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A review by wrengates
Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston
4.0
Up to now I have read a fair number of books about teenage crisis, rape, tragedy, etc. Not because the subject matter is enjoyable, but because as a teacher of teenagers, I find the YA perspectives in these books to be eye-opening and insightful.
I was thrilled to find this one on a shelf at a local store, and it struck me that it is one of the few in this genre that are both set in Canada and written by a Canadian author. I am not one who typically gravitates toward a book abut cheerleaders, coming from a small island where only one high school actually has a cheer team and no one has ever heard of cheer competitions outside of reality tv, but I was interested and decided to give it a shot.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
I will try to keep too many spoilers out of my review, but there will be a few.
One of my favourite things about this book was that the adults in it were not useless. It has been a common critique in TV shows and books that the adults seen through the eyes of teen protagonists are useless or incompetent, especially parents or those involved through school and law enforcement. However, Exit Pursued by a Bear has one of the best views of the adults involved that I have ever read. Maybe it is because I am in an education roll, but so often when these adults are portrayed as not reliable or not sure of where to go/what to do, I think it shakes the confidence of those teens reading the novels to confide in adults in their own lives. So the portrayal of adults as knowing what they can do, actually being helpful, and contributing to the resolution of crisis is so refreshing.
I also appreciated Hermione's outlook as a teen who has been raped. This was one of the first novels of this type that I have read that downplayed the teenage angst without downplaying the event. That isn't to say that Hermione did not appear to have very real reactions, but for once it was not a mental breakdown every chapter and a tearful encounter every other page. Rather, Hermione navigates the ups and downs, the mental cracks and the return from tragedy with a grace and strength and a support network that beautifully reflects the other half of trauma-survivor perspectives.
This isn't a book for everyone, and it is definitely a quicker read, but I would highly recommend it to anyone who teaches teens. Both students and adults will find this to be a refreshing local perspective on the ways in which trauma can impact and shape a life.
I was thrilled to find this one on a shelf at a local store, and it struck me that it is one of the few in this genre that are both set in Canada and written by a Canadian author. I am not one who typically gravitates toward a book abut cheerleaders, coming from a small island where only one high school actually has a cheer team and no one has ever heard of cheer competitions outside of reality tv, but I was interested and decided to give it a shot.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
I will try to keep too many spoilers out of my review, but there will be a few.
One of my favourite things about this book was that the adults in it were not useless. It has been a common critique in TV shows and books that the adults seen through the eyes of teen protagonists are useless or incompetent, especially parents or those involved through school and law enforcement. However, Exit Pursued by a Bear has one of the best views of the adults involved that I have ever read. Maybe it is because I am in an education roll, but so often when these adults are portrayed as not reliable or not sure of where to go/what to do, I think it shakes the confidence of those teens reading the novels to confide in adults in their own lives. So the portrayal of adults as knowing what they can do, actually being helpful, and contributing to the resolution of crisis is so refreshing.
I also appreciated Hermione's outlook as a teen who has been raped. This was one of the first novels of this type that I have read that downplayed the teenage angst without downplaying the event. That isn't to say that Hermione did not appear to have very real reactions, but for once it was not a mental breakdown every chapter and a tearful encounter every other page. Rather, Hermione navigates the ups and downs, the mental cracks and the return from tragedy with a grace and strength and a support network that beautifully reflects the other half of trauma-survivor perspectives.
This isn't a book for everyone, and it is definitely a quicker read, but I would highly recommend it to anyone who teaches teens. Both students and adults will find this to be a refreshing local perspective on the ways in which trauma can impact and shape a life.