coming age novel american writer published february narrator teenager known charlie describes experiences series letters anonymous stranger set early 1990s novel follows charlie freshman year high school pittsburgh suburb intelligent years unconventional story begins reader learns charlie shy unpopular took years develop publish creating characters aspects story memories novel addresses themes including sexuality drug use makes references literary works films pop culture general book commercial success banned american schools content received mixed reviews literary critics adapted directed film version starring film boosted novel sales book reached new_york_times best seller list plot story begins quiet sensitive year old boy named charlie writing letters life unknown recipient charlie chooses person said heard nice thought person discusses year high school traumatic experiences past suicide middle school friend michael year death favorite aunt helen early childhood english teacher anderson notices charlie passion reading writing acts mentor assigning books reports charlie befriended seniors patrick sam patrick secretly dating football player sam patrick charlie quickly develops crush sam subsequently admits feelings revealed sam sexually abused child kisses charlie ensure kiss truly loves parallel charlie witnesses sister boyfriend hit face telling parents eventually mentions occurrence anderson tells charlie parents charlie relationship sister rapidly continues boyfriend parents wishes eventually discovers sister pregnant agrees bring abortion clinic telling sister breaks boyfriend charlie relationship begins improve significantly charlie accepted sam patrick group friends begins experimenting tobacco alcohol drugs charlie engages new friends control flashbacks died car crash way buy birthday gift eventually member group invites charlie school dance enter relationship game truth dare kiss girl room kisses sam storms rest group patrick suggests charlie stay away sam flashbacks return patrick relationship discovered abusive father disappears school days returning cold mean patrick patrick attempts attacks patrick sexuality public patrick physically attacks football players join gang patrick charlie breaks fight regaining respect sam friends patrick begins spending time charlie patrick kisses charlie apologizes charlie understands recovering romance sees engaging stranger park patrick able relationship school year ends charlie anxious losing older friends especially sam leaving summer college preparatory program learned boyfriend cheated charlie helps pack talk feelings angry acted begin engage sexually charlie suddenly grows uncomfortable stops sam charlie begins realize sexual contact sam stirred memories having aunt helen child epilogue charlie discovered parents state movement despite hit reluctantly father admitted mental hospital emerges helen sexually abused young love troubled youth caused traumatic memories psychological damage explains flashbacks phases book months charlie released sam patrick visit epilogue sam patrick charlie tunnel charlie stands felt infinite comes terms past don power choose come choose charlie decides participate life letter writing ends background writing conceived random ideas including kid standing tunnel girl likes parties goes years elements mind idea writing novel difficult period life experiencing bad breakup led ask good people let treated badly author tried answer question sentence accept love think deserve meant advice remark charge life referring romance love love self love future love life story began school evolving book working book wrote sentence guess led realize kid trying find began writing novel summer college month weeks completed story rewrote drafts concluding published version summer charlie hope form character loosely based author included countless details novel time lived pittsburgh characters pieces real people life focused people struggles passionate attempting essence characters sam patrick celebration people met sam based girls patrick kids knew gay finding way identity style themes idea anonymous letters came real experience senior year high school wrote anonymous letter rebel cause influenced year half later stern found mentor series letters charlie anonymous character found intimate way talk directly reader thought letters help story cohesive convey highs lows young day world greatest times critics identified primary themes teenage reality adults nostalgia according captures feeling belong friends soon notes pain loss intense bliss nostalgia emphasis pain sic word riot said connects young people scenes universal happen teenagers wanted convey respect teenagers respect celebrate teenagers going day said novel felt like read adults targeted audience book addresses range themes including sex drugs themes include friendship body image love suicide eating disorders sexuality importance entertainment books songs movies entertainment young help discover believe hope life cultural references musical literary paradise road kill theatrical publication reception published february imprint subsidiary best selling book copies print included school reading lists gathered cult following spite appeared times list frequently challenged books usually request remove high school public libraries deals drugs use teenagers homosexuality suicide sexually explicit scenes offensive language didn write controversial book surprised critical response mixed called novel dealing standard teenage issues insistence charlie disposition said right combination realism reviewer criticized rip catcher reviewers similar comparisons said trying mimic style writer saw readers compare charlie different people unique problems perspectives said novel makes readers recipients charlie letters engage teen readers years come common sense media praised relevant themes teenagers readers find quickly feeling sorry protagonist worrying journey review wrote notable funny touching memorable novel accuracy author captures voice boy brink adulthood wrote adult suffers pure raw angst unlike arrested development friendly fare like speaks specific age range announcement film adaptation novel received attention sales increased copies reached new_york_times bestseller lists entered children books category june list million copies print november appeared new_york_times list non consecutive week november list novel published countries languages film adaptation wrote adapt film calling lifelong dream publication novel said received film offers refusing owed fans movie worthy love book began developing film version author signed write direct film producers film shot pittsburgh area june starred charlie sam patrick charlie sister premiered september toronto international film festival released theatrically united_states september according metacritic received generally favorable reviews average based reviews rotten_tomatoes reported approval rate based reviews film commercial success grossing million worldwide million production budget
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