Publication Date: July 15, 2025
It’s August 1994, and Charlie Stewart begins his final year at St. Mark’s Episcopal School, a prestigious all-boys school in Richmond, Virginia. Charlie, an undistinguished student by St. Mark’s standards, faces tough odds as he seeks to rekindle his relationship with Katy Hendricks, a beautiful tennis star, and gain admission to a highly selective state university.
Through it all, Charlie relies on Beau Miller, his best friend and the top student athlete in their class. Despite Beau’s movie-star looks and infectious charm, he has a darker side, which becomes more apparent as the year progresses.
Charlie endures his trials with wry determination and ultimately emerges with a renewed sense of purpose. This is a heartrending but hopeful story of one boy’s journey toward manhood in the American South.
Charlie-Man is a debut novel for author Thomas Cullen, and I look forward to reading more of his books. The Young Adult/Teen genre is not a genre I read very often, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Charlie and his best friend, Beau, are the leads in this coming-of-age story, and I was riveted from the first page to the last. There were vivid descriptions to set the scenes, and all my senses were involved. They are in their last year of high school at a private all-boys prep school in Virginia. We get to know some of their friends, teachers, and families, along with how they function. We are immersed in Charlie’s life and what his days are like, and who his support system is. Losing his father was unexpected, and that definitely had an impact on his entire family.
Charlie’s emotions are exposed to us throughout, and I often found myself getting very emotional while reading it. We see his triumphs and where he struggles, his relationship with others, including his sometimes girlfriend, Katy. There are highs and lows throughout, and the author does a wonderful job of showing Charlie’s feelings and demeanor when dealing with different events.
The author threads several storylines, intertwining them throughout the main arc, highlighting numerous emotional events. As observers, we watch as Charlie begins to make decisions that will shape his future as an adult, including choosing a college and career path. But throughout, he is kind to everyone until he faces a betrayal. There is closure with an ending that I wasn’t expecting.
Charlie-Man is a wonderfully written debut novel that immerses readers in a teen’s life and makes us feel like we are standing on the sidelines and feeling all the emotions that Charlie cycles through.
Thomas Cullen is a federal trial judge and former U.S. attorney in Virginia. Charlie–Man is his first novel.
