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katie_v89 's review for:
Exit, Pursued by a Bear
by E.K. Johnston
To start, I must take a moment for silly excitement. I love that this book takes place in Ontario, and I love that Canada is not being overly explained. I know that Johnston is a Canadian author, but I find books tend to shy away from being set in Canada, and when they are they feel the need to explain everything. It was nice to read things and just get the references. For example, Mallory is going to study nursing in Kitchener, a program with Conastoga. I actually have a family friend who is a nursing teacher there. Personally, I was a little disappointed that my alma mater got sort of bashed, in a line about city named universities (university of Windsor). But all of this has nothing to do with the book. It was just a small joy.
Now, onto the actual book. I loved it. I loved that Hermione was broken, but not really broken. She knew she was different, she was self aware, and she took care of herself. I love that there was not too much victim blaming, and where there was it got shut down hard core. I love her friends, and the support system that Hermione has. And I love that she refuses to stop being herself.
Is this book without fault? No. This is a almost Pollyanna instance of the worse kind of circumstance. This is not how things happen in real life, and that is a tragedy. But, I think the beauty of this book is that is doesn't shy away from the worst situation a person can be in, and illustrate how things will never be the same, but you don't have to stop being you. Hermione, her physiatrist, everyone is fully aware that she is not a typical survivor, because her lack of memory distances her from the trauma. But all in all, I think that this book takes tragedy and deals with it the only way you can, with sadness, anger, and just a little bit of (not disrespectful) humor.
This book caught my eye because of the Veronica Mars comparison. And it was a fair assessment. While there is no mystery, and Hermione does not become a crime solving heroine, she gets tough and she moves forward. Not on. She will not get over it. But she will become the best version of her new self, and nothing can stop her
Now, onto the actual book. I loved it. I loved that Hermione was broken, but not really broken. She knew she was different, she was self aware, and she took care of herself. I love that there was not too much victim blaming, and where there was it got shut down hard core. I love her friends, and the support system that Hermione has. And I love that she refuses to stop being herself.
Is this book without fault? No. This is a almost Pollyanna instance of the worse kind of circumstance. This is not how things happen in real life, and that is a tragedy. But, I think the beauty of this book is that is doesn't shy away from the worst situation a person can be in, and illustrate how things will never be the same, but you don't have to stop being you. Hermione, her physiatrist, everyone is fully aware that she is not a typical survivor, because her lack of memory distances her from the trauma. But all in all, I think that this book takes tragedy and deals with it the only way you can, with sadness, anger, and just a little bit of (not disrespectful) humor.
This book caught my eye because of the Veronica Mars comparison. And it was a fair assessment. While there is no mystery, and Hermione does not become a crime solving heroine, she gets tough and she moves forward. Not on. She will not get over it. But she will become the best version of her new self, and nothing can stop her