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A review by jdintr
How to Be Safe by Tom McAllister
4.0
There is quite a bit of good literature out there on school shooting, and as a writing teacher, I know students are talking about the issue, exploring themes through fiction (yes, including zombie school shooters), and wondering if they will be next.
McAllister chooses a unique point of view for How to Be Safe, and that makes it stand out from other student-character-centered reads. His main character is a teacher--one who was suspended from work the day of the shooting and who became a suspect for a moment in the media frenzy (15 minutes which certainly must seem to those in the media eye like months and years of unwanted exposure).
The book addressed issues related to women and families through the main character as she comes to terms with herself in the context of the tragedy. This may disappoint readers as the plotline of the shooting peters out as the book goes on. Ultimately, the story is about escape--whether that takes the form of mass murder and revenge (in the form of the teenage boys who propogate these terrible tragedies) or leaving relationships and communities that bring us down.
McAllister chooses a unique point of view for How to Be Safe, and that makes it stand out from other student-character-centered reads. His main character is a teacher--one who was suspended from work the day of the shooting and who became a suspect for a moment in the media frenzy (15 minutes which certainly must seem to those in the media eye like months and years of unwanted exposure).
The book addressed issues related to women and families through the main character as she comes to terms with herself in the context of the tragedy. This may disappoint readers as the plotline of the shooting peters out as the book goes on. Ultimately, the story is about escape--whether that takes the form of mass murder and revenge (in the form of the teenage boys who propogate these terrible tragedies) or leaving relationships and communities that bring us down.