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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
There are some books that stay with you simply because of how out of the ordinary they are. This is one of those books.
Alex's older sister was brutally raped and murdered by a local man. This would cause some to sink into the depths of their pain and never come out. Alex, however, has a very specific proclivity, which is triggered by this atrocity. She can kill.
But let's back up. Alex is from a very small town where everyone knows everyone's business and a tragedy is fodder. Pride runs high and even among the lowest. So while Alex manages to remain invisible for three years, in her final year of HS, golden boy Jack notices her and her world is flipped. She's now on the radar.
About this killing thing. I found the book to be a bit of Dexter meets Hanna. Dexter in that he killed those who he felt deserved it. The characters in the book that are on the receiving end of Alex's wrath are all responsible for horrible things (rape and murder, incest and molestation, attempted rape). It reminds me of Hanna in that Alex is lethal as hell without expending unnecessary energy. She is a weapon.
I like that Alex, while intense, hard, and lethal, also has a very soft side. She cares for strays in an animal shelter and will hand feed kittens with the utmost care. She's fiercely loyal to her friends and will defend those that need it. She's also very well read and because of this, has a higher sense of social consciousness. For example:
When witnessing a freshmen simulating receiving oral sex from a basketball: "But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll.
When Peekay slut shames Branley: "I hear what people say and I bet half of it isn't even true. And even it if is- fine. She's no different from you and me; she wants to have sex. So let her."
It's this juxtaposition that made her complex and human. Rather than fear her, you want to know her. She is that friend that will push you to want to be and do better.
There's only one possible ending for this novel, Alex's death. There's no other way. She'd killed three people and given her propensity for it and how many terrible people there are in the world, she was bound to do it again. And though you'd be on her side because she's technically removing the dregs of society, it's still illegal and she would've eventually been caught.
Her death is somber, yes, but you also get that she's headed toward peace.
Alex's older sister was brutally raped and murdered by a local man. This would cause some to sink into the depths of their pain and never come out. Alex, however, has a very specific proclivity, which is triggered by this atrocity. She can kill.
But let's back up. Alex is from a very small town where everyone knows everyone's business and a tragedy is fodder. Pride runs high and even among the lowest. So while Alex manages to remain invisible for three years, in her final year of HS, golden boy Jack notices her and her world is flipped. She's now on the radar.
About this killing thing. I found the book to be a bit of Dexter meets Hanna. Dexter in that he killed those who he felt deserved it. The characters in the book that are on the receiving end of Alex's wrath are all responsible for horrible things (rape and murder, incest and molestation, attempted rape). It reminds me of Hanna in that Alex is lethal as hell without expending unnecessary energy. She is a weapon.
I like that Alex, while intense, hard, and lethal, also has a very soft side. She cares for strays in an animal shelter and will hand feed kittens with the utmost care. She's fiercely loyal to her friends and will defend those that need it. She's also very well read and because of this, has a higher sense of social consciousness. For example:
When witnessing a freshmen simulating receiving oral sex from a basketball: "But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll.
When Peekay slut shames Branley: "I hear what people say and I bet half of it isn't even true. And even it if is- fine. She's no different from you and me; she wants to have sex. So let her."
It's this juxtaposition that made her complex and human. Rather than fear her, you want to know her. She is that friend that will push you to want to be and do better.
There's only one possible ending for this novel, Alex's death. There's no other way. She'd killed three people and given her propensity for it and how many terrible people there are in the world, she was bound to do it again. And though you'd be on her side because she's technically removing the dregs of society, it's still illegal and she would've eventually been caught.
Her death is somber, yes, but you also get that she's headed toward peace.
The FMC is a badass, while also a little cringe at times as she sees herself almost as a vigilante. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to explore the “me too” movement through a high school perspective. Note that it does get quite dark at times, but I did think it was well done.
My best friend recommended this book because she loves it. I thought it was pretty good, but it was definitely a slow burn. I was expecting it to be super fast paced and raw, but it was honestly tame in comparison. It also made me think a lot about my own morals. Alex was a very interesting character and to be honest I have no clue how I feel about her. But I really loved Peekay and Jack. I don't always enjoy multiple POV books (especially those with more than two POVs) but the author did a great job of intertwining the characters.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The description of this book speaks for itself. I don’t have tons to on it other than i finished it in a matter of hours. It’s is a thriller that focuses a lot on rape culture and all the different ways it can appear. I throughly enjoyed the book, but prepare for a heavy and sad read for sure.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Strong story but weak ending
This was a solid 4-star book. It was tragic, dark, and fascinating.
This book took me FOREVER to read. There was so much hype about it, and I was so excited to read it, and for me it was just a let down.