A review by possumbly
Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Oof. This has such strong "hello fellow kids" D.A.R.E. boomer energy.  Disingenuous, leaden fear mongering. Despite it being ostensibly a sad story, I felt very little. The protagonist has the emotional authenticity of a dollar store greeting card and the story has the pacing of the Porta Potty line on day three of a chili cook-off.

I found the trajectory of her supposed decline into addiction so badly strained my credulity that I could use a nice big pile of dope to ease my pain. Maybe those dopers who are apparently going around popping blunts into people's purses will visit me! Oy. 

As an added bonus, it managed to be preachy AND transphobic AND homophobic! Yuck.

Just say no. To this book.

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