Book reviews
This review is spoiler-free, as any plot points discussed can be learned from reading the inside of the book jacket.
It’s been way too long since I’ve posted a review, so I’m giving you three for the price of one tonight. I recently read three brilliant young adult novels, all of which made me cry harder than I should be willing to admit in public. These three books cover completely different subjects, but they all have one important commonality. They all portray incredibly flawed - but perfectly realistic - characters. The first of these novels is Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley. The main character, Solomon, suffers from severe agoraphobia and hasn’t left his house in three years. Then Lisa enters his life, determined to force him to rejoin the outside world. She brings along her boyfriend, Clark, who is outstandingly attractive, but is only able to truly befriend Solomon after confirming that he has no romantic interest in Lisa. The three become almost inseparable, until one of them betrays the other two, leaving them unable to trust each other anymore. Those of you who follow my blog know that I suffer from anxiety, which is exacerbated by social situations. Because of this, I have no trouble identifying with Solomon. Whaley’s descriptions of the character’s panic attacks are exactly what I’ve experienced, and I completely understand the suffocating dread he feels at something as simple as opening the front door. As someone who feels the need to “fix” people, I can also relate to Lisa. She just wants to help Solomon (and herself, but I can’t get into that without spoilers), and she’s willing to succeed by any means necessary. Like Lisa, I also tend to get a little carried away when it comes to helping people I care about, and this often comes back to bite me in the butt. How did this book make me cry? One part of this book involves Solomon attempting to overcome his inability to leave his house because someone he loves is in trouble. I won’t say whether or not he succeeds, because that would ruin things. But I will tell you that the emotional journey he experiences as he tries to step outside the door struck me right in the absurdly small organ I think might be my heart. The second novel is Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke, and it’s one of the strangest reality-based YA novels I’ve ever read. I consider it Gone Girl for teens, because you can’t trust any of the three titular characters (side note: Who names their kids Wink, Poppy, or Midnight?), and it’s more than slightly possible that any and all of them are actually sociopaths. I can’t say much about the plot without giving away the mystery, but it revolves around Wink (the sweet, girl next door) and Poppy (the beautiful bully) fighting for the affection of Midnight (who really just needs to figure out his life and stay away from these girls). But don’t worry, this isn’t a typical love triangle, and their relationships are significantly creepier than those found in most YA novels. I’m obsessed with Gone Girl-style thrillers, so this book is right in my wheelhouse. Wink weaves a fairy tale-type narrative throughout her chapters, which adds a serious creep factor to her characterization. All three characters are written with distinct voices, so there’s never any confusion about who is narrating at any given time. Because they keep their motivations fairly well hidden, it’s difficult to know who, if anyone, you’re supposed to root for, so you kind of just have to decide for yourself. How did this book make me cry? Well, it’s possible that it’s because I’m a terrible person, but I got really attached to these characters. I didn’t care that they made each other miserable or that their goals in life all seemed to center around destroying everyone around them. I wanted them to each get what they wanted, even though I knew they could only succeed at the expense of the others. Maybe that’s what got to me; I knew that it was impossible for all three of them to end up happy, and that made me sad. The final book is Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. Some of you might be familiar with her novel All the Rage, and let me tell you, Some Girls Are is just as painful to read. It tells the story of Regina and her fall from the top of the food chain we call high school. In one night, she goes from being one of the most popular girls in school to a social pariah because of the rumors spread by a girl she considered her friend. She no longer has any friends, her boyfriend dumped her, and she’s bullied mercilessly by people who used to adore her. Summers might be the most talented author I’ve read when it comes to emotionally torturing her characters. You experience the mental anguish right along with Regina, and it’s impossible not to empathize with her on every page. Even when she attempts to restore her own reputation by ruining someone else’s, you can’t help but believe her actions are completely justified. She’s such a vulnerable character, but at the same time it’s obvious just how strong she’s forced to become to endure what’s happening to her. How did this book make me cry? Come on, y’all. It’s a book about a teenage girl being bullied (mentally, emotionally, and physically) by the people who are supposed to have her back. And it’s all because someone else decided a lie would make a more interesting story and chose to spread it. Most people have or will deal with bullying at some point, and this novel shows the extremities it can reach. I honestly lost count of how many times I wept for Regina, wishing just one person would step in to defend her. So there you have it. If you’re looking for a page-turning, realistic, heartbreaking novel, I strongly encourage you to check out one (or all three) of these.
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Jacinta M. CarterProfessional Book Nerd Archives
March 2017
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