49 pages 1 hour read

Robert Cormier

I Am the Cheese

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1977

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

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.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

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 this

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.

RecommendedReading Age

13-18years

Lexile Level

750L

Book Details

Genre

Mystery / Crime Fiction

Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Education

Themes

Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Identity: Mental Health

Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Topics

Education