High School Asylum - Adam Dustus

Summary: Growing up is no easy task...but try doing it after a near-death experience and the death of your father.

Arthur Newman, the new kid at Skyview High, battles hormones, bullies, alienation, depression, and personal life issues- all while trying to discover the "real" Arthur.

In Adam Dustus' new release, High School Asylum, readers experience the ups and downs of puberty and high school life, while watching Arthur develop into an unlikely hero.

High School Asylum is about more than just growing pains - it addresses the psychological impact of a teenager's struggles. Arthur finds an outlet for his angst and personal loss, while shattering expectations. (Summary from dustus.wordpress.com - Image from amazon.com)

My Review: It seems to me that high school is one of two things to the kids going through it. Great, or miserable.

I found that this book was slightly odd. I really liked the premise, and looked forward to reading it. For the most part it didn't disappoint, but I think that I would have enjoyed it more and rated it higher if I was in high school right now. Some of the things that the author described, although accurate, were kind of anti-climatic from a adult perspective. I have a difficult time, even with the extenuating circumstances that this young man endures, getting real worked up about.......high school. However, Arthur does seem to have some deeper rooted problems.

That being said, if I was in high school, which I was at one point, I can see this book being REALLY good. While you are going through that stage in your life it seems like it is hugely important and no one, and I mean NO ONE can tell you different. Perhaps seeing this character go through trial and triumph provides some grounding for those struggling through these years. Feelings that he has are fairly normal, and I think that as a teenager I would really find peace with that fact: I am not alone in this, everybody deals with this stuff.

My Rating: 3 stars

Sum it up: Pick it up, for you older school aged children.