Heavily influenced by JD Salinger's classic work "The Catcher in the Rye", I was reminded of the older work several times. (Allow me to state for the record that I have worn out two paperback copies of "Catcher" over the years and am working on the third.)As an adult reader, I cant speak for the intended audience, but I will definitely be recommending this one to my young friends and relations. 
 With this work the author avoids the sin of "talking down" to his audience while managing to introduce some fairly complex philosophical elements. The characters are not sugar coated cardboard cutouts that a majority percentage of parents will approve of, but are not-quite-adults who smoke and drink and experiment with sex. But not as cautionary tale victims, who will reap the dreaded consequences, but like real kids- because they can, because they're looking for coping mechanisms. 
 He does use some archetypes... the lonely Nerd, the damaged WildChild, but in a way that gently reminds that these stereotypes exist because there is truth to them. Not universally true of everyone, no, but a common enough tale that we all recognize the lonely kid no one wants to play with. 
 Parents should be aware that there is some sexual content, but it is tastefully handled and is neither graphic nor gratuitous (and in reality, probably nothing the kids haven't already heard about). However, I strongly advise parents to not just "allow" this book to their young teens, but to read it along with them.