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A review by safekeeper
Rape Girl by Alina Klein
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Note: I received my copy for free from the author in exchange for a review.
An insightful book about surviving a sexual assault, written by a survivor, with the aid of her online support group.
In many books about SA, the survivor telling is the happy ending of the story. This is when the abuser is typically arrested, the survivor's family and friends rally around them, and they can truly get on the path to healing. In Rape Girl, however, this is where the story begins.
Valerie survives a rape by her crush the day after a party, and, after breaking down and telling her family on Thanksgiving, she presses charges against her assailant. To her horror, he tells everyone in his circle of friends, portraying himself as innocently accused, and Valerie loses control of her story and becomes 'the rape girl' on school. Worse yet, most people seem to believe his version of the story, and Valerie faces doubt and even hostility from her friends, and suffers under her principal's misguided attempts at handling the situation, all the while fighting self-blame and trauma.
Rape Girl is, sadly, not an unrealistic book. Unfortunately, to many SA survivors, the actions of their peers can be as traumatizing, or more so, than the assault itself, and this book tackles that aspect of being a survivor. However, it's also a book of hope, where the protagonist refuses to give up fighting, and eventually pulls through with the help of her loved ones.
My main issue with the book is that it's written in first-person, but we don't get much description of the emotions or feelings the protagonist goes through. Klein could've used this first-person perspective to describe what it feels like to be a traumatized SA survivor, and this feels like a wasted opportunity.
All in all, I recommend Rape GIrl.
An insightful book about surviving a sexual assault, written by a survivor, with the aid of her online support group.
In many books about SA, the survivor telling is the happy ending of the story. This is when the abuser is typically arrested, the survivor's family and friends rally around them, and they can truly get on the path to healing. In Rape Girl, however, this is where the story begins.
Valerie survives a rape by her crush the day after a party, and, after breaking down and telling her family on Thanksgiving, she presses charges against her assailant. To her horror, he tells everyone in his circle of friends, portraying himself as innocently accused, and Valerie loses control of her story and becomes 'the rape girl' on school. Worse yet, most people seem to believe his version of the story, and Valerie faces doubt and even hostility from her friends, and suffers under her principal's misguided attempts at handling the situation, all the while fighting self-blame and trauma.
Rape Girl is, sadly, not an unrealistic book. Unfortunately, to many SA survivors, the actions of their peers can be as traumatizing, or more so, than the assault itself, and this book tackles that aspect of being a survivor. However, it's also a book of hope, where the protagonist refuses to give up fighting, and eventually pulls through with the help of her loved ones.
My main issue with the book is that it's written in first-person, but we don't get much description of the emotions or feelings the protagonist goes through. Klein could've used this first-person perspective to describe what it feels like to be a traumatized SA survivor, and this feels like a wasted opportunity.
All in all, I recommend Rape GIrl.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
The assault itself is described briefly and almost without detail.