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cimorene1558's review against another edition
3.0
This is pretty good, but it's not my kind of book so I didn't finish it. I'm glad it exists, however, for those whose kind of book it is.
bookslifeandeverythingnice's review against another edition
4.0
Within the first few pages the book draws you in. I knew that the story being told was unique, special, and so important. All the Rage tells multiple stories at once; the horrors of the boys club small town mentality, a teenage girl being assaulted, and another girl going missing. The novel focuses around Romy Grey, an insightful teenager who is feeling the downfall of living in a small town that wants to protect the status quo. We follow Romy through this difficult time in her life, trying to arm herself with perfect coat of red lipstick and nail polish. I don't think I can do this book justice with a short review, so I'll just say that I highly recommend reading All the Rage by Courtney Summers.
phillygirljl's review against another edition
5.0
All The Rage is a poignant and moving story about a girl who endures an unspeakable act and is then condemned for coming forward about it.
Because of it’s subject matter, All The Rage was a hard book for me to read. And yet, I couldn’t put it down because it was so engrossing. I wanted Romy to get justice in the end and I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen. The writing in All The Rage is so realistic that I got drawn into Romy’s life and circumstances.
While reading All The Rage, I went through a roller coaster of emotions, chiefly anger, bitterness and sorrow. I was so angry at the way Romy’s “friends” and the rest of the community treated her. And while I know what happened to Romy could, and has happened in real life, it really distressed me that her peers and even other adults didn’t believe that she was telling the truth. I was also bitter about the treatment Romy received from the hands of her former friends and acquaintances. But mostly, I was sad. Sad about what Romy had to endure and what she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Despite all this though, Romy was a strong character and I have to say, I don’t think I could have endured what she went through the way she did.
All The Rage delves into a difficult subject by shining a light, not only on sexual assault itself, but the aftermath of it, and how one girl’s entire life can be affected. It examines how Romy is isolated and shut out of her community and school life just because she dared to tell the truth about a popular and well known boy. It also shows how people will believe what they want to and can overlook something terrible happening right in front of them. All The Rage allows readers to see what it’s like for any female to be sexually assaulted and then punished for it. It shines a light on victim blaming and what it’s like for a girl to be damned for something that is NEVER her fault.
Because of it’s subject matter, All The Rage was a hard book for me to read. And yet, I couldn’t put it down because it was so engrossing. I wanted Romy to get justice in the end and I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen. The writing in All The Rage is so realistic that I got drawn into Romy’s life and circumstances.
While reading All The Rage, I went through a roller coaster of emotions, chiefly anger, bitterness and sorrow. I was so angry at the way Romy’s “friends” and the rest of the community treated her. And while I know what happened to Romy could, and has happened in real life, it really distressed me that her peers and even other adults didn’t believe that she was telling the truth. I was also bitter about the treatment Romy received from the hands of her former friends and acquaintances. But mostly, I was sad. Sad about what Romy had to endure and what she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Despite all this though, Romy was a strong character and I have to say, I don’t think I could have endured what she went through the way she did.
All The Rage delves into a difficult subject by shining a light, not only on sexual assault itself, but the aftermath of it, and how one girl’s entire life can be affected. It examines how Romy is isolated and shut out of her community and school life just because she dared to tell the truth about a popular and well known boy. It also shows how people will believe what they want to and can overlook something terrible happening right in front of them. All The Rage allows readers to see what it’s like for any female to be sexually assaulted and then punished for it. It shines a light on victim blaming and what it’s like for a girl to be damned for something that is NEVER her fault.
bmg20's review against another edition
4.0
‘...they’d think of me the way they think of me now, think of it as some kind of natural conclusion to my story, sad, maybe, deserved it, well no, of course no one does, but. That girl. You can see it. It’s written on her.’
Romy Grey lives on the “wrong side” of a small town where everybody knows everybody. She’s the girl that no one trusts, the type of girl that everybody expects to be nothing but trouble. When she’s raped at a party and accuses the sheriff’s son of the attack, she quickly loses her best friend and becomes the focus of harassment from every person in her town. Romy lives as inconspicuous as she can from that day on but when a local girl goes missing in addition to news of an attack similar to Romy’s, she realizes she can’t keep quiet anymore.
I devoured this book in a single day. I couldn’t tear my eyes away even if I wanted to. This book, guys, encompasses everything that is wrong with this society. Where a woman can accuse a man of abuse and not for a second will they believe her, simply because the man has always been considered an upstanding member of the community. Because naturally, the facade we put on for the public is completely our true selves and can immediately absolve someone of any accusations. This was a terrifyingly realistic account of the aftermath of rape, of small town mentality, the immediate stereotypes that get doled out and how truly horrid people can be to one another.
‘I rest my middle finger across my lips; red on red, the most subtle way I can tell him to fuck himself because I’m not stupid enough to say it out loud in a world that’s his fan club.’
The writing was course and raw but had a finesse to it that completely encapsulated the expected horror of the situation. The story did get a little jumbled when it switches between “Now” and “Two Weeks Before” and it was difficult at first to re-sort the sequence of events in your mind but once you realize what transpired you’ll want to go back to the beginning with a fresh, knowledgeable look at it all. Summers is unflinching in her determination to accurately represent all that’s wrong with rape culture and subsequent victim blaming and while it was a painful story to read, it’s one incapable of being forgotten.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Romy Grey lives on the “wrong side” of a small town where everybody knows everybody. She’s the girl that no one trusts, the type of girl that everybody expects to be nothing but trouble. When she’s raped at a party and accuses the sheriff’s son of the attack, she quickly loses her best friend and becomes the focus of harassment from every person in her town. Romy lives as inconspicuous as she can from that day on but when a local girl goes missing in addition to news of an attack similar to Romy’s, she realizes she can’t keep quiet anymore.
I devoured this book in a single day. I couldn’t tear my eyes away even if I wanted to. This book, guys, encompasses everything that is wrong with this society. Where a woman can accuse a man of abuse and not for a second will they believe her, simply because the man has always been considered an upstanding member of the community. Because naturally, the facade we put on for the public is completely our true selves and can immediately absolve someone of any accusations. This was a terrifyingly realistic account of the aftermath of rape, of small town mentality, the immediate stereotypes that get doled out and how truly horrid people can be to one another.
‘I rest my middle finger across my lips; red on red, the most subtle way I can tell him to fuck himself because I’m not stupid enough to say it out loud in a world that’s his fan club.’
The writing was course and raw but had a finesse to it that completely encapsulated the expected horror of the situation. The story did get a little jumbled when it switches between “Now” and “Two Weeks Before” and it was difficult at first to re-sort the sequence of events in your mind but once you realize what transpired you’ll want to go back to the beginning with a fresh, knowledgeable look at it all. Summers is unflinching in her determination to accurately represent all that’s wrong with rape culture and subsequent victim blaming and while it was a painful story to read, it’s one incapable of being forgotten.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
evelikesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This book was very readable and a good description of a response to the compounded trauma of sexual assault and ensuing social rejection/isolation. I had to take off a star, though, because I didn't understand where the man in the pickup truck was coming from and who he was. Was he just trying to pick her up? Was he a cop or something? If the only point of him was to be a red herring and the catalyst for Romy finding the Vespa, ok, but I need more than that. Who the heck is he? So I took off a star for that.
mckinlay's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. review will be up on youtube soon. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGeCrqUI0dV_t9g83NQWfew
dog_eared_chapters's review against another edition
4.0
All the Rage was leant to me by a friend as a recommended read. It’s safe to say that it is not an easy read and on several occasions I had to put the book down and take some time to disconnect from it. All the rage is an emotional journey of a book, and in a world where the #metoo movement is so prevalent that books like this seem more important than ever. In a time where women are finding their voices reading a book with a story like this really speaks to people who have experienced mistreatment in various forms, and the stigma and ridicule Romy faces as her peers disregard or even choose not to believe what has happened to her. Throughout she is faced with the moral quandary of staying quiet or speaking out in a town full of people who don’t want to believe their golden boy could do anything as horrible as drug, sexually abuse or even murder?
This book speaks so clearly about the experiences young girls face today, not only on the front of sexualisation but as friends, students, peers, children, or relationships. Yes the book is raw and real and messes with your head and your heart, but it’s filled with words that need to be read. Courtney Summers has created a modern masterpiece in the face of a modern society and the traumas that it can bring.
This book speaks so clearly about the experiences young girls face today, not only on the front of sexualisation but as friends, students, peers, children, or relationships. Yes the book is raw and real and messes with your head and your heart, but it’s filled with words that need to be read. Courtney Summers has created a modern masterpiece in the face of a modern society and the traumas that it can bring.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
3.0
This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but ... I didn't really love this book.
Here me out: it's a very important book that paints an accurate picture of what rape victims can go through and deal with when they speak about what happened to them. Romy's story is something that needs to be talked about and discussed, because too many times women who speak out are silenced, or ignored, or harassed when they speak the truth. This can be especially true if, like in Romy's case, the perpetrator is well known and well liked. Romy is dealing with an incredible amount of self hate, pushed onto her because she's not believed and is called a liar for speaking out.
However, I had a hard time with Romy as a character. I never connected with her, I never felt FOR her, and as a result, I can't necessarily say I'd recommend this book in particular. I'm angry in the abstract, for all of the people out there who survive an assault and are not believed, who are ridiculed, who are made to feel less and like what happened was their fault. I hate the culture of silence that so many have to live under, but this book in and of itself just didn't do a whole lot for me. I feel like I should've connected to Romy, should've felt for HER, and not just for those who are going through this and dealing with the fall out of speaking out. I dunno, it's hard to put my thoughts into words, but something about this book in particular just didn't work for me. Considering how hyped it was upon its release - and rightfully so in many cases, because rape and sexual assault aren't talked about NEARLY enough, especially in the realm of YA - I was expecting to feel more, and I just didn't. Your mileage may vary, but for me personally, this was kind of a disappointment.
Here me out: it's a very important book that paints an accurate picture of what rape victims can go through and deal with when they speak about what happened to them. Romy's story is something that needs to be talked about and discussed, because too many times women who speak out are silenced, or ignored, or harassed when they speak the truth. This can be especially true if, like in Romy's case, the perpetrator is well known and well liked. Romy is dealing with an incredible amount of self hate, pushed onto her because she's not believed and is called a liar for speaking out.
However, I had a hard time with Romy as a character. I never connected with her, I never felt FOR her, and as a result, I can't necessarily say I'd recommend this book in particular. I'm angry in the abstract, for all of the people out there who survive an assault and are not believed, who are ridiculed, who are made to feel less and like what happened was their fault. I hate the culture of silence that so many have to live under, but this book in and of itself just didn't do a whole lot for me. I feel like I should've connected to Romy, should've felt for HER, and not just for those who are going through this and dealing with the fall out of speaking out. I dunno, it's hard to put my thoughts into words, but something about this book in particular just didn't work for me. Considering how hyped it was upon its release - and rightfully so in many cases, because rape and sexual assault aren't talked about NEARLY enough, especially in the realm of YA - I was expecting to feel more, and I just didn't. Your mileage may vary, but for me personally, this was kind of a disappointment.
irispj's review against another edition
4.0
Sufrí con este libro porque es prácticamente imposible no reconocer ciertas cosas que vivimos las mujeres.
bookishblond's review against another edition
3.0
All the Rage is the... third?... book about rape culture I've read so far in 2019. In some ways, it's the best of those books. Summers knows how to pack an emotional punch that will leave you spinning. But in other ways it's seriously lacking. This book is praised as being an must-read about rape culture but if not for the marketing I wouldn't have put it in that category at all.
I love Courtney Summers' writing. I often lack an emotional connection to characters/books but Summers is an author that knows how to make you feel. This book will make your heart ache. I was so emotionally invested in Romy's story that it hurt. Which is why I'm giving this book three stars instead of two.
But.
I don't appreciate being emotionally manipulated by books.
Okay, just look at the first sentence of the Goodreads synopsis: "The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact." Read the synopsis and you think you're getting a book about a rape survivor, kind of like Speak. Many reviews even compare this book (favorably) with Speak. But it's nothing like that.
First of all, Kellan Turner, the rapist, is not even a character in this book. His name is literally only mentioned two or three times. He is not a character in this book. Few things annoy me more than dishonest marketing about books, and this feels so dishonest. Furthermore, rape is barely even mentioned in this book. Romy never talks about being raped. She never "heals" or "comes to terms" or whatever it was she was supposed to do. Romy struggles with bullying and managing her tormentors, not the aftermath of rape.
This book is a murder mystery. I feel emotionally manipulated because (1) the book is marketed as being about rape culture/rape survivors and (2) Romy's identity as a rape survivor is used to make readers feel sorry for Romy and to justify her actions.
This book was all emotion and seriously lacking in characters and plot.
Even with all the feels, I did not like Romy as a character. She's bitter and mean, and if not for being a rape survivor, her behavior wouldn't make any sense at all. I understand that a rape survivor may feel numb, but Romy never talks about her emotions or about the rape. The reader is supposed to keep this background knowledge in mind, but it comes from the book's description, not from Romy. There is this weird emotional disconnect where Romy is being mean to her mom or to her love interest, and the reader is supposed to make the connection that Romy is only being awful because of the rape, but the rape is never even discussed? It's bizarre.
Romy aside, none of the other characters here did anything for me. I did really like Romy's mom and stepdad, but everyone else was lacking. I didn't understand why the love interest was so into Romy, especially since she was so mean to him. Romy's (ex)friend, Penny, doesn't feel like a real character. Her disappearance drives the book's main plot line, but we don't know anything about her. The mean girls at school who bully Romy are more non-characters. Who were they?
Summers had so many opportunities to take a unique stance on rape culture, but she never explored the topic. She stuck with the same tropes we see in other books that explore it - the outsider/loner girl who isn't believed and the popular rapist who seemingly gets away with it. I was intrigued by a few things - Romy and Penny's emails, the lipstick/nail polish, the rapist coming back to town... but Summers never goes deeper than the surface.
I also didn't really like Summers playing around with the timeline. I think the story would have been better if told linearly instead of jumping around so much. The book doesn't make sense at times.
And the ending? What? Everything is just... wrapped up nicely? Just like that??
This feels more like a rant than a book review, but I just had to get that off my chest. I read this book in one sitting - it's an enjoyable read - but I'm still pissed off about the marketing.
I love Courtney Summers' writing. I often lack an emotional connection to characters/books but Summers is an author that knows how to make you feel. This book will make your heart ache. I was so emotionally invested in Romy's story that it hurt. Which is why I'm giving this book three stars instead of two.
But.
I don't appreciate being emotionally manipulated by books.
Okay, just look at the first sentence of the Goodreads synopsis: "The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact." Read the synopsis and you think you're getting a book about a rape survivor, kind of like Speak. Many reviews even compare this book (favorably) with Speak. But it's nothing like that.
First of all, Kellan Turner, the rapist, is not even a character in this book. His name is literally only mentioned two or three times. He is not a character in this book. Few things annoy me more than dishonest marketing about books, and this feels so dishonest. Furthermore, rape is barely even mentioned in this book. Romy never talks about being raped. She never "heals" or "comes to terms" or whatever it was she was supposed to do. Romy struggles with bullying and managing her tormentors, not the aftermath of rape.
This book is a murder mystery. I feel emotionally manipulated because (1) the book is marketed as being about rape culture/rape survivors and (2) Romy's identity as a rape survivor is used to make readers feel sorry for Romy and to justify her actions.
This book was all emotion and seriously lacking in characters and plot.
Even with all the feels, I did not like Romy as a character. She's bitter and mean, and if not for being a rape survivor, her behavior wouldn't make any sense at all. I understand that a rape survivor may feel numb, but Romy never talks about her emotions or about the rape. The reader is supposed to keep this background knowledge in mind, but it comes from the book's description, not from Romy. There is this weird emotional disconnect where Romy is being mean to her mom or to her love interest, and the reader is supposed to make the connection that Romy is only being awful because of the rape, but the rape is never even discussed? It's bizarre.
Romy aside, none of the other characters here did anything for me. I did really like Romy's mom and stepdad, but everyone else was lacking. I didn't understand why the love interest was so into Romy, especially since she was so mean to him. Romy's (ex)friend, Penny, doesn't feel like a real character. Her disappearance drives the book's main plot line, but we don't know anything about her. The mean girls at school who bully Romy are more non-characters. Who were they?
Summers had so many opportunities to take a unique stance on rape culture, but she never explored the topic. She stuck with the same tropes we see in other books that explore it - the outsider/loner girl who isn't believed and the popular rapist who seemingly gets away with it. I was intrigued by a few things - Romy and Penny's emails, the lipstick/nail polish, the rapist coming back to town... but Summers never goes deeper than the surface.
I also didn't really like Summers playing around with the timeline. I think the story would have been better if told linearly instead of jumping around so much. The book doesn't make sense at times.
And the ending? What? Everything is just... wrapped up nicely? Just like that??
This feels more like a rant than a book review, but I just had to get that off my chest. I read this book in one sitting - it's an enjoyable read - but I'm still pissed off about the marketing.