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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
This book. Wow. I am absolutely devastated and completely destroyed.
This book is so important for so many reasons. This book, to me, shows the depth of emotion and struggle teens can go through. People look at teenaged girls and invalidate them, thinking that they exaggerate everything and feel their world is collapsing over tiny things. But they aren't tiny things. EVER.
I remember very clearly being this age. 14. I thought very highly of myself and thought myself very mature for all the books I read. Romance novels, just like Lily. I was going through a lot at the time, not that anyone really knew that. It's scary to think how possible and real abusive relationships are, how possible and real pedophiles are.
To me, the takeaway from this book is the importance of trusted adults. If you're a teenager, always know who you're trusted adults are. Because there may come a day when you get in over your head and you need one. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In high school, I thought I could handle things myself, but that wasnt true. I needed help. Everyone needs help sometimes. Adults need to offer their help to younger people, always. As adults, who know what being a teen is like and who have more knowledge on what to do in terrifying situations. Adults need to offer help wherever possible. Even if it's not accepted.
This was a very gripping and terrifying book to me, but I'm so glad I read it because it's important to know how trapped people in relationships like this feel. How alone, how scared they feel so that if, god forbid, I'm ever in a similar situation or someone I know is; I know the signs, and I know who to call. This is is such an important book and it's written so well! The prose poetry format fits the story so well and us the perfect way to deliver the impact this story has. I read it super quickly as well! I couldn't put it down! I highly encourage you to read this.
This book is so important for so many reasons. This book, to me, shows the depth of emotion and struggle teens can go through. People look at teenaged girls and invalidate them, thinking that they exaggerate everything and feel their world is collapsing over tiny things. But they aren't tiny things. EVER.
I remember very clearly being this age. 14. I thought very highly of myself and thought myself very mature for all the books I read. Romance novels, just like Lily. I was going through a lot at the time, not that anyone really knew that. It's scary to think how possible and real abusive relationships are, how possible and real pedophiles are.
To me, the takeaway from this book is the importance of trusted adults. If you're a teenager, always know who you're trusted adults are. Because there may come a day when you get in over your head and you need one. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In high school, I thought I could handle things myself, but that wasnt true. I needed help. Everyone needs help sometimes. Adults need to offer their help to younger people, always. As adults, who know what being a teen is like and who have more knowledge on what to do in terrifying situations. Adults need to offer help wherever possible. Even if it's not accepted.
This was a very gripping and terrifying book to me, but I'm so glad I read it because it's important to know how trapped people in relationships like this feel. How alone, how scared they feel so that if, god forbid, I'm ever in a similar situation or someone I know is; I know the signs, and I know who to call. This is is such an important book and it's written so well! The prose poetry format fits the story so well and us the perfect way to deliver the impact this story has. I read it super quickly as well! I couldn't put it down! I highly encourage you to read this.
I was personally not a fan. I love the writing style, but the story pissed me off because there was truly no way for the characters to have a happy ending.
Wasn't a fan of the ending. Thanks Edelweiss for the ARC.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a really hard book to read. I read it fairly quick, and I'm not going to be able to review it. I think it's a very eye opening and important read.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: abusive relationship, emotional abuse, sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, sexual abuse of a minor, toxic relationship, on page sexual abuse
(this is such a tough book about a tough topic, and I couldn't think of how to properly review it, so here's someone else's review that captures what my brain couldn't put into words: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2508728968?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1)
TRIGGER WARNINGS: abusive relationship, emotional abuse, sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, sexual abuse of a minor, toxic relationship, on page sexual abuse
(this is such a tough book about a tough topic, and I couldn't think of how to properly review it, so here's someone else's review that captures what my brain couldn't put into words: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2508728968?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1)
2 1/2 / 5
This book is important, and I’m glad that it exists! That being said, I have a lot of issues with it.
There are a lot of things I like about the book! I think it handled the overall topics pretty well. I think the relationship with Luke was shown in its “stages” very well, from infatuation to reality and eventual emotional isolation and depression. I also think the book did a good job of showing the reality of Lily’s mindset while being clear to readers that it wasn’t OK. I loved the Author’s Note at the end explaining that Lily was never at fault, even if she blamed herself. I also loved that Lily’s friends had positive sexual experiences with kids their own age, showing that sex isn’t inherently a horrible thing. I think this was shown really well and made very clear.
I think one of the main things I wish was that the book was longer. I feel like we didn’t get to see any of the actual healing of Lily, and while the book ended more hopeful than I was initially fearing, I wanted to see Lily’s parent’s reaction and more healing. I wanted Lily to get her life back, and I wish it wasn’t up to us to imagine it for ourselves. It felt like a cop-out to end the book right before the heavy lifting of “coming forward” actually happened, and not actually show what getting help looks like.
I found the writing style not great in my opinion. A lot of the verse poems felt like they were just prose which had been split up in order to sound edgy and important. Most of the word choice felt pretty cringey, and a lot of things felt communicated to me rather than shown — i.e. Alice is cute because the book tells me she is, rather than actually being cute in any way. I blew through the book in like three hours, and I didn’t come away with any specific imagery or anything sticking with me. I felt like I filled in the blanks myself for most of the description.
I found a lot of the characters very cliché — Lily’s younger sister Alice never really felt like a person, and it was pretty obvious what her character was there to represent. Bella felt pretty dicey racially at times, with her belly dancing and “exotic” characterization. And the parents were super underdeveloped, like criminally so. I wanted to know SO MUCH MORE about Lily’s relationship with her father, especially because the reason she’s “in love” with Luke to begin with is because of the attention and care she’s lacking from her father. I liked Presley and the “what could have been” storyline a lot. The two friends were pretty forgettable, but served their purpose okay. Luke also served his purpose fine, and he towed the like between disgusting and believably charming well enough that it felt realistic. I did, however find his whole “away for two years because of a research expedition to cure Malaria” SO cartoonish that it was hard to take seriously. Especially the leopard bite. I’m sorry. That was so dumb.
And despite the overall pretty good handling of the topic, I feel like if I was a survivor of CSA, this book would be SO upsetting to read. I am a very big supporter of sexual education for children and teens, and I don’t think the book was too explicit. I actually thought it handled the sensitive scenes fairly well, and saved Lily enough dignity while still making me wanna barf in my mouth and properly showing how gross it was.
Overall, the book wasn’t actively harmful! Which is a win for a topic so heavy. However, I felt like it wasn’t that great of a book-book on its own, without any characters that felt memorable, and with writing that felt cringey and cliche for the majority of the time. Not something I would recommend, but also not something I would advise against, either.
This book is important, and I’m glad that it exists! That being said, I have a lot of issues with it.
There are a lot of things I like about the book! I think it handled the overall topics pretty well. I think the relationship with Luke was shown in its “stages” very well, from infatuation to reality and eventual emotional isolation and depression. I also think the book did a good job of showing the reality of Lily’s mindset while being clear to readers that it wasn’t OK. I loved the Author’s Note at the end explaining that Lily was never at fault, even if she blamed herself. I also loved that Lily’s friends had positive sexual experiences with kids their own age, showing that sex isn’t inherently a horrible thing. I think this was shown really well and made very clear.
I think one of the main things I wish was that the book was longer. I feel like we didn’t get to see any of the actual healing of Lily, and while the book ended more hopeful than I was initially fearing, I wanted to see Lily’s parent’s reaction and more healing. I wanted Lily to get her life back, and I wish it wasn’t up to us to imagine it for ourselves. It felt like a cop-out to end the book right before the heavy lifting of “coming forward” actually happened, and not actually show what getting help looks like.
I found the writing style not great in my opinion. A lot of the verse poems felt like they were just prose which had been split up in order to sound edgy and important. Most of the word choice felt pretty cringey, and a lot of things felt communicated to me rather than shown — i.e. Alice is cute because the book tells me she is, rather than actually being cute in any way. I blew through the book in like three hours, and I didn’t come away with any specific imagery or anything sticking with me. I felt like I filled in the blanks myself for most of the description.
I found a lot of the characters very cliché — Lily’s younger sister Alice never really felt like a person, and it was pretty obvious what her character was there to represent. Bella felt pretty dicey racially at times, with her belly dancing and “exotic” characterization. And the parents were super underdeveloped, like criminally so. I wanted to know SO MUCH MORE about Lily’s relationship with her father, especially because the reason she’s “in love” with Luke to begin with is because of the attention and care she’s lacking from her father. I liked Presley and the “what could have been” storyline a lot. The two friends were pretty forgettable, but served their purpose okay. Luke also served his purpose fine, and he towed the like between disgusting and believably charming well enough that it felt realistic. I did, however find his whole “away for two years because of a research expedition to cure Malaria” SO cartoonish that it was hard to take seriously. Especially the leopard bite. I’m sorry. That was so dumb.
And despite the overall pretty good handling of the topic, I feel like if I was a survivor of CSA, this book would be SO upsetting to read. I am a very big supporter of sexual education for children and teens, and I don’t think the book was too explicit. I actually thought it handled the sensitive scenes fairly well, and saved Lily enough dignity while still making me wanna barf in my mouth and properly showing how gross it was.
Overall, the book wasn’t actively harmful! Which is a win for a topic so heavy. However, I felt like it wasn’t that great of a book-book on its own, without any characters that felt memorable, and with writing that felt cringey and cliche for the majority of the time. Not something I would recommend, but also not something I would advise against, either.
'The Opposite of Innocent' is yet another fantastic novel-in-verse by the illustrious Sonya Sones. The story will draw readers in and not let go, making them wish for what they want to happen but know may only be a desperate wish. It will haunt readers well past the last page, eager to know just what happened to Lily and how she will tear herself away from an undeniably horrific situation.
The story starts off pleasantly enough, with Lily crushing on an older man - her dad's best friend who is fifteen years her senior, Luke. He is kind and sweet to her, making her fourteen-year-old self feel like she is the most important person in the world. The fact that he is staying with her family - including her parents and her younger sister - thrills Lily to no end, and she can't believe her luck that he is in the room directly adjacent to hers.
When Lily gets a taste of what she has always wanted - a kiss from Luke - her world becomes upended, and she feels that life is finally fulfilling the only dream she's ever known. Little does she know what she's in for, as Luke's manipulative and endearing qualities work hand in hand to cripple Lily's belief in love, and even kindness.
Lily finds herself incapable of sharing her troubles with anyone, which is so true of the world today when people find ways to manipulate others to fulfill their own desires. Luke is the perfect portrait of a terrible guy wrapped up in a nice-looking and overall nice-seeming package. His generosity and friendliness make him the least suspicious person, but his true nature causes Lily catastrophic mental anguish.
Despite the fact that the conclusion is somewhat open-ended, the fact that Sonya Sones can write such beautiful and compelling verse, yet shed light on such heinous topics, is incredibly motivational for readers and writers alike. Anyone who enjoys contemporary romances, thrillers, novels-in-verse, or coming of age stories should rush to pick this up. It will grab readers and not let them go, all the while encouraging important discourse about topics that are too sadly prevalent in this day and age.
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*
The story starts off pleasantly enough, with Lily crushing on an older man - her dad's best friend who is fifteen years her senior, Luke. He is kind and sweet to her, making her fourteen-year-old self feel like she is the most important person in the world. The fact that he is staying with her family - including her parents and her younger sister - thrills Lily to no end, and she can't believe her luck that he is in the room directly adjacent to hers.
When Lily gets a taste of what she has always wanted - a kiss from Luke - her world becomes upended, and she feels that life is finally fulfilling the only dream she's ever known. Little does she know what she's in for, as Luke's manipulative and endearing qualities work hand in hand to cripple Lily's belief in love, and even kindness.
Lily finds herself incapable of sharing her troubles with anyone, which is so true of the world today when people find ways to manipulate others to fulfill their own desires. Luke is the perfect portrait of a terrible guy wrapped up in a nice-looking and overall nice-seeming package. His generosity and friendliness make him the least suspicious person, but his true nature causes Lily catastrophic mental anguish.
Despite the fact that the conclusion is somewhat open-ended, the fact that Sonya Sones can write such beautiful and compelling verse, yet shed light on such heinous topics, is incredibly motivational for readers and writers alike. Anyone who enjoys contemporary romances, thrillers, novels-in-verse, or coming of age stories should rush to pick this up. It will grab readers and not let them go, all the while encouraging important discourse about topics that are too sadly prevalent in this day and age.
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
*Review originally posted at YABooksCentral.com*
DNF
listen i might not know
a lot about poetry
but it definitely isn't
writing sentences but
pressing "enter"
every few words,
sorry.
listen i might not know
a lot about poetry
but it definitely isn't
writing sentences but
pressing "enter"
every few words,
sorry.
I would have loved this book as a teenager. It checks all the boxes: depressing subject matter, quick and easy to read prose. But today, I'm not so easily entranced by these stories. Most of the characters felt like weird, cheap caricatures. Mr. Lewis, the photography teacher who is constantly snapping photos during his class, Bella the book store owner who belly dances, Taylor, Lily's gay friend who is always 'on a need to know basis'. Everything about them felt rushed and fake. It cheapened the experience for me. With that said, there were a lot of really important themes in this book. Listening to Lily obsess over Luke made me remember what it was like to be an impressionable 14-year-old desperate for attention. I had the exact same thought process as Lily. It's terrifying to see how much of an easy target children are to these sickos.
This book does a fantastic job of demonstrating what it looks like when a pedophile grooms a family and isolates their victim. Overall, this is an important book that missed a few marks but successfully portrays the vulnerability of children.
This book does a fantastic job of demonstrating what it looks like when a pedophile grooms a family and isolates their victim. Overall, this is an important book that missed a few marks but successfully portrays the vulnerability of children.