From the cover:
"A contemporary YA novel that examines rape culture through alternating perspectives.
Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it.
Three years ago, when her older sister, Anna, was murdered and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best—the language of violence. While her own crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people. Not with Jack, the star athlete who wants to really know her but still feels guilty over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered. And not with Peekay, the preacher’s kid with a defiant streak who befriends Alex while they volunteer at an animal shelter. Not anyone.
As their senior year unfolds, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting these three teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever."
Holy shit, you guys.
That description does not do this book justice, but I'm honestly not sure it's possible to write a description that nails it. This book is just...next level mind-blowing. Be warned, it is a pretty heavy read. But my god. It needs to be read.
After her sister is murdered, Alex secretly exacts revenge on her killer. She lives in a small town, but it isn't difficult for her to put up a wall between herself and her peers, not socializing with anyone at school and spending most of her free time at home or out running. She does pretty well at keeping herself isolated until her senior year, when she starts volunteering at the local animal shelter with Peekay and ends up on Jack's radar after he learns she is currently beating him in the race to valedictorian. Together, Jack and Peekay begin chipping away at Alex's hard exterior, and gradually Alex starts to realize that whatever she feels is wrong with her doesn't mean she can't let people in. Maybe she can have friends...have a boyfriend...be happy.
But there are other members of their community with darkness inside them, and not all of them fight against it the way Alex does. One of them, a local drug addict who graduated a few years ahead of Alex and Peekay, crosses their path at a party and puts himself on Alex's radar after attempting to roofie and rape Peekay. Another, the uncle of one of her friends, catches her attention later in the school year when Alex learns he molested Sarah's younger sister. What will happen to Alex, her friends, and her new boyfriend if she isn't able to push back against the darker parts of herself?
My favorite part about this book, aside from an ending that literally made me yell "holy shit!" as I pulled into the parking lot at work and listened to it unfold, was seeing Alex work at the shelter. She was so compassionate, patient, and kind to all the animals they took in, and it really hit me hard when she wondered how much kindness a person has to show to animals before it erases the terrible things they've done to some humans. Alex did horrible things to monsters like Comstock, her sister's killer, but there's also no question that she was a ray of hope for countless innocent animals in need. Seeing that duality in her, watching her treasure her friendship with Peekay and Sarah and gradually fall for Jack...do those things balance out the bad she's done? It's hard to answer that question.
My least favorite part of this book, far and away, was Jack. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to like him, I really did. But uuuuuuuuuuuugh. I can't. I hated his reactions to Branley and how helpless he acted when she came onto him, sent him dirty pics, etc. Like, really? Poor me, this super hot girl just woooon't stoooop trying to sleep with me! I'm powerless to stop this, and I'm only human! What's a poor boy to do? Shut up with that garbage. Alex deserved better. But my dislike of Jack aside, seriously? This book is amazing. Read it.
After her sister is murdered, Alex secretly exacts revenge on her killer. She lives in a small town, but it isn't difficult for her to put up a wall between herself and her peers, not socializing with anyone at school and spending most of her free time at home or out running. She does pretty well at keeping herself isolated until her senior year, when she starts volunteering at the local animal shelter with Peekay and ends up on Jack's radar after he learns she is currently beating him in the race to valedictorian. Together, Jack and Peekay begin chipping away at Alex's hard exterior, and gradually Alex starts to realize that whatever she feels is wrong with her doesn't mean she can't let people in. Maybe she can have friends...have a boyfriend...be happy.
But there are other members of their community with darkness inside them, and not all of them fight against it the way Alex does. One of them, a local drug addict who graduated a few years ahead of Alex and Peekay, crosses their path at a party and puts himself on Alex's radar after attempting to roofie and rape Peekay. Another, the uncle of one of her friends, catches her attention later in the school year when Alex learns he molested Sarah's younger sister. What will happen to Alex, her friends, and her new boyfriend if she isn't able to push back against the darker parts of herself?
My favorite part about this book, aside from an ending that literally made me yell "holy shit!" as I pulled into the parking lot at work and listened to it unfold, was seeing Alex work at the shelter. She was so compassionate, patient, and kind to all the animals they took in, and it really hit me hard when she wondered how much kindness a person has to show to animals before it erases the terrible things they've done to some humans. Alex did horrible things to monsters like Comstock, her sister's killer, but there's also no question that she was a ray of hope for countless innocent animals in need. Seeing that duality in her, watching her treasure her friendship with Peekay and Sarah and gradually fall for Jack...do those things balance out the bad she's done? It's hard to answer that question.
My least favorite part of this book, far and away, was Jack. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to like him, I really did. But uuuuuuuuuuuugh. I can't. I hated his reactions to Branley and how helpless he acted when she came onto him, sent him dirty pics, etc. Like, really? Poor me, this super hot girl just woooon't stoooop trying to sleep with me! I'm powerless to stop this, and I'm only human! What's a poor boy to do? Shut up with that garbage. Alex deserved better. But my dislike of Jack aside, seriously? This book is amazing. Read it.
No comments:
Post a Comment