In the wake of Salinger's death, I remembered this somewhat unrelated review I wrote when I was 15. I still agree with it....I don't know if this means I was a precocious 15 year old or am now a 15 year old 20 year old. Either way....I'm still right. And I have a problem with people who have a problem with Holden being whiny and hate the book because of it.....no shit he's a whiner, isn't that the point. But there's a good way to do it and a bad way....and Charlie does the latter.
So don't get me wrong---it's not like I hate the book or anything. I even quite like it. But I really don't see the whole craze thing that comes with it. And the whole comparison with 'The Catcher in the Rye', which is my favourite book. I mean I can see where people are coming from when they say that, with the whole teenager growing up thing....but there are a ton of books out there like that. But that's not really my point, because I happen to like those kind of books, similar and cliched as they might be. They don't mess with your brain as much, which is why they make a good read if you're in the mood.
I think my main problem with this book, the thing that put me off, was Charlie. Again, I don't hate him---I think he's very sweet and all, but the thing is, throughout the entire book, I had to keep reminding myself that this boy was 16 years old. This boy, who cries half the fucking time and is all quiet and profound, 16. For me, it wasn't believable at all. I kept imagining him more like 13, or even 12. I mean despite him reading all those novels, and fooling around with girls---he just seemed like a mature, quirky, sweet 13 year old. 14 at the most. But fucking 16? As a 16 year old, I just found him insanely naive for some reason, and just horribly annoying and clingy. Like a puppy or something. I guess he's really supposed to be sensitive and nice, and thinking all the time---I got that sure, but it wasn't the same. It didn't fit right y'know? So towards the end I kind of got sick of him crying, and sick of having to pause and tell myself he was 16, 16, 16.......
Overall, I still like it I guess. But maybe that's only because of the book's original mass opinion. I liked the mixtape he made, with the list of wintery songs. I'm probably going to burn one myself, for this Christmas. Is that sad? I think it is, but I like those songs. I think it's pretty neat how Chbosky included them and the bands.
The funny thing is, now that I think of it, if this Charlie existed in real life, I'd probably like him a lot. Whereas with Holden Caulfield, if he existed in real life, I'd probably hate him. I mean as a literary character I like him a lot, but God if I ever actually met him, what a bastard. It's strange, but in a way it makes sense. I don't really know how to explain it though.
