Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Collins (1979), Edition: New Ed, Paperback, 192 pages
Description
A young boy desperately tries to unlock his past yet knows he must hide those memories if he is to remain alive.
User reviews
LibraryThing member lola_leviathan
This book is incredibly well-written and totally dark and fucked-up for a YA classic.
LibraryThing member BridgetteHarmon
This is a disturbing book. It definitely kept my attention,though, because I wanted to know what was going on. Why had Adam lost his memory? What really happened? Who was Mr. Gray? Why was Adam riding his bicycle to Vermont to meet his father? The suspense was very well crafted, and an eerie chill
As a book intended for children, I found it even more disturbing. There are a few references to Amy's breasts, an obviously homosexual man tries to ellicit a "favor" from Adam in an alley, there is a graphic description of the car smashing into and killing his mother, and the book is tragic and hopeless overall. It could be argued that there is some hope in that Adam is cognizant enough to realize "I am the cheese" because "the cheese stands alone," but it is a very tragic sort of hope.
It is more suitable for a high school audience. Although it is a dark book, it is extremely well-written and captivating. It is definitely a book that many high school students would enjoy reading for its intrigue and tragedy and compelling flow. It is a very interesting look into the mind of a boy who is coming of age and starting to notice girls and such while going through such an enormous tragedy. It also gives an interesting perspective on the witness protection system and governmental power over individual lives. I only wish that there were more contemporary books for high school students with a more positive message that were equally compelling.
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pervaded even the most harmless scenes.As a book intended for children, I found it even more disturbing. There are a few references to Amy's breasts, an obviously homosexual man tries to ellicit a "favor" from Adam in an alley, there is a graphic description of the car smashing into and killing his mother, and the book is tragic and hopeless overall. It could be argued that there is some hope in that Adam is cognizant enough to realize "I am the cheese" because "the cheese stands alone," but it is a very tragic sort of hope.
It is more suitable for a high school audience. Although it is a dark book, it is extremely well-written and captivating. It is definitely a book that many high school students would enjoy reading for its intrigue and tragedy and compelling flow. It is a very interesting look into the mind of a boy who is coming of age and starting to notice girls and such while going through such an enormous tragedy. It also gives an interesting perspective on the witness protection system and governmental power over individual lives. I only wish that there were more contemporary books for high school students with a more positive message that were equally compelling.
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LibraryThing member datrappert
I suppose I am much older than the intended demographic of this book--so I'll review it for adults! First, it is well-written and the first- and third-person perspective of a teenage boy taking a desperate bike ride to a Vermont town where is father is in a hospital, is quite convincing. This is
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interspersed with transcripts of tape recorded interviews that segue into the boy's recollections of his past life as his interrogator helps him fill in the "blankness". Second, the story is a mystery that will appeal to adults, who should enjoy interpreting the clues as Cormier presents them. You'll certainly figure out part of where the story is going, but perhaps not the final revelations--but no spoilers here. It would be better if the cover blurbs didn't talk about the "shocking" ending that "explodes like an H-bomb" since being told that something surprising is going to happen sort of dulls the surprise. And to me, at any rate, the ending wasn't that shocking and certainly comes close to an M-80 than an H-bomb. Which is not to deny Cormier's achievement in this story, just to say that lots of other books deliver similar payoffs at the end. In any case, if you're an adult who has heard of this title for years, go ahead and read it. You won't regret it. Show Less
LibraryThing member amwhitsett
I picked up this book on a whim, expecting to only read a few pages at the time. I immediately found myself sucked into Cormier's unique style and was hooked by the mysterious ambiguity of the plot. This is a novel you should not begin unless you plan to finish it. The story itself is masterfully
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paced and plotted, with an emotional clarity reminiscent of Daniel Keyes's Flowers for Algernon. It is dark, but there is a sad beauty in its blackness. It is thought provoking as Cormier examines bureaucracy vs. the individual and the futility in trying to escape the inevitable. Adam is a delicate, soulful character and his tragic story will echo through your mind for a long while after the last page. Though this is YA, adults should not miss this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member punkypower
Okay, so maybe I'm a tiny bit biased, as I consider Cormier to be one of my favorite authors.
However, this book was fantastic. Seriously, run out and buy it. NOW.
I love unexpected endings. With Cormier, I've come to expect the unexpected. Nothing prepared me for this!
Usually in my reviews, I post a
However, this book was fantastic. Seriously, run out and buy it. NOW.
I love unexpected endings. With Cormier, I've come to expect the unexpected. Nothing prepared me for this!
Usually in my reviews, I post a
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short description, in my own words. I won't this time, as I don't want ot give ANYTHING away. ;) Show Less
LibraryThing member jessica.kohout
While teenager Adam Farmer thinks he is traveling on bike to see his father and telling the story of his epic journey to the reader, he is actually only riding his bike in circles at the mental institution where he resides and imagining his trip in his head. His interviews with a psychiatrist
Adam, or also known as Paul Delmonte in his former life, tells his bike-riding journey in first person, while in interviews tells of his past using third person point of view. The reader is hooked by the first few pages of the book because there is an interview excerpt before the title page and then the books begins by Adam's travels and in order to reconcile how the two will relate, the reader's interest is piqued. The plot continues to keep the reader guessing and it is not until the last few pages and last interview does the reader realize how desperate Adam's situation is, as he will continued to be interviewed or terminated. I liked the character of Brint the psychiatrist the least, as it was mainly because I did not trust him and thought he had the wrong motives in trying to "guide" Adam in his discovery of his past. Cormier leaves this character rather ambiguous, which adds to the suspense of the story. The story has a universal appeal and although I think all young adults would enjoy reading this book, my concern would be that some age levels might not understand the plot of the story, as there are essentially two plot lines that reveal the same information at different points in time, which could possibly be confusing. However, the book's suspense, creative use of point of view, and plot twist, make this a highly recommended read!
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reveal his past and the events that have led him to where his is, as it includes being in a witness protection program that ends up killing his mother and father and him being put into the facility by the very same people who were supposed to protect them.Adam, or also known as Paul Delmonte in his former life, tells his bike-riding journey in first person, while in interviews tells of his past using third person point of view. The reader is hooked by the first few pages of the book because there is an interview excerpt before the title page and then the books begins by Adam's travels and in order to reconcile how the two will relate, the reader's interest is piqued. The plot continues to keep the reader guessing and it is not until the last few pages and last interview does the reader realize how desperate Adam's situation is, as he will continued to be interviewed or terminated. I liked the character of Brint the psychiatrist the least, as it was mainly because I did not trust him and thought he had the wrong motives in trying to "guide" Adam in his discovery of his past. Cormier leaves this character rather ambiguous, which adds to the suspense of the story. The story has a universal appeal and although I think all young adults would enjoy reading this book, my concern would be that some age levels might not understand the plot of the story, as there are essentially two plot lines that reveal the same information at different points in time, which could possibly be confusing. However, the book's suspense, creative use of point of view, and plot twist, make this a highly recommended read!
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LibraryThing member stacy_chambers
Chilling novel, especially for YA literature. Breaks all the rules, but what great novel doesn't? Will definitely be reading more by Robert Cormier.
LibraryThing member jkennedybalto
Started off strong with crisp, sensory language, and a real strident inside-the-head of the narrator reading experience. The device of taped sessions every other chapter or so worked for awhile, giving a gravitational pull to the mystery of this boy's intense, unusual experience. But eventually,
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about 150 pages in, as those sessions and the mystery became more center stage, the boy's intense inner experience faded some into the background. I began to think about the writer navigating his plot, losing the substantive core of his narrative, as he worked out on a less interesting level the credibility of the mystery. In short, great writing and narrative for quite a while, than lost me a some in the last third of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member br13kake
Adam Farmer begins his journey to Rutterburg, Vermont from his home in Monument. As the story transitions from current time to previously recorded tapes of Adam and Doctor Brint, we learn more about Adam’s past that he is starting to remember. After suffering memory loss, he recalls more about
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himself by remembering the tapes on his trip. He faces many challenges on his way, but slowly uncovers his mysterious past.I Am The Cheese was an interesting, but strange story. It was also very confusing, mainly in the beginning. I had to be very observant of what I was reading at all times because everything that was said related to something that happened later on. Changing from Adam’s journey to the tapes kept my interest, and I wanted to know how the story was going to end. As I slowly pieced the story together I was surprised and thought it was a well written, well thought out ending to the story.
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LibraryThing member farfromkansas
Robert Cormier’s I am the Cheese is the literary equivalent of an M. Night Shyamalan film: the author drops foreshadowing clues throughout the story and then flips the whole tale on its head with a killer twist at the very end. Of course, like Shyamalan’s films, the ending of the story is the
I am the Cheese is told in two distinct (yet interlocking) narratives: one is the bicycle journey of the main character, Adam Farmer, and the other is a series of interviews being conducted by a mysterious doctor. As Cormier alternates back and forth between these narrative styles, the reader slowly pieces together the mystery of Adam’s story. The novelty of this narrative framework is actually rather engaging, especially as the reader gets close to uncovering the truth behind what really happened to Adam and his family; Cormier has definitely succeeded in crafting an engaging novel in this regard. However, Like Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island and Christopher Nolan’s Memento, the longevity of Cormier’s novel relies primarily upon the ironic twist at the end. When the truth is finally revealed to the reader in the last few pages, it is done so in an eerie, unsettling manner that provides a rewarding conclusion to the novel.
The darker undertones of I am the Cheese (murder, mafia involvement, conspiracies, etc.) make this book more suitable for an audience of high-school readers. While the writing may not be incredibly complex or challenging, Cormier presupposes that his readers will have an understanding of isolation and “masquerading” in public while hiding personal secrets. Obviously, very few readers will have firsthand knowledge of the witness protection program, but most people have secrets (big and small) that they hide from the public on a daily basis. The creepy ending might also be a bit too disturbing for younger readers, especially those content with the “happily ever after” archetype. In the end, I am the Cheese is an interesting novel, one that will hopefully capture the attention of reluctant readers who are bored with the traditional high school fare. It might not match the literary quality of The Catcher in the Rye of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but it will undoubtedly provide entertainment for many of its readers.
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only really memorable part of the narrative; the rest of the novel, as engaging as it might be during the reading of the story, does not have the thematic depth or literary richness that would elevate this novel to “classic” status. While I enjoyed reading I am the Cheese, I don’t foresee myself rereading the novel any time soon… if ever.I am the Cheese is told in two distinct (yet interlocking) narratives: one is the bicycle journey of the main character, Adam Farmer, and the other is a series of interviews being conducted by a mysterious doctor. As Cormier alternates back and forth between these narrative styles, the reader slowly pieces together the mystery of Adam’s story. The novelty of this narrative framework is actually rather engaging, especially as the reader gets close to uncovering the truth behind what really happened to Adam and his family; Cormier has definitely succeeded in crafting an engaging novel in this regard. However, Like Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island and Christopher Nolan’s Memento, the longevity of Cormier’s novel relies primarily upon the ironic twist at the end. When the truth is finally revealed to the reader in the last few pages, it is done so in an eerie, unsettling manner that provides a rewarding conclusion to the novel.
The darker undertones of I am the Cheese (murder, mafia involvement, conspiracies, etc.) make this book more suitable for an audience of high-school readers. While the writing may not be incredibly complex or challenging, Cormier presupposes that his readers will have an understanding of isolation and “masquerading” in public while hiding personal secrets. Obviously, very few readers will have firsthand knowledge of the witness protection program, but most people have secrets (big and small) that they hide from the public on a daily basis. The creepy ending might also be a bit too disturbing for younger readers, especially those content with the “happily ever after” archetype. In the end, I am the Cheese is an interesting novel, one that will hopefully capture the attention of reluctant readers who are bored with the traditional high school fare. It might not match the literary quality of The Catcher in the Rye of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but it will undoubtedly provide entertainment for many of its readers.
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LibraryThing member engpunk77
Well, I really can't see my 7th or 8th graders a) understanding this b) putting up with it c) comprehending the ending even a little bit d) relating to this. HOWEVER, I think it's one of the best novels I've read in quite some time.
The book creatively characterizes a teen's quest to find the truth
I actually liked this better than Chocolate War, although it deals with the same themes. It seems that Cormier constantly shows us that "doing the right thing" NEVER pays off, but neither does staying quiet. Nothing sugar-coated here. Realism at its best.
The book creatively characterizes a teen's quest to find the truth
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to his identity, and it plays out as a thriller/mystery but with all of the literary merit of a classic. The symbolism is complex and brilliant and left me reflecting and analyzing for hours. For the first time since I graduated from college, I wrote a paper about a novel without being prompted! I started to write about what I thought the ending was about, but it turned into an in-depth analysis that turned out to be 2 pages long, single-spaced. Man, how I miss that! I sorted out almost all of my questions and understand the complexities of the plot (the things that will elude any young readers, I think). Please, if you want to discuss this book, let me know! I could go on and on and I'd love to hear your opinions! It's definitely the type of novel that will have myriad interpretations of even basic plot elements. I actually liked this better than Chocolate War, although it deals with the same themes. It seems that Cormier constantly shows us that "doing the right thing" NEVER pays off, but neither does staying quiet. Nothing sugar-coated here. Realism at its best.
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LibraryThing member mearias
I read this in high school and found it completely fascinating. It's disturbing and lingers in your memory. This books makes you think and even at the end you're not sure of what really happened. It's a great book for critical thinking and how you envision your life and space.
LibraryThing member readingrat
A classic YA novel that is both beautifully written and perfectly paced, this book will hook the reader from the first chapter. I enjoyed this one a great deal more than The Chocolate War.
LibraryThing member craigwsmithtoo
One of the most haunting books I've read. I like a book that leaves me a lttle different from before I read it. This is definately one of those books.
LibraryThing member bookwormteri
So stunningly sad and disturbing. I am glad that I reread this book, because I haven't read this since middle school, but I don't think that I can pick it up again. Having children of my own makes me weep for Adam.
LibraryThing member jogf68
The story "I Am The Cheese" talks about the children's life that they live when a new sister or brother is born. This also tell how bad the 1st girl or a boy that was born never get recommended to the parents when a new baby is born. This story tells the feeling of children's that have a new baby
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that is born. Show Less
LibraryThing member boeboa
It was to confusing for me.. Many others may get it but once it came to the ending i could not understant the story. I thought that i had understood the book, and just as i thought i had gotten it i lost it right away. My reading confidence went down by reading a book made for kids that i could not
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even get. I have a feeling that I will come back to this book in the near future when i am ready or have thought about the meaning that it delivers. Show Less
LibraryThing member raeoh7
There is a boy called Adam who's mom got killed by Mr. Gray and
the dad who is getting away. Long time ago Adam thought M. Gray was a good man but he wasn't. So Adam is in a long journey to meet his dad. But when he went to the hospital his name was different eventually his dad died. during the
the dad who is getting away. Long time ago Adam thought M. Gray was a good man but he wasn't. So Adam is in a long journey to meet his dad. But when he went to the hospital his name was different eventually his dad died. during the
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story there is a man called brint who swims through Adams memory to find the answer but at last failed. Show Less
LibraryThing member josephjung
This book called "I am the cheese" was so confused, because this story is really difficult to understand. This is about boy want to find his father was dead. Also, he called Amy, but Amy was not exist. I didn't understand this book perfect.
LibraryThing member krobbie67
I first read this book in 9th grade for an English class. I fell in love with it and I think it sealed my love for reading. It was the first book I read that really made me think and question, to dig deeper than the surface of the story. I've read it several times since. I consider it one of my
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favorites even though it is clearly written for an adolescent, I recommend it to anyone who likes a psychological challenge. It's also a story about everyone needing to have someone but some coming up short and how they survive that fact. Show Less
LibraryThing member smohri
Great book! I had no idea where the book was going. I didn't know who could be trusted. I was in total suspense the entire time and had to go back and reread the ending to make sure I understood what had happened. I never suspected that the adventure on his bike was only in his mind. Even though it
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was originally published in 1977, it doesn't feel outdated. I would highly recommend this book to an older teenager. Show Less
LibraryThing member knitcrazybooknut
This book gave me chills as a teen-ager, and it still brings back creepy memories. Not exactly a horror story, but definitely one of Robert Cormier's creepier novels. Cormier is very good at walking with you down the pathway, drawing you in to a conclusion you might not have guessed at. Excellent
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book. Show Less
LibraryThing member meggyweg
This book changed my life forever. It was the first example of proper literature I ever read. The dreadful no-win situation Adam Farmer was in, and the cold single-mindedness of Brint, continue to haunt me today. The ending was spectacular, leaving me dazed in its wake. Also impressive: Adam is a
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textbook case of post-traumatic stress disorder, but this book was written before the disorder was defined -- before the textbook, that is to say. I cannot recommend this enough. It's my default Christmas gift for people who won't tell me what to get them. Show Less
LibraryThing member fiveforsilver
There are two parallel storylines in this book. One is a boy talking to a therapist or psychologist - something always seems a little off about him - and the other is the same boy taking a frantic bike trip trying to reach his father. It's confusing and there is no real resolution at the end. I
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didn't dislike it, but I certainly won't be reading it again. Show Less
LibraryThing member dhawkins
If you didn't "get" the book, try the movie first.
Subjects
Awards
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — 1981)
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 1981)
Margaret A. Edwards Award (1991)
Phoenix Award (Winner — 1997)
IBBY Honour Book (1996)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1983)
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2002)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1977)
Language
Original publication date
1977
ISBN
0006714854 / 9780006714859
Local notes
Adam's father is in hospital, and Adam has set off by bike to visit him. Adam's bike is an old-fashioned one, without gears, or mud-guards, or efficient brakes. To take his mind of his aching muscles, Adam traces the events that led up to his father being taken to hospital.