A review by thealbapoems
Crank by Ellen Hopkins

dark sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

This is a book I would have loved when I was 13. It has all the lurid charm of a teenage girl flirting with handsome guys she thought would be out of her league, and suddenly becoming one of the cool kids. However, I wouldn’t call this book a poetry book. The poems are very superficial and don’t leave room for nuance or haunting imagery, surprising structure. I did enjoy the use of the two voices as a tool, but thought that the shape poems were somewhat abused. But I guess that is a key theme here anyway. The main character goes from being an innocent straight A student to
getting high on MDMA and coke and drinking her boyfriend’s blood.
Maybe the point is that this gets out of hand quickly but it felt a little too easy? Maybe rushed even. Or maybe I just didn’t believe it. Either way, I did essentially read this book in one day, so it clearly does something right. 
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