Review Detail

Reader reviewed by librariane

Annabel's life has taken a turn for the worse, but it's partly her fault, and partly the fault of a former vindictive friend. It all started at the end of school year party, when Annabel was caught with her former best friend Sophie's boyfriend. The trouble is, she wasn't with the guy voluntarily, he actually raped her. But Annabel, the youngest of three sisters, has always been the nice one, so she's not used to speaking out or defending herself. As she suffers through a school year of isolation and Sophie's hateful gossip, she becomes friends with Owen, another school outcast who has taken anger
management courses. He helps her to see why it's good to be honest and let your feelings out in the open.

This is a quick read, and teenage girls will gobble this one up, especially if they've read Speak (Anderson). Annabel is an intriguing
character, and learning about her and her family, as well as Owen and his history. The characters are deep and complex, and each does a fair amount of changing before the book is done. Most of this is believable, though timing is a little hard to keep track of, as Annabel jumps around with her story. There is a fair amount of teen angst as well, though her friendship with Owen is a refreshing change. The ending was rather cheesy, and I wish she would have opened up to her sisters, as opposed to the typical ending where she makes up with Owen. I like Speak much better as a rape victim coming to terms novel,
but Dessen fans will enjoy this as well. Note: there is harsh language, but not much.