You Don't Know Me by David Klass
In "You Don't Know Me," David Klass successfully delves into the teenage mind and perfectly captures the almost universal adolescent feeling of not being understood by others, without trivializing the struggle. John, the narrator of the simultaneously humorous and sad novel, is a teenage boy coping not only with the typical trials of life in high school but also with living with an abusive step-parent. Through John's authentic narrative we access his thoughts and feelings. He often describes things by what they are not. At one point he describes school, "This is not school, this is anti-school...school is a fun place and this is torture. School is for learning and this place is for becoming stupid." This writing convention requires an adjustment on the reader's part, but it also helps us to get to know John intimately and adds to the development of his complex character. The conclusion to the novel is both realistic and heartfelt. Readers will en