An Early Morning E-Mail Conversation on the Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

G - (On Monday) So, I finished the book. It wasn’t the best, but it was a decent, quick read. Sometimes you just need a book with slightly cheesy love story, ya know? You should read it before we see the movie (you can borrow it, duh). You could probably read it in two days like I did. And you can stare at Zac Efron on the cover.

I actually think that the movie might have a chance at being better than the book. I want you to read it so we can talk about the looooove scene.

Me - About 100 pages in. I feel medium about it so far. I’m at the part where Charlie and Tess are sitting by her father’s grave. They’ve just met. I think the author brought Tess and Charlie together too quickly. (However, in a movie, I wouldn’t have wanted to wait forever. Weird) Also – my biggest pet peeve is when everything becomes about ‘I LIKE BOYS!’ or ‘I LIKE GIRLS!’. So like, the fact that this adventurous, solo boat racing girl is all like, why’d I have to meet a cute boy right before my race, wah!? Is annoying me. So far, I wish this book was about Tess and her adventure and not about Charlie at all.

Tess is a very REAL character. I mean, besides the fact that he made her boy crazy to fit in with his plot. I like her. But there’s really nothing to Charlie. He started out talking about Charlie St. Cloud like he was a tall tale. I feel no connection to him whatsoever. But I did really like the part where they make it like Mrs. Phipps is grieving over her husband and then reveal that she’s really grieving over her own death. But now that that cat is out of the bag, Charlie is just talking to dead people and I’m bored with him.

G - I know! That’s why I can’t believe that all of these ladies are like “THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!” I get that the author is totally appealing to the love-hungry part in all of us, but come on, it’s a book. A realistic relationship could actually be developed—you don’t have a page constraint.

And honestly, if I hadn’t pictured Zac Efron as Charlie in my head, I really wouldn’t have cared for him at all. I’m glad we’re on the same page. I was worried there was something wrong with me.

Me - Unfortunately, lots of people think that the worst books are the BEST BOOKS EVER. That’s why Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks do so well.