Teen Me gives it 4.5 stars. Adult me more like 3. I appreciate how much Charlie cries! I didn't realize it as a teen. I was swept up in the story about finding friends who are like family. I felt like his voice was very naive to the point where it didn't square with him being sexual or people considering him a sexual being. Because of the format there's no way for us to see Charlie from outside of himself. The child abuse aspect is written in so obliquely that it's possible to read and not think of that as a major plot point, and it seems intentional? It's a story about Charlie opening up to himself. And that includes dealing with heavy trauma, but also finding out that you love your family and you can be resilient.

 

The room went black.  The lights had gone out and I still couldn't pull myself out of the car.  It was those pauses that occurred when he spoke, his voice which sounded so young and innocent and his honesty which touched everything that he looked at.   

 

I am loving this novel and I'm so glad that I am listening to it on audio.

I am the person laughing behind the wheel and miles later, there are tears sliding down my cheeks, and I find myself finishing each post with him......"Love, Charlie "

I'm listening to this audio in my car and I had to pause it, as what she said, hit me hard. As I thought about her comment, for it applies not only to Charlie’s sister whose boyfriend in the novel hits her but to many relationships.  I’m really enjoying this novel.  

 

    “ We accept the love we think we deserve.”

Charlie is 15 yr old and is having a hard time in school because he has some emotional problems that led him to be hospitalized when he was young. 

 

His best friend Patrick and Sam are older than him studying in the same school. 

 

The book is being narrated as a series of letters written to a friend. Charlie poured himself into these letters. 

 

He also has a teacher Bill who gave him the best books to read. 

 

This is not a typical growing up story.

 

It is sad and dark as the story continue to reveal about Charlie and why he act the way he is. He is naive and confused and sweet. 

 

I love this book so much. 

 

It deal with the issue of domestic abuse, alcohol, drug, being gay, being different, being special or not special enough. 

 

It is also about family and support and how Charlie didn't try to hide but just lack the capacity to articulate his state of mind and works them into normal everything empty conversation between non best friends. 

 

The writer is really skilled packing so much into a little book without letting it being weighted down by the heaviness of the subject matter. 

 

A really good read and should be read by both teenagers and adults. If only we could be all learned a little from Charlie on how he confronted his own thoughts and feelings. 

 

5 stars read. A book that worth a re-read.