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alexandratw 's review for:
Hopeless
by Colleen Hoover
***TW: SEXUAL VIOLENCE***
I wanted to love this book. With everything in me. I have loved so many of Colleen Hoover's novels and I wanted this one to be just like that one.
I'll keep this review relatively short and simple.
I liked the story and I liked that it kept me on my toes. "Sky" is certainly a different kind of protagonist than we're used to seeing. She isn't the sunshine girl meeting the grumpy boy. She has a lot of trauma that's unpacked over the course of these 400 pages.
Therein lies my problem.
I personally do not think the trauma is handled well in this book and I think that if an author wants to take on topics like this, they really need to think about the feelings they are bringing out in the reader. More specifically, they need to think about the necessity of trigger warnings and ensuring that their audience goes into the reading knowing that the book is going to be tackling all the tough subject, which this one does.
The "consensual" sexual encounters in Hopeless were what really rubbed me the wrong way. Sky has spent her life blocking out what happened with her father. She hasn't felt the slightest of feelings for most of the boys she's come into contact with. Once she has come to the climax of understanding what her past was made up of, Colleen Hoover writes her character into having sex. It seems unlikely, given what we know about sexual trauma, that Sky would have been able to have consensual sex so soon after putting all the pieces together. Everyone grieves and heals differently, of course, but - having just found out about her full history - it doesn't seem like she had time to process, much less to heal. Hoover writes as if they are using sex to heal their wounds and express their love for one another. They are kids. The way this was written makes it seem like this is normal or okay. They are kids. I think we should all remember that these two ARE KIDS. There are so many other ways she could have expressed them healing trauma that could have communicated healthier healing to the reader. Let me be clear: if you are the victim or survivor of sexual violence, you DO NOT NEED TO FIND HEALING THROUGH SEX.
My other big bone to pick is the way Holder asked Sky to get on birth control. I need us all as a collective to acknowledge that this was gross and definitely not indicative of a healthy relationship. Though (before anyone even says it), of course they couldn't have had a very healthy relationship under their conditions.
I'm knocking it down two stars because I truly believe that authors need to write about these subjects, but they need to do it with more care to their audience. I think that I am especially critical given how young the characters are.
Lastly, if you're struggling with sexual trauma, if you're a survivor, or if you're still fighting, you're not fighting alone. You're loved and you deserve to feel good love, not polluted love.
I wanted to love this book. With everything in me. I have loved so many of Colleen Hoover's novels and I wanted this one to be just like that one.
I'll keep this review relatively short and simple.
I liked the story and I liked that it kept me on my toes. "Sky" is certainly a different kind of protagonist than we're used to seeing. She isn't the sunshine girl meeting the grumpy boy. She has a lot of trauma that's unpacked over the course of these 400 pages.
Therein lies my problem.
I personally do not think the trauma is handled well in this book and I think that if an author wants to take on topics like this, they really need to think about the feelings they are bringing out in the reader. More specifically, they need to think about the necessity of trigger warnings and ensuring that their audience goes into the reading knowing that the book is going to be tackling all the tough subject, which this one does.
The "consensual" sexual encounters in Hopeless were what really rubbed me the wrong way. Sky has spent her life blocking out what happened with her father. She hasn't felt the slightest of feelings for most of the boys she's come into contact with. Once she has come to the climax of understanding what her past was made up of, Colleen Hoover writes her character into having sex. It seems unlikely, given what we know about sexual trauma, that Sky would have been able to have consensual sex so soon after putting all the pieces together. Everyone grieves and heals differently, of course, but - having just found out about her full history - it doesn't seem like she had time to process, much less to heal. Hoover writes as if they are using sex to heal their wounds and express their love for one another. They are kids. The way this was written makes it seem like this is normal or okay. They are kids. I think we should all remember that these two ARE KIDS. There are so many other ways she could have expressed them healing trauma that could have communicated healthier healing to the reader. Let me be clear: if you are the victim or survivor of sexual violence, you DO NOT NEED TO FIND HEALING THROUGH SEX.
My other big bone to pick is the way Holder asked Sky to get on birth control. I need us all as a collective to acknowledge that this was gross and definitely not indicative of a healthy relationship. Though (before anyone even says it), of course they couldn't have had a very healthy relationship under their conditions.
I'm knocking it down two stars because I truly believe that authors need to write about these subjects, but they need to do it with more care to their audience. I think that I am especially critical given how young the characters are.
Lastly, if you're struggling with sexual trauma, if you're a survivor, or if you're still fighting, you're not fighting alone. You're loved and you deserve to feel good love, not polluted love.