, which is not usually the case for me. ( )

School

2.5 ( )

Read this in a single day. I was interested on the characters and the plotting but hated the final twist/reveal about Charlie's past. I thought it was over the top and unnecessary.

Enjoyed all the other teenaged angst but felt it was pretty ridiculous that the seniors - oddballs or not - would have taken Charlie under their wing and therefore the entire premise is flawed.

Can't imagine what they actually chose to put into the movie. ( )

this was fast paced and cute. I could have done without the Love charlie! it just felt like i was reading someones journal ( )