Karo, Aaron. Lexapros and Cons.

Karo, Aaron.      Lexapros and Cons.      Macmillan/Farrar Strauss      230p $16.99 978-0-374-34396-5       hs          VG      Realistic Fiction

     

Chuck suffers from OCD, and in his senior year of high school he finally finds a way to deal with it, but not before his life starts spinning out of control.      I started out determined not to like this book, which begins with ample use of the “F” word and the main character keeping track of the number of times he masterbates.  It seemed so ... crude.  But Aaron Karo knows how to tell a story, and keep the reader laughing and interested throughout. 

Chuck is a 17-year-old high-school senior with OCD.  He counts the number of times he masterbates, washes his hands numerous times each day, and tries to keep a low profile.  One day his parents convince him to start seeing a psychiatrist, and  at first Chuck resists, while recognizing that his life is not fulfilling and he hates high school.  When a new girl enters his math class, and his friend Steve needs help in dealing with a bully, Chuck’s life takes a turn for the worse, and he decides that something needs to be done about his OCD.

This book is full of chuckles, but more importantly, it draws the reader into really caring about Chuck and the other characters.  His relationships with his sister, his parents, Steve, the shrink, and Amy, the new girl, are all drawn expertly, and the plot moves along at a perfect pace.

Kudos to Aaron Karo for winning me over!  Caution: very strong language!

                                                            --Carol Kennedy