Monday, October 15, 2007

Student Review: I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe

I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
Review written by Jamie Farber

Although this book may certainly scare away some readers due to the thickness of its spine, I am Charlotte Simmons is actually a fast-paced novel with many interesting characters. I promise - every reader is sure to relate to at least one character. For me, this character is the protagonist Charlotte therefore when I read the chapters told from her point of view, the pages fly by!

The story is about a high school girl named Charlotte Simmons, the sheltered Valedictorian of Allegheny High School, who leaves her small town and protective parents behind to attend prestigious Dupont University. After her residential assistant assures her that no alcohol is permitted in the dormitory, Charlotte experiences several vulgar comments from drunken boys (with beer bottles in hand) who are in the same dorm building. So much for the alcohol free assurance! During her “adventure” at college, Charlotte attracts attention from both a nerdy tutor in the library and the number one basketball star of Dupont, however she can’t seem to befriend or even make conversation with her snobby roommate, Beverly. Many incidents occur; unfortunately Charlotte is unprepared to deal with them due to her small-town mentality toward everything academic, emotional, and social.

Tom Wolfe writes this novel so that each chapter is from a different character’s point of view. While at first this style may make it difficult to see why a specific chapter was placed in its order, all of the connections between characters start to make sense after getting further into the novel. This is a book that is great for seniors going off to college or people who want a closer look at what college life is really like. An older teenage reader can appreciate the realistic events of college life in the novel. The book can be found at the East Brunswick Public Library or any bookstore near you!

- Jamie Farber

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