John List is an imaginative, highly intelligent, and seemingly normal 13-year-old boy in the process of growing up; however, there is a far harsher reality than meets the eye. He lives at home with a verbally and physically abusive father and an enabling, alcoholic mother; the only solace, of which, is the shocking and disturbing revenge fantasies scrawled in his many notebooks. Meanwhile, John must also deal with constant bullying at school. Despite all of this, he is not willing to let his problems get in the way of his ambitions. Eventually, after facing many hardships, things seem to be finally looking up for John. ...until one fateful day, when his whole world collapses forever.