Simon Says

by Elaine Marie Alphin

Book Overview

Aspiring young artist, Charles Weston has enrolled in a private arts high school soley to meet the "famous" Graeme Brandt, a student whose recently published novel touched a chord deep within Charles.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152163557
• ISBN13: 9780152163556
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Pretty Good

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.

The themes of this book are desperately thought-provoking.

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

Life Lesson

This is my favorite book. Period. I couldn't take my eyes off the pages once I started reading. I would stay awake all night during the summer reading it until I could no longer keep my eyes open. The deepness of every word Charles said amazed me. It made me consider things in way I've never even thought of. The book made me think, "Is my life this way? Do I do this?" This is also one of the only books that I've ever been able to feel like I was in. I cried when Charles was hurtful to Adrian and I was angered when Rachel kissed Charles back. And at the end of the book, I was sad that it was over. So much so that I mailed the author to talk to her about the book. Her nice replied contented me, but I still continue to read the book all the time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to challenge the 'traditional' ways of thinking. But I would also recommend that you read this book word by word, so soak up everything the book has to offer.

Must Read!

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.

Read this book

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.