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rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
I love YA. Oftentimes I am disappointed by how the genre is romance-centered. This novel gives us all the ingredients for a stereotypical YA romance: popular head cheerleader with a boyfriend about to start her Senior year in high school. However, just before school starts, she is slipped a roofie and raped. In one moment her entire future changes. What follows is a realistic portrayal of the conflicts she faces along the way, but also the support team that helps her come to terms with what happens.
kvreadsandrecs's review against another edition
4.0
Certainly idealistic, but perhaps more for people who are close to somebody who has been sexually assaulted. This is what a good support network looks like.
parpacifica's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted more character development.
The only character I felt that felt real was Polly.
I wanted some flow to the story.
It seemed choppy at times. The Reverend was mentioned in the beginning, and then suddenly, with no flow, he popped in at a scene in the middle of the book.
There was no alluding. There was just the author telling us how everything was and how everyone was feeling. It felt like the author didn’t trust her audience enough to make the conclusions on their own.
There were too many plot holes.
It was a good story with a good ending but there were lots of issues
The only character I felt that felt real was Polly.
I wanted some flow to the story.
It seemed choppy at times. The Reverend was mentioned in the beginning, and then suddenly, with no flow, he popped in at a scene in the middle of the book.
There was no alluding. There was just the author telling us how everything was and how everyone was feeling. It felt like the author didn’t trust her audience enough to make the conclusions on their own.
There were too many plot holes.
It was a good story with a good ending but there were lots of issues
melissch's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 -- A good introduction to an extremely important and timely topic. I enjoyed reading this book, but I think it only lightly skimmed some of the issues--Hermione had an amazing support system and got all of the medical care she needed. While that is the ideal scenario for anyone who has been raped, it's unfortunately not the majority.
It also bugged me that we don't find out who her rapist is until the very end of the book, so he's portrayed in a way that makes him an anonymous bogey man rather than the real-life scum bag of a human being that he is.
But while I wish E.K. Johnston had gotten a bit more real in the trials Hermione faces, she does give really good example of how to support someone you may know who has been raped. So def still worth a read.
And dat cover doe. LOVE IT.
It also bugged me that we don't find out who her rapist is until the very end of the book, so he's portrayed in a way that makes him an anonymous bogey man rather than the real-life scum bag of a human being that he is.
But while I wish E.K. Johnston had gotten a bit more real in the trials Hermione faces, she does give really good example of how to support someone you may know who has been raped. So def still worth a read.
And dat cover doe. LOVE IT.
laurenkara's review against another edition
4.0
trigger warnings: rape, abortion
It was so good to see a rape victim receive the support they deserve. Again, I wish this book didn't have to exist but I'm glad it does. Obviously, this isn't going to be everyone's story, but it's important that a story like this exists because it's how all rape victims should be treated. I really liked the take on victimisation and how rape victims are perceived by society. I love that E.K. Johnston showed that there a million ways to cope with a trauma and that none of them are wrong. The only thing I didn't like was the scene where Hermione found out that Polly was queer. I think that could have been handled a lot better. I did appreciate that it didn't fall into the trope of "queer side character falls in love with their straight best friend" though. Besides that though, this book was so great and if you can handle the content then I definitely recommend it!
It was so good to see a rape victim receive the support they deserve. Again, I wish this book didn't have to exist but I'm glad it does. Obviously, this isn't going to be everyone's story, but it's important that a story like this exists because it's how all rape victims should be treated. I really liked the take on victimisation and how rape victims are perceived by society. I love that E.K. Johnston showed that there a million ways to cope with a trauma and that none of them are wrong. The only thing I didn't like was the scene where Hermione found out that Polly was queer. I think that could have been handled a lot better. I did appreciate that it didn't fall into the trope of "queer side character falls in love with their straight best friend" though. Besides that though, this book was so great and if you can handle the content then I definitely recommend it!
lydiastorytime's review against another edition
4.0
Really beautiful story. A lot of wonderful supporting characters. Even though it’s based around a trauma the aftermath is almost ideal in that the victim has adequate support. Outside of the shitty bf everyone else is like an example of how to suport someone in crisis.
I really appreciate the respect and strength given to Hermione. She maintains her person hood and is allowed to think and feel in very natural ways.
I do wonder if this story is similar to any real life victims. I have never know such quick recovery but my experiences and those I know of are very different. I do wish we got to see the unfolding of her memory though I know that’s not necessarily bound to happen. I would expect more haunting of the feeling of the night\trauma which I suppose we do see. Idk I’m curious if other victims find this story relatable. I found it enviable as terrible as that may sound. But to get dna evidence, to not remember but to know for sure it’s no one close to you, to be almost an adult, to have loving and supportive family and friends. It’s just not the circumstances you usually hear.
I really appreciate the respect and strength given to Hermione. She maintains her person hood and is allowed to think and feel in very natural ways.
I do wonder if this story is similar to any real life victims. I have never know such quick recovery but my experiences and those I know of are very different. I do wish we got to see the unfolding of her memory though I know that’s not necessarily bound to happen. I would expect more haunting of the feeling of the night\trauma which I suppose we do see. Idk I’m curious if other victims find this story relatable. I found it enviable as terrible as that may sound. But to get dna evidence, to not remember but to know for sure it’s no one close to you, to be almost an adult, to have loving and supportive family and friends. It’s just not the circumstances you usually hear.
finalgirlfall's review against another edition
5.0
unless i think about it, or someone reminds me, i have trouble remembering that i'm a victim at all.this book had some flaws, but after reading the author's note, i'm giving it five stars. this book was a pretty accurate portrayal of how rape victims deal with the aftermath of their attacks, and while i had to suspend my disbelief about the whole thing of the police being good guys in this narrative, it was still a good story. and in the author's note, johnston said that she knows police tend to deal with this sort of thing poorly, if it's even taken to them. so i'm choosing to interpret this story as more of a fairytale than an accurate picture of real life.
tw: rape (off-page).
lsparrow's review against another edition
4.0
YA novel about the experience of sexual assault. perhaps with a bit of a fairy tale ending but I liked it none the less.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
4.0
Johnston did a really good job with several very tough subjects such as rape, vengeance, and abortion. The story was well-put-together and there were times when the honesty of things said or the way they turned a phrase were just amazing. Great writing overall. I was also happy with the ending. I didn't know if we'd be left hanging with a mystery or if this would end in some courtroom drama. I was happy to see it was none of the above. Quite quite good.