We all know what it's like to want to fit in; to have such a desire to be accepted and have "friends" that you'll do close to anything. That is exactly what happened to Patrick Ellis, the main character in "New Boy" by Preston Eagan. Right from the get-go, this book pulls in young readers with relatable diction, starting off chapter one with, "Calculus. F*cking calculus." As if starting a new school where you know absolutely nobody isn't already heard enough, Patrick has to deal with demons of his own. Living with anxiety and depression is a constant battle -- one ripping the life straight out of you and making you want to totally freak out, and the other making you feel as if nothing will ever be worth living for again.
Like many new college students without a friend base, Patrick decided to choose the Greek route and to pledge a fraternity. What goes on behind the closed fraternity doors is unknown to the public eye. Fraternities definitely have a very bad rap. Why? Because of the hazing, which this young man was subjected to. First, all of your dignity is ripped out of you by having to refer to your abusers as "sir." Then, any small shreds of dignity you have left are smashed to shreds when you're forced to strip, clean, and even endure sexual harassment by the higher-ups. Dropping out of the fraternity seems like a viable option, right? Wrong. With Patrick's case, his anxiety eats him alive to the point where he is too scared to leave because of what people will say. In his mind, the only real option was to stick it out and to drink and medicate himself into a hazey oblivion.
However, stuck between a rock and a hard place, suicide eventually seems like the only path left to take. Unfortunately, suicide is too common of an occurrence on college campuses between the stress, homesickness and untreated mental disorders. During one unexpected time, Patrick happens upon a stunning sorority girl named Jennifer and begins to fall hard. His way of thinking and figuring things out begins to totally morph. Will he continue down the dark path of illegal substances? Will he ever escape the torment and abuse that is fraternity hazing? Will him and Jennifer fall madly and love? Will he get help for his own, internal demons? You'll just have to download this book to find out.
