The "R" Review--See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Reached, by Ally Condie (Matched Trilogy, book 3)
Core themes: illness, rebellion, love
Drugs/alcohol: medicine for a cure to the Plague, tablets used for such things like erasing memory
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: If you’ve read the first two books in this series you’ll definitely want to finish it off and read this book. I wasn’t as into this book as the first two, due to all of the illness and medical talk about finding the cure to a plague. However, it’s still as good as the first two and deserves to be read, at least for the sake of finishing the story.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://allycondie.com/
Reviewer: Annika Blomquist
Core themes: illness, rebellion, love
Drugs/alcohol: medicine for a cure to the Plague, tablets used for such things like erasing memory
Religion/occult: none
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: none
Vulgarities: 1
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: If you’ve read the first two books in this series you’ll definitely want to finish it off and read this book. I wasn’t as into this book as the first two, due to all of the illness and medical talk about finding the cure to a plague. However, it’s still as good as the first two and deserves to be read, at least for the sake of finishing the story.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://allycondie.com/
Reviewer: Annika Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Rebellion, by Karen Sandler (Tankborn series, book 3)
Core themes: how racism and caste systems can create environments where those who think they are “safe” (like lowborn trueborns) can become the tracked and abused; how ingrained feelings of superiority and racism can be even in those who come to believe they are wrong; cults and how a cult leader maintains control; how the government, Kinship (revolutionary group) and FHE (violent fringe group) all want to control Kayla. Big Questions: Do good ends justify bad means? What is really necessary for cultural change?
Drugs/alcohol: Some GENs inhale nasaka fumes to avoid tracking, many of whom die as a results of the drugs.; Three teenagers are drugged.
Religion/occult: continued references to the created faith of the Infinite (discussed in review of previous book, Awakening); at least one character claims outright that the Lord Creator and the Infinite are the same deity
Romance/sexuality: 1, 5, 6
Violence/abuse: explosions, some of which kill many people; a single man creating an environment for violence and war, attempting to literally take over the world (Loka); abuse and violent threats by enforcers; Kayla is held captive by the FHE, a violent fringe group led by a man she later learns is her father; FHE plants a compulsion in a person’s brain to force them to set off bombs; giant spiders attack people; boys abuse the spiders; violent suicide (like suicide bombers); use of reassignment to prevent GENs from creating strong bonds
Vulgarities: 1, 6 Note: The racial slur is an invented one.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: There is one scene in which the two boys are kissing and another man eyes them with disgust. Devak had heard “some people worshipped a version of the Lord Creator that had a very narrow view of love. A man should only be with a woman, and trueborns should stick to their own class.” This statement equates those who believe marriage should be between a man and a woman with those who believe people should not have relationships outside of their class or race. It’s not presented as something to discuss, but more as a reference to beliefs that are obviously wrong.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://karensandler.net/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
Core themes: how racism and caste systems can create environments where those who think they are “safe” (like lowborn trueborns) can become the tracked and abused; how ingrained feelings of superiority and racism can be even in those who come to believe they are wrong; cults and how a cult leader maintains control; how the government, Kinship (revolutionary group) and FHE (violent fringe group) all want to control Kayla. Big Questions: Do good ends justify bad means? What is really necessary for cultural change?
Drugs/alcohol: Some GENs inhale nasaka fumes to avoid tracking, many of whom die as a results of the drugs.; Three teenagers are drugged.
Religion/occult: continued references to the created faith of the Infinite (discussed in review of previous book, Awakening); at least one character claims outright that the Lord Creator and the Infinite are the same deity
Romance/sexuality: 1, 5, 6
Violence/abuse: explosions, some of which kill many people; a single man creating an environment for violence and war, attempting to literally take over the world (Loka); abuse and violent threats by enforcers; Kayla is held captive by the FHE, a violent fringe group led by a man she later learns is her father; FHE plants a compulsion in a person’s brain to force them to set off bombs; giant spiders attack people; boys abuse the spiders; violent suicide (like suicide bombers); use of reassignment to prevent GENs from creating strong bonds
Vulgarities: 1, 6 Note: The racial slur is an invented one.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: There is one scene in which the two boys are kissing and another man eyes them with disgust. Devak had heard “some people worshipped a version of the Lord Creator that had a very narrow view of love. A man should only be with a woman, and trueborns should stick to their own class.” This statement equates those who believe marriage should be between a man and a woman with those who believe people should not have relationships outside of their class or race. It’s not presented as something to discuss, but more as a reference to beliefs that are obviously wrong.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://karensandler.net/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Resist by Sarah Crossan (sequel to Breathe)
*see awards for Breathe*
Core themes: environment (humans and specifically overpopulation are blamed for the world-wide decreased oxygen), class distinctions, revolution, discerning the “right” side; standing for what is right
Drugs/alcohol: an alcoholic father; alcohol is used to medicate a young girl with a compound fracture; injections of a drug are given to people at one of the camps
Religion/occult: Bea wishes she believed in God; some of the revolutionaries from the first pod (in which trees were being nurtured) pray before eating, giving thanks to the earth and recognizing that “nature has more power than we do”
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: suicide of a minor character; people who want out of the armed forces end up “missing” while on special missions; an attempted rape by three drifters who are then killed (two by gunshot, one with a pitchfork to the chest); a murder by shovel; beatings; experimenting done on people to determine long term effects of decreased oxygen levels; Vanya intends to destroy the air supply for the entire dome; a protracted battle at the end of the book in which many characters are killed by gunshots or explosions (“mowing people down in battle”); one of the characters kills another with a rifle shot to the chest and then sacrifices herself by running off with a bomb
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 7
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: In this book the few survivors of the attack on the revolutionary pod ask for admittance at another stronghold outside the dome. The leader there insists on medical tests for all members and forced pairing to maximize genetic outcomes. Any children are taken from the mothers and subjected to testing (lower levels of oxygen) in an attempt to breed humans that can breathe without assistance outside the dome. There are few details about the medical exams or the intimate act, just enough so the reader knows what is going on.
In the end they decide to attempt a coup in the dome, rather than live in this weird situation. There they find themselves fighting alongside those they fought against at the end of the first book to protect the inhabitants of the dome (many of whom are innocent) from an attempt to destroy the oxygen production apparatus. It’s a bit confusing but an interesting twist in which the characters must determine what is right in the midst of chaos and changing conditions.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.sarahcrossan.com/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
*see awards for Breathe*
Core themes: environment (humans and specifically overpopulation are blamed for the world-wide decreased oxygen), class distinctions, revolution, discerning the “right” side; standing for what is right
Drugs/alcohol: an alcoholic father; alcohol is used to medicate a young girl with a compound fracture; injections of a drug are given to people at one of the camps
Religion/occult: Bea wishes she believed in God; some of the revolutionaries from the first pod (in which trees were being nurtured) pray before eating, giving thanks to the earth and recognizing that “nature has more power than we do”
Romance/sexuality: 1, 2
Violence/abuse: suicide of a minor character; people who want out of the armed forces end up “missing” while on special missions; an attempted rape by three drifters who are then killed (two by gunshot, one with a pitchfork to the chest); a murder by shovel; beatings; experimenting done on people to determine long term effects of decreased oxygen levels; Vanya intends to destroy the air supply for the entire dome; a protracted battle at the end of the book in which many characters are killed by gunshots or explosions (“mowing people down in battle”); one of the characters kills another with a rifle shot to the chest and then sacrifices herself by running off with a bomb
Vulgarities: 1, 3, 7
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: In this book the few survivors of the attack on the revolutionary pod ask for admittance at another stronghold outside the dome. The leader there insists on medical tests for all members and forced pairing to maximize genetic outcomes. Any children are taken from the mothers and subjected to testing (lower levels of oxygen) in an attempt to breed humans that can breathe without assistance outside the dome. There are few details about the medical exams or the intimate act, just enough so the reader knows what is going on.
In the end they decide to attempt a coup in the dome, rather than live in this weird situation. There they find themselves fighting alongside those they fought against at the end of the first book to protect the inhabitants of the dome (many of whom are innocent) from an attempt to destroy the oxygen production apparatus. It’s a bit confusing but an interesting twist in which the characters must determine what is right in the midst of chaos and changing conditions.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.sarahcrossan.com/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
Revolutionary, by Krista McGee (Anomaly series, book 3)
Core themes: trust in the Designer; finding God’s will for your life; forgiveness. Big Questions: Can people do evil in the pursuit of good? What is freedom and should we aspire to it? Is faith compatible with objective science?
Drugs/alcohol: use of pharmaceuticals by the State to control people
Religion/occult: The Designer and Thalli’s growth in faith are an integral part of this Christian novel.
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: One of the scientists set off the bombs that killed billions of people and polluted the atmosphere with radiation to make the earth nearly uninhabitable for decades. He maintains maniacal control over the artificial world of the State sometimes by inducing extreme pain and torture. He kills a young girl and others, though the deaths are not really described graphically. Sometimes the young people try to fight back physically.
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This series is not exceptionally well written, but could be a good choice for a young teen interested in a dystopian world--a futuristic one in which the world was nearly destroyed but some people survived and the Christian faith is still alive.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.kristamcgeebooks.com/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
Core themes: trust in the Designer; finding God’s will for your life; forgiveness. Big Questions: Can people do evil in the pursuit of good? What is freedom and should we aspire to it? Is faith compatible with objective science?
Drugs/alcohol: use of pharmaceuticals by the State to control people
Religion/occult: The Designer and Thalli’s growth in faith are an integral part of this Christian novel.
Romance/sexuality: 1
Violence/abuse: One of the scientists set off the bombs that killed billions of people and polluted the atmosphere with radiation to make the earth nearly uninhabitable for decades. He maintains maniacal control over the artificial world of the State sometimes by inducing extreme pain and torture. He kills a young girl and others, though the deaths are not really described graphically. Sometimes the young people try to fight back physically.
Vulgarities: none
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: This series is not exceptionally well written, but could be a good choice for a young teen interested in a dystopian world--a futuristic one in which the world was nearly destroyed but some people survived and the Christian faith is still alive.
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.kristamcgeebooks.com/
Reviewer: Jill Papsdorf
Ripper, by Amy Carol Reeves (A Ripper Novel, book 1)
Why this book is worth considering:
Those who enjoy historical fiction may particularly enjoy a novel about Jack the Ripper, one of the most infamous killers in history. The story follows Arabella Sharp, a bright young woman who thinks outside the usual boxes for her age and place in history, which will appeal to girls who don't enjoy stories about demure girls who behave themselves. Arabella does not purposely try to be bad, but having been raised in difficult circumstances (including on the streets of Dublin for much of her youth), she doesn't fit in the high London society she is forced to be part of after the death of her mother. The novel is fairly exciting and fast-paced with smatterings of romance and plenty of mystery. It contains no sexual content (unless it happens within the last 25 pages or so, which I didn't read) and only occasional mild swearing.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
One of my favorite movie genres is suspense, so I thought a Victorian tale about Jack the Ripper would be perfect for me. Being YA, I figured it would be exciting but not too gruesome. I figured wrong. This is one of the very few YA books I didn't finish reading; in fact, I was nearly at the end before I stopped reading it. That's how gruesome it is. It wasn't just that the Ripper murders and certain hospital scenes are described in gory detail. I could handle most of that, even though I didn't like it. It was also that once Arabella discovers the truth behind the murders, the story suddenly becomes heavy with the occult (secret, magic rituals, demonic-like possession, etc.). Astute readers will see that it's coming; after all, Arabella has strange and frightening visions throughout the novel that she doesn't understand, and a gothic pall overshadows the story throughout as well. While this kind of tale is generally right up my alley, the occult and graphic accounts of murders are not. Sensitive and very religious readers should think twice about this novel.
On a literary note, the writing is regrettably average, I felt. This is a shame, because better writing could have elevated this novel into a something truly memorable (preferably without the occult elements, as far as I'm concerned). Though the plot was well-constructed for the most part and the gothic mood is pervasive, the author did not stay true to Victorian language or sensibilities. I didn't mind Arabella being characterized as a spunky, unconventional young woman (though that kind of character has become a wee bit cliched, I think), but I did mind the way the author inserted ideas and language that are purely 20th/21st-century, as if she didn't trust her story to be appealing or understandable enough if she wrote it to be historically accurate. For example, one character responds to Arabella in a conversation with a scoffing, "Whatever," a modern colloquialism that is perfectly believable among today's youth but not at all realistic for Victorian young women.
All that said, the main thing that kept running through my mind as I read this novel was, "This is a YA novel?" Because in the end, however it might be marketed and even though Arabella is an older teenager, the content is decidedly adult.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.amycarolreeves.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Why this book is worth considering:
Those who enjoy historical fiction may particularly enjoy a novel about Jack the Ripper, one of the most infamous killers in history. The story follows Arabella Sharp, a bright young woman who thinks outside the usual boxes for her age and place in history, which will appeal to girls who don't enjoy stories about demure girls who behave themselves. Arabella does not purposely try to be bad, but having been raised in difficult circumstances (including on the streets of Dublin for much of her youth), she doesn't fit in the high London society she is forced to be part of after the death of her mother. The novel is fairly exciting and fast-paced with smatterings of romance and plenty of mystery. It contains no sexual content (unless it happens within the last 25 pages or so, which I didn't read) and only occasional mild swearing.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
One of my favorite movie genres is suspense, so I thought a Victorian tale about Jack the Ripper would be perfect for me. Being YA, I figured it would be exciting but not too gruesome. I figured wrong. This is one of the very few YA books I didn't finish reading; in fact, I was nearly at the end before I stopped reading it. That's how gruesome it is. It wasn't just that the Ripper murders and certain hospital scenes are described in gory detail. I could handle most of that, even though I didn't like it. It was also that once Arabella discovers the truth behind the murders, the story suddenly becomes heavy with the occult (secret, magic rituals, demonic-like possession, etc.). Astute readers will see that it's coming; after all, Arabella has strange and frightening visions throughout the novel that she doesn't understand, and a gothic pall overshadows the story throughout as well. While this kind of tale is generally right up my alley, the occult and graphic accounts of murders are not. Sensitive and very religious readers should think twice about this novel.
On a literary note, the writing is regrettably average, I felt. This is a shame, because better writing could have elevated this novel into a something truly memorable (preferably without the occult elements, as far as I'm concerned). Though the plot was well-constructed for the most part and the gothic mood is pervasive, the author did not stay true to Victorian language or sensibilities. I didn't mind Arabella being characterized as a spunky, unconventional young woman (though that kind of character has become a wee bit cliched, I think), but I did mind the way the author inserted ideas and language that are purely 20th/21st-century, as if she didn't trust her story to be appealing or understandable enough if she wrote it to be historically accurate. For example, one character responds to Arabella in a conversation with a scoffing, "Whatever," a modern colloquialism that is perfectly believable among today's youth but not at all realistic for Victorian young women.
All that said, the main thing that kept running through my mind as I read this novel was, "This is a YA novel?" Because in the end, however it might be marketed and even though Arabella is an older teenager, the content is decidedly adult.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens.
Author website: http://www.amycarolreeves.com/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
See the content keys for an explanation of the numbers.
The Ruby Red Trilogy, by Kerstin Gier (books 1, 2, & 3--Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue, and Emerald Green)
*movies begin to be released in Germany in 2013*
Core themes: the intracacies of time travel; the agony and confusion of first love; hidden identities; family secrets and conflicts; discovering and facing who you really are; trust and betrayal; religion is foolish and extreme, but the occult is acceptable and normal (this last is a minor theme and may not have even been intentional, but it was hard to ignore at times for me)
Drugs/alcohol: some adults smoke; protagonist has spiked punch at a soiree; subtle anti-drinking message when protagonist shares about the time she got drunk and regretted it; another party with a lot of spiked food and drink and drunk teens, as well as drunk parents (who didn't know the food/drink were spiked before they consumed it)
Religion/occult: Throughout the series the author frequently refers to religious symbolism, acts, or places. The story itself is not religious in any way, but the author seems to be aware that she is dancing around spiritual issues by adding paranormal-religious elements to her time-travel plot foundation. These may be--with good reason--disturbing to some Christian readers; however, because they are addressed in such a lighthearted and fantastical way, other Christian readers may simply enter into the fantasy intended and not be bothered at all.
Readers need to be aware of certain situations. The protagonist can see ghosts of both people and demons. One demon, a former gargoyle in a church, befriends her. He is portrayed in a Disneyesque sidekick fashion--wisecracking, cute, and friendly. He lives in a church under a curse from a magician, conjured up to protect the tower of the church. Though he's gentle and friendly, he makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is, in fact, "what's left of a demon." Another situation that may be bothersome is a brief part detailing a record from the Inquisition--written by a priest--that tells an account of another priest of "dubious reputation" who has a pregnant daughter he believes is possessed. He performs an exorcism (no details) which is described as "torture" and which causes her to lose her baby.
Other things I should mention--a reference to Madame Tussaud sprinkling holy water on the gargoyle; a character disdains religious studies in school and says nobody needs them; a priest is a member of the time-travel lodge; time-travel is conducted in a church with the necessary machine operated on the altar just before a christening; a ghost only the protagonist can see harasses her by telling her she'll go to hell and by telling her in very harsh terms how displeased God is with people like her; a lot of discussion of religion, occult, magic of the East, etc.; and religion is portrayed in a subtly negative light. At one point a supporting character even blurts out (as a compliment to someone, not as a serious claim), "You're God in person!"
Romance/sexuality: 1, 5--Also, protagonist says she is the only one in her class not on the Pill; she's a "late bloomer." Brief reference to condoms and also a couple of mild references to sexual situations; one use of crude jargon for female body part; and one drunken request for a character to do a striptease (she doesn't)
Violence/abuse: brief but graphic descriptions of men being killed by a sword; mention of a baron getting his throat slit in the past; violent sword fight at the end of second book during which one man is killed; Gwyneth is run through with a sword at one point but is fine; her love interest is shot by the villain, but he is okay, too.
Vulgarities: 1, 3 (occasional)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although the plot is clever and fresh, the writing is average even with the fact that it is a translation taken into account. Sometimes, however, it is hard to tell whether it is the author or the character whose writing is average, since the book is written in the first-person voice of a teenager (who will naturally not have the storytelling skills of a professional adult writer). I gave the trilogy four stars because while the writing itself didn't impress me and sometimes seemed a little cliched (a Disneyesque non-human sidekick is the very definition of a cliche), it really did tell an amazing story. I did find it dragged sometimes and kind of wished it would just finish up already, but that may be because I'm an adult. I can see why teens would not be able to put it down. Some of the religious/occult references and situations disturbed me, and for the very religious reader--though the tone of the book is kept light and easy--this aspect of the book is hard to ignore.
I would suggest this trilogy to younger teens / older teens / all teens /no teens.
Author's Official Website: http://kerstingier.com/ -- Note: The author is German, so the website is, too. If you have Google Chrome, you will have the option to translate it. I'm not sure if other browsers will provide this function.
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
*movies begin to be released in Germany in 2013*
Core themes: the intracacies of time travel; the agony and confusion of first love; hidden identities; family secrets and conflicts; discovering and facing who you really are; trust and betrayal; religion is foolish and extreme, but the occult is acceptable and normal (this last is a minor theme and may not have even been intentional, but it was hard to ignore at times for me)
Drugs/alcohol: some adults smoke; protagonist has spiked punch at a soiree; subtle anti-drinking message when protagonist shares about the time she got drunk and regretted it; another party with a lot of spiked food and drink and drunk teens, as well as drunk parents (who didn't know the food/drink were spiked before they consumed it)
Religion/occult: Throughout the series the author frequently refers to religious symbolism, acts, or places. The story itself is not religious in any way, but the author seems to be aware that she is dancing around spiritual issues by adding paranormal-religious elements to her time-travel plot foundation. These may be--with good reason--disturbing to some Christian readers; however, because they are addressed in such a lighthearted and fantastical way, other Christian readers may simply enter into the fantasy intended and not be bothered at all.
Readers need to be aware of certain situations. The protagonist can see ghosts of both people and demons. One demon, a former gargoyle in a church, befriends her. He is portrayed in a Disneyesque sidekick fashion--wisecracking, cute, and friendly. He lives in a church under a curse from a magician, conjured up to protect the tower of the church. Though he's gentle and friendly, he makes no attempt to hide the fact that he is, in fact, "what's left of a demon." Another situation that may be bothersome is a brief part detailing a record from the Inquisition--written by a priest--that tells an account of another priest of "dubious reputation" who has a pregnant daughter he believes is possessed. He performs an exorcism (no details) which is described as "torture" and which causes her to lose her baby.
Other things I should mention--a reference to Madame Tussaud sprinkling holy water on the gargoyle; a character disdains religious studies in school and says nobody needs them; a priest is a member of the time-travel lodge; time-travel is conducted in a church with the necessary machine operated on the altar just before a christening; a ghost only the protagonist can see harasses her by telling her she'll go to hell and by telling her in very harsh terms how displeased God is with people like her; a lot of discussion of religion, occult, magic of the East, etc.; and religion is portrayed in a subtly negative light. At one point a supporting character even blurts out (as a compliment to someone, not as a serious claim), "You're God in person!"
Romance/sexuality: 1, 5--Also, protagonist says she is the only one in her class not on the Pill; she's a "late bloomer." Brief reference to condoms and also a couple of mild references to sexual situations; one use of crude jargon for female body part; and one drunken request for a character to do a striptease (she doesn't)
Violence/abuse: brief but graphic descriptions of men being killed by a sword; mention of a baron getting his throat slit in the past; violent sword fight at the end of second book during which one man is killed; Gwyneth is run through with a sword at one point but is fine; her love interest is shot by the villain, but he is okay, too.
Vulgarities: 1, 3 (occasional)
Literary artistry: * * * * *
Comments: Although the plot is clever and fresh, the writing is average even with the fact that it is a translation taken into account. Sometimes, however, it is hard to tell whether it is the author or the character whose writing is average, since the book is written in the first-person voice of a teenager (who will naturally not have the storytelling skills of a professional adult writer). I gave the trilogy four stars because while the writing itself didn't impress me and sometimes seemed a little cliched (a Disneyesque non-human sidekick is the very definition of a cliche), it really did tell an amazing story. I did find it dragged sometimes and kind of wished it would just finish up already, but that may be because I'm an adult. I can see why teens would not be able to put it down. Some of the religious/occult references and situations disturbed me, and for the very religious reader--though the tone of the book is kept light and easy--this aspect of the book is hard to ignore.
I would suggest this trilogy to younger teens / older teens / all teens /no teens.
Author's Official Website: http://kerstingier.com/ -- Note: The author is German, so the website is, too. If you have Google Chrome, you will have the option to translate it. I'm not sure if other browsers will provide this function.
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Rumble, by Ellen Hopkins
Why this book is worth considering:
Rarely have I felt so conflicted about a YA novel, so in this review you will have to forgive the extreme nature of my comments on both sides. On the positive side, this is a stellar literary novel. Hopkins--a woman--does an awe-inspiring job not only creating a believable male protagonist but also speaking in a completely credible, vivid, teenage-boy voice. Were it not for the prose-poetry format (which is really overdone in YA these days, I might add, and doesn't contribute much to this particular novel), I could believe that I am actually in a real boy's head hearing his thoughts. For this reason, the thoughtful treatment of a number of difficult themes, and the intricate but clear plotting, I deeply admire Ellen Hopkins as a writer. Parents may want to consider this novel for the many valuable discussion points that come up within it. These include religiously incompatible romantic relationships, suicide, adultery, divorce, premarital sex, homosexual identity, bullying, religion, atheism, book-banning, and even post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
It is this novel that has made me decide that I need to be much more selective about the books I choose to review, because of how unhealthy they sometimes are for me to read. I actually almost stopped reading Rumble midway, but I pressed on because the book jacket indicated that there would be a turn-around later in the story. There was--but not until the very end, and it was very subtle. What made this novel unusual for me is that I regret reading it. I have read many awful YA novels by this point and many good-but-challenging ones, too, but I don't think I have read one, yet, that I wish for my own well-being that I hadn't read.
Parents need to know that the frequent swearing of all kinds (but not so much the "f--" word) is the least they should be concerned about. Forget about the blasphemous curses, the vulgar sexual thoughts, and the pervasive bitterness that Matt expresses throughout the entire novel. Depending on your particular values and religious perspective, you need to be concerned with these facts:
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: Even older teens should use caution in reading this novel. I would not recommend it to anyone under 18.
Author website: http://ellenhopkins.com/YoungAdult/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
Why this book is worth considering:
Rarely have I felt so conflicted about a YA novel, so in this review you will have to forgive the extreme nature of my comments on both sides. On the positive side, this is a stellar literary novel. Hopkins--a woman--does an awe-inspiring job not only creating a believable male protagonist but also speaking in a completely credible, vivid, teenage-boy voice. Were it not for the prose-poetry format (which is really overdone in YA these days, I might add, and doesn't contribute much to this particular novel), I could believe that I am actually in a real boy's head hearing his thoughts. For this reason, the thoughtful treatment of a number of difficult themes, and the intricate but clear plotting, I deeply admire Ellen Hopkins as a writer. Parents may want to consider this novel for the many valuable discussion points that come up within it. These include religiously incompatible romantic relationships, suicide, adultery, divorce, premarital sex, homosexual identity, bullying, religion, atheism, book-banning, and even post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Why this book may not be right for your teen:
It is this novel that has made me decide that I need to be much more selective about the books I choose to review, because of how unhealthy they sometimes are for me to read. I actually almost stopped reading Rumble midway, but I pressed on because the book jacket indicated that there would be a turn-around later in the story. There was--but not until the very end, and it was very subtle. What made this novel unusual for me is that I regret reading it. I have read many awful YA novels by this point and many good-but-challenging ones, too, but I don't think I have read one, yet, that I wish for my own well-being that I hadn't read.
Parents need to know that the frequent swearing of all kinds (but not so much the "f--" word) is the least they should be concerned about. Forget about the blasphemous curses, the vulgar sexual thoughts, and the pervasive bitterness that Matt expresses throughout the entire novel. Depending on your particular values and religious perspective, you need to be concerned with these facts:
- Matt is an atheist and is bitterly against God and all things Christian. Because the Christian community in his town had a hand in leading his brother to commit suicide through bullying about his homosexuality, Matt has good reason to feel contempt against these Christians. However, even though he has a Christian girlfriend (whom Hopkins portrays believably and with sensitivity), he continually assaults Christianity and belief in God itself. I hesitate to use the word "assault," because it sounds like inflammatory political lingo, but I don't know what other word to use. I personally felt like the Christian faith and its followers were assaulted, and though the jacket indicated that Matt would make a turnaround later in the book, he really only made a small edge towards it--not nearly enough to offset the tirades that he made earlier in the book.
- I am not sure if I've read a YA book this sexually graphic, yet. In fact, the details of the two sex scenes in the novel were so explicit and gratuitous that I am tentatively labeling them pornographic and am considering writing a letter to the publisher--something I have never done before. While these scenes weren't as graphic as erotica novels, they were as graphic as many adult romances.
- The themes Hopkins handles so deftly are very mature and very challenging (and possibly upsetting) to a teenage reader who is not ready for such a book. Matt is neglected by his parents, watches his father commit adultery right in his own house, sees his parents' unhappy marriage fall apart, participates in a campaign to keep the mature The Perks of Being a Wallflower in the school library (a book that is reviewed on this website, if you want to understand this better), writes anti-religious essays that Hopkins doesn't merely allude to but writes out for the reader, cheats sexually on his girlfriend (for whom he has respected her desire to remain a virgin), and…and the list could go on and on and on. I don't have the time or energy to write it all out. Oh, yes, and if you are politically against gun ownership, you need to know that Matt has a Glock pistol that he loves and uses frequently at a shooting range (and nearly kills someone with by accident), because he is a talented marksman.
Literary artistry: * * * * *
I would suggest this book to: younger teens / older teens / all teens / no teens. Note: Even older teens should use caution in reading this novel. I would not recommend it to anyone under 18.
Author website: http://ellenhopkins.com/YoungAdult/
Reviewer: Cheri Blomquist
