As an English teacher, I really hate it when my students read the cliff notes instead of the book, but I do believe well-written Cliff notes can dramatically increase a student's understanding of a book by introducing ideas, concepts, and symbols the student might have missed and by presenting issues that help the student think about the book. That's just what these Cliff Notes do, and I even use them in my class. I've found they really help to fuel discussions and increase everybody's meaningful experience of the book. I highly recommend them.