Publisher: Square Fish
Source: Purchased
Pages: 224
Series: Standalone
Release Date: May 10, 2011
I am Outcast.
The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me. I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel, surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes from the Eastside Mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex-best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat. This was the girl who suffered through Brownies with me, who taught me how to swim, who understood about my parents, who didn't make fun of my bedroom. If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it's Rachel. My throat burns.
Her eyes meet mine for a second. "I hate you," she mouths silently.
Melinda Sordino's freshman year is off to a horrible start. She busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, and now her friends--and even strangers--all hate her. Months pass and things aren't getting better. She's a pariah. The lowest of the low. Avoided by everyone. But eventually, she'll reveal what happened at the party. And when she finally speaks the truth, everything will change.
Okay, so I'm not going to lie. This book talked about a very touchy subject that hits close to home for me. I was a little hesitant to read it once I found out what it was about, but I gave it a shot anyways. I told myself that if it got too bad to read, it would be okay to put it down.
Before I go into how I felt about the book, I want to say something. If anyone has been a victim of abuse, either sexual or physical, don't be afraid to tell someone. You are not alone and there will be people there for you that will help you get through things. Getting through something like that alone is not possible. It makes things worse. Talking to someone about what happened will allow you to get help and also make you feel better. Again, you are not alone. Talk to someone!
Now on to my feelings about the book. There were some parts that I liked and there were some parts that I wasn't a big fan of. The way the author writes is so powerful. She makes you feel all kinds of emotions. Throughout the whole book, I felt a connection with the main character, Melinda. I could feel pretty much every emotion that she was feeling. Sometimes it got to where I felt like I really was her. It was kind of scary to be honest.
I thought that the main character, Melinda, was such a strong character. She had to deal with so much throughout the whole book and never once did she give up. Sure it may have taken her a year to speak to someone about what really happened to her at the party, but she did eventually speak. The truth was finally told. I thought that it was so heartbreaking that her own friends wouldn't listen to her and let her explain to them what had happened to her.
I think that this story is definitely worth reading. I think that it teaches a good lesson to teens as well as others as well. I have heard that this book is a required reading at some schools and I can see why it is. If it isn't, I think that it should be. I think that kids need to read about something like this. There are so many people who have to deal with things like this and knowing that they really can go to someone and tell them what happened can be a good thing to let them know.
Overall, I definitely recommend this book. I think that it teaches a great lesson that many people should read about.
No comments:
Post a Comment