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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brutal story that unfortunately is all too realistic in today's society - an unstable youth with a weapon and a grudge.
Glad to start 2023 off on a high note.
Would not recommend this to anyone with an ounce of self-respect.
Charlie's narration had me scoffing into oblivion; I hated it. Though I believe he's supposed to be a psychopath, sociopath, or just with mental illness(es), he comes off as a spoiled brat born without any sliver of maturity who coincidentally had a bad home life.
He shoots some teachers and takes peers hostage to talk. The book is just teenagers (who aren't like people with functioning heads, even for teenagers) talking. Charlie tells his peers about his abusive father and a situation where he almost (it got kinda bad) lost his virginity. Idk what the purpose of this was. Maybe to make them feel bad? He then has them share their issues.
These idiot kids empathized with Charlie for some ungodly reason and seemingly forgot that he killed two people and was holding them hostage. Ted was the only person who remembered these details, and they beat him--playing Charlie's game.
I cannot fathom where the logic in this story went after this. In any realistic scenario, this would have never happened.
The only good thing about this book imo was that I got to rant.
Would not recommend this to anyone with an ounce of self-respect.
Charlie's narration had me scoffing into oblivion; I hated it. Though I believe he's supposed to be a psychopath, sociopath, or just with mental illness(es), he comes off as a spoiled brat born without any sliver of maturity who coincidentally had a bad home life.
He shoots some teachers and takes peers hostage to talk. The book is just teenagers (who aren't like people with functioning heads, even for teenagers) talking. Charlie tells his peers about his abusive father and a situation where he almost (it got kinda bad) lost his virginity. Idk what the purpose of this was. Maybe to make them feel bad? He then has them share their issues.
These idiot kids empathized with Charlie for some ungodly reason and seemingly forgot that he killed two people and was holding them hostage. Ted was the only person who remembered these details, and they beat him--playing Charlie's game.
I cannot fathom where the logic in this story went after this. In any realistic scenario, this would have never happened.
The only good thing about this book imo was that I got to rant.
Bit Catcher in the Rye, but in the best way. I know the book has got a bad wrap in the past for the school shooter concept, but it's obvious that what Charlie does is wrong, even he knows it.
Even when it goes to great lengths to humanize Charlie, that's all it is doing. It's not lauding him or making what he's doing okay, but he IS a person and he did have reasons for what he was doing (still not saying they were good ones or redeems his actions in any way).
It's a good read, some people shouldn't go for it if they can't handle this kind of content.
Even when it goes to great lengths to humanize Charlie, that's all it is doing. It's not lauding him or making what he's doing okay, but he IS a person and he did have reasons for what he was doing (still not saying they were good ones or redeems his actions in any way).
It's a good read, some people shouldn't go for it if they can't handle this kind of content.
It was weird but I enjoyed it. I read it because of the controversy surrounding it and because the book has been out of print for a long time. I would recommend this for fans of Stephen King.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was a build up! I love the ending and how it depicts the aftermath of everything that had happen. There are some chapters and backstories that felt unnecessary to the point that it became overtly descriptive. But overall it was a great book. I know in todays generation people would "cancel" this book due to it giving justification to someone horrible. Books should not always be about cupcakes and rainbows, we also need this kind of book to relate to and to remind ourselves the cruelty that lives in this world.
Didn't really like it. It was a regular lecture for me.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced