Scan barcode
A review by hiveretcafe
Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson
4.0
4.5 stars.
This review was originally posted on my blog, Hiver et Cafe
I received an e-ARC from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This fact does not affect my opinion whatsoever, nor was I compensated for this review.
I enjoyed Caddie's character and watching her journey throughout the novel. Although there were times that I wanted to throttle her, I understood that her inability to touch people was beyond her control. Caddie suffers from OCD that manifests itself through making rules and games for herself to follow. When her dad left, her game was to not touch other people at all and the prize would be her dad coming back to their family. DON'T TOUCH is about Caddie trying to live with the rules of her game even in a time where it calls for her to touch another person.
Caddie's group of friends are interesting people. Of course they would all be a little bit weird and march to the beat of their own drum considering that they go to an art school. They're intriguing and I would love to know more about them. Peter, the love interest, is adorkable. He's so sweet and understanding to Caddie. I don't think he's swoon worthy enough to add to my book boyfriend harem, but he's still pretty adorable.
I enjoyed the comparisons that were made between Ophelia and Caddie. By playing Ophelia, Caddie must look into Ophelia's character and her potential madness. It forces Caddie to look at herself and see if she's falling into madness as well. Also, since I studied Hamlet myself in high school, I understood the references to different things in the play. I don't think it's necessary to read/study Hamlet before you read Don't Touch, but it'll certainly help you understand certain comparisons better, such as the parallels between Caddie and Ophelia.
I feel that this book is an important one to read, especially to help people understand how mental illness works. Though it's invisible, it doesn't mean that it doesn't harm just as badly. From Caddie's point of view, the reader can grasp the desperation behind Caddie's games and how it grows beyond her control. She doesn't do these things out of her own choice and rather because she is compelled to do so.
It's also easy for people to relate to Caddie. She is afraid of a lot of things that everyone is: disappointment, being hurt, etc. And just as the audience learns from DON'T TOUCH, fear is normal and it's fine. It's simply what we do even though we're afraid that matters.
DON'T TOUCH is powerful and an important read. It's a little heartbreaking and a lot inspirational. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone.
This review was originally posted on my blog, Hiver et Cafe
I received an e-ARC from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This fact does not affect my opinion whatsoever, nor was I compensated for this review.
I enjoyed Caddie's character and watching her journey throughout the novel. Although there were times that I wanted to throttle her, I understood that her inability to touch people was beyond her control. Caddie suffers from OCD that manifests itself through making rules and games for herself to follow. When her dad left, her game was to not touch other people at all and the prize would be her dad coming back to their family. DON'T TOUCH is about Caddie trying to live with the rules of her game even in a time where it calls for her to touch another person.
Caddie's group of friends are interesting people. Of course they would all be a little bit weird and march to the beat of their own drum considering that they go to an art school. They're intriguing and I would love to know more about them. Peter, the love interest, is adorkable. He's so sweet and understanding to Caddie. I don't think he's swoon worthy enough to add to my book boyfriend harem, but he's still pretty adorable.
I enjoyed the comparisons that were made between Ophelia and Caddie. By playing Ophelia, Caddie must look into Ophelia's character and her potential madness. It forces Caddie to look at herself and see if she's falling into madness as well. Also, since I studied Hamlet myself in high school, I understood the references to different things in the play. I don't think it's necessary to read/study Hamlet before you read Don't Touch, but it'll certainly help you understand certain comparisons better, such as the parallels between Caddie and Ophelia.
I feel that this book is an important one to read, especially to help people understand how mental illness works. Though it's invisible, it doesn't mean that it doesn't harm just as badly. From Caddie's point of view, the reader can grasp the desperation behind Caddie's games and how it grows beyond her control. She doesn't do these things out of her own choice and rather because she is compelled to do so.
It's also easy for people to relate to Caddie. She is afraid of a lot of things that everyone is: disappointment, being hurt, etc. And just as the audience learns from DON'T TOUCH, fear is normal and it's fine. It's simply what we do even though we're afraid that matters.
DON'T TOUCH is powerful and an important read. It's a little heartbreaking and a lot inspirational. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone.