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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
ESSENTIAL READING for every teenager. Not even kidding, this book was so completely accurate, infuriating, and full of narcissistic teens I wanted to scream on multiple occasions and wish I could rip into a few of these kids as my former teenage self on the slim chance they would stop being such assholes and see what they were doing to a girl who didn't deserve it. Why? Why do teenagers (or people in general) act this way? How are some people such cowards that they'll go along with a rumor they know nothing about, or make up lies, or take something bad that happened to THEM and then lie and say it happened to someone else?
I gotta hand it to Mathieu, she portrayed that teen perspective to perfection, even with multiple POVs that normally irks me, this felt like a confessional booth of sorts, each one getting to tell their side of the st0ry exactly the way they saw it. So there really was no confusion about just how ridiculous and self-serving most of the drama was. I seriously couldn't put it down, read it in an afternoon and I will recommend it over and over again.
I gotta hand it to Mathieu, she portrayed that teen perspective to perfection, even with multiple POVs that normally irks me, this felt like a confessional booth of sorts, each one getting to tell their side of the st0ry exactly the way they saw it. So there really was no confusion about just how ridiculous and self-serving most of the drama was. I seriously couldn't put it down, read it in an afternoon and I will recommend it over and over again.
The author captures the realities of teenage life – the rumours, the anxiety about fitting in and the way in which social pressures can create bullying and ostracism. Parents may find the casual accounts of drinking and sex disturbing but I am sure the language and the emotions will ring true to teenagers. The small town setting intensifies the fishbowl feeling of high school.
Ultimately, Alice tells her own story after the reader hears the various versions coloured by the tellers.
Ultimately, Alice tells her own story after the reader hears the various versions coloured by the tellers.
I had high expectations and was slightly disappointed but it was a pretty interesting and easy read.
I read this one for Banned Book Week. I can see why parents might think they should ban this book, they're wrong of course, banning books is not the answer. Instead, read this with your child and talk about it. The author does a great job will how high school kids can interact with one another, and how rumors can spread and easily get out of control.
There's also a part where a grieving parent spreads a rumor that starts to ruin a girl's life all because of the guilt she's trying to alleviate. I'll say that was the most frustrating part of the story for me, because it wasn't believable. This part it's about how Alice killed Brandon because she was sexting him, the book came out in 2014 so the cops definitely would have been able to check Brandon's phone after the accident and see if it had anything to do with the accident, but nothing was done and rumors continued.
You can get more of the thoughts here on our Pod.
There's also a part where a grieving parent spreads a rumor that starts to ruin a girl's life all because of the guilt she's trying to alleviate. I'll say that was the most frustrating part of the story for me, because it wasn't believable. This part it's about how Alice killed Brandon because she was sexting him, the book came out in 2014 so the cops definitely would have been able to check Brandon's phone after the accident and see if it had anything to do with the accident, but nothing was done and rumors continued.
You can get more of the thoughts here on our Pod.
The truth about Alice..
well what is the truth?
Told from the view point of four other people, you have to put together the piece as you read along. High school stereotypes are obvious and play a role in this book. The characters are well presented/relatable.
As the book goes forward it plain to see who is to blame and who is mostly to blame. (IMO) In fact, one of the characters pisses me off just for the simple fact of how stupid they are and very poor choices. (that only revolve around them because they only care about themselves)
A fresh read in my eyes that was not easily predictable. I really liked it. It's not like a typical high school story you read in the coming of age section. It's much more..
well what is the truth?
Told from the view point of four other people, you have to put together the piece as you read along. High school stereotypes are obvious and play a role in this book. The characters are well presented/relatable.
As the book goes forward it plain to see who is to blame and who is mostly to blame. (IMO) In fact, one of the characters pisses me off just for the simple fact of how stupid they are and very poor choices. (that only revolve around them because they only care about themselves)
A fresh read in my eyes that was not easily predictable. I really liked it. It's not like a typical high school story you read in the coming of age section. It's much more..
This is like a book that tries to be a John Green book, but goes above and beyond because it is not annoying, not overly philosophical, and the characters aren't cardboard cutouts of nerdy geek boy and manic pixie dream girl heroine. (Yes, I loathe John Green's books).
This was good.
This was good.
There's barely a story here, really. You dance around actual events that are told through flashbacks and narration, but nothing of note really happens at any time, despite all of the events that the characters tell you about. Plus the characters themselves are walking cliches, none really with any sort of quality other than those that work with the cliche they serve. At least Alice (though she barely speaks for herself) jokes about the fact that she is a cliche. As important as I think the content is - a YA novel about bullying - the actual delivery of it all was heavy-handed and surface level at best.
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE
I have to say, this book surprised me. Though the characters are really all caricatures of stereotypical high school people, they feel, at least, like a real and believable version of such. The book is quite short, so none of the characters really makes a huge impact, since it is told by a handful of them in alternating chapters. This book is really more about the idea, the story, not character development. At least that is how I came away from it.
The plot centers around a scandalous event that may or may not have taken place surrounding a high school girl, Alice Franklin. Her story and the events that came before and after it, are told by classmates, former friends, and people who know about her. This is a very interesting technique, and a clever one for such a story. We are given slightly varying versions of events, creeping closer to the truth, until, at the end, we hear from Alice herself.
Though I say this story was more about the idea of what rumors, cruel gossip, bullying and social alienation can do, the one character who really stood out to me was Kurt, the "geeky boy". He was just a lovely person and I would have liked to know more about him. All in all, I didn't feel that there was one particularly nasty person, as so often is the case with the spreading of malicious rumors. Rather, the characters each added a small degree to the big problem, each throwing in a cruel remark, or new gossip to fuel the flame. I found this notion quite believable. I am lucky to say I have never experienced bullying, but especially nowadays, with the internet such a ready forum for anonymous nastiness, it is hard not to see it as a major problem.
The idea I feel this book is aiming at is what is worse, doing the actual bullying or doing nothing to stop it? Small kindesses and showing sympathy and understanding can make a tremendous impact. It is hard to go against the grain and strike out on your own when you feel something wrong is happening, but it can make all the difference. One person's compassion can help the victim of bullying or someone who is made an outcast, feel not quite so alone anymore.
While reading this book, I didn't think it would leave much of an impact, but clearly it has. It's short and oddly simple, but well worth the read.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
I have to say, this book surprised me. Though the characters are really all caricatures of stereotypical high school people, they feel, at least, like a real and believable version of such. The book is quite short, so none of the characters really makes a huge impact, since it is told by a handful of them in alternating chapters. This book is really more about the idea, the story, not character development. At least that is how I came away from it.
The plot centers around a scandalous event that may or may not have taken place surrounding a high school girl, Alice Franklin. Her story and the events that came before and after it, are told by classmates, former friends, and people who know about her. This is a very interesting technique, and a clever one for such a story. We are given slightly varying versions of events, creeping closer to the truth, until, at the end, we hear from Alice herself.
Though I say this story was more about the idea of what rumors, cruel gossip, bullying and social alienation can do, the one character who really stood out to me was Kurt, the "geeky boy". He was just a lovely person and I would have liked to know more about him. All in all, I didn't feel that there was one particularly nasty person, as so often is the case with the spreading of malicious rumors. Rather, the characters each added a small degree to the big problem, each throwing in a cruel remark, or new gossip to fuel the flame. I found this notion quite believable. I am lucky to say I have never experienced bullying, but especially nowadays, with the internet such a ready forum for anonymous nastiness, it is hard not to see it as a major problem.
The idea I feel this book is aiming at is what is worse, doing the actual bullying or doing nothing to stop it? Small kindesses and showing sympathy and understanding can make a tremendous impact. It is hard to go against the grain and strike out on your own when you feel something wrong is happening, but it can make all the difference. One person's compassion can help the victim of bullying or someone who is made an outcast, feel not quite so alone anymore.
While reading this book, I didn't think it would leave much of an impact, but clearly it has. It's short and oddly simple, but well worth the read.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
I have to say, this book surprised me. Though the characters are really all caricatures of stereotypical high school people, they feel, at least, like a real and believable version of such. The book is quite short, so none of the characters really makes a huge impact, since it is told by a handful of them in alternating chapters. This book is really more about the idea, the story, not character development. At least that is how I came away from it.
The plot centers around a scandalous event that may or may not have taken place surrounding a high school girl, Alice Franklin. Her story and the events that came before and after it, are told by classmates, former friends, and people who know about her. This is a very interesting technique, and a clever one for such a story. We are given slightly varying versions of events, creeping closer to the truth, until, at the end, we hear from Alice herself.
Though I say this story was more about the idea of what rumors, cruel gossip, bullying and social alienation can do, the one character who really stood out to me was Kurt, the "geeky boy". He was just a lovely person and I would have liked to know more about him. All in all, I didn't feel that there was one particularly nasty person, as so often is the case with the spreading of malicious rumors. Rather, the characters each added a small degree to the big problem, each throwing in a cruel remark, or new gossip to fuel the flame. I found this notion quite believable. I am lucky to say I have never experienced bullying, but especially nowadays, with the internet such a ready forum for anonymous nastiness, it is hard not to see it as a major problem.
The idea I feel this book is aiming at is what is worse, doing the actual bullying or doing nothing to stop it? Small kindesses and showing sympathy and understanding can make a tremendous impact. It is hard to go against the grain and strike out on your own when you feel something wrong is happening, but it can make all the difference. One person's compassion can help the victim of bullying or someone who is made an outcast, feel not quite so alone anymore.
While reading this book, I didn't think it would leave much of an impact, but clearly it has. It's short and oddly simple, but well worth the read.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
The plot centers around a scandalous event that may or may not have taken place surrounding a high school girl, Alice Franklin. Her story and the events that came before and after it, are told by classmates, former friends, and people who know about her. This is a very interesting technique, and a clever one for such a story. We are given slightly varying versions of events, creeping closer to the truth, until, at the end, we hear from Alice herself.
Though I say this story was more about the idea of what rumors, cruel gossip, bullying and social alienation can do, the one character who really stood out to me was Kurt, the "geeky boy". He was just a lovely person and I would have liked to know more about him. All in all, I didn't feel that there was one particularly nasty person, as so often is the case with the spreading of malicious rumors. Rather, the characters each added a small degree to the big problem, each throwing in a cruel remark, or new gossip to fuel the flame. I found this notion quite believable. I am lucky to say I have never experienced bullying, but especially nowadays, with the internet such a ready forum for anonymous nastiness, it is hard not to see it as a major problem.
The idea I feel this book is aiming at is what is worse, doing the actual bullying or doing nothing to stop it? Small kindesses and showing sympathy and understanding can make a tremendous impact. It is hard to go against the grain and strike out on your own when you feel something wrong is happening, but it can make all the difference. One person's compassion can help the victim of bullying or someone who is made an outcast, feel not quite so alone anymore.
While reading this book, I didn't think it would leave much of an impact, but clearly it has. It's short and oddly simple, but well worth the read.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com