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A review by legalplanner
Roxy by Jarrod Shusterman, Neal Shusterman
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
A spin on American Gods, but the gods have been replaced by drugs, both legal and illegal.
At first glance, and after reading many reviews, I was worried that their points of view would be very true: glorification of drugs. The description itself speaks of the party above the world, and inviting two siblings to the party.
We meet our two drugs, Roxy (oxy) and Addison (Adderall) at the party, where the drugs bring people in their head to a pent house where they will live or die after the use. Addison's focus is helping people as that was what he was designed for. Roxy focuses on bringing people to the party on a high rather than helping people with pain as she was designed. The pair decide to wager who can bring the Ramey siblings to the party first and go all the way.
The Ramey siblings are as polar opposite as can be and we follow their struggles of acting out, fitting in, flunking, and just plain sadness. However we get perspectives from the drugs and both siblings, as well as interludes about other drugs and how they help in the bigger picture.
This was an extremely emotional or deep read. This wasn't a light and fluffy make you want to pick up drugs. Roxy is more cautionary tale than praise. At first it was hard to get the rhythm of the book because it switches perspectives amongst all 4 characters in 1 chapter sometimes. I really wish that the book came with a glossary about the names and which drug they correspond with so I knew what was being discussed rather than trying to deduce with context.
You're meeting the kids and learning how tough they believe being a teenager is. It is very much one of those reads where you are sitting there thinking is this what runs through someone's mind. I don't think there was glorification of drug use, nor do I think it was a brush off. You see the pain of someone abusing drugs and what that does and warning signs that can be over looked. You also see the good drugs can do when monitored by a doctor. BUT you also learn that abuse can happen even when you are being given the drugs by a doctor and that you are the person to take charge of how you recover.
I would recommend this book over and over again to people to use as a discussion tool.
At first glance, and after reading many reviews, I was worried that their points of view would be very true: glorification of drugs. The description itself speaks of the party above the world, and inviting two siblings to the party.
We meet our two drugs, Roxy (oxy) and Addison (Adderall) at the party, where the drugs bring people in their head to a pent house where they will live or die after the use. Addison's focus is helping people as that was what he was designed for. Roxy focuses on bringing people to the party on a high rather than helping people with pain as she was designed. The pair decide to wager who can bring the Ramey siblings to the party first and go all the way.
The Ramey siblings are as polar opposite as can be and we follow their struggles of acting out, fitting in, flunking, and just plain sadness. However we get perspectives from the drugs and both siblings, as well as interludes about other drugs and how they help in the bigger picture.
This was an extremely emotional or deep read. This wasn't a light and fluffy make you want to pick up drugs. Roxy is more cautionary tale than praise. At first it was hard to get the rhythm of the book because it switches perspectives amongst all 4 characters in 1 chapter sometimes. I really wish that the book came with a glossary about the names and which drug they correspond with so I knew what was being discussed rather than trying to deduce with context.
You're meeting the kids and learning how tough they believe being a teenager is. It is very much one of those reads where you are sitting there thinking is this what runs through someone's mind. I don't think there was glorification of drug use, nor do I think it was a brush off. You see the pain of someone abusing drugs and what that does and warning signs that can be over looked. You also see the good drugs can do when monitored by a doctor. BUT you also learn that abuse can happen even when you are being given the drugs by a doctor and that you are the person to take charge of how you recover.
I would recommend this book over and over again to people to use as a discussion tool.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Drug use, and Addiction