Review Detail

Ethan is a complicated mess. In one sense he is your typical teenage manwhore, but in another sense he is a victim. Obviously there is some physical violence here, but Ethan is more the victim of a broken heart than anything. His first experience with "love" leaves him broken and wounded, and I think searching.


Ethan pretty much sounds like teenage girl, right? You wouldn't be wrong for saying so. I thought it was interesting that the glimpses into the male psyche we got through Ethan really did fit for either gender. Now, don't think that makes Ethan less believable as a narrator, because that isn't true. He was great. I am merely pointing out that guys and girls aren't that different after all.


Something else that makes Ethan such a great character is how raw he is. There is no hiding his desires. After the attack, he can't hide its effects either. He is a victim, and as such suffers serious psychological complications. (Think PTSD.) The whole process he goes through to find "normal" is powerful. There is no easy road to recovery, and Ethan's character shows that.


I really wish this book had a different name. I have a feeling that the title, Sex & Violence, is going to keep it off many shelves. I know for certain that I can't send a copy to some of my teacher friends because their schools are terribly censored. This is a sad fact. Also unfortunate is the fact that pretty much any teen I know will be drawn to this book based on the title alone, but few will get the chance to read it outside of a library. You may think it's not that big of a deal, but it is. Without Ethan's story, many readers will be missing huge life lessons. Hidden between these pages are messages about healing, finding yourself, and learning to see others for what they are (not what they can do for you). There is also a decent bit of snarky teenage dialogue too.


I'm going to add a little something here about the book. My review was pretty basic, but the book is not. There are many layers to work through. I think this book would be wonderful read along side Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. The healing process that both characters undergo is powerful, and worthy of discussion.