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thejanewayprotocol 's review for:
Please Ignore Vera Dietz
by A.S. King
This is my second A.S. King book, and I am now sold on reading everything this author releases. This book was a breath of YA fresh air. I spent a great deal of time reflecting on the ending of this book, and thinking about its themes in general. How these topics are skated around and not really acknowledged the way they should be.
Vera is the product of a teen pregnancy. Her mother has left her and her father, wanting the life she was denied because of the mistake she made when she was younger. Her father on the other hand, is determined that Vera not make the same mistakes he and her mother made while growing up, and is constantly on her case about every little conflict in her life.
If that weren't enough drama for one teenage girl to deal with, she is also struggling with her friendship with the boy who lives next door, Charlie. They've been best friends since they can remember, but Charlie lives in an abusive house hold, and Vera and her father often hear the things that go on in the house next door.
We meet Vera in a particularly rough time in her life; Charlie is dead without them having time to reconcile their friendship. Worse, Charlie is blamed for a horrible crime that he didn't commit. Vera knows what happened, but she is so angry with him, she can't bring herself to clear his name. If she could have things her way, everyone will just go on about their business, ignoring Vera all the while.
After I finished the book I read a few reviews for this book and was kind of surprised at how many people disliked Vera. I actually could relate to her on a whole bunch of things she went through, and I thought she handled them pretty spot on to what I would have done. The emotional ride she goes through to forgive herself and Charlie is pretty intense, as I am learning only A.S. King can achieve.
There are some heavy topics dealing with teen pregnancy, alcoholism, abuse and peer pressure. None of it ever felt too preachy or too unrealistic, (well, perhaps Vera seeing dead Charlie everywhere she went in all his new forms, harassing her to clear his name) and I was really happy with how it all ended. There were some truly funny bits in this book, and I enjoyed Vera's relationship with her father. This was really a great quick, contemporary read.
Vera is the product of a teen pregnancy. Her mother has left her and her father, wanting the life she was denied because of the mistake she made when she was younger. Her father on the other hand, is determined that Vera not make the same mistakes he and her mother made while growing up, and is constantly on her case about every little conflict in her life.
If that weren't enough drama for one teenage girl to deal with, she is also struggling with her friendship with the boy who lives next door, Charlie. They've been best friends since they can remember, but Charlie lives in an abusive house hold, and Vera and her father often hear the things that go on in the house next door.
We meet Vera in a particularly rough time in her life; Charlie is dead without them having time to reconcile their friendship. Worse, Charlie is blamed for a horrible crime that he didn't commit. Vera knows what happened, but she is so angry with him, she can't bring herself to clear his name. If she could have things her way, everyone will just go on about their business, ignoring Vera all the while.
After I finished the book I read a few reviews for this book and was kind of surprised at how many people disliked Vera. I actually could relate to her on a whole bunch of things she went through, and I thought she handled them pretty spot on to what I would have done. The emotional ride she goes through to forgive herself and Charlie is pretty intense, as I am learning only A.S. King can achieve.
There are some heavy topics dealing with teen pregnancy, alcoholism, abuse and peer pressure. None of it ever felt too preachy or too unrealistic, (well, perhaps Vera seeing dead Charlie everywhere she went in all his new forms, harassing her to clear his name) and I was really happy with how it all ended. There were some truly funny bits in this book, and I enjoyed Vera's relationship with her father. This was really a great quick, contemporary read.