Adrian's suicide was pretty shocking to me. Since the novel is written in such a flowing, quick manner, his suicide immediately jumped out as something shocking and unexpected. Because another adolescent's suicide happened earlier, I first thought that maybe Veronica was pregnant and Adrian could not cope, just as Robson couldn't. I actually left off right on that page so I am still unaware of Adrian's reason for the desperation that led to his suicide.
Tony narrates in such a straightforward and almost naive way that it's noteworthy when some of his lines are said. They are written in such a throwaway manner that the reader forgets the length to which they resonate. One prime example is Tony's comments about childhood abuse. He first ponders whether Veronica was somehow traumatized, as an explanation for her irritating behavior. But he then goes on to wonder whether in fact everyone has been abused sometime in their lifetime. It was a thought provoking notion that ties in to the age old discussion; parents can really screw up a child. A perfect childhood is impossible, but Tony almost makes it seem as if a damaged childhood is unavoidable. I even annotated whether or not Tony was "abused".
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