Janosch is Benjamin’s roommate, the rest of friends include Fat Felix, Skinny Felix, Florian AKA girl, and Troy. Together the boys get into trouble and explore what it is to grow up. The novel also features Benjamin’s parents and sister. Benjamin’s mother is a doctor of alternative medicines. She protects Benjamin fiercely. Benjamin’s father is an engineer that eventually divorces his wife. He has very high expectations for Benjamin. Benjamin has a great relationship with his sister who always lets him accompany her on adventures with her lesbian friends. This novel deals with important events such Benjamin exploring his sexuality, how he forms relationships with the other boys, how his disability impacts how he forms these relationships, and the subsequent trouble they cause together. The friends also search for life's meaning. Throughout the novel, it is evident that his friends view him as “normal,” but Benjamin constantly thinks he is not and struggles with self-esteem. In the end, he leaves the boarding school having gained some more teenage experiences and friendships. The novel was a bestseller and is frequently used as school reading. Stern Magazine praised the novel: "No one has ever been so right-on in expressing the drama of being young. A sensation." Some critics claim the novel should not be read by teens, but should be reserved for a more mature audience that is capable of understanding the more mature themes of the novel. Other critics feel that Crazy was an accurate representation of teenage rebellion. To also quote a negative voice, a Kirkus Reviews article criticizes the generality of the characters’ adventures, and the repetition of discussions on “life, God, and sex are unfortunately both redundant and banal” The author also dismisses claims made that Crazy is similar to The Catcher and the Rye by J. D. Salinger, saying, “Salinger’s Catcher remains the gold standard. Crazy is another imitation.” Bibliography in English Crazy (2000), translated by Carol Brown Janeway. – New York : Knopf – 177p. The Bird Is a Raven (2005), Kannst du (2006) Der Flug der Pelikane (2009) Im Winter dein Herz (2012), Mitternachtsweg. Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 2014, . Die Dunkelheit zwischen den Sternen. S. Fischer, Frankfurt am Main 2017, . References External links 1982 births Living people Writers from Hamburg 21st-century German novelists German male novelists 21st-century German male writers