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Shut Up
Premier Digital Publishing, 2012, trade paperback, 108 pp
Mary’s older sister, Gwen, has screwed up everything. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she’s also decided to marry the Creep who knocked her up. Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off, the Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport. Despite her brother’s advice to shut up, Mary can’t keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much that it comes to blows. Mary doesn’t know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.
Mary’s older sister, Gwen, has screwed up everything. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she’s also decided to marry the Creep who knocked her up. Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off, the Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport. Despite her brother’s advice to shut up, Mary can’t keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much that it comes to blows. Mary doesn’t know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
327 people want to read
About the author
Anne Tibbets
6 books135 followersAfter writing for television, Anne Tibbets found her way to writing novels by following what she loves: books, strong female characters, twisted family dynamics, quick moving plots, and stories with punch.
Anne is the author of the space horror, SCREAMS FROM THE VOID (2021), and of the New Adult speculative series The Line: CARRIER and WALLED (2014). Anne also co-authored, under the pen name Addison Gunn, the first book in the hard military science fiction series EXTINCTION BIOME: INVASION (2016), and authored the second, EXTINCTION BIOME: DISPERSAL (2017), also as Addison Gunn.
Anne divides her time between writing and working as a literary agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram @AnneTibbets
Anne is the author of the space horror, SCREAMS FROM THE VOID (2021), and of the New Adult speculative series The Line: CARRIER and WALLED (2014). Anne also co-authored, under the pen name Addison Gunn, the first book in the hard military science fiction series EXTINCTION BIOME: INVASION (2016), and authored the second, EXTINCTION BIOME: DISPERSAL (2017), also as Addison Gunn.
Anne divides her time between writing and working as a literary agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Find her on Twitter and Instagram @AnneTibbets
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 6, 2019
I’ve been trying to write this post for two days and I’m still finding it hard to explain how much this book touched me. When I started reading this book, I felt bad for Mary, a 12 year old girl who is constantly picked on at home and school for literally everything, even breathing wrong. Mary has said “I’m sorry” so many times, that she said it didn’t even mean much anymore. Through the course of the book, it became more than just “feeling bad for Mary”. It turned into heartbreak and I found myself hurting for this little girl who was in so much pain that she was contemplating suicide before even becoming a teenager because not a single person in her life gave her a reason to think she mattered. Mary’s parent’s were stressed out because her dad had lost his job and they were trying to support their four kids, the oldest of which was Gwen, a pregnant teenager engaged to The Creep, a guy who emotionally abused her and made sexual advances towards Mary.
There comes a point in the middle of this book where Gwen, the person who seems to be the root of all the negativity in the family by spending all of her time yelling at everyone, moves away with her new husband, "The Creep". Things start looking up for Mary; she excels in school and extra-curricular activities, her family becomes closer and she slowly starts to become happy, possibly for the first time in her life. But then Gwen comes to live back at home and the cloud of negativity lands back in the household, bringing everyone down and again Mary has found herself as the scapegoat to everyone’s problems. Mary finds herself falling farther and farther into depression where she can’t take it anymore and decides to run away. If that doesn’t work out for her, there’s always the bottle of Aspirin she has hidden in her drawer.
I’m not going to tell you how this book ends. What I am going to tell you is that I cried many times while reading this book and didn’t stop for about 20 minutes after I was done. There’s something to be said about an author who writes a book that touches the readers this much. Anne Tibbets has explained that although this is a work of fiction, parts of it were written from personal experience. She has done a brilliant job of bringing this story to life and as much as I’m sure it hurt her to write it, I applaud her for having the courage and strength to do so. Thank you Anne for making us all aware of childhood depression and that although we may not know or realize it, our actions effect others. I urge all of you out there who have children in your family, please make sure to let them know constantly how amazing they are and how much they matter.
There comes a point in the middle of this book where Gwen, the person who seems to be the root of all the negativity in the family by spending all of her time yelling at everyone, moves away with her new husband, "The Creep". Things start looking up for Mary; she excels in school and extra-curricular activities, her family becomes closer and she slowly starts to become happy, possibly for the first time in her life. But then Gwen comes to live back at home and the cloud of negativity lands back in the household, bringing everyone down and again Mary has found herself as the scapegoat to everyone’s problems. Mary finds herself falling farther and farther into depression where she can’t take it anymore and decides to run away. If that doesn’t work out for her, there’s always the bottle of Aspirin she has hidden in her drawer.
I’m not going to tell you how this book ends. What I am going to tell you is that I cried many times while reading this book and didn’t stop for about 20 minutes after I was done. There’s something to be said about an author who writes a book that touches the readers this much. Anne Tibbets has explained that although this is a work of fiction, parts of it were written from personal experience. She has done a brilliant job of bringing this story to life and as much as I’m sure it hurt her to write it, I applaud her for having the courage and strength to do so. Thank you Anne for making us all aware of childhood depression and that although we may not know or realize it, our actions effect others. I urge all of you out there who have children in your family, please make sure to let them know constantly how amazing they are and how much they matter.
May 24, 2012
I finished this book two days ago and have been a little perplexed on how to write the review. "Shut Up" doesn't have the sort of quirky or witty dialogue I usually enjoy, the world is ours and it's really not at all about the world, there weren't characters I adored or would gush over, and the happy ending is well... more hope for happy than happy.
Despite everything it didn't have that I usually find appealing in books, what "Shut Up" did have was honesty and power. Mary, the main character, is one whom I found I could relate and empathize with on a deep level. Her pain, her helplessness and confusion touched me, drew me in, nearly compelled me to keep reading, praying that somehow, there would be light at the end of the tunnel. Hoping with her, crashing with her, her pain nearly bringing me to tears--I was unable to put this book down.
Tibbet's characters are real people, and perhaps that's what is so compelling about this book. We all know people like Mary's mother, father, brother, and sisters. It makes them all very accessible, and also is probably part of what makes you feel so much like you could be reading your own story.
If you've ever felt like you weren't good enough, you couldn't do anything right, have been belittled or bullied (whether by family or "friends"), "Shut Up" is a must read. The story Mary and Paul tell is painful, real, but there is also hope. It finishes with the reminder that childhood is not forever, that people grow up and move on--even our tormentors--and that we are not alone. Sooner or later, you'll find someone who will stand up for you, who will notice you, and who will assure you that you are valuable. And that hope isn't shoved in the reader's face like a life lesson or a great theme--it is integrated in the same way the story is told--realistically.
Five stars for a compelling, honest look inside the mind and heart of a child who is bullied, and five stars for the beautiful conclusion of hope.
Despite everything it didn't have that I usually find appealing in books, what "Shut Up" did have was honesty and power. Mary, the main character, is one whom I found I could relate and empathize with on a deep level. Her pain, her helplessness and confusion touched me, drew me in, nearly compelled me to keep reading, praying that somehow, there would be light at the end of the tunnel. Hoping with her, crashing with her, her pain nearly bringing me to tears--I was unable to put this book down.
Tibbet's characters are real people, and perhaps that's what is so compelling about this book. We all know people like Mary's mother, father, brother, and sisters. It makes them all very accessible, and also is probably part of what makes you feel so much like you could be reading your own story.
If you've ever felt like you weren't good enough, you couldn't do anything right, have been belittled or bullied (whether by family or "friends"), "Shut Up" is a must read. The story Mary and Paul tell is painful, real, but there is also hope. It finishes with the reminder that childhood is not forever, that people grow up and move on--even our tormentors--and that we are not alone. Sooner or later, you'll find someone who will stand up for you, who will notice you, and who will assure you that you are valuable. And that hope isn't shoved in the reader's face like a life lesson or a great theme--it is integrated in the same way the story is told--realistically.
Five stars for a compelling, honest look inside the mind and heart of a child who is bullied, and five stars for the beautiful conclusion of hope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2012
Well...let me start of by saying how much I love the cover and title of this book!
When I received SHUT UP in the mail I was a little distraught at how small it was. It only has 108 pages, and normally I don't even bother with books this short. I can read a 400 page novel in about 3 & 1/2 hours, so I tend to buy longer novels or I feel like I'm wasting my time and money. I mean how much can an Author really tell me in 108 pages?? The answer in all honesty is usually NOT MUCH!
BUT Anne Tibbets packs so much raw emotion and reality into 108 short pages that I honestly felt like I came away with just as much information as if it had been 200 pages longer.
I am a little sad that I could relate so easily to the characters and their struggles... I could feel the pain that 12 year old Mary went through on a daily basis, how she felt invisible some times, but mostly wished she could be invisible just to avoid making mistakes or calling attention to her own awkwardness. My heart raced every time she was running away or every time she clutched a bottle of pills in her hand, just ready for it all to end. I wonder how many children/teens feel this way on a daily basis and how many are dealing with some sort of depression or feelings of worthlessness. The reality of this book saddens and terrifies me, since I have five children of my own.
On some level I could relate to the Mary's mom in the book...her actions, while inexcusable, seemed to stem from so much stress and helplessness, that by the end of the book I felt a *little* sorry for her....but not too much. Besides wanting to slap some sense into her or maybe take a hanger to her (let her have a taste of her own medicine) I just wanted to shake her until she stopped treating Mary like some unwanted step child. I can relate to her stress and feeling helpless, but not so much to her lashing out at her other children. Unfortunately, I'm sure many children/teens *CAN* relate to this scenario on some level. If not the physical, then definitely the mental abuse.
Words harshly spoken can have such devastating affects on the life of a child/teen. This book serves, in my opinion, serves as a reminder that no one can know how much a person has endured, how much a person has been pushed, and how much more a person can take. I pray to God that my children never feel the way Mary and Paul felt in this book... I hope that they always know how beautiful, smart, and wanted they are. ALL children should be able to feel that way, ALL children should be made to feel heard!
~Peggy
When I received SHUT UP in the mail I was a little distraught at how small it was. It only has 108 pages, and normally I don't even bother with books this short. I can read a 400 page novel in about 3 & 1/2 hours, so I tend to buy longer novels or I feel like I'm wasting my time and money. I mean how much can an Author really tell me in 108 pages?? The answer in all honesty is usually NOT MUCH!
BUT Anne Tibbets packs so much raw emotion and reality into 108 short pages that I honestly felt like I came away with just as much information as if it had been 200 pages longer.
I am a little sad that I could relate so easily to the characters and their struggles... I could feel the pain that 12 year old Mary went through on a daily basis, how she felt invisible some times, but mostly wished she could be invisible just to avoid making mistakes or calling attention to her own awkwardness. My heart raced every time she was running away or every time she clutched a bottle of pills in her hand, just ready for it all to end. I wonder how many children/teens feel this way on a daily basis and how many are dealing with some sort of depression or feelings of worthlessness. The reality of this book saddens and terrifies me, since I have five children of my own.
On some level I could relate to the Mary's mom in the book...her actions, while inexcusable, seemed to stem from so much stress and helplessness, that by the end of the book I felt a *little* sorry for her....but not too much. Besides wanting to slap some sense into her or maybe take a hanger to her (let her have a taste of her own medicine) I just wanted to shake her until she stopped treating Mary like some unwanted step child. I can relate to her stress and feeling helpless, but not so much to her lashing out at her other children. Unfortunately, I'm sure many children/teens *CAN* relate to this scenario on some level. If not the physical, then definitely the mental abuse.
Words harshly spoken can have such devastating affects on the life of a child/teen. This book serves, in my opinion, serves as a reminder that no one can know how much a person has endured, how much a person has been pushed, and how much more a person can take. I pray to God that my children never feel the way Mary and Paul felt in this book... I hope that they always know how beautiful, smart, and wanted they are. ALL children should be able to feel that way, ALL children should be made to feel heard!
~Peggy
June 1, 2012
I'm kind of a fussy reader. I can usually relate only to certain writing styles (preferably from a first person's point of view) and a lot of times, I've found myself not being able to engross mysel in a novel because the writing doesn't appeal to me. To make things worse, I've been going through a reading slump and the past two weeks, I haven't been reading as much as I usually do. However, once I started reading Shut Up, I was relieved.
For a book that seemed so short at first, Shut Up really managed to get the point across. It's one of the rare books that can pull you in and make you feel a whole range of emotions in just a few pages. It was exactly what I needed to wake me up from my slump.
Mary's our protagonist: a girl who gets picked on at school and bullied at home. She has an evil witch for a sister and utterly careless parents. Paul, Mary's brother, constantly tells her to shut up through all the crap that gets handed to her but she can't take it anymore and obviously, stuff hits the fan in their household. Repeatedly. Her life is basically hell and not surprisingly, she tries to run away from home..and that pretty much leads to chaos.
It's amazing how Anne managed to create such a strong and story character in just around 100 pages. I'm not sure if I should applaud this book for its intensity or judge it for drama but it's honestly remarkable. Mary and Paul had my complete and total sympathy, I was silently fuming on their behalf throughout the novel.
Shut Up may be small but regardless of it's size, it's a highly deep and compelling story that will definitely take you on an emotional roller-coaster.
For a book that seemed so short at first, Shut Up really managed to get the point across. It's one of the rare books that can pull you in and make you feel a whole range of emotions in just a few pages. It was exactly what I needed to wake me up from my slump.
Mary's our protagonist: a girl who gets picked on at school and bullied at home. She has an evil witch for a sister and utterly careless parents. Paul, Mary's brother, constantly tells her to shut up through all the crap that gets handed to her but she can't take it anymore and obviously, stuff hits the fan in their household. Repeatedly. Her life is basically hell and not surprisingly, she tries to run away from home..and that pretty much leads to chaos.
It's amazing how Anne managed to create such a strong and story character in just around 100 pages. I'm not sure if I should applaud this book for its intensity or judge it for drama but it's honestly remarkable. Mary and Paul had my complete and total sympathy, I was silently fuming on their behalf throughout the novel.
Shut Up may be small but regardless of it's size, it's a highly deep and compelling story that will definitely take you on an emotional roller-coaster.
February 14, 2021
Not actually sure what this was. Either YA or a book for children, whatever's pre YA. Made all the more confusing but the fact that it isn't specified as either. In any case it certainly isn't meant for adults, unless the adults are having one of those mental regressions, which I understand make YA appealing. This is a story about a family, who after having quite enthusiastically reproduced, find themselves in reduced financial circumstances, the situation made especially difficult by some white trash shenanigans right of Shameless. The narration is done from the kids' perspectives, which can sometimes result in pretty great coming of age stories and sometimes in...whatever this was, the sort of emotionally primitive storytelling of what it's like for a girl. Apparently the story is very personal to the author with possible autobiographical elements thrown in, so there's that, presumably to explain how something this slim and basic took three years and eight rewrites. I suppose this would be good for preteens or early teens going through a tough time, maybe, no idea. It certainly does nothing for an adult reader, unless one is just in the mood for something really intellectually unchallenging. Aha, Amazon does list this as YA, GR doesn't for some reason. Somehow this ended up on my Kindle, but at least it was free and only took about 75 minutes to get through.
May 10, 2012
I don't read much contemporary fiction. I like to spend my money on books that take me to fantasy lands and a whole new world to explore. When I do pick up contemporary it really has to speak to me for me to like it. This was obviously one of those books.
When the author contacted me to read the book I was looking for a change of pace, it was a short read and I wasn't exactly sure where the story was going to go and it sounds intense.
what I did find from this story was a very emotional and depressing situation. One that while not all people have dealt with in their lives, I think that the majority of people can understand the depth of the depression that Mary fell into during this time in her life.
The writing is what really got me. It was so well portrayed that you could see the spiraling of Mary's emotional state at each stage, as the events happen that you really did wonder how it was going to all play out.
I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I just wanted to say there were some people in this story that made me proud. Good for them.
When the author contacted me to read the book I was looking for a change of pace, it was a short read and I wasn't exactly sure where the story was going to go and it sounds intense.
what I did find from this story was a very emotional and depressing situation. One that while not all people have dealt with in their lives, I think that the majority of people can understand the depth of the depression that Mary fell into during this time in her life.
The writing is what really got me. It was so well portrayed that you could see the spiraling of Mary's emotional state at each stage, as the events happen that you really did wonder how it was going to all play out.
I don't want to give any spoilers away, but I just wanted to say there were some people in this story that made me proud. Good for them.
July 14, 2012
I have literally just finished the book and I have to admit I write in quite a somber mood. I absolutely love contemporary YA, so when the author was kind enough to reach out to me I jumped on the opportunity to read and review this book. And what a book!
The novel is told mostly in the point of view of Mary and some chapters are told in Paul, Mary’s older brother’s, point of view. In either point of view you see what hardships Mary has to go through in day to day life. Her home life is horrible. Her school life makes her miserable. You watch as Mary is constantly beaten down day after day with hurtful words by people that should be looking after her.
At home it’s a constant war-zone with Mary’s older sister Gwen, who despite being a bright popular seventeen year old, manages to get pregnant by her boyfriend who Mary calls The Creep. Mary endures being called fat, ugly, and many other names by Gwen and all her family does is sit and watch. But in my opinion Gwen isn’t the worst Mary has to handle at home. Her mother constantly hits Mary, thinking that this way she’ll learn from her “mistakes”. The problem is that all of Mary’s mistakes are not mistakes.
And The Creep…. He accosts Mary, making inappropriate advances toward her even though she’s only twelve and when trying to defend herself all Mary gets is another verbal onslaught from Gwen.
My emotions while reading this book were complete mayhem, but the one that always stuck was anger. I was angry at Paul, for knowing that Mary was dying from all the abuse she suffered but not doing anything about it. I was angry at Mary’s mom for thinking that violence could fix anything, although that was how she was raised. And I loathed Gwen for having the nerve to say the things she did to Mary when she had no right. Even though it is a fictional novel, I can’t stand the fact that out there in the world there are people that go through this every day. Mary endured countless months of pain and people just sat there and watched it all, too afraid to say anything.
I applaud Anne Tibbets on such a powerful novel. In a hundred and teen pages Mrs. Tibbets said so much. I am still shocked at how much the novel got to me. This novel has such an amazing storyline, characters, and especially ending.
A must read for anyone!
The novel is told mostly in the point of view of Mary and some chapters are told in Paul, Mary’s older brother’s, point of view. In either point of view you see what hardships Mary has to go through in day to day life. Her home life is horrible. Her school life makes her miserable. You watch as Mary is constantly beaten down day after day with hurtful words by people that should be looking after her.
At home it’s a constant war-zone with Mary’s older sister Gwen, who despite being a bright popular seventeen year old, manages to get pregnant by her boyfriend who Mary calls The Creep. Mary endures being called fat, ugly, and many other names by Gwen and all her family does is sit and watch. But in my opinion Gwen isn’t the worst Mary has to handle at home. Her mother constantly hits Mary, thinking that this way she’ll learn from her “mistakes”. The problem is that all of Mary’s mistakes are not mistakes.
And The Creep…. He accosts Mary, making inappropriate advances toward her even though she’s only twelve and when trying to defend herself all Mary gets is another verbal onslaught from Gwen.
My emotions while reading this book were complete mayhem, but the one that always stuck was anger. I was angry at Paul, for knowing that Mary was dying from all the abuse she suffered but not doing anything about it. I was angry at Mary’s mom for thinking that violence could fix anything, although that was how she was raised. And I loathed Gwen for having the nerve to say the things she did to Mary when she had no right. Even though it is a fictional novel, I can’t stand the fact that out there in the world there are people that go through this every day. Mary endured countless months of pain and people just sat there and watched it all, too afraid to say anything.
I applaud Anne Tibbets on such a powerful novel. In a hundred and teen pages Mrs. Tibbets said so much. I am still shocked at how much the novel got to me. This novel has such an amazing storyline, characters, and especially ending.
A must read for anyone!
February 12, 2015
This review can originally be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
Well, with this book I have now read all of Anne Tibbets books, and rated them all five stars. Honestly, this was amazing. It had a lot of themes about problems in here and I admired the way Tibbets managed to take a character of a twelve year old girl and tell her story so well.
The best thing about this had to be the themes it dealt with and how it managed to bring them across. A lot is in here. Mary’s family doesn’t have the most money ever, and they are a pretty big family as well. Gwen, her older sisters ends up pregnant at a young age and then marries. Mary is verbally abused by her family and sexually harassed by The Creep (Gwen’s boyfriend.) As well as that, depression was featured here. I think the thing about this book was that it was still realistic even though it was dealing with an abundance of things. And it was a meaningful story as well.
The story is told through Mary’s and her older brother, Paul’s, point of view. What I liked the two points of view was that they were complete opposite characters. Mary tried to please everyone no matter how much they hated her. Paul tried to be invisible and so he was seen as the obedient one. It was interesting to see how they both faced the same problem with different methods. Between them this story managed to break my heart and made me feel for the characters.
This was a bit of a depressing read, but then again it is a reality to a lot of people. I admire that Anne Tibbets always writes about subjects which can be hard to write effectively about in a manner that makes me want to reach out and do something to help those who suffer in such a way.
The book was also told through flashbacks as well as current life. What is happening in the present day really depends on what has happened in the past, and I liked the way the author made the two parts each play a significant enough role. We knew the outcome but didn’t know what could’ve happened to cause the outcome. That made it very interesting.
I am eagerly awaiting her next book. I will be the first to buy it for myself!
Well, with this book I have now read all of Anne Tibbets books, and rated them all five stars. Honestly, this was amazing. It had a lot of themes about problems in here and I admired the way Tibbets managed to take a character of a twelve year old girl and tell her story so well.
The best thing about this had to be the themes it dealt with and how it managed to bring them across. A lot is in here. Mary’s family doesn’t have the most money ever, and they are a pretty big family as well. Gwen, her older sisters ends up pregnant at a young age and then marries. Mary is verbally abused by her family and sexually harassed by The Creep (Gwen’s boyfriend.) As well as that, depression was featured here. I think the thing about this book was that it was still realistic even though it was dealing with an abundance of things. And it was a meaningful story as well.
The story is told through Mary’s and her older brother, Paul’s, point of view. What I liked the two points of view was that they were complete opposite characters. Mary tried to please everyone no matter how much they hated her. Paul tried to be invisible and so he was seen as the obedient one. It was interesting to see how they both faced the same problem with different methods. Between them this story managed to break my heart and made me feel for the characters.
This was a bit of a depressing read, but then again it is a reality to a lot of people. I admire that Anne Tibbets always writes about subjects which can be hard to write effectively about in a manner that makes me want to reach out and do something to help those who suffer in such a way.
The book was also told through flashbacks as well as current life. What is happening in the present day really depends on what has happened in the past, and I liked the way the author made the two parts each play a significant enough role. We knew the outcome but didn’t know what could’ve happened to cause the outcome. That made it very interesting.
I am eagerly awaiting her next book. I will be the first to buy it for myself!
July 6, 2012
I was excited to get this book in the mail. I got this book for free through Goodreads. I was excited because the book sounded really interesting.
I was even more excited to open the book and see that Anne Tibbets signed the book. I love that she took the time to sign it for me. Thank you Anne for signing it and for writing this book.
Now on to the book.....
Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.
Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.
Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.
Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.
It is not a huge book at under 125 pages, but the length of a book isn't everything. A book doesn't have to have 300 or more pages to be a good book and this isn't just a good book...it is a great book. It's a short book that you won't forget about anytime soon.
I would put this book on a MUST READ list. I think that everyone 16+ should read this book.
This book really touched me. I don't know how to put into words the way that this book moved me other then to say that I really think that people should read this book.
If you've ever felt like you weren't good enough, you couldn't do anything right, have been belittled or bullied, "Shut Up" is a must read.
For more information about Anne, visit her website at www.AnneTibbets.com, her blog at http://writeforcoffee.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnneTibbetsA...
I was even more excited to open the book and see that Anne Tibbets signed the book. I love that she took the time to sign it for me. Thank you Anne for signing it and for writing this book.
Now on to the book.....
Mary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.
Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.
Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.
Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.
It is not a huge book at under 125 pages, but the length of a book isn't everything. A book doesn't have to have 300 or more pages to be a good book and this isn't just a good book...it is a great book. It's a short book that you won't forget about anytime soon.
I would put this book on a MUST READ list. I think that everyone 16+ should read this book.
This book really touched me. I don't know how to put into words the way that this book moved me other then to say that I really think that people should read this book.
If you've ever felt like you weren't good enough, you couldn't do anything right, have been belittled or bullied, "Shut Up" is a must read.
For more information about Anne, visit her website at www.AnneTibbets.com, her blog at http://writeforcoffee.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnneTibbetsA...
May 9, 2012
Shut Up made me sad and angry all at once. Mary is but still a child who still plays with Barbie Dolls for Pete's sakes and her older sister is no more than a bully! I can't understand why the parents bowed down and let Gwen run amok and carry on in their home like she did. It was appaling and sickening.
I know to a certain degree they just wanted to pacify Gwen because the more you'd argue with her the longer and louder she'd get. But the way I look at it is Gwen made her own bed and even once they tried to overlook that she had gotten pregnant and wanted to marry the creep father of the child, and extend an olive branch of help she was the most ungratefullest person in the world! You can only help somebody so much. They have got to do something for themself and let me tell you what...my folks would never have tolerated this behavior from me or my sibs. Pregnant or not had I hollered at them either I'd be picking my teeth up off the ground or sitting in the front yard with my suitcases!
Gwen was just a very negative person and she wanted everybody around her to be just as miserable as she was. I wanted to reach out to Mary and hug her and let her know I was there and that she wasn't alone even though I knew she was just a character in a book she felt so freaking real to me!
The title of the book is Shut Up only it seems weird because Mary never really "said" anything! Bless her heart she just kept taking the abuse, and yes that is what it was, time and time again. The words of truth and pain were right there on the tip of her tongue so many times but she could never confide in anybody and after a while she began to blame herself and wonder why she could never do anything right.
I know to a certain degree they just wanted to pacify Gwen because the more you'd argue with her the longer and louder she'd get. But the way I look at it is Gwen made her own bed and even once they tried to overlook that she had gotten pregnant and wanted to marry the creep father of the child, and extend an olive branch of help she was the most ungratefullest person in the world! You can only help somebody so much. They have got to do something for themself and let me tell you what...my folks would never have tolerated this behavior from me or my sibs. Pregnant or not had I hollered at them either I'd be picking my teeth up off the ground or sitting in the front yard with my suitcases!
Gwen was just a very negative person and she wanted everybody around her to be just as miserable as she was. I wanted to reach out to Mary and hug her and let her know I was there and that she wasn't alone even though I knew she was just a character in a book she felt so freaking real to me!
The title of the book is Shut Up only it seems weird because Mary never really "said" anything! Bless her heart she just kept taking the abuse, and yes that is what it was, time and time again. The words of truth and pain were right there on the tip of her tongue so many times but she could never confide in anybody and after a while she began to blame herself and wonder why she could never do anything right.
May 11, 2012
This isn't about her! It's about me! I'm doing this because I want to! I'm doing this. Me!
Twelve year old Mary can't do anything right, even when she's not doing anything at all. Mary's sister, Gwen, finds any excuse at all to yell at Mary, belittling her and making her feel worthless. What's worse, Gwen's gotten pregnant and decided to marry The Creep, causing her family a massive amount of stress - which leads to more yelling at Mary. After enduring for as long as she could, Mary finally plans to escape - which may be the true undoing of the entire family.
Written in mostly Mary's perspective, Shut Up gives its readers a first-hand look at bullying and abuse. Mary gets teased at school, picked on at home by her sister, practically felt up by The Creep, screamed at and beat by her mother, and yet endures all of these things while her father and brother seemingly sit by and watch. The true strength of Mary's character is remarkable.
A captivating page-turner, Shut Up brings to light all those little family intricacies that can plague even the most well-intentioned or perfect-seeming households. Readers ride the waves of emotions along with Mary - cheering for her when she does stand up for herself, saddened by her failed attempts to fit in or be nice to Gwen, angry with her at her entire family for the abuse she takes for unknown reasons, enjoying those quiet moments without Gwen - empathizing with Mary's choice of escape, even if it's not the best course of action. But Mary endures and overcomes, showing that even in the darkest storms, there is light ahead.
Twelve year old Mary can't do anything right, even when she's not doing anything at all. Mary's sister, Gwen, finds any excuse at all to yell at Mary, belittling her and making her feel worthless. What's worse, Gwen's gotten pregnant and decided to marry The Creep, causing her family a massive amount of stress - which leads to more yelling at Mary. After enduring for as long as she could, Mary finally plans to escape - which may be the true undoing of the entire family.
Written in mostly Mary's perspective, Shut Up gives its readers a first-hand look at bullying and abuse. Mary gets teased at school, picked on at home by her sister, practically felt up by The Creep, screamed at and beat by her mother, and yet endures all of these things while her father and brother seemingly sit by and watch. The true strength of Mary's character is remarkable.
A captivating page-turner, Shut Up brings to light all those little family intricacies that can plague even the most well-intentioned or perfect-seeming households. Readers ride the waves of emotions along with Mary - cheering for her when she does stand up for herself, saddened by her failed attempts to fit in or be nice to Gwen, angry with her at her entire family for the abuse she takes for unknown reasons, enjoying those quiet moments without Gwen - empathizing with Mary's choice of escape, even if it's not the best course of action. But Mary endures and overcomes, showing that even in the darkest storms, there is light ahead.
July 3, 2012
Review originally posted at Doodle's Book Blog
When I received Shut Up I first thought, "What can I be told in just over a hundred pages?" Anne Tibbets told me a lot. She wrote a book of raw emotion and childhood depression that will forever be at the back of my mind.
There are so many elements that wreak havoc on Mary's life. She is only twelve and she has people telling her that she isn't pretty, smart, or just about anything that would ruin her self image. Mary is at an impressionable age and she can't see what everyone else does because of her sister's harsh words. Her mom doesn't pay much attention to her except to yell at her. I would be depressed if I were her too.
There are so many aspects to this book that I liked, the first being multiple perspectives. While Mary is the main speaker, we hear from her brother Paul also. He is pretty much invisible throughout the book while Mary takes all the emotional abuse her sister can toss her way, but he gives an outside look on the big problem. I also liked that you can see the impact Gwen has on the family. She is a huge catalyst to all of their problems. But, my favorite part is the end and based on what has been read, it is completely unexpected. I cried.
Overall, this was a gripping book that I didn't want to put down. I had to read it straight through to see how it all ended.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
When I received Shut Up I first thought, "What can I be told in just over a hundred pages?" Anne Tibbets told me a lot. She wrote a book of raw emotion and childhood depression that will forever be at the back of my mind.
There are so many elements that wreak havoc on Mary's life. She is only twelve and she has people telling her that she isn't pretty, smart, or just about anything that would ruin her self image. Mary is at an impressionable age and she can't see what everyone else does because of her sister's harsh words. Her mom doesn't pay much attention to her except to yell at her. I would be depressed if I were her too.
There are so many aspects to this book that I liked, the first being multiple perspectives. While Mary is the main speaker, we hear from her brother Paul also. He is pretty much invisible throughout the book while Mary takes all the emotional abuse her sister can toss her way, but he gives an outside look on the big problem. I also liked that you can see the impact Gwen has on the family. She is a huge catalyst to all of their problems. But, my favorite part is the end and based on what has been read, it is completely unexpected. I cried.
Overall, this was a gripping book that I didn't want to put down. I had to read it straight through to see how it all ended.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
April 28, 2012
The first thing I would like to say is don’t be intimidated by the size of this book! It is really small but like they say good things come in small packages and that saying really does apply to this book. Shut Up is about a young girl named Mary who is having a hard time at home. Her sister is always picking on her no matter what she does it’s always wrong in the eyes of her sister and that was really hard on her. Also her Mother was always in such a bad mood because of her sister so she got her moms bad mood taken out on her too.
The main point of view in the story was Mary. She doesn’t seem so strong at first but she really is. Not many little girls would have dealt with that they would have done what Mary was planning on from the beginning or they would of just run away and not have come home unless they were dragged kicking and screaming. She has her ups and downs as any other little girl but I was glad in the end because a certain someone moved out and her life got better.
The second point of view we have is Mary’s brother Paul. He keeps himself out of all the yelling and anger by simply keeping quiet, which he tries to give Mary this tip but it doesn’t help her at all. We follow him dealing with his struggles of trying to be a better brother and be there for Mary.
Overall this story is a really great thing to read about because you don’t know how bad it is for other people out there like Mary even though her character Is completely fictional. Even though her character is Fictional I’m still glad to have read her story.
The main point of view in the story was Mary. She doesn’t seem so strong at first but she really is. Not many little girls would have dealt with that they would have done what Mary was planning on from the beginning or they would of just run away and not have come home unless they were dragged kicking and screaming. She has her ups and downs as any other little girl but I was glad in the end because a certain someone moved out and her life got better.
The second point of view we have is Mary’s brother Paul. He keeps himself out of all the yelling and anger by simply keeping quiet, which he tries to give Mary this tip but it doesn’t help her at all. We follow him dealing with his struggles of trying to be a better brother and be there for Mary.
Overall this story is a really great thing to read about because you don’t know how bad it is for other people out there like Mary even though her character Is completely fictional. Even though her character is Fictional I’m still glad to have read her story.
August 2, 2015
After I finished reading 'Shut Up' by Anne Tibbets I had to sit on it for a while. I kind of let it swirl around in my head and the story just completely consumed me. The only thing I could even think to say at the end of it was 'Wow!' It is such an incredible story of pain and heartache but there is also this fierce courage and strength to it that it's empowering. It is easily one of the most emotional books I have read to date.
'Shut Up' tells the story of Mary who is beaten by her family both physically and emotionally. She has an older sister who is the antagonist in my mind. She does everything she can to ruin Mary and her happiness. Everyone in Mary's family seems to let their anger out on her in so many different ways. And through all of this she has to endure disgusting sexual advances by 'The Creep' which is her older sister's boyfriend.
It was amazing to read such a powerful story and literally watch this young girl go from naive child to maturity in one small novel. I was completely and totally trapped in this world with her and sometimes I just wanted to cry with Mary and sometimes I wished I could help her. 'Shut Up' really touches your soul on an intense emotional level which is why it is EASILY one of my favorite books. I think that 'Shut Up' portrays a strong message and theme that it could be both influential and beneficial to any teenager, child or adult. If you haven't had to chance to read 'Shut Up' by Anne Tibbets, make sure you get it! It's one emotional drama filled book that you'll wish you found sooner!
'Shut Up' tells the story of Mary who is beaten by her family both physically and emotionally. She has an older sister who is the antagonist in my mind. She does everything she can to ruin Mary and her happiness. Everyone in Mary's family seems to let their anger out on her in so many different ways. And through all of this she has to endure disgusting sexual advances by 'The Creep' which is her older sister's boyfriend.
It was amazing to read such a powerful story and literally watch this young girl go from naive child to maturity in one small novel. I was completely and totally trapped in this world with her and sometimes I just wanted to cry with Mary and sometimes I wished I could help her. 'Shut Up' really touches your soul on an intense emotional level which is why it is EASILY one of my favorite books. I think that 'Shut Up' portrays a strong message and theme that it could be both influential and beneficial to any teenager, child or adult. If you haven't had to chance to read 'Shut Up' by Anne Tibbets, make sure you get it! It's one emotional drama filled book that you'll wish you found sooner!
July 5, 2012
REVIEW BY BETH
It is impossible to read Shut Up and not feel sorry for Mary. Her whole family have been shaken by her sister Gwen’s spoilt behaviour which has led to her pregnancy and impending marriage to The Creep. Gwen’s character is thoroughly unlikeable despite her awful predicament and even in her weaker moments it’s hard to feel any empathy towards her.
Whatever Mary says or does, she’s in the wrong, her parents seem unable to stand up to Gwen and instead take out all their anger and upset on Mary. At times it’s possible to see that Mary is being a right pain and making situations even more difficult for her parents but when you consider she’s meant to be twelve years old, this should be acceptable behaviour really.
Shut Up is extremely hard hitting and leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to what Mary has to go through, how she’s treated by her sister, her parents and even The Creep. Throughout the novel you see Mary grow from a young naïve child into a preteen who is more worldly wise than you could ever have imagined and Tibbets packs her narrative out with emotive language to portray this dysfunctional family.
An extremely short read and certainly not what you’d call sweet, Shut Up is an honest, believable tale that can be read in a couple of short sittings. It is packed full of serious issues dealt with competently from teenage pregnancy to physical abuse and Tibbets successfully deals with some of many of the teenage and family issues which are rife in society.
It is impossible to read Shut Up and not feel sorry for Mary. Her whole family have been shaken by her sister Gwen’s spoilt behaviour which has led to her pregnancy and impending marriage to The Creep. Gwen’s character is thoroughly unlikeable despite her awful predicament and even in her weaker moments it’s hard to feel any empathy towards her.
Whatever Mary says or does, she’s in the wrong, her parents seem unable to stand up to Gwen and instead take out all their anger and upset on Mary. At times it’s possible to see that Mary is being a right pain and making situations even more difficult for her parents but when you consider she’s meant to be twelve years old, this should be acceptable behaviour really.
Shut Up is extremely hard hitting and leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to what Mary has to go through, how she’s treated by her sister, her parents and even The Creep. Throughout the novel you see Mary grow from a young naïve child into a preteen who is more worldly wise than you could ever have imagined and Tibbets packs her narrative out with emotive language to portray this dysfunctional family.
An extremely short read and certainly not what you’d call sweet, Shut Up is an honest, believable tale that can be read in a couple of short sittings. It is packed full of serious issues dealt with competently from teenage pregnancy to physical abuse and Tibbets successfully deals with some of many of the teenage and family issues which are rife in society.
July 14, 2012
I just read this book yesterday. When I started reading the first couple of pages I was not sure this was a book for me. I was wrong. I love a book that can teach me something. In addition to being a well put together book I do feel like this book taught me something.
The story is about Mary a 12 year old girl and how she interprets her place in the family and the world. The story is told from Mary's point of view and from her brother's point of view mostly which allows you to see their different perspectives on similar situations.
You get to see how Mary interprets other actions toward her from her parents, siblings, teachers, and other significant people in her life. It showed me a different perspective on how we treat others can impact their lives, especially the young.
Please don't be thrown by the size. The book is only slightly over 100 pages, but it tells a story. The book would get me so angry for Mary at times and I love how the people in the book do seem to truly learn from their actions (eventually). I think this is a great book for any parent to read and highly recommend it.
I won this book in a Giveaway and am so glad I did, because I am not sure I would have picked it up otherwise. I originally gave the book 4 stars, but moved it to 5, because I think it was more like a 4.5 star book. If I can learn a life lesson from a book I think it is worthy of at least 4 stars!
The story is about Mary a 12 year old girl and how she interprets her place in the family and the world. The story is told from Mary's point of view and from her brother's point of view mostly which allows you to see their different perspectives on similar situations.
You get to see how Mary interprets other actions toward her from her parents, siblings, teachers, and other significant people in her life. It showed me a different perspective on how we treat others can impact their lives, especially the young.
Please don't be thrown by the size. The book is only slightly over 100 pages, but it tells a story. The book would get me so angry for Mary at times and I love how the people in the book do seem to truly learn from their actions (eventually). I think this is a great book for any parent to read and highly recommend it.
I won this book in a Giveaway and am so glad I did, because I am not sure I would have picked it up otherwise. I originally gave the book 4 stars, but moved it to 5, because I think it was more like a 4.5 star book. If I can learn a life lesson from a book I think it is worthy of at least 4 stars!
June 27, 2012
Anne has created a great tale that told through a childs eyes. a frustrated child who has a horrible time learning to keep her mouth shut.
I love how Anne set the story up made us feel for Mary and hate Gwen and feel anger towards the parents. The novel shows that sometimes we see things in a clouded way. Some times when we're younger we are going through all this stuff and we sometimes think that our parents dont know that we a struggling. I think that this book shows that they really do notice but dont know what to do, after all they are only human.
The novel was a really quick simple read and while i would not say that Anne is up there with my Laurie Halse Anderson but she has a similar writing style where she gets her words across in her own style, not the industries style, i do recommend this book if you like Laurie's novels.
long story short, i loved this novel and i think you will too.
all reviews originally posted at www.thebookmystress,blogspot.com
I love how Anne set the story up made us feel for Mary and hate Gwen and feel anger towards the parents. The novel shows that sometimes we see things in a clouded way. Some times when we're younger we are going through all this stuff and we sometimes think that our parents dont know that we a struggling. I think that this book shows that they really do notice but dont know what to do, after all they are only human.
The novel was a really quick simple read and while i would not say that Anne is up there with my Laurie Halse Anderson but she has a similar writing style where she gets her words across in her own style, not the industries style, i do recommend this book if you like Laurie's novels.
long story short, i loved this novel and i think you will too.
all reviews originally posted at www.thebookmystress,blogspot.com
June 15, 2012
Let me tell you, going in to Shut Up I knew I was in for a pretty realistic read. What I didn't realize, was how vividly Anne Tibbets was going to share Mary's story. This is one of those books that is so raw, so real, that it hurts to read. However no matter how hard you try you just can't stop. Maybe it's morbid fascination, maybe it's concern for Mary, but either way you'll want to know how everything ends.
For Mary, life is about living in her sister's shadow. Still that isn't as easy as it sounds. For most adolescents, living in the shadow means being ignored. For Mary, it means being blamed for the sins of her older sister. Gwen is the type of character that makes you want to kick her. HARD. She is rude, selfish, and downright cruel to her younger sister. What broke my heart more than anything though was the way that the rest of Mary's family dealt with the stress. Here is a girl who is trying her best to just get by, but how can you stay positive when everything you say and do is always wrong?
What's most interesting about Mary's story is that her problems don't just stem from one location. There is nothing wrong with Mary. Sure, she might be a little bit lazy at times, or talk back, but what young person doesn't act like that at some point? Mary's problems come from outside sources. From the way her mother was raised, and now deals with stress. From the outside adults she tries to speak to that just don't comprehend what she is going through. Even from the possibility that she might somehow end up like her older sister. It isn't Mary who is the problem, but she is definitely the one who bears the brunt of it.
As an older reader, and one who has worked with kids for many years, I saw where Anne Tibbets was going with this story. She openly bears her soul through the use of Mary, and shows that being an adolescent can be a lot tougher than just wondering who will ask you to prom. This story is real. It's harsh. It's truth even within the fiction. There are kids out there who just need that one person who can read between the lines and see what they aren't saying out loud. Kids who are lost even when they look perfectly normal. Shut Up deals with child abuse, but it does it in a way that is a little more palatable than most. That's not to say that this is an easy read. Not by a long shot.
It did take me a little time to get through Shut Up, mostly because I was really hurting for poor Mary. However at the end of the day I feel better for having read it. Above all else, this story shows the power of the human spirit and the fact that sometimes, with the right help, things do get better. Despite a few minor issues, I really enjoyed this story. Readers who like a good contemporary, and are okay dealing with some of the more tough issues, should give this a shot.
For Mary, life is about living in her sister's shadow. Still that isn't as easy as it sounds. For most adolescents, living in the shadow means being ignored. For Mary, it means being blamed for the sins of her older sister. Gwen is the type of character that makes you want to kick her. HARD. She is rude, selfish, and downright cruel to her younger sister. What broke my heart more than anything though was the way that the rest of Mary's family dealt with the stress. Here is a girl who is trying her best to just get by, but how can you stay positive when everything you say and do is always wrong?
What's most interesting about Mary's story is that her problems don't just stem from one location. There is nothing wrong with Mary. Sure, she might be a little bit lazy at times, or talk back, but what young person doesn't act like that at some point? Mary's problems come from outside sources. From the way her mother was raised, and now deals with stress. From the outside adults she tries to speak to that just don't comprehend what she is going through. Even from the possibility that she might somehow end up like her older sister. It isn't Mary who is the problem, but she is definitely the one who bears the brunt of it.
As an older reader, and one who has worked with kids for many years, I saw where Anne Tibbets was going with this story. She openly bears her soul through the use of Mary, and shows that being an adolescent can be a lot tougher than just wondering who will ask you to prom. This story is real. It's harsh. It's truth even within the fiction. There are kids out there who just need that one person who can read between the lines and see what they aren't saying out loud. Kids who are lost even when they look perfectly normal. Shut Up deals with child abuse, but it does it in a way that is a little more palatable than most. That's not to say that this is an easy read. Not by a long shot.
It did take me a little time to get through Shut Up, mostly because I was really hurting for poor Mary. However at the end of the day I feel better for having read it. Above all else, this story shows the power of the human spirit and the fact that sometimes, with the right help, things do get better. Despite a few minor issues, I really enjoyed this story. Readers who like a good contemporary, and are okay dealing with some of the more tough issues, should give this a shot.
September 30, 2012
My rating: 4/5 stars
Anne is giving away 2 paperbacks and 2 signed bookmarks, so make sure to stop by!
May contain some spoilers
First of all.. Don't you just love the cover?! I absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw it! And I was glad to notice this isn't book with just a pretty cover, but with amazing story inside.
This author has definitely interesting style of writing; we get to read about the time before Mary ran away and time after that.
This is Mary's story. She's only twelve, but she's suffering. Her big sister, Gwen, rules the household. She tortures Mary and emotionally blackmails their parents. Everyone's on edge and Mary gets the most of it. Time after time people tell her to just shut up.
Mary's family is poor, since her father lost his job. That probably would be tolerable if only their family wasn't so disfunctional emotionally.
In the past, Gwen was a normal, happy kid, until something happened. She tried to tell her parents about it, but they didn't believe her. That was the turning point.
After that Gwen has been bitter and unhappy and she's testing the limits nonstop. She has an awful boyfriend, who gets her pregnant time after time. Yeah, he really is a creep. Especially when he shows some sick interest in Mary, who's only 12! And it's pretty obvious Gwen notices this too, why else would she act so jealous and mean when ever she caughts The Creep and Mary hanging together?
This really is a sad story. There's bunch of unhappy and twisted people just living their lives, without thinking the consequences. Mary gets the blame most of the time, even though she's just a kid.
In the end, Mary's parents stand up and try to fix things by standing up to Gwen, but is it too little, too late?
They can't really blame Gwen for everything, either. They let Gwen rebel and do what ever she wants, but they still were the parents. Gwen got pregnant when she was 17. She was just a kid, too. A kid who would do anything to get the attention she craves, but you can only blame the parents for letting things get so out of hands. And a 17 year old really shouldn't have to make that big decisions! Her parents should've stand up a long time before she got pregnant. But when the parents really aren't involved in their childrens lives, things happen.
I was really glad when things got better for Mary. Though I'm pretty sure things may get harder at times, I'm sure she can handle them. She survived from years of bullying, so she can survive from anything. And she really was one of those characters you wish all the happiness world can give.
Huge thanks to Anne for providing a reviewcopy, and for writing this amazing story!
Love,
Monaliz @ Mind Reading?
Anne is giving away 2 paperbacks and 2 signed bookmarks, so make sure to stop by!
May contain some spoilers
First of all.. Don't you just love the cover?! I absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw it! And I was glad to notice this isn't book with just a pretty cover, but with amazing story inside.
This author has definitely interesting style of writing; we get to read about the time before Mary ran away and time after that.
This is Mary's story. She's only twelve, but she's suffering. Her big sister, Gwen, rules the household. She tortures Mary and emotionally blackmails their parents. Everyone's on edge and Mary gets the most of it. Time after time people tell her to just shut up.
Mary's family is poor, since her father lost his job. That probably would be tolerable if only their family wasn't so disfunctional emotionally.
In the past, Gwen was a normal, happy kid, until something happened. She tried to tell her parents about it, but they didn't believe her. That was the turning point.
After that Gwen has been bitter and unhappy and she's testing the limits nonstop. She has an awful boyfriend, who gets her pregnant time after time. Yeah, he really is a creep. Especially when he shows some sick interest in Mary, who's only 12! And it's pretty obvious Gwen notices this too, why else would she act so jealous and mean when ever she caughts The Creep and Mary hanging together?
This really is a sad story. There's bunch of unhappy and twisted people just living their lives, without thinking the consequences. Mary gets the blame most of the time, even though she's just a kid.
In the end, Mary's parents stand up and try to fix things by standing up to Gwen, but is it too little, too late?
They can't really blame Gwen for everything, either. They let Gwen rebel and do what ever she wants, but they still were the parents. Gwen got pregnant when she was 17. She was just a kid, too. A kid who would do anything to get the attention she craves, but you can only blame the parents for letting things get so out of hands. And a 17 year old really shouldn't have to make that big decisions! Her parents should've stand up a long time before she got pregnant. But when the parents really aren't involved in their childrens lives, things happen.
I was really glad when things got better for Mary. Though I'm pretty sure things may get harder at times, I'm sure she can handle them. She survived from years of bullying, so she can survive from anything. And she really was one of those characters you wish all the happiness world can give.
Huge thanks to Anne for providing a reviewcopy, and for writing this amazing story!
Love,
Monaliz @ Mind Reading?
December 2, 2012
Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.
Shut Up is a really hard hitting story. Mary's life is miserable. Because of her spoilt older sister, Gewen, the whole family is stressing out. Gwen must get what she wants, or she throws tantrums to rival a two-year-old. It wouldn't be surprising if her family forgot what her normal voice sounded like, because she's constantly wailing like a banshee at the slightest thing. Nothing is ever good enough. Instead of her parents sitting her down and saying "We're the parents, you're the child. You do what you're told, not dictate to us," they let her get away with murder. Her constant nagging an screaming causes everyone to be miserable, and quick to snap at everyone else.
So when 12-year-old Mary asks too many questions, doesn't act quick enough when she's asked to do things, or gets blamed for something she didn't do and is then called a liar, the treatment she gets is harsh. The way she is spoken to is really disgusting, by both her parents and Gwen. Gwen talks to Mary like she's lower than the dirt beneath her shoes every second of every day, constantly bullying her, calling her nasty names for seemingly simply existing. It's awful, so terrible to read. And on top of that, her mother will result to beating if she deems it necessary. It's a completely miserable existance, and leads to Mary acting drasticallly.
At 118 pages, Shut Up is a very quick read, but it's still a fully formed story and you can't help but get emotionally involved. It's very much like a car crash; it's such a difficult story to read, but you simply can't put it down, wondering if things get any better, or if they get worse. there are several instances in the book which lead you to make assumptions about what might be coming, which lead you to dread getting to the end, because you just don't want those things to happen. You can just feel your heart sink.
There are a few negatives, though. I feel it could have been better edited. There is an instance of where a word is repeated right after it's used, and another instance where Mary's first person narration changes to third; instead of Mary saying "myself", she says "herself". I also felt that some of the dialogue didn't feel natural, sentences that I felt a 12-year-old wouldn't use, or, when there were arguments, considering how much anger there was, some of the things said just didn't feel angry enough. It was a little disappointing, because it kind of jarred me out of the story, but the dialogue issues could just be down to personal preferences.
All in all, a very heart-wrenching, moving story, and one that hists you even a harder to know it's loosely based on the author's childhood. A really enjoyable read.
Shut Up is a really hard hitting story. Mary's life is miserable. Because of her spoilt older sister, Gewen, the whole family is stressing out. Gwen must get what she wants, or she throws tantrums to rival a two-year-old. It wouldn't be surprising if her family forgot what her normal voice sounded like, because she's constantly wailing like a banshee at the slightest thing. Nothing is ever good enough. Instead of her parents sitting her down and saying "We're the parents, you're the child. You do what you're told, not dictate to us," they let her get away with murder. Her constant nagging an screaming causes everyone to be miserable, and quick to snap at everyone else.
So when 12-year-old Mary asks too many questions, doesn't act quick enough when she's asked to do things, or gets blamed for something she didn't do and is then called a liar, the treatment she gets is harsh. The way she is spoken to is really disgusting, by both her parents and Gwen. Gwen talks to Mary like she's lower than the dirt beneath her shoes every second of every day, constantly bullying her, calling her nasty names for seemingly simply existing. It's awful, so terrible to read. And on top of that, her mother will result to beating if she deems it necessary. It's a completely miserable existance, and leads to Mary acting drasticallly.
At 118 pages, Shut Up is a very quick read, but it's still a fully formed story and you can't help but get emotionally involved. It's very much like a car crash; it's such a difficult story to read, but you simply can't put it down, wondering if things get any better, or if they get worse. there are several instances in the book which lead you to make assumptions about what might be coming, which lead you to dread getting to the end, because you just don't want those things to happen. You can just feel your heart sink.
There are a few negatives, though. I feel it could have been better edited. There is an instance of where a word is repeated right after it's used, and another instance where Mary's first person narration changes to third; instead of Mary saying "myself", she says "herself". I also felt that some of the dialogue didn't feel natural, sentences that I felt a 12-year-old wouldn't use, or, when there were arguments, considering how much anger there was, some of the things said just didn't feel angry enough. It was a little disappointing, because it kind of jarred me out of the story, but the dialogue issues could just be down to personal preferences.
All in all, a very heart-wrenching, moving story, and one that hists you even a harder to know it's loosely based on the author's childhood. A really enjoyable read.
August 11, 2012
Actually 3.5 stars
I was given an e-book copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I actually accepted this months ago and have only just got round to it, so for that I apologise to the author for the delay, it did mean though that when I picked it up today I didn't remember anything about it or have any idea what it was about. I had a PDF file and it didn't include a synopsis so I just started reading. And this book was not anything I had expected.
Mary is only 12 but has a very hard life. Her sister who was destined for college to become a teacher and be a shining start has fallen in with a bad baoy who Mary refers to as 'The Creep', her sister is now pregnant and planning on marrying the Creep and her family is imploding around her. Tension is at its highest in the house and Mary seems to be the scapegoat, every problem, every angry word, every disappointment is directed onto her.
This story is very brutal in places but a very compelling read, the sort of thing you can't look away from.
At times I could agree that mary was a bit of a pain and she didn't help herself sometimes speaking up when you know you should just back off, but 95% of the time she was unfairly treated, sometimes very harshly. But no one wants to hear about her problems and things start to spiral out of control.
There were times in this book where I just wanted to give Mary a hug and tell her everythng will turn out OK. There were times when I wanted to slap her sister and tell her to grow up and stop being such a self-centered ***** and her parents shocked me, they seemed to have little or no thought for Mary's safety or happiness, she was there as the punching bag both metaphorically and literally in some places.
This book is very short at just over 100 pages, I read it in about 50 minutes but it is very hard hitting. This isn't short and sweet but very real and serious. The author deals with some very sensitive topics very well and even manages character development as Mary goes from a weak and wimpy little 12 year old to a more confident, more mature 12 year old, wise beyond her years.
Some of the narration confused me in places. I wasn't sure if it was Mary talking or her brother and there were a few places where I had to re-read a paragraph or so to make sure i knew what was going on. It also jumps between the [resent and teh past and this tripped me a couple of times, I would just get into the story and it would jump and drag me back out, but I know this is a popular writing style and can be effective so maybe that's what the author was going for.
This is by no means my usual read but it is short, sharp and well written. Good if you want a quick read or something that will grab you.
I was given an e-book copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I actually accepted this months ago and have only just got round to it, so for that I apologise to the author for the delay, it did mean though that when I picked it up today I didn't remember anything about it or have any idea what it was about. I had a PDF file and it didn't include a synopsis so I just started reading. And this book was not anything I had expected.
Mary is only 12 but has a very hard life. Her sister who was destined for college to become a teacher and be a shining start has fallen in with a bad baoy who Mary refers to as 'The Creep', her sister is now pregnant and planning on marrying the Creep and her family is imploding around her. Tension is at its highest in the house and Mary seems to be the scapegoat, every problem, every angry word, every disappointment is directed onto her.
This story is very brutal in places but a very compelling read, the sort of thing you can't look away from.
At times I could agree that mary was a bit of a pain and she didn't help herself sometimes speaking up when you know you should just back off, but 95% of the time she was unfairly treated, sometimes very harshly. But no one wants to hear about her problems and things start to spiral out of control.
There were times in this book where I just wanted to give Mary a hug and tell her everythng will turn out OK. There were times when I wanted to slap her sister and tell her to grow up and stop being such a self-centered ***** and her parents shocked me, they seemed to have little or no thought for Mary's safety or happiness, she was there as the punching bag both metaphorically and literally in some places.
This book is very short at just over 100 pages, I read it in about 50 minutes but it is very hard hitting. This isn't short and sweet but very real and serious. The author deals with some very sensitive topics very well and even manages character development as Mary goes from a weak and wimpy little 12 year old to a more confident, more mature 12 year old, wise beyond her years.
Some of the narration confused me in places. I wasn't sure if it was Mary talking or her brother and there were a few places where I had to re-read a paragraph or so to make sure i knew what was going on. It also jumps between the [resent and teh past and this tripped me a couple of times, I would just get into the story and it would jump and drag me back out, but I know this is a popular writing style and can be effective so maybe that's what the author was going for.
This is by no means my usual read but it is short, sharp and well written. Good if you want a quick read or something that will grab you.
May 31, 2012
Lately I have been really struggling with reading. May has been the worst reading slump ever. However, the only genres that keep to interested are realistic fiction. So when Anne contacted me to review her novel I jumped at the chance. And I am so glad I did because it was like nothing I have never read before. It's real and amazing!
Shut Up is told in a very interesting way. It tell's two stories alongside each other. One of Mary running away and the other of the events the leads up to Mary running away. Usually that can be confusing but thankfully it was easy to follow and makes your fall in love with the story all the more. Mary is only twelve and at home she is having to deal with so much that no twelve year old should be dealing with. Nothing she does is right and she is always getting into trouble over the smallest things. Her older sister, Gwen makes her life a misery. Gwen is pregnant and her boyfriend is a real creep. He is horrible and has a weird thing for Mary which is gross and poor Mary can't tell anyone. I seriously felt sorry for her during most the story. Everything just seems to get worse and worse for her. And when things do start getting better her world is blown apart and sends her in the downward spiral. Readers I think are going to like her, she is a unique and has a real voice that stands out among other YA protags. Her story is one that could help childrens deal with similiar situations, to make them realise that they aren't alone.
Anne has created a very fast paced and heartwarming story. It's gets right under your skin because the events that happen to Mary and her family are things that many children and teens deal with on a daily basis. It was so real that it keeps you reading until you get to the end and leaves you like "what?? No, please don't end" I was so connected to Mary by the end of the book I didn't want her story to end.
However, as I said what's happening to Mary, happens everyday. But I just couldn't help but think OMG her mum is a evil witch!!! I hated her for most of the book. I know kids can drive you crazy, believe me I know. My 5 year old drives me insane most days. However, I would never, ever, no matter how badly behaved my child was, treat him the way Mary's mum does. I don't hate characters in books that often but yes, I hated her most of the time. She does grow on a little when she was being nice but I couldn't forgive her.
Overall, I highly recommend Shut Up if you like a realistic story line that will have your gripped from start to finish. It's a short read with under 120pages but within those pages Anne has managed to create something amazing that will stay with me for long time!
Shut Up is told in a very interesting way. It tell's two stories alongside each other. One of Mary running away and the other of the events the leads up to Mary running away. Usually that can be confusing but thankfully it was easy to follow and makes your fall in love with the story all the more. Mary is only twelve and at home she is having to deal with so much that no twelve year old should be dealing with. Nothing she does is right and she is always getting into trouble over the smallest things. Her older sister, Gwen makes her life a misery. Gwen is pregnant and her boyfriend is a real creep. He is horrible and has a weird thing for Mary which is gross and poor Mary can't tell anyone. I seriously felt sorry for her during most the story. Everything just seems to get worse and worse for her. And when things do start getting better her world is blown apart and sends her in the downward spiral. Readers I think are going to like her, she is a unique and has a real voice that stands out among other YA protags. Her story is one that could help childrens deal with similiar situations, to make them realise that they aren't alone.
Anne has created a very fast paced and heartwarming story. It's gets right under your skin because the events that happen to Mary and her family are things that many children and teens deal with on a daily basis. It was so real that it keeps you reading until you get to the end and leaves you like "what?? No, please don't end" I was so connected to Mary by the end of the book I didn't want her story to end.
However, as I said what's happening to Mary, happens everyday. But I just couldn't help but think OMG her mum is a evil witch!!! I hated her for most of the book. I know kids can drive you crazy, believe me I know. My 5 year old drives me insane most days. However, I would never, ever, no matter how badly behaved my child was, treat him the way Mary's mum does. I don't hate characters in books that often but yes, I hated her most of the time. She does grow on a little when she was being nice but I couldn't forgive her.
Overall, I highly recommend Shut Up if you like a realistic story line that will have your gripped from start to finish. It's a short read with under 120pages but within those pages Anne has managed to create something amazing that will stay with me for long time!
May 20, 2012
What a great surprise! I enjoyed this book so much! It was a fast, engrossing read. Sometimes it felt middle-grade to me (easily done since the main narrator is only twelve years old), but then the subject matter made it more of a young adult level.
Shut Up invoked a lot of emotions in me. I was so sad for Mary, mad at her family, and scared of how the book would conclude. Being a new mom, I can't even imagine treating my daughter the way Mary's mother treats her. By no fault of her own, Mary is the black sheep of the family. She's going through that awkward phase where everything she does seems to turn out wrong. Instead of having a family who supports her and builds up her fragile self-esteem, she is either victimized, abused or outright ignored by every person in her family.
Shut Up alternates between present day and the past. In the present day, Mary is running away from home. The beginning of each chapter gives a short passage of the events comprising Mary's escape, then the bulk of the chapter takes the reader back to the past events, all of which culminated in her decision to leave home.
I was expecting and quite afraid that there would be a Thirteen Reasons Why kind of ending, and was so happy that Tibbets did not wrap the story up with that kind of ending. My one complaint is that the ending did feel a little 'pat' to me. It was just a little too neat.
I liked so many things about Shut Up. I liked the alternating dual narratives between Mary and her older brother Paul. It was enlightening to see Mary's treatment from someone else's eyes, as well as understand how Paul felt about everything. I loved Mary's strength and inner resolve. I loved it when her parents finally saw the light, and took steps towards positive change. This book read quickly and the pace was great.
I recommend Shut Up for fans of YA, contemporary fiction, and especially to parents of teens and pre-teens. It would be a great book to read with your child and then discuss the powerful lesson together.
Shut Up invoked a lot of emotions in me. I was so sad for Mary, mad at her family, and scared of how the book would conclude. Being a new mom, I can't even imagine treating my daughter the way Mary's mother treats her. By no fault of her own, Mary is the black sheep of the family. She's going through that awkward phase where everything she does seems to turn out wrong. Instead of having a family who supports her and builds up her fragile self-esteem, she is either victimized, abused or outright ignored by every person in her family.
Shut Up alternates between present day and the past. In the present day, Mary is running away from home. The beginning of each chapter gives a short passage of the events comprising Mary's escape, then the bulk of the chapter takes the reader back to the past events, all of which culminated in her decision to leave home.
I was expecting and quite afraid that there would be a Thirteen Reasons Why kind of ending, and was so happy that Tibbets did not wrap the story up with that kind of ending. My one complaint is that the ending did feel a little 'pat' to me. It was just a little too neat.
I liked so many things about Shut Up. I liked the alternating dual narratives between Mary and her older brother Paul. It was enlightening to see Mary's treatment from someone else's eyes, as well as understand how Paul felt about everything. I loved Mary's strength and inner resolve. I loved it when her parents finally saw the light, and took steps towards positive change. This book read quickly and the pace was great.
I recommend Shut Up for fans of YA, contemporary fiction, and especially to parents of teens and pre-teens. It would be a great book to read with your child and then discuss the powerful lesson together.
May 22, 2012
Writing Style Makes this Dysfunctional Family Portrait Worth Reading
The book market and movie market is flooded right now with stories of dysfunctional family units, teenage depression, peer abuse and in general the discordant manner in which our society is functioning at present. Anne Tibbets may not have an original idea for a new venue in writing, but she has a very fine writing style, no doubt gained from her experience in writing young adult novels, having won many prizes for her efforts in the arena of Children's Books. Perhaps her experience in writing stories in the voices of children explains why she can take a story such as SHUT UP and make it so disturbingly real. Part of her style is visual technique: she has elected to use two versions of fonts - regular and italic - to set of inner thoughts and commentary of the story, a technique that that keeps the reader actively involved visually. Also naming her chapters after the person who is narrating the story at that time introduces the senses of having multiple opinions of the contents of the story.
Simply put the tale is that of a a family whose young teenage daughter Gwen becomes pregnant by a rather distasteful Marine, altering the girl's reputation at school and at home. There is an 'ugly duckling' young sister Mary who seems to encounter derision among peers and in her family and a brother Paul who elects to remain quietly on the periphery. It is the interplay of these siblings and parents and the influence of outsiders who penetrate the family unit that results in catastrophe, fully blamed on Mary's attempts to speak truths, but also leads the main character of the story - Mary - toward an eventual state of enlightenment.
The novel is short (just over 100 pages) but the impact is impressive. Yet more impressive than the oft-told tale of conditions of family dysfunction is the discovery of the writing skill of Anne Tibbets. We should be hearing more form her soon.
Grady Harp
The book market and movie market is flooded right now with stories of dysfunctional family units, teenage depression, peer abuse and in general the discordant manner in which our society is functioning at present. Anne Tibbets may not have an original idea for a new venue in writing, but she has a very fine writing style, no doubt gained from her experience in writing young adult novels, having won many prizes for her efforts in the arena of Children's Books. Perhaps her experience in writing stories in the voices of children explains why she can take a story such as SHUT UP and make it so disturbingly real. Part of her style is visual technique: she has elected to use two versions of fonts - regular and italic - to set of inner thoughts and commentary of the story, a technique that that keeps the reader actively involved visually. Also naming her chapters after the person who is narrating the story at that time introduces the senses of having multiple opinions of the contents of the story.
Simply put the tale is that of a a family whose young teenage daughter Gwen becomes pregnant by a rather distasteful Marine, altering the girl's reputation at school and at home. There is an 'ugly duckling' young sister Mary who seems to encounter derision among peers and in her family and a brother Paul who elects to remain quietly on the periphery. It is the interplay of these siblings and parents and the influence of outsiders who penetrate the family unit that results in catastrophe, fully blamed on Mary's attempts to speak truths, but also leads the main character of the story - Mary - toward an eventual state of enlightenment.
The novel is short (just over 100 pages) but the impact is impressive. Yet more impressive than the oft-told tale of conditions of family dysfunction is the discovery of the writing skill of Anne Tibbets. We should be hearing more form her soon.
Grady Harp
July 8, 2012
3 and a half stars
Shut Up is an emotional read about Mary, a young girl struggling to deal with abuse and feelings of worthlessness. Mary's older sister Gwen gets pregnant at 17 by her boyfriend who Mary calls The Creep. The Creep is constantly doing/saying things that make Mary uncomfortable, Gwen is constantly saying things with the goal of making Mary cry and Mary is getting punished for every little thing she says or does.
In summary, basically everyone in Mary's life is making her feel bad about herself. Her sister verbally assaults her, The Creep sexually abuses her and her own mother punishes her constantly. And when I say punish, I mean her mother goes a little crazy with fly swatters and wooden spoons.
This was a very short, quick ebook but it was full of sadness and hurt. I didn't completely understand why everyone were so cruel to Mary but sometimes, it doesn't make sense why people are abusive. I really felt for Mary because her situation was so unfair.
This is a very heavy topic and I think the author did a great job with it. The end is as happy as it can be. Not everything is completely resolved but there is hope that things are going to be better. It was definitely a heartbreaking read, told with an honest voice.
(Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion)
Shut Up is an emotional read about Mary, a young girl struggling to deal with abuse and feelings of worthlessness. Mary's older sister Gwen gets pregnant at 17 by her boyfriend who Mary calls The Creep. The Creep is constantly doing/saying things that make Mary uncomfortable, Gwen is constantly saying things with the goal of making Mary cry and Mary is getting punished for every little thing she says or does.
In summary, basically everyone in Mary's life is making her feel bad about herself. Her sister verbally assaults her, The Creep sexually abuses her and her own mother punishes her constantly. And when I say punish, I mean her mother goes a little crazy with fly swatters and wooden spoons.
This was a very short, quick ebook but it was full of sadness and hurt. I didn't completely understand why everyone were so cruel to Mary but sometimes, it doesn't make sense why people are abusive. I really felt for Mary because her situation was so unfair.
This is a very heavy topic and I think the author did a great job with it. The end is as happy as it can be. Not everything is completely resolved but there is hope that things are going to be better. It was definitely a heartbreaking read, told with an honest voice.
(Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion)
November 30, 2015
Grade: D
Twelve-year-old Mary's life couldn't get any worse and she has no where to turn. She's abused, picked on by her siblings and classmates, her dad lost his job and they had to move and her pregnant teenage sister Gwen is marrying the touchy feely Creep is just latest in a list of awful things in her life.
SHUT UP is the book that coulda shoulda woulda have been soon much more. This had the potential to be a helpful, amazing story about confronting sexual abuse by an older teenager or physical and emotional abuse in the home turned out to be not much more than a cop out. Writer Anne Tibbets is all about telling, with little showing in narrating the story. Most of the chapters are in Mary's voice, and a few are in her brother Paul's. Both sets of chapters had the same vocabulary and cadence and since the story was Mary's, I'm not sure what Paul's narration added to the story.
The ending of the story was a complete 180 from the parents' behavior with little rhyme or reason. Did a lightbulb go off in their heads are turn them from abusers to parents who knew how to create a functional family before the first therapy session? That's just pie in the sky. Not addressing the sexual abuse by Gwen's boyfriend is almost criminal with a tween audience. I get that Tibbets drew some of this from her own unfortunate life experiences, but she should have used this as an opportunity to model how readers need to tell an adult when they have been sexually abused, rather than hoping one day parents wake up and life magically improves.
THEMES: teen pregnancy, family, siblings, suicide, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, runaways
SHUT UP had the potential to be an important addition to literature about abuse but fails to offer concrete solutions.
Twelve-year-old Mary's life couldn't get any worse and she has no where to turn. She's abused, picked on by her siblings and classmates, her dad lost his job and they had to move and her pregnant teenage sister Gwen is marrying the touchy feely Creep is just latest in a list of awful things in her life.
SHUT UP is the book that coulda shoulda woulda have been soon much more. This had the potential to be a helpful, amazing story about confronting sexual abuse by an older teenager or physical and emotional abuse in the home turned out to be not much more than a cop out. Writer Anne Tibbets is all about telling, with little showing in narrating the story. Most of the chapters are in Mary's voice, and a few are in her brother Paul's. Both sets of chapters had the same vocabulary and cadence and since the story was Mary's, I'm not sure what Paul's narration added to the story.
The ending of the story was a complete 180 from the parents' behavior with little rhyme or reason. Did a lightbulb go off in their heads are turn them from abusers to parents who knew how to create a functional family before the first therapy session? That's just pie in the sky. Not addressing the sexual abuse by Gwen's boyfriend is almost criminal with a tween audience. I get that Tibbets drew some of this from her own unfortunate life experiences, but she should have used this as an opportunity to model how readers need to tell an adult when they have been sexually abused, rather than hoping one day parents wake up and life magically improves.
THEMES: teen pregnancy, family, siblings, suicide, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, runaways
SHUT UP had the potential to be an important addition to literature about abuse but fails to offer concrete solutions.
May 5, 2012
I was lucky enough to win this book through the First Reads giveaway from goodreads.com.
First of all, I love the cover. It would be something I would pick up off the shelf if I didn't know exactly what I wanted to read. I also thought it was great because it was a really quick read, it was just over 100 pages so it wasn't something that would intimidate people who aren't really readers.
I could defiantly connect with the main character Mary. Not only did I have coke bottle glasses that I got picked on for as a child, but I also didn't know when to keep my mouth shut. We got to see things a little bit from her brothers perspective, but I felt like if we were going to add him into the main character list, why not also add her sister Gwen and maybe even her younger sister Rose. I would have liked to know more about there life in Penn. and maybe it would have shed light on the reason Gwen was the way she was. I understand that the author wanted to focus solely on Mary but since she added a little perspective through Paul I don't think it would have been a stretch to add a couple more chapters covering all the siblings.
All in all though I thought it was a solid story, I think it's something that most teens would be able to relate to.
Another thing, and this has less to do with the book than it does the author, but at the end when she was thanking people she added that a Lifehouse song inspired her. I have often wondered if books would be enhanced by music that the author has picked out to accompany the book.
First of all, I love the cover. It would be something I would pick up off the shelf if I didn't know exactly what I wanted to read. I also thought it was great because it was a really quick read, it was just over 100 pages so it wasn't something that would intimidate people who aren't really readers.
I could defiantly connect with the main character Mary. Not only did I have coke bottle glasses that I got picked on for as a child, but I also didn't know when to keep my mouth shut. We got to see things a little bit from her brothers perspective, but I felt like if we were going to add him into the main character list, why not also add her sister Gwen and maybe even her younger sister Rose. I would have liked to know more about there life in Penn. and maybe it would have shed light on the reason Gwen was the way she was. I understand that the author wanted to focus solely on Mary but since she added a little perspective through Paul I don't think it would have been a stretch to add a couple more chapters covering all the siblings.
All in all though I thought it was a solid story, I think it's something that most teens would be able to relate to.
Another thing, and this has less to do with the book than it does the author, but at the end when she was thanking people she added that a Lifehouse song inspired her. I have often wondered if books would be enhanced by music that the author has picked out to accompany the book.
May 20, 2012
I received this book through the first reads program and like others was surprised that it was such a small/short book. It took next to no time to finish it, but it is one that I'm sure will keep me thinking for a while.
The book is about Mary, a preteen who is living in a house of chaos and the effects it has on her. The main part of the book is written in her point of view, but a few chapters are written from her brother Paul's perspective so you get his take on it too, which is nice.
Mary is depressed. Mary can't seem to do anything right, even when she tries to do nothing at all. Her home is a hostile environment. She can't seem to find a way to fly under the radar and always ends up being the one taking the heat for everyone's frustrations. There was nothing I wanted more then to pluck her out of there and tell her none of it was her fault. She wants to tell an adult outside of her family, ask someone for help, but can never seem to get the words out.
Mary finds she can't take it anymore and struggles to find a way out. She leaves home to escape her misery, which is better then the alternative escape which is her back up plan. It all comes down to this though, how will Mary get out? Will she be able to make her escape, will someone rescue her, is she destined to live this way forever, or is the only way out to throw in the towel and swallow her grief with a handful of pills?
The book is about Mary, a preteen who is living in a house of chaos and the effects it has on her. The main part of the book is written in her point of view, but a few chapters are written from her brother Paul's perspective so you get his take on it too, which is nice.
Mary is depressed. Mary can't seem to do anything right, even when she tries to do nothing at all. Her home is a hostile environment. She can't seem to find a way to fly under the radar and always ends up being the one taking the heat for everyone's frustrations. There was nothing I wanted more then to pluck her out of there and tell her none of it was her fault. She wants to tell an adult outside of her family, ask someone for help, but can never seem to get the words out.
Mary finds she can't take it anymore and struggles to find a way out. She leaves home to escape her misery, which is better then the alternative escape which is her back up plan. It all comes down to this though, how will Mary get out? Will she be able to make her escape, will someone rescue her, is she destined to live this way forever, or is the only way out to throw in the towel and swallow her grief with a handful of pills?
July 16, 2012
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads and liked it. Anne Tibbets does an extraordinary job writing about the ups and downs 12 year Mary goes through. You can feel the emotions that Mary is going through because they are so vividly described by the author.
The scary part of this book is that everyone, at least at one point in their lives, can relate to what Mary goes through. Examples - getting punished for something you didn’t do, have a nagging sibling who wants to be the center of attention all the time, parents who are at their wits end, never being able to do something good enough…..I couldn’t help feel so sad for Mary because it was just so much for such a young person to go through.
But then things turn for the better. There are feelings of elation when things are finally going right. Mary realizes that it’s not the end of the world and she and her family would get through it.
The character I like the most was actually the one who was in the book the least, but, who I believe, had the biggest impact on Mary – the cashier at the mall. It just goes to show that even the smallest compliment can make a tremendous influence on someone’s life.
The scary part of this book is that everyone, at least at one point in their lives, can relate to what Mary goes through. Examples - getting punished for something you didn’t do, have a nagging sibling who wants to be the center of attention all the time, parents who are at their wits end, never being able to do something good enough…..I couldn’t help feel so sad for Mary because it was just so much for such a young person to go through.
But then things turn for the better. There are feelings of elation when things are finally going right. Mary realizes that it’s not the end of the world and she and her family would get through it.
The character I like the most was actually the one who was in the book the least, but, who I believe, had the biggest impact on Mary – the cashier at the mall. It just goes to show that even the smallest compliment can make a tremendous influence on someone’s life.
July 15, 2012
Also posted at http://abbeyannsbookland.blogspot.com/
Shut Up was such a heartbreaking story. I don't recall the last time I cried so much while reading a book. For such a short story, it really does pack a punch.
I felt so bad for Mary. In the course of the book, she goes through a lot. In the end, I think she grew immensely. I didn't particularly like any of the other characters, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel for them. Even though Gwen is a pretty terrible character, I can't help but think that part of the reason she is the she is is because of The Creep. I don't think she would be as mean and evil spirited as she is if it wasn't for him. Mary's mother is also bad, and while I in no way condone the things she does to Mary, I still feel sorry for her. Because of how stressful her life is, it makes me wonder what she would be like if she didn't have to go through the things she went through.
The author wrote a brilliant story that has left me contemplating a lot of things. I finished this book a few days ago, yet I am still spending a lot of time thinking about it. I know that it will stay with me for days to come. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting, heartbreaking, and original read.
Shut Up was such a heartbreaking story. I don't recall the last time I cried so much while reading a book. For such a short story, it really does pack a punch.
I felt so bad for Mary. In the course of the book, she goes through a lot. In the end, I think she grew immensely. I didn't particularly like any of the other characters, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel for them. Even though Gwen is a pretty terrible character, I can't help but think that part of the reason she is the she is is because of The Creep. I don't think she would be as mean and evil spirited as she is if it wasn't for him. Mary's mother is also bad, and while I in no way condone the things she does to Mary, I still feel sorry for her. Because of how stressful her life is, it makes me wonder what she would be like if she didn't have to go through the things she went through.
The author wrote a brilliant story that has left me contemplating a lot of things. I finished this book a few days ago, yet I am still spending a lot of time thinking about it. I know that it will stay with me for days to come. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting, heartbreaking, and original read.
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