The Downside of Being Charlie

Oct 17, 2012 Jennifer Haight rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charlie isn’t your typical YA protagonist. He struggles with his weight, to the point that he develops bulimia. He doesn’t excel socially, in sports or any other way at school until he discovers photography. Charlie’s life is atypical in many ways. He’s an only child with an emotionally damaged Mom who leaves and returns on a whim and a father who is embroiled in an affair. Throughout the novel Charlie is not only tending to his own needs, but he is also trying to predict the mood of his parents...more Charlie isn’t your typical YA protagonist. He struggles with his weight, to the point that he develops bulimia. He doesn’t excel socially, in sports or any other way at school until he discovers photography. Charlie’s life is atypical in many ways. He’s an only child with an emotionally damaged Mom who leaves and returns on a whim and a father who is embroiled in an affair. Throughout the novel Charlie is not only tending to his own needs, but he is also trying to predict the mood of his parents and what their needs may be. As dark as the story sounds, I fear that such conditions are a reality for many teens and the rendering of Charlie under the gentle hands of Jenny Torres Sanchez is both gentle and honest. Charlie will not win any awards for being the most loveable character in YA fiction. He has an undying crush on a pathetically shallow girl, he selfishly locks himself away from his Dad and he participates in bullying an easy target at school. I found the complexity of his imperfections refreshing, even if they are painful to read about. Although, like life there are many components to the story it is at its root about Charlie admitting that he has an eating disorder.

"But the truth is, it’s hard to constantly have to admit how screwed up my family is.
It’s hard to constantly need to be saved.”

At the beginning of the book Charlie has just returned from fat camp and although he likes the way that he looks, he is also leery of the new attention that he is receiving due to his new physique. He gets attention from the girl of his dreams, Charlotte and his desire to be appealing to her mixed with the emotional chaos that he experiences over his mother’s condition and his father’s indiscretions push his eating issues into overdrive. He begins a dangerous pattern or binge and purge that accelerates as the story progresses.
I find Charlie’s innocence endearing rather than unrealistic. Not all kids mature at the same rate. For example, he has never been in a girl’s room before. He has no sisters, cousins or friends with sisters and when the first room that he ever sees is the room of his love interest Charlotte VanderKleaton. Charlie has a quirky best friend Ahmed who is obsesses with the Rat Pack and a caring teacher Mr. Killinger who keeps Charlie motivated during difficult times.

Besides the effective narrative there are many hidden layers in the book that can be dug through. This would be an excellent book to write a paper on, is a worthy tool for any teen struggling with an eating disorder and is just a worthwhile read overall. I’m anxious to see what comes next from the promising new writer Jenny Torres Sanchez.
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Aug 27, 2012 Sandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite, ya, library

10 stars!! Oh, to be Charlie. Charlie thought his senior year was his year to shine, his year to be noticed for what he really was, as he was tired of being Chunks. Chunks, the fat kid, the kid who never had a girlfriend, the kid people made fun of but this year turns out to be the year Charlie figures out there is more to life than just looks. His best buddy Ahmed tries to give Charlie the confidence he needs but Charlie needs more than confidence to get through the issues that are coming his w...more 10 stars!! Oh, to be Charlie. Charlie thought his senior year was his year to shine, his year to be noticed for what he really was, as he was tired of being Chunks. Chunks, the fat kid, the kid who never had a girlfriend, the kid people made fun of but this year turns out to be the year Charlie figures out there is more to life than just looks. His best buddy Ahmed tries to give Charlie the confidence he needs but Charlie needs more than confidence to get through the issues that are coming his way. His locker partner this year is Tanya Bates, a girl who loves confrontation and is not afraid to take a stand and just when things couldn’t get any worse, the issues at home are mounting. His mother hasn’t been home is months and his father, well Charlie hears something but is afraid to confront his father about it. Charlie love of photography gets lost in the shuffle as an important assignment is pushed to the back burner as he tries to get his life figured out. A new girl at school has sparked an interest in Charlie but she is also chasing after one of Charlie’s adversaries, is she only playing to see who comes out on top? Charlie thought that losing all the weight at fat camp would be the worst of his problems but that was only the beginning, but where can he find comfort? Charlie has no one to turn to and he doesn’t want anyone to know how messed up his life is so he resorts to the only comfort he feels he has: food. Ashamed of his behavior, Charlie starts to binge eat and this spiral behavior gets out of control. How long can this behavior last? How important is his senior year when he can’t even face another day.
I found myself laughing out loud as I read parts of this book since Charlie talks so open about his feelings and it sounds so much like a teenager. “I pictured myself panhandling on the streets for money to buy a box of Ho Hos, scrounging up a couple of bucks and heading to the nearest gas station to buy the crème-filled goodness. The clerk would recognize me and shake his head as I shoved it in my face, making grunting noises like a wild boar.” The situations and the relationships he has are so realistic and amazing that I can’t say enough about them. I had so many emotions reading this book as he struggles to adjust to the situations that he confronts. Charlie tries to keep his emotions in check and go with the flow, it is only when he lets go does he realize how he really feel and the honesty that the author is able to reflect in her writing is powerful and abrupt. I think it tells a great message.

This book talks about eating disorders so make sure you are able to handle that subject matter. There are a few swear words but nothing out of hand. You have to remember this is a book about a teenage boy in high school and they swear in high school. He thinks his life is a mess and he used to be picked on so take that into consideration.

There is one reference to drugs in the book but it was handled respectably. There is reference to sex as the characters talk about it as they are teenagers in high school.
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Aug 23, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charlie Grisner used to be fat. But slimming down didn't solve his problems. His mother still runs away and his dad spends most of his time out of the house. He's only got one real friend and he has to share a locker with Tanya Bate, the girl everyone hates. He's really into Charlotte VanderKleaton, the new girl, but so is one of the school bullies.

I loved Charlie's voice. He's awkward in a very authentic way. He doesn't have good problem-solving skills because his parents have taught him to ru...more

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May 14, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jenny Torres Sanchez's debut novel is fantastic. Her protagonist, Charlie Grisner, is hurting-- and his parents are too wrapped up in themselves to notice. His dad's having an affair and his mom seems trapped in mental illness. Charlie's attracted to Charlotte-- but afraid if she knows the real him, she'll run the other way. His parents are sending him the message that he's unworthy, and he's believing it. Charlie's trying to hold on to a 30 pound weight loss (achieved after his dad sent him to...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Ms.Gaye rated it 4 of 5 stars

An upside of being a children’s librarian is the opportunity to read Advanced Reading Copies of books yet to be published. Although most of my reading is focused on the grade-school set, I squeeze in worthy adult and teen titles as often as possible. When a Running Press editor introduced me to the delightful new author Jenny Torrez Sanchez, and offered me an ARC of The Downside of Being Charlie, I knew this was a teen title I had to fit into my reading schedule. Wow! Sanchez captivated me from...more

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May 23, 2012 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2012

1.5.

Charlie's been the fat boy forever but when he goes to fat camp for the summer and comes home having lost weight, he wants to go after Charlotte, the new girl who he thought he had no chance with before. In addition to that stress is the stress of mom who is far from being sane. She and Charlie's father are on again and off again and now they're off again and she's flying off the deep end.

I didn't buy the voice in this story, and it read very young for me. Charlie didn't sound like an 18 y...more 1.5.

Charlie's been the fat boy forever but when he goes to fat camp for the summer and comes home having lost weight, he wants to go after Charlotte, the new girl who he thought he had no chance with before. In addition to that stress is the stress of mom who is far from being sane. She and Charlie's father are on again and off again and now they're off again and she's flying off the deep end.

I didn't buy the voice in this story, and it read very young for me. Charlie didn't sound like an 18 year old but more like a 12 year old, and I felt that many of the story elements themselves read much younger than YA, too. It was much more juvenile than I expected but because of some of the language and some of the other situations, this isn't a book I'd give to a middle grade reader.

I have a hard time with books that tackle weight issues, but I found this one particularly sticky because it's never handled head on. But when it does emerge, the way it's brought up doesn't sit right. First, Charlie admits to wanting to lose weight for Charlotte, not himself. And while that in and of itself isn't a problem, I found those moments when he chose to "comfort eat" false and at times a little cringe-worthy. (view spoiler)

To be honest, I was bored with the plot most of the way because little happens. Even when we get to emotionally strong moments, I found myself not really caring. (view spoiler) The ending really threw me though, since it was a straight paragraph of Message.

I wanted to like this one, and I think had it been written at the middle grade level, I would have. The male voices didn't sound like high school seniors (and if Charlie's friend used the word "chickie" one more time to refer to a female...) and because of the lack of depth in exploring some pretty tough topics, I was left underwhelmed. (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Lenore Appelhans added it

Shelves: apocalypsies

[...] sometimes what's real isn't pretty and what's pretty isn't always real." This line is one of the last lines in the novel, but I wanted to kick-off with it because it encapsulates what this novel is to me. Charlie's a budding photographer, and at the outset, he judges people and situations mainly on appearances. He thinks that just because he lost thirty pounds at summer camp, people are going to view him differently and he'll have a good year, maybe even catch the attention of pretty new g...more

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May 15, 2012 Sarvenaz Tash rated it 5 of 5 stars

In a lot of ways, THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING CHARLIE is unlike anything I have ever read. It's Charlie Grisner's senior year and he has just returned from a summer away at fat camp, skinnier and determined to finally make this his year. There's a quirky best friend, a beautiful new girl, a school prank that could go horribly wrong...the thing is, you may think you know where all this is going but you’d be wrong. The beauty of this story is how many unexpected twists and turns it takes and, most of al...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite, young-adult

I wish I knew how to start this review more effectively, but the one word that keeps weighing on my mind is simply this: heavy. I went into The Downside of Being Charlie expecting to laugh. Maybe giggle a bit over Charlie's confused adolescent life. What I didn't expect, however, was to fall into a period of deep thought. To cry. Or for that matter, to find inspirational quotes that stuck with me even hours later. It's not everyday that a book somehow manages to make me laugh and cry in equal me...more I wish I knew how to start this review more effectively, but the one word that keeps weighing on my mind is simply this: heavy. I went into The Downside of Being Charlie expecting to laugh. Maybe giggle a bit over Charlie's confused adolescent life. What I didn't expect, however, was to fall into a period of deep thought. To cry. Or for that matter, to find inspirational quotes that stuck with me even hours later. It's not everyday that a book somehow manages to make me laugh and cry in equal measures. In fact, The Downside of Being Charlie is the first to do that in a long time.

What is between these pages may be fiction, but in a sense it is also reality. THIS is the type of book that I feel young people should be reading. It's gritty, raw, and yes there is even some profanity, but at the end of the day it's real. Jenny Torres Sanchez speaks out to readers using Charlie as a catalyst. She shows the raw, hidden lives that a lot of people live. Putting up a front so that they seem okay to the outside world. Best of all, she doesn't speak down to her readers. She let's us know that sometimes life sucks, but it's what you choose to do moving forward that matters.

I'm certain that Charlie Grisner will forever remain one of my top ten favorite characters. It's tough for me to connect with male point of view normally, but Charlie was just too lovable and real for words. His life isn't perfect. His family is broken. What's worse though is that there doesn't seem to be anything he can do about it. So, he laughs, puts up a wall, and moves on. Lucky for Charlie there just so happens to be some amazing people in his life, even if he doesn't always appreciate them. My favorite by far was his best friend Ahmed. A kid who loves the Rat Pack, wears wing tips, and still manages to be there for his best friend no matter what? That's my kind of character!

I could ramble on for days about this book, and how amazing it is. Unfortunately I know I'd loose your attention. So I'll end with one last thought. This is a book that makes you think. It makes you feel. Isn't that what reading is supposed to be all about? Jenny Torres Sanchez has written a heartfelt story, and a character who could very well be the person you sit next to on the bus. Or your best friend. He's just a lost kid, looking for a hand to hold, and trying to be okay.

Loved this book. Loved it with all my heart. The Downside of Being Charlie goes on my list of books that will be well-loved, dog-eared, and passed around as often as possible. Trust me, you want to read this. It's utterly fantastic. I'll leave you with a favorite quote of mine, courtesy of Charlie himself:

"All we have to do is come out of the boxes we build around ourselves because the truth is we're the ones who close ourselves up, hide ourselves in our own tiny compartments, leaving no room for anyone else."
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Nov 06, 2012 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was kind of a strange book for me in that it wasn't terribly compelling, but I still really liked it. It took me a couple of starts to really get into it, but in the end, it was worth it.

Charlie has high hopes for his senior year - he lost about 30 pounds over the summer, the girl he likes may actually like him back, and his photography class looks like it may be the highlight of not only his school day but his whole year. Then...he is handed the biggest "Lord of the Rings freak" in school...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-goal-70

Rating the Downside of Being Charlie five stars was a very personal thing for me. It is not very often that a book feels personal. Sure, you can read and enjoy a book, and even love the characters and feel like they are friends, but Charlie was a friend, he was one of my best friends.

This book pulled me right back into high school and all the pain and uncertainty associated with it, and Charlie was exactly the kind of guy who was my best friend in Jr. High and High School. We were all on the ou...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Wow!! There aren't a lot of books that make me cry, but THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING CHARLIE by Jenny Torres Sanchez did just that. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this raw and powerful book about a teenage boy who has just lost weight at summer "fat camp" and is trying to navigate through dire family issues, messy school politics and the flirty new girl who doesn't know why the kids at school call him "Chunks". Jenny Torres Sanchez absolutely nails the teenage voice, and her characters are fun...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Karissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club

I read this for my YA Book Club, and I still have mixed feelings about it. Many in the club enjoyed it, one utterly hated it, and I still feel just in the middle. It's a good story about a boy who used to be overweight dealing with life in general.

Charlie's dad sent him away to fat camp before his senior year of high school, and he actually participated and lost all of the weight. Though it sounds like he did so for Charlotte, the girl who moved down the street which is sort of stupid. Do it fo...more

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May 08, 2013 MsKim rated it 4 of 5 stars

An understated book that could slip under your radar, but like "Dr. Bird..." that I recently read, it gives you a heartbreaking look into a family of broken people trying to figure out who they are. Charlie is a likeable protagonist, and you are rooting for him the whole time. I liked the pacing of the story and how the portraits of his mom and dad unfolded gradually, building tension in the reader so you're never quite sure if you're supposed to empathize or fault them.

An unfortunately realist...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Mary Louise Sanchez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-authors, hispanic-authors

Charie Grisner, a starting senior, should be pumped up for this school year but instead he's still getting called "Chunks", even though he lost thirty pounds over the summer and he thought he had a chance with the new girl, Charlotte. Charlie's mother has disappeared again; he has to share a locker with a loser who is a Lord of the Rings freak; their locker is a target for stink bombs; and now his Dad is saying "I love you" to someone who is not his mom. Charlie's friendship with Ahmed, a Rat Pa...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. So many people have issues in their lives just like Charlie and have no way of expressing or even escaping their feelings. Readers can easily identify with Charlie and his life. I could not put this down and I can't recommend this enough.

My only warning when handing this to students us the frequency with which the F-word is used (over twenty times). This book is for a more mature reader who would be able to understand the anger and hurt that the main character is f...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Leslie (That Chick That Reads) added it

Shelves: arc-s, need-to-purchase

First off I want to thank Seta Zink for an ARC copy of this book. Can I just say how much I loved this book! Its def something totally different than some of the stuff I've been reading lately. Charlie is not our typical MC. He struggles with his weight, isn’t confident and always gets bullied but this is his year. He doesn’t want to be known as that kid anymore. He loses weight and he thought that it would change everything but it doesn’t.

Charlie is such a great character. He’s shy and honest....more

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Sep 11, 2012 Andi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, dac-2012

The Downside of Charlie was a book that fell into my lap to read and review. I had never heard of it until a request to read it came in. Reading the description I was quick to say yes. Sounded like a solid concept by a debut author. And I must say although it was slow at times I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I got the request.

The Downside of Being Charlie is the story of well, Charlie, a high school senior that has been anything but poplar this whole life. His best friend thinks he is the secon...more The Downside of Charlie was a book that fell into my lap to read and review. I had never heard of it until a request to read it came in. Reading the description I was quick to say yes. Sounded like a solid concept by a debut author. And I must say although it was slow at times I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I got the request.

The Downside of Being Charlie is the story of well, Charlie, a high school senior that has been anything but poplar this whole life. His best friend thinks he is the second coming of the rat pack, he was over weight, and just never fit in. Now after ‘fat camp’ Charlie is 30 pounds lighter and hopes to have a good senior year. But as the title says, there is a downside to be Charlie. Things just never really seem to go his way. His mother runs away for months at a time, his father is always busy working and he has to share his locker with the nerdiest girl in school. The only bright spot for Charlie is in the form of the new girl Charlotte. But even when Charlotte starts to show interest Charlie can’t help but wait for the other shoe to drop.

One of the things I really liked about this book was Charlie himself. Here he was this poor kid that got the short end of the stick every time. His best friend was the only person he could count on and the great thing about Charlie was that he did. He leaned on Ahmed and told him how he was feeling about things. What Charlie didn’t have was strong parental units. This mother was mentally ill and would walk out on the family more often then not and his dad was never really home. It kind of made me sad that Charlie was all alone. Because of this I wasn’t surprised at all by his extremely low self-esteem. He didn’t have many people that were there to show him he was worth it. It was really sad. But like always Charlie persevered and figured out who he was and who to rely on.

With that said there was a couple of things I didn’t like. First I wasn’t a fan of Charlotte at all. I thought she played games and strung Charlie along. I was never convinced that she really liked him. He was there to pass time for her when she wasn’t with the ‘cool people’. I just found her phony and annoying. I also didn’t like the eating disorder aspect. It felt contrived and it was never dealt with. Eating disorders are very serious and I feel like if you are going to go there, then you need to deliver a solution. You can’t just leave something like that hanging.

With that said The Downside of Being Charlie was a good book with a message of self discovery. It was a quick and enjoyable read. I would say to definitely give it a shot.

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Sep 30, 2012 Amber Skye rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, arc

Despite this book's 268 page length, it took me weeks to read. For some reason, the thought of watching TV or sleeping always appealed to me more than pulling The Downside of Being Charlie out. That's never a good sign. So, I finally sat down over the weekend and forced myself to finish it. Even after an hour of being immersed in the story, I still couldn't make myself like the characters or the plot.

Honestly, I think the biggest problem was Charlie. I cannot relate to him at all. It's not just...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Rabiah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

What a great contemporary! The Downside of Being Charlie was funny, but unlike several funny contemporaries, it had a heavier edge to it– it had a brilliant emotional depth. I really enjoyed the fact that this was from a guy's POV. You rarely do get books, contemporaries nonetheless, which feature a guy as the main character (other than John Green's books). The plot was powerful, you could really see the characters develop from start...more Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

What a great contemporary! The Downside of Being Charlie was funny, but unlike several funny contemporaries, it had a heavier edge to it– it had a brilliant emotional depth. I really enjoyed the fact that this was from a guy's POV. You rarely do get books, contemporaries nonetheless, which feature a guy as the main character (other than John Green's books). The plot was powerful, you could really see the characters develop from start to finish, because my opinions definitely changed throughout the course of the story.

Charlie is a powerful lead. You could see his struggle with everything going on in his life: the fact his mom's missing again, struggling to maintain his new weight after coming back from Fat Camp, sharing a locker with Tanya the freak feminist, and getting the attention of the new hot girl. I found it really easy to connect and empathize with Charlie... maybe that has to do with the fact that the author is a woman, and therefore being a girl I could relate to it? Possibly, possibly.
Oh Ahmed! I've never seen anyone in young adult books like him. He reminds me so much of Hasan from An Abundance of Katherines. They're both originally from the same part of the world, they're both hilarious and have something quirky about them, and they're always there to support their best friend. Ahmed is absolutely obsessed with Sinatra and the lingo from that time, and overall he's just an amazing character to read about.
Charlotte was one character that I did not like. I have a theory in sense that girls tend to know which guys and girls are not worth it, but guys only know which guys are not worth it. Thus being my theory, I hated Charlotte, even through the eyes of Charlie, because she just sounded like someone who needs to be popular, surrounded by adoring males... arghh, I'm rambling on, but I just don't like her. I liked her more at the end, but still not past that 'hate' stage.

The little twists in the story are quite heartbreaking and the emotional hardships which Charlie has to go through is really sad. I felt so bad for him! One moment he's all great, and then the next, everything comes crashing down. I really love journey he has through finding himself, finding out what he wants and what he is.

The Downside of Being Charlie is a strong, fabulous, and wonderful debut, which will take you on a roller coaster ride from heartbreaks to giggles. I'm so glad I got the chance to read and review this book– it was the perfect book to just get away from everything and just sink into the story. Definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!

○ ○ ○ Thank you to Seta Zink from Running Press for sending me The Downside of Being Charlie for review! ○ ○ ○(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Renee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fat Camp- where Charlie spent his summer- not the best experience but he did lose 30 lbs- maybe finally he’ll lose his nicknames Chunk- Chunky-Chubs- and people will start calling him Charlie
Dog Crap- what Charlie finds in his locker on the first day of his senior year of high school – Why?- because he has to share a locker with the most despised and bullied person in his class –frizzy haired LOTR lovin’ -Tanya Bart – also what Charlie feels like when he gets home from fat camp and realizes that...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Precious rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

Charlie Grisner had just lost a whooping thirty pounds after staying at Fat Camp last summer. He was obese, unconfident and down. He had suffered from the piercing stares, the labeling and the harsh and disgusted whispers. But with his weight loss, came the pressure of maintaining his weight and forgetting about his huge appetite. But it wasn’t easy to do when every healthy low-fat meal felt like a sacrifice and temptations were everywhere. I liked Charlie....more Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

Charlie Grisner had just lost a whooping thirty pounds after staying at Fat Camp last summer. He was obese, unconfident and down. He had suffered from the piercing stares, the labeling and the harsh and disgusted whispers. But with his weight loss, came the pressure of maintaining his weight and forgetting about his huge appetite. But it wasn’t easy to do when every healthy low-fat meal felt like a sacrifice and temptations were everywhere. I liked Charlie. He was flawed, with hopes, desires, issues and problems. He dealt with his problems by keeping them all inside. He was depressed and soon, it became apparent that he developed a bad habit to make himself feel better.

Ahmed was Charlie’s Turkish best friend. Hyper, energetic, weird and positive, he was probably one of the most unique characters I’ve ever encountered in YA literature. He was always there for Charlie even though Charlie was used to bottling up everything inside of him. Ahmed was always giving advice, encouraging Charlie and lightening up the mood. He injected humor and eccentricity into the novel.

Charlotte, the girl of Charlie’s dreams, was not easy to figure out. She was nice to him and appeared to like him. But she kept hanging out with Mark, the school dumbass who was fond of pulling pranks and putting Charlie down. As Charlotte and Charlie spent more time together, he started to find out that Charlotte was not who he thought her to be.

But even though Charlie changed physically, deep inside he was still the same. He was still the miserable guy with the miserable family. His mom had a habit of leaving him and his father behind, not bothering to say goodbye, tell them where she was going and when she was going back. Her Dad was always busy with work and was keeping a secret from him and his mom. Just when he thought things were bad, it became worse.

Being in Charlie’s mind was a rollercoaster of suppressed emotions, trapped words and squashed hopes. I winced, ached and worried along with him. The way he saw his world, his home and his life was one of a kind. His reflections were pure and honest.

The Downside of Being Charlie was an honest to goodness contemporary novel. Honest, raw touching and gripping, I was sucked into Charlie’s world. I felt for him and connected with him in a way that I didn’t expect. The photography point of view was also a nice touch. I highly recommend this to contemporary readers!(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars

So......I think I kind of underestimated this book in the beginning.

It eventually turned out to be quite a fleshy novel as my reading progressed towards the middle.

Not to mention it being a very heartfelt and honest story told from the point of Charlie, an 18-year-old with plenty of first-world problems.

The Story:

After being persuaded to go to fat camp, Charlie Grisner lost 30 pounds over the summer and is ready to start his senior year at high school. On the surface, everything seems to be goin...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

What are the downsides to being Charlie? His best (only?) friend is a skinny, ADD Turk obsessed with the Rat Pack, he's 5'10" and weighs 235 (and no, he's not on the football team), and his mother disappears every so often. That's not enough? He's just spent the summer between junior and senior year at a fat camp, a very cute girl has moved in across the street, and he's sharing a locker with the class pariah.

As he goes through the first semester of his senior year he starts to come out of his...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this well written book about a former fat kid. Charlie has just gotten back from Fat Camp and is starting his senior year. He has to share his locker with a loser who everyone makes fun of, and his best friend is an oddball himself. He has his sights set on a very popular girl in school. And he is dealing with his mom's coming and goings and mental illness. The book was very well done and contained a main character who I really enjoyed. I would definitely recommend this book!

Bri...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book is incredible. I’m generally sort of averse to realistic fiction because you start to feel like you know the characters and they inevitably go through hell. I’m going to be honest: I cried. I know Charlie is not in fact a real person, but he very well could be. The things he deals with are all things that someone you know has dealt with, whether you’re aware of it or not. It’s heart-breaking and it’s important that young people know that these things happen.

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Nov 14, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

A pretty solid effort by Torres Sanchez. Most of the characters are well-developed and plausible; however, some of the situations seem to be forced to create tension. I appreciate how the author goes against the flow by making a young man bulimic rather than a young woman, although I'm not entirely comfortable with just how real the psychology she presents is. The idea for the photo collection is killer.

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Dec 10, 2012 Kimathy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: John Green Lovers

Shelves: hilarious, tad-annoying

So, there are a lot of downsides to being Charlie, are there not? I think the story is well put together and the plot is eye-catching. However, there were a lot of plot points throughout, and a lot of teenage issues that were only half way approached. Because of this, the story didn’t feel finished when the book ended. There were quite a few bits of metaphors and poetic tangents that were well worded, but overall felt forced and not in character for Charlie. I think that’s because Charlie is so...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Alma Ramos-McDermott rated it 5 of 5 stars

All his life, Charlie has had a weight problem. The summer before senior year, he loses 30 pounds at Fat Camp. Determined to start his last year of school on a high note, Charlie is devastated to learn his locker partner is the biggest loser in the school.

Read the rest of my review on my blog at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.c...

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Aug 15, 2012 Suzi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was only so-so until about midway through. It seemed kind of silly and a little shallow, but then when Charlie's family problems really start to show, that's when I got interested. I began to feel for Charlie, to empathize. I started connecting with other characters as well. The ending made my eyes tear up a little. Pretty good book with a nice ending.

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title link	preview: The Downside of Being Charlie
avg rating	preview: The Downside of Being Charlie Goodreads rating: 3.94 (145 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11380801-the-downside-of-being-charlie?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1326413727l/11380801.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11380801-the-downside-of-being-charlie?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Downside of Being Charlie by Jenny Torres Sanchez[/url]

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