Rating: 
Summary: The themes of this book are desperately thought-provoking.
Review: Even in kindergarten, Charles knew that he didn't want to play Simon Says. He didn't want to do what somebody named Simon said. He wanted to be himself. If it was a choice of playing Simon Says or standing in the corner, he stood in the corner. Charles is a sophomore in high school now, and he is still determined that he will not play Simon Says.
But people have always been dissatisfied with who Charles is. His life is full of Simons telling him to be different. Don't use his left hand; don't paint pictures that make them feel uncomfortable; make them proud of him; study for the right kind of job. The more he uses his paintings to show people how he feels, the more they hate him. They make fun of him, tear up his class assignments, and call him names. Teachers harass him, and his parents are ashamed of him.
That's why Charles wants to meet Graeme. When Graeme was a freshman at Whitman High School for the Arts, he wrote a book, The Eye of the Storm, that was published and made people sit up and blink. Charles knew as soon as he read it that he had to go to Whitman, too, and meet Graeme. Here was somebody who knew all about the Simon Says games people play, and yet he obviously never played them himself. Charles knows that he can learn from Graeme how to be himself without playing the game, either.
But Graeme is not what Charles expected him to be. Graeme is a senior at Whitman now, and he hasn't written another book since his first one. Graeme himself doesn't know why. Nor does he know why he's a disappointment to Charles. What does Charles want from him? The relationship between the two boys becomes more and more complicated, until it erupts in a storm that will change them both forever.
The themes of this book are desperately thought-provoking --- Always be yourself, because the alternative can be deadly. But to be yourself, you have to know who you are. And what we are in any given moment is not the whole truth of us. It can be more terrible to live than to die, but death takes away everything. And Simon Says might be a game we all play, even when we don't want to.
--- Reviewed by Tamara Penny
Rating:
Summary: Must Read!
Review: fantastic! I read it in one night, I love the combined issues of sexually and the teenage struggle against conformity. The angst is layed on so thick you can almost taste it. No matter how old you are you should read this book (i'm in 11th grade)! It also would make an excellent book for a decison makeing type class for those who are entering high school.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book
Review: fantastic! I read it in one night, I love the combined issues of sexually and the teenage struggle against conformity. The angst is layed on so thick you can almost taste it. No matter how old you are you should read this book (i'm in 11th grade)! It also would make an excellent book for a decison makeing type class for those who are entering high school.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read!
Review: I couldn't believe this book! It's so TRUE! I opened it Saturday morning and I couldn't stop reading until I finished it that afternoon. It just sucked me into Charles's world. I felt like I was part Charles and part Graeme, and like I wished I could be more like Adrian even though I didn't like him at all at first. But these guys were so REAL to me! I thought I was the only guy who had these thoughts and these fears and was struggling with these issues. But this book says it all. It's okay to be different. It's okay to tell your parents you can't be the person they expect you to be - they might even accept you as you are. Or maybe they won't. The book doesn't promise any happy endings, but it's honest. All I can say is that every teen, whether you're into painting or writing or music, or whether you're a jock or a geek or a Goth or WHOEVER you are, you have to read this book!! I feel different after reading it, and you will too.
Rating:
Summary: An exceptional book for teens of all dialect
Review: This book is by far an excellent read. Elaine really describes the charectars so that you feel almost as if your part of the story. You can't stop thinking about the book until you've read it cover to cover, and then you still have it on your mind. When my mom got this book for me i was afraid it was just another "recommended" book for teens that was fake and was stripped of content. But from the moment i opened it I knew that this book was deffinetly anything but. I recommend this book to any teen that may be experiencing any feelings of reject or feeling they just don't fit in or belong. Also, of course, i recommend it to anyone that wants a good read. This book is full of surprises and you never totally figure it out until the bitter end.
Rating:
Summary: An exceptional book for teens of all dialect
Review: This book is by far an excellent read. Elaine really describes the charectars so that you feel almost as if your part of the story. You can't stop thinking about the book until you've read it cover to cover, and then you still have it on your mind. When my mom got this book for me i was afraid it was just another "recommended" book for teens that was fake and was stripped of content. But from the moment i opened it I knew that this book was deffinetly anything but. I recommend this book to any teen that may be experiencing any feelings of reject or feeling they just don't fit in or belong. Also, of course, i recommend it to anyone that wants a good read. This book is full of surprises and you never totally figure it out until the bitter end.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: This book is pretty good. It delves deep into metaphores and life according to a somewhat depressed and jaded teen. It explores the psycology of someone who is tired of faking their way through life and it's a very "heavy" book to read. I wouldn't recommend it for light readers.
Over all it sparked my interest and kept me drawn to it. The main character has a dark quality that seems a little too adult for a teen book but comes to a cosmic understanding by the end. The last third of the book might scare you, but the ending will surprise you and make you feel better about the main character.
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever.
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read. The detail is so perfect, I could feel myself crying when Charles was sad, and I was happy when he was. The deep store kept me reading the book for hours. I just couldn't put it down. No matter how tired I was. Hopely, I'm going to get this book for a holiday or something. And if you want to know something strange, after reading this book, it made me so sure that all I wanted to do was paint.
Rating:
Summary: The best book ever.
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read. The detail is so perfect, I could feel myself crying when Charles was sad, and I was happy when he was. The deep store kept me reading the book for hours. I just couldn't put it down. No matter how tired I was. Hopely, I'm going to get this book for a holiday or something. And if you want to know something strange, after reading this book, it made me so sure that all I wanted to do was paint.
Rating:
Summary: Truth in Hyperbole
Review: This is the only book I have ever read that accurately depicted the inner life of the creative person. Is it hyperbolic? Yes - because the inner life is hyperbolic. Is it metaphoric? Yes - because psychological truth is best portrayed metaphorically. Is it uncomfortable? Damn straight. I felt as if I were watching Elaine Alphin, the author (and a personal friend; nothing less but total honesty will do in discussing this book) stand in Times Squre, douse herself in gasoline, and light a match. I have neither the courage nor the stamina to write a book like this. Ironically, the reasons this extraordinarily honest book has been overlooked for awards and tepidly received by professional critics are clearly delineated in the book. Nobody wants to know. If you don't want it to be true, don't look at it and shoot the messenger. Heaven forfend that anyone take on the Rachel role and edit the world into something better! As the three previous reviews show, however, adolescents recognize their world. But will they do anything about it? Or will they grow up and convince themselve they were overreacting? On bad days I'm Charles, feeling pressured to be Graeme. On amazingly excellent days I get to be Adrian. Most of the time I'm holding on, putting the inner Rachel in charge and hoping for the best. Elaine's told us the truth. It's up to the rest of us to act on that truth.
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