The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary

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Author(s)

NoNieqa Ramos

Publisher

Carolrhoda Lab

Genre(s)

Age Range

16+

Release Date

February 01, 2018

ISBN

B076DTVRYX

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Macy's school officially classifies her as "disturbed," but Macy isn't interested in how others define her. She's got more pressing problems: her mom can't move off the couch, her dad's in prison, her brother's been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn't speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that's both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can't tell her incarcerated father that her mom's cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy's machete.

Editor reviews

4 reviews

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.0(2)

Characters

5.0(2)

Writing Style

4.0(2)

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The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary

January 31, 2019 (Updated: January 31, 2019)

Overall rating

4.7

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What worked: This is an amazing glimpse into the life of Macy. Others say she's 'disturbed', but she's the kind of friend you'd want in your corner. Macy shows her life in dictionary entries. At times they're hilarious and at other times bittersweet as she holds nothing back.

Macy deals with a lot in her life. Her father is in prison, her younger brother has been taken by child protection services, and her BFF Alma isn't talking. There's so much to love about this story. Macy is brutally honest on how she sees her world. Sure to resonate with readers. Totally love how protagonist Macy shows her life through her own 'dictionary'.

Macy's story is at times hilarious, but so heartfelt and raw with her honesty. Bittersweet. I got teary eyed on the scene where Macy sees her younger brother again, after her mother makes a decision on his fate. She tries to be strong, but it's hard. Another scene that was really hard had to be following Alma to the choice she makes in her life. This choice is so sad.

Raw, bittersweet story with an amazing heroine who everyone will want to be their friend. This story will stand with readers long after they finish. Trust me on that one. I really wanted to hug Macy.

Good Points

1. Raw, unflinching
2. Macy is hilarious with her honesty

Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer Top 10 Reviewer 889 reviews

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The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary

December 24, 2018

Overall rating

4.0

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The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary is as disturbing as its name implies.

While, in an effort to not trivialize or pretend as if teenagers don’t go through hard things, I’d timidly suggest this novel for older teens.

Macy is disturbed or is she? Forced into a life of neglect, poverty, and disfunction—it’s hard to decipher “crazy,” behavior from a cry for help.

Macy’s mom is as present as she is absent—and her father is incarcerated. She has a best friend, Alma who’s life is just as complicated—and her other bestie, George—who wears a helmet, and is a gentle giant.

Told in a series of chapters, some short and succinct, some poem-like, The Disturbed Girl’s dictionary is a hard-hitter of a book never dallying in the sweet, but delivering the truth in a harsh, sharp loud tone. Some of it is down-right cringeworthy and eye-shutting.

For a debut novel, the author had no qualms about telling this story with all of its real quirky craziness.

The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary though better suited for older teens is a story worth reading if not to enjoy but to peel back the layers of the reality of stories like these that get covered or ignored.

A worthwhile gritty read not for the faint of heart.