Rating: 
Summary: Compared to other recent drivel, NOT as bad as you think
Review: Can an amazing work of narrative fiction by someone who isn't old enough to vote also be a below average and grossly derivative novel? TWELVE answers that question with a resounding YES. It IS compelling and highly readable; it is NOT great literature if the author's age is taken out of the equation. Without the author's connections, this book would be justifably relegated to some obscure advanced writing course to perhaps be resurrected as an infinitely better novel 10 years from now when Nick McDonell's skills as a writer had matured. As it stands, the book was published, whether we like it or not. About the highest complement I could pay TWELVE is that it was far less of a waste of my time than either Stephen Carter's EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK or Jean Auel's SHELTERS OF STONE. A literary wunderkind like Nick McDonell falling short but showing promise is far more inspiring to me than two supposedly "mature" writers producing two of the most overrated, unwieldy "editor challenged" pieces of ... in the history of commercial fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip it-a very dull read
Review: When I heard all the hype about this book, I thought it might be interesting. However, I soon found out that the hype was created only because the author is seventeen, and one of the main reasons the book was even published was because of connections through his father. Being a teenager myself, I can say the book was not terribly written, and there were some sections of interest and excitement, but all in all it was dull, predictable, but if you want an easy read, this might be the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Skip This Book
Review: Chances are, if you want to read this book, you are a middle aged person or a parent. Chances are that you heard about this book through a friend, or the Today Show, or Kelly Ripa. Forget every lie or endorsement you have heard about this book. The reason why every critic and television host are talking about this book is that they are all shocked and amazed at how unmoral and harsh teenage culture has become. They cannot even begin to conceive how kids could become drug dealers or gangsters. They cannot understand how priveleged coddled yuppies could totally throw caution to the wind. It's just NOT shocking at all. Most middle aged people are scared by this sort of thing because they're out of touch with youth. The kid becomes a drug dealer and kills a lot of people. Big deal. Thats NOTHING compared to what some teens are doing nowadays. Unlikable characters, a plot that goes nowhere, and all sorts of attempts to shock that totally fail. The author wanted to write a book that showed the dark side of youth and it only succeeded in creeping out old soccer moms who fear the corruption of their 2.3 kids. He wanted to exemplify savage youth but there really isn't anything to be amazed about. It's just the signs of the times. Dont read this book despite how poignant and accurate you've heard it to be. If you want real shock/doom culture, read stuff from Feral House Publishing or Chuck Palahniuk.
Rating: 
Summary: So so
Review: McDonell himself said in THE OBSERVER, "It's like I'm on top of this monstrous mountain of nepotism." Which is true. His father has been an editor of top magazines, his mother is a novelist, his godfather OWNS the company that published TWELVE, and the quotes on the book jacket are all writers who are family friends. This book would not have seen the light of day without those connections. The book is well written FOR A 17 YEAR OLD. But one should not make accomodations for age when laying down money for a book. It's puerile--as might be expected--and half-baked. And contrived. And the writing isn't great, only good. McDonell has been compared to Bret Easton Ellis (another rich kid). I never liked Bret Easton Ellis, either. So if you like him, maybe you'll like this.
Rating:
Summary: Poor rich kids....
Review: I tried to like this novel, I really did, but ended up with a strong feeling of "what's all the fuss been about?" By that I mean that I can't understand why such a mediocre piece of work has created such extreme reactions of fulsome praise on the one hand and utter derision on the other. This is not a shockingly bad novel - it's pacey (the very short chapters, and switching of focus between different characters take the reader along rapidly), and it's an easy read. What really lets it down is that it's so derivative. We've been here before: rich, dysfunctional kids in New York with no meaning to their lives, doing drugs (craving the new drug "Twelve"), trying to get laid, "playing" with knives and guns, all in order to add a meaning to their lives. McDonell does wonder briefly about where the American dream has gone, and asks whether or not earlier generations were really any more "moral" than the current batch. But really this is Bret Easton Ellis meets Jim Carroll's "The Basketball Diaries" with a touch of "Bonfire of the Vanities" thrown in. The result is that "Twelve" has traits of all of these without the strengths of any of them. The ending is predictable (and poor). No matter, because I didn't care about any of the characters. I was left with the thought that if this is really what's happening to the offspring of the wealthy, then really should any of us care? The extra star, by the way, is because this book detained me only briefly.
Rating:
Summary: Sex, and drugs among NYC's wealthy teenagers.
Review: 'Twelve' tells the story of White Mike, an urban teenager trying to come of age in Manhattan. White Mike does not smoke, drink, or do drugs, but he makes a living selling drugs. Partying in million dollar houses with sex and drugs, White Mike caters to the wealthy; children of rich parents. Children raised by hired help while their parents are too busy at work, or vacationing around the world. In a lifestyle that mimics 'live fast, die young', White Mike and his friends will come face to face with an end that will destroy them. 'Twelve' is a hard book to describe, it's basically just a story of Manhattan teenagers partying, doing drugs, and having sex. The shocking fact is the kids all come from wealthy parents who give them everything except the one thing they really need...love. The hype surrounding this book is due to the fact the author, Nick McDonell, is only seventeen. While McDonell does a nice job for a seventeen year-old, his story has been done many times before, and his writing style is very choppy; jumping from characters and scenes, to the thoughts of his main character White Mike. This is a readable novel based on the author's age, but the story's been told before, most notably by Bret Easton Ellis with his novel 'Less Than Zero'. While there are parts that are interesting, and several characters that you actually feel sorry for, there are other parts that are silly, characters that you really don't care what happens to them, and even with the shocking ending the reader can't help but feel they saw it coming all along. Nick McDonell does show promise of being a new, hip Bret Easton Ellis, but he just needs the right storyline to prove it. Nick Gonnella
Rating: 
Summary: Very Promising, but not the author he is said to be.
Review: His book certainly is engrossing, throwing you into his world using over 90 short chapters that keep the pace of the book fast and allow you the ability to reflect on what is happening. His style is certainly skilled and even unique. He is able to capture an aura of society without a simple condemnation or praise. He however misfires with his "street lingo", degrading his characters out of the roles in which they are created to play.
Nick McDonell's greatest and possibly only major mistake, is he is unable to stay interested in a sub-story. The story following the drug "Twelve" was intriguing when first introduced, but barely seen again throughout the novel. He leaves stories behind, when he finds them boring, and in a few cases, never readdresses them.
As for comparing this to "Basketball Diaries" by Jim Carroll, other than the subject matter, the books are entirely different, and Carrol's outshines "Twelve" by more than a line (of coke). Where Carrol is able to conclude his novel with a very thought-provoking monologue, which instills both hope and disappointment; McDonell uses a cliched ultra-violent ending to force his view of the issue (likely, unsuccessfully). McDonell's ending proved that he was still learning, and the he is not at the level of J.D. Salinger (yet) as compared in some news articles.
I am awaiting more of his work, and am impressed with his efforts, although still dissappointed greatly by the ending. He will likely be a great author in the time to come, and I would certainly recommend the book (you may not want to read the last 20 pages). And Nick, if you're reading this: could you pull some strings to get me into Harvard?
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating
Review: I picked up a copy of Twelve at my local [store]. I decided to check it out, being a recent graduate of a New York Prep School. I honestly could not put the book down. Although I personally had never experienced the completely out of control lifestyle McDonell describes in Twelve, the characters reminded me of many people I know. The story is absolutely chilling at points, but also has its more poignant moments. I am not a quick reader, or an avid one, but I read Twelve in three hours flat, that's got to mean something.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down. It was wonderful
Review: I bought this book sunday around two in the afternoon. I came home, finished my other book, Bret Easton Eliis' "American Psycho" and I started reading "Twelve" out of boredom after dinner, around six. From the first several pages I was hooked. I read the whole thing by one thirty that night. Nick McDonell grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. With a style created by Bret Easton Elis, and perfected by such people as Chuck Palahniuck, McDonell makes it his own. The book, about a drug dealer and the rich New York teens he deals to, starts building to a wonderful climax almost from page one. The lives of all of the characters are somewhat interrelated, much like the film "Magnolia." In the end, they all end up at the same place at the same time, leading to the wonderful, powerful, shocking ending. Now it may seem odd, but this book may end up to be, in some people's minds, the equivalent to Salinger's "The Cathcer in the Rye." I loved this book, and highly recomend it to anyone who enjoys a good book. Even if it doesn't sound like your kind of book, hey it's a quick read, so why not give it a shot.
It is worth a shot because the author, born in 1984, is only several months older than I am. I like to write, as well, but he is in a whole different ball park than I am. He and I both write, but there is something he has that I don't. He has a style that is all his own. It may resemble things by Ellis (the Uzi, New York, excessive drugs, language and violence) but you have to give him credit beucase he has taken a clever style, manipulated it and made it into a new, engaging, enthralling piece fo art. This book was wonderful. It is probably one of the best books I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: as useless as the characters
Review: This book went nowhere. Yes it was a fast read, but so are comic books, which is essentially what this was without the pictures. It's a teen fantasy that ends with what a juvenile mind cant get past: everyone getting shot up by some kid who supposedly walked off the street and into a store and bought a machine gun (and I assume tons of ammo with his spare cash). This rich kid who wrote the book needs to learn a lot more about writing before he should start duping people into buying his swill and fattening his wallet even more. If you're going to build something up as much as this book has been built up, you better have the goods to back it up, and this book just doesn't. It's few poetic exchanges are barely worthy of a raised eyebrow and its over-contrived methaphores reek of obviousness. Save your money. If you want violence and drugs with no plot, turn on the evening news.
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