White Mike - The 17-year-old protagonist and narrator, a wealthy drug dealer who sells marijuana to his privileged peers. His mother died of cancer, leaving him emotionally scarred. He is intelligent and philosophical, never using drugs himself.

Hunter McCulloch - White Mike's closest friend, a beefy kid who plays basketball. He is wrongly accused of murdering Nana after a fight.

Chris and Claude - Brothers who host a party that becomes a pivotal event. Chris is desperate to lose his virginity to Sara Ludlow. Claude is a psychopathic ex-cocaine addict who goes on a shooting spree at the party.

Sara Ludlow - The promiscuous "hottest girl in school" who manipulates Chris into throwing a huge party to make herself famous.

Jessica - A plain girl who becomes addicted to the designer drug "Twelve" and agrees to sleep with a dealer for more of the drug.

Andrew - A friend of Hunter's who is attracted to Sara Ludlow. He attends the party and is killed by Claude.

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Drug Culture Among Wealthy Teens
The book centers around wealthy Manhattan teenagers and their involvement with drugs, particularly a new designer drug called "Twelve" which is described as a cross between cocaine and ecstasy. It portrays the drug addiction, violence, and promiscuity prevalent among this privileged social circle.

Privileged Youth Disconnection
The protagonist, 17-year-old White Mike, comes from an affluent family but feels disconnected from the world around him. The novel examines the sense of aimlessness and lack of purpose experienced by these privileged youth despite their material advantages.

Events of 1999-2000
While the novel is set in 2002, it takes place over a five-day period in late December 1999, leading up to New Year's Eve and the turn of the millennium. This allows the book to capture the cultural zeitgeist and attitudes of that specific time period.

The topics covered in "Twelve" provide a gritty, unflinching portrayal of the darker aspects of youth culture among the wealthy elite in Manhattan during the early 2000s.

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"Twelve" was seen as controversial due to its unflinching portrayal of drug culture among wealthy teenagers.

Some critics felt that the characters were shallow and lacked depth, representing stereotypes rather than fully developed individuals. This criticism extended to the portrayal of wealth and privilege, which some saw as glamorized rather than critically examined.

The novel's narrative style, which shifts perspectives and uses a detached, observational tone, was both praised for its effectiveness in portraying a disconnected youth culture and criticized for lacking emotional engagement.

Despite its mixed critical reception, "Twelve" contributed to discussions about the portrayal of teenage life and drug culture in literature, influencing subsequent works that aimed to explore similar themes.

In summary, "Twelve" is a novel that elicited strong reactions due to its portrayal of privileged youth and drug culture. While some appreciated its boldness and social commentary, others found its characters lacking and its treatment of sensitive topics problematic.

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