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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
4.5 stars
Finished in an afternoon -- I had to. That was SO intense.
And now I need a hug. And I want to give hugs to lots of other people.
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: FAULT LINE was an incredibly emotional book after which I just wanted a hug. Christa Desir does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the story of Ben and Ani and honestly for me, it all felt insanely real. What really solidified it for me was the fact that I know Christa Desir is a rape victim activist so it was equally horrifying in the sense that I’m sure she’s heard stories exactly like this. Even though FAULT LINE is a work of fiction as far as the characters and this specific situation goes, I couldn’t help but think of all of the people this has actually happened to and my heart just went out to them as I was reading. It’s actually very hard for me to sit down and write a coherent review for this book because it was just so shocking and I felt so many FEELINGS that words just aren’t able to speak in place of the book itself.
I’m actually really glad that this book followed Ben’s POV, not because it would have been too difficult to read from Ani’s but because it brings an entirely different aspect to the overall story. Obviously from the synopsis and general buzz about the book, we know that something incredibly awful happens to Ani that not only changes her life, but affects her relationships and her overall view of herself. It was really eye-opening to see that through Ben’s eyes. Yes, Ani went through a horrible experience and it dramatically affected the rest of her life, but through Ben’s perspective, we get a better look at how it affects the people around her and how much this one event really turned everyone’s lives upside down. It was heartbreaking to witness and I really felt a special connection to Ben and just wished I could have been there for him through that struggle in his life. It was so hard for him to try to be there for Ani and acquiesce to what she was requesting versus deciding what really was the right thing to do in order to help her. There wasn’t always a clear path and everything just became so complicated and twisted after this one event.
I’m really glad that Christa Desir didn’t shy away from the messy, horrific details. There are some cases where I read books and feel like it’s an overshare as far as details go, but I think some of those really were necessary in FAULT LINE. It’s a very sensitive subject but the brutal honesty was important to the integrity of the characters as well as the overall subject matter. One of the things that really wrenched my gut was that Ani didn’t want to speak up after the incident. Now, I really can’t blame her because I wouldn’t want to tell people about something like that and I’m sure if I were in the same position (god forbid) that I’d probably shut down and completely internalize everything. The problem was that she wasn’t able to get any help and really couldn’t begin to heal from it until she allowed someone to help her. It was so hard to watch her struggle with this on her own and not know how to handle all of the emotional turmoil that came after.
I really appreciate how the book ended in the sense that there never really is an ending or a neat package with a bow on top of it to resolve an issue like this. After rape, physical abuse, assault… Really, there never is a happy ending and recovering from something as horrific as that takes much more time than one novel can cover. I really commend Christa Desir for putting these words on paper and getting this story out to teens and adults alike. It was very hard to sum up my feelings about this book because of the intensity and content so I just hope my words did it justice.
Finished in an afternoon -- I had to. That was SO intense.
And now I need a hug. And I want to give hugs to lots of other people.
Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: FAULT LINE was an incredibly emotional book after which I just wanted a hug. Christa Desir does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the story of Ben and Ani and honestly for me, it all felt insanely real. What really solidified it for me was the fact that I know Christa Desir is a rape victim activist so it was equally horrifying in the sense that I’m sure she’s heard stories exactly like this. Even though FAULT LINE is a work of fiction as far as the characters and this specific situation goes, I couldn’t help but think of all of the people this has actually happened to and my heart just went out to them as I was reading. It’s actually very hard for me to sit down and write a coherent review for this book because it was just so shocking and I felt so many FEELINGS that words just aren’t able to speak in place of the book itself.
I’m actually really glad that this book followed Ben’s POV, not because it would have been too difficult to read from Ani’s but because it brings an entirely different aspect to the overall story. Obviously from the synopsis and general buzz about the book, we know that something incredibly awful happens to Ani that not only changes her life, but affects her relationships and her overall view of herself. It was really eye-opening to see that through Ben’s eyes. Yes, Ani went through a horrible experience and it dramatically affected the rest of her life, but through Ben’s perspective, we get a better look at how it affects the people around her and how much this one event really turned everyone’s lives upside down. It was heartbreaking to witness and I really felt a special connection to Ben and just wished I could have been there for him through that struggle in his life. It was so hard for him to try to be there for Ani and acquiesce to what she was requesting versus deciding what really was the right thing to do in order to help her. There wasn’t always a clear path and everything just became so complicated and twisted after this one event.
I’m really glad that Christa Desir didn’t shy away from the messy, horrific details. There are some cases where I read books and feel like it’s an overshare as far as details go, but I think some of those really were necessary in FAULT LINE. It’s a very sensitive subject but the brutal honesty was important to the integrity of the characters as well as the overall subject matter. One of the things that really wrenched my gut was that Ani didn’t want to speak up after the incident. Now, I really can’t blame her because I wouldn’t want to tell people about something like that and I’m sure if I were in the same position (god forbid) that I’d probably shut down and completely internalize everything. The problem was that she wasn’t able to get any help and really couldn’t begin to heal from it until she allowed someone to help her. It was so hard to watch her struggle with this on her own and not know how to handle all of the emotional turmoil that came after.
I really appreciate how the book ended in the sense that there never really is an ending or a neat package with a bow on top of it to resolve an issue like this. After rape, physical abuse, assault… Really, there never is a happy ending and recovering from something as horrific as that takes much more time than one novel can cover. I really commend Christa Desir for putting these words on paper and getting this story out to teens and adults alike. It was very hard to sum up my feelings about this book because of the intensity and content so I just hope my words did it justice.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i read this in late middle or early high school and it went on my favorites list. reading it again at 22 not remembering much about it, i find it challenging. reality vs hope almost?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship
I expected a lot more from this book. I didn't get much. Although very realistic, I didn't like how there wasn't a result. Neither did I like the way it was written. The book made me criticize the writing more than the actual plot. Two stars for the heartbreaking truth, but still not good enough for me.
*sigh* I’m DNFing this.. I want to be clear though, it’s nothing to do with the author, the subject or the writing. It’s only because of my personal headspace right now. I’m choosing to DNF, instead of adding it back to my “want to read” shelf, because 1) it will always hold bad feelings/memories for me now & 2) I tend to not go back to any books that I stop reading & I’m trying to be better about just admitting defeat instead of torturing myself.
4.5 stars
This book brought home what it's like for friends of rape victims. Survivors can act in many different ways and the POV of the boyfriend makes for an interesting read. Character growth was a highlight in the novel (a lot of times, teen fiction does not bode well on that front). This is an important story about overcoming a traumatic event and how rape affects everyone.
This book brought home what it's like for friends of rape victims. Survivors can act in many different ways and the POV of the boyfriend makes for an interesting read. Character growth was a highlight in the novel (a lot of times, teen fiction does not bode well on that front). This is an important story about overcoming a traumatic event and how rape affects everyone.
Characters were all a bit flat and I wish the author had written a note at the end rather than just list some help sites for rape victims.
When Ani -- a tough girl, the kind of girl who is unafraid to be a little rude, a little biting, not "nice" -- is raped at a party, her boyfriend Ben cannot help but feel like had he been there, it wouldn't have happened. All he can do at this point is be there for her, to not judge her, to understand that what happened was something that shouldn't have happened to her. That it was not something she brought on herself.
But as she continues to fall into a spiral of self-destruction and self-loathing, is there any way for him to be there for her and help her get better? And what if those attempts at making her feel better only push her away further? At what point does he have to cut the cord?
Desir's novel about sexual assault from the perspective of a male voice -- one who did not initiate the incident -- is compelling and honest. It's brutal and what happened to Ani is incredibly difficult to read, not only as a woman but as a person, period. As much as he wants to protect her, Ben knows there is really only so much he can do. He can BE there for her, and he is.
This book should be talked about for what it covers and how it covers it.
However.
There are so many problems with the writing here. At times, this book's agenda is far too obvious. It's important what messages are conveyed here -- don't blame the victim, be supportive, listen to them -- but the way it's laid down from a volunteer counselor in info dumps is overwhelming and diminishes the characters. Ben is a good guy. He wants to be good. He loves and honors Ani. But he doesn't get the chance to do that or be that for her because the counselor takes over and tells him what to do, point A to point B. He scoffs at it, even though he follows it. But why can't he do this and figure it out himself? Why is it handed to him and by extension, just handed to the reader? If we want to start a conversation and start thinking about these issues heavily, we need the chance to see them, to absorb them, and to make the sorts of connections we need to individually. In other words....we aren't living in a world where that sort of clinical speak gets through. It's through our own actions and cognitive skills we put these things together.
It was the easy way out.
My other big criticism: why do we need the prologue? Why is it the most crucial scene in the book, the one that ultimately changes Ben's actions, is what we lead with? Stop doing this, please. It kills tension, it kills growth, and it kills the impact of the story when we get the apex to kick off the book.
This book would make for a killer pairing with Erica Lorraine Scheidt's Uses for Boys in talking about sex. Neither book are shy. Neither book is afraid to put the characters into positions that are uncomfortable to read and uncomfortable to think about or talk about. But they both are important in advancing conversations we need to be having.
Longer review to come, probably. Three stars means I liked the book. The story is important and engaging and stomach-turning and hard to ignore. It's just that the writing and execution fails to match that.
But as she continues to fall into a spiral of self-destruction and self-loathing, is there any way for him to be there for her and help her get better? And what if those attempts at making her feel better only push her away further? At what point does he have to cut the cord?
Desir's novel about sexual assault from the perspective of a male voice -- one who did not initiate the incident -- is compelling and honest. It's brutal and what happened to Ani is incredibly difficult to read, not only as a woman but as a person, period. As much as he wants to protect her, Ben knows there is really only so much he can do. He can BE there for her, and he is.
Spoiler
I don't understand the other reviews saying that his attempt to have sex with her in a very positive, very loving and caring manner, are his attempts at assaulting her himself. When she says no, he stops. He's not aggressive. He's trying so hard to offer her the safe and loving feelings she has allowed herself to forget about because those things -- those safe things, those good things, those truly intimate things -- are what were taken from her and what she believes she does not deserve anymore.This book should be talked about for what it covers and how it covers it.
However.
There are so many problems with the writing here. At times, this book's agenda is far too obvious. It's important what messages are conveyed here -- don't blame the victim, be supportive, listen to them -- but the way it's laid down from a volunteer counselor in info dumps is overwhelming and diminishes the characters. Ben is a good guy. He wants to be good. He loves and honors Ani. But he doesn't get the chance to do that or be that for her because the counselor takes over and tells him what to do, point A to point B. He scoffs at it, even though he follows it. But why can't he do this and figure it out himself? Why is it handed to him and by extension, just handed to the reader? If we want to start a conversation and start thinking about these issues heavily, we need the chance to see them, to absorb them, and to make the sorts of connections we need to individually. In other words....we aren't living in a world where that sort of clinical speak gets through. It's through our own actions and cognitive skills we put these things together.
It was the easy way out.
My other big criticism: why do we need the prologue? Why is it the most crucial scene in the book, the one that ultimately changes Ben's actions, is what we lead with? Stop doing this, please. It kills tension, it kills growth, and it kills the impact of the story when we get the apex to kick off the book.
This book would make for a killer pairing with Erica Lorraine Scheidt's Uses for Boys in talking about sex. Neither book are shy. Neither book is afraid to put the characters into positions that are uncomfortable to read and uncomfortable to think about or talk about. But they both are important in advancing conversations we need to be having.
Longer review to come, probably. Three stars means I liked the book. The story is important and engaging and stomach-turning and hard to ignore. It's just that the writing and execution fails to match that.
I loved this book. It was so raw and real. I could feel the character emotions as if they were my own. I do have one suggestion witch is the people whop read this book should be at least 15. Other than that have at it. You won't regret it.
Chronique originalement postée sur Sous ma Couverture
Waouh.
Super waouh.
Comment écrire une chronique sur ce roman si poignant ?
Je vais commencer par le début, contrairement à Christa Desir. Parce que Fault Line commence par la fin. Ça gâche tout, me direz-vous ? Loin de là. Au contraire, les conséquences de ce que je ne savais pas encore planait déjà au dessus de mon coeur, et je savais que ce serait un coup de coeur. Un coup de coeur qui fait méga mal.
Ben (le narrateur) et Ani sont des personnages qu'il est impossible de ne pas aimer. Il n'est pas possible de les détester, quand Ani fait preuve d'une franchise hilarante et touchante, et que Ben respire son amour pour elle comme si elle était son oxygène. La relation est tellement naturelle et douce que je me serais bien cognée la tête contre la table si je n'étais pas avide de lire encore plus, et toujours plus. Parce que l'épilogue restait là, comme une épée de damoclès au dessus de ma tête et au dessus de mon livre.
Et soudain, elle tombe.
Je me suis sentie brisée par les conséquences de la fête à laquelle Ani est allée seule, comme elles ont brisé leur vie à tous les deux. Ben fait preuve de tellement de maturité, et il est tellement difficile de juger Ani (parce que sérieusement, qui suis-je, et qui sommes-nous pour juger ses réactions et son comportement? personne), qu'on peut simplement se faire happer et souffrir avec eux, même si ça fini par devenir étouffant et choquant et indignant et ...
... Et tout est tellement bourré de culpabilité et d'auto destruction que je pense bien que Christa Desir m'a détruit avec eux.
Sans parler de cette fin qui ... enfin voila.
En tout cas, c'est un roman que je recommande à 1000% (pour les plus de 17 ans).
Ce que j'ai le moins aimé : La fin trop ouverte à mon goût.
Ce que j'ai le plus aimé : L'intensité du roman et des sentiments de Ben.
P.S. L'auteur offre 50% de l'argent qu'elle reçoit à une association destinée à aider les victimes de viol. C'est pas ultra généreux ?
Waouh.
Super waouh.
Comment écrire une chronique sur ce roman si poignant ?
Je vais commencer par le début, contrairement à Christa Desir. Parce que Fault Line commence par la fin. Ça gâche tout, me direz-vous ? Loin de là. Au contraire, les conséquences de ce que je ne savais pas encore planait déjà au dessus de mon coeur, et je savais que ce serait un coup de coeur. Un coup de coeur qui fait méga mal.
Ben (le narrateur) et Ani sont des personnages qu'il est impossible de ne pas aimer. Il n'est pas possible de les détester, quand Ani fait preuve d'une franchise hilarante et touchante, et que Ben respire son amour pour elle comme si elle était son oxygène. La relation est tellement naturelle et douce que je me serais bien cognée la tête contre la table si je n'étais pas avide de lire encore plus, et toujours plus. Parce que l'épilogue restait là, comme une épée de damoclès au dessus de ma tête et au dessus de mon livre.
Et soudain, elle tombe.
Je me suis sentie brisée par les conséquences de la fête à laquelle Ani est allée seule, comme elles ont brisé leur vie à tous les deux. Ben fait preuve de tellement de maturité, et il est tellement difficile de juger Ani (parce que sérieusement, qui suis-je, et qui sommes-nous pour juger ses réactions et son comportement? personne), qu'on peut simplement se faire happer et souffrir avec eux, même si ça fini par devenir étouffant et choquant et indignant et ...
... Et tout est tellement bourré de culpabilité et d'auto destruction que je pense bien que Christa Desir m'a détruit avec eux.
Sans parler de cette fin qui ... enfin voila.
En tout cas, c'est un roman que je recommande à 1000% (pour les plus de 17 ans).
Ce que j'ai le moins aimé : La fin trop ouverte à mon goût.
Ce que j'ai le plus aimé : L'intensité du roman et des sentiments de Ben.
P.S. L'auteur offre 50% de l'argent qu'elle reçoit à une association destinée à aider les victimes de viol. C'est pas ultra généreux ?