Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Jillian R

Summary: Go Ask Alice is
about a teenage girl, suffering from drug addiction. With her life
spiraling down and out of control, she begins to write on her diary,
where she tells her side of the story.

Review: First
of all, this YA novel is entirely a work of pure fiction. It is however
made to be believed as a true story, which to me, is sort of like false
advertisement. I don't really mind, and this doesn't detract me from
appreciating the story and its message, but I can see how maybe others
would be bothered by this.
Second, I do believe this is one of those
books that I think are important to discover while at a younger age.
The message is simple; Drugs are bad. Do not use them.
However, I do
not recommend this so much to anyone older. The literary merit is close
to zero, and most of the information about drugs are based on
stereotypes and generalizations. At times, also, the situations,
events, and even the main character herself, seemed over the top and a
bit contrived. Because of this, I found it a bit difficult to relate to
the character, and the experiences she was going through. I believe
that with character-driven stories like these, it's extremely important
to have a powerful and memorable protagonist. Unfortunately, like I
said, I did not feel that Alice was memorable enough.
Having said
that, I would probably not be reading this again, or get a copy for
myself. I hope though, that people will not get me wrong. I do not
think this is a bad book at all. I do
appreciate it for its raw and emotional story, and its motives to
influence teens to stay away from bad habits, as I think this is
crucial. But as I already mentioned, this is one that is meant more for
younger readers and teens, than any other age group. I give it 3/5.