49 pages • 1 hour read
I Am the Cheese
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Book Brief
233
Novel • Fiction
New England • 1970s
1977
YA
13-18 years
750L
Super Short Summary
In I Am the Cheese by Robert Cormier, teen Adam Farmer believes he is biking from his Massachusetts hometown to a Vermont hospital to visit his dad, a journalist who exposed governmental corruption, while the story progressively reveals his reality in a psychiatric hospital and his journey through repressed traumas, identity crisis, and the struggle to recall his true past. The book references violence, threats, murder, psychological trauma, and family loss.
Mysterious
Dark
Suspenseful
Unnerving
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
17,716 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Robert Cormier's I Am the Cheese is praised for its intense, gripping narrative and complex, layered storytelling that effectively explores themes of identity and memory. However, some critics find the plot's nonlinear structure challenging and potentially confusing. Overall, it remains a thought-provoking and memorable read.
Who Should Read I Am the Cheese?
Fans of suspenseful, psychological fiction with a young adult focus will enjoy Robert Cormier’s I Am the Cheese. Readers drawn to complex narratives and themes similar to S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders or Lois Lowry’s The Giver will appreciate this gripping tale of identity and memory.
17,716 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
233
Novel • Fiction
New England • 1970s
1977
YA
13-18 years
750L
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