readwithpongo 's review for:

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

4.0

dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Rereading this as an adult hits different. A young and impressionable girl thinks she’s falling in love with a stranger but instead falls into an addiction to crank, completely destroys the trajectory of her life. It’s intriguing to see how Kristina develops a second personality “Bree” who is her opposite but drives her to delve more into the dark side. It’s an unfortunate story about struggling with addictions. I like how the style of writing mimics her scattered thought process. It’s a shame that it’s a banned book when it can help young readers to know the consequences but also to empathize with those who struggle.