Why Me? The Story of Jenny

by Patricia Dizenzo

A fifteen-year-old girl poignantly tells about the shattering experience of being raped and the aftermath of seeing a doctor and confronting her parents

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

139 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Griselda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since we turn 6 our parents have always warn us about not talking or accepting anything from stranger right? However we ignore and talk to them. We think that nothing can go wrong right is just a conversation or a car ride but nothing could go wrong.What we don't know is that a car ride or a conversation is putting their lives at risk. specially as girls. When a guy act sweet around them they follow them even though they don't know one thing about them.
In the book Why Me The Story of Jenny by Patricia Dizenzo describes a the painful life that Jenny has been living after she was raped. Jenny a fifteen year old girl who her parents and older brother had always warn her of accepting rides from strangers. After the experience she had from accepting a ride to her house from a college guy her life changed completely. It all happen one cold afternoon when she was at a booth. she had been waiting for her friend to do some homework. The guy approach her and started a conversation. It went on for a little while. When she was ready to leave because her friend never got there the guy offer her a ride since it was cold outside.
Jenny had said no but the guy convinced her and she left with him. It was that Saturday afternoon that her life changed for ever. The guy took her the wrong way and abused her sexually. After that Jenny wasn't the same person. She tried to tell someone but things would just be hard for her. When she finally went to the doctor and got tested to see if she had any infections, she told the doctor everything that had happen. Sadly doctor Iverson didn't consider what she had said as a rape. After that appointment she realize that no matter who she told they wouldn't believe her.
Jenny finally grew the strength to tell her mother everything that had happen. Her mother was very upset because Jenny had let them down by accepting a ride when they had warn her so many times. Jenny got helped afterwards and her life was better. After reading this book it made me realize that everything that parents tell us is because they don't want us to get hurt.

[Nattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a frustrating read. I wanted to get in the story and do violent things to some of the characters. How could they act that way? The one doctor was so disgusting I wanted to claw his eyes out. He didn't even care, once he heard that she had willingly got in the car it was all over. First off, he seemed to think she wasn't raped because of that, and then, even if he did somewhat seem to believe it, well it was her fault so it didn't matter.

The parents; what a pathetic duo. Even Rita let me down, she seemed to at least have some sense, and then she goes and says "It was just a screw, so maybe you're too big of a deal about it."

Sick. I felt so sorry for Jenny.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching and honest story of rape and its aftermath. The toughest part to take is how so many of Jenny's friends and family fault her; this does make it feel a bit dated since we've (mostly) moved on from blaming the victim. But it's still an excellent book for its honest portrayal of Jenny's feeling of fear, guilt, shame etc. and the struggle she goes through to cope with what's happened to her.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

does this end as abruptly in the original, or did they cut it off in the German version for some reason? so weird.

[nana · Rating 3 out of 5]

se lo presté a mi abuelo y nunca me lo regresó

[Deleetra Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. It explains a lot and the author really REALLY captured my attention. The character,Jenny, is confused and doesn't know what to do about the situation she's stuck in. Jenny was raped by a college guy that she had no clue about. She was waiting for a friend when the guy came along. He was nice at first, but then everything turned around.

[Autumn · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was awful that ALL the blame was put on Jenny by EVERYONE. Yes she made a mistake by accepting a ride with someone she didn't know but there isn't a person alive who hasn't made a mistake. Jenny didn't commit a crime, a crime was committed againist her, she's the victim.

[Anjiemacalinaoyahoo.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHARACTERS

[Aleyna · Rating 1 out of 5]

🤮

[Christian Singer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose it's hard to actually like a book about someone who's been raped. As I read, in the back of my mind I wondered if this was a true account about a girl named Jenny. Though it's fiction, it sounds so real. There could have been better proofreading, but what really drove me nuts was the mentality from that time period about rape. When Jenny finally gathered the nerve to go to the doctor, he was a creep and blamed her. Her parents' attitudes sucked, too. During the 70s would anyone have considered her father's reaction abusive? Another thing that bothered me was the abrupt ending. Did the police ever catch the rapist? Was he the same guy who raped and killed that girl who was mentioned in the newspaper? What happened with the police investigation concerning Jenny's rape? How did her life turn out?

Anyone who's ever been abused might identify with how Jenny thought and felt. Those who were never abused or rape might learn how a victim feels and thinks and might be more understanding toward victims.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started good but it was off and on for me. I wanted Jenny to report the crime of her ordeal. I was amazed that her parents treated her the way they did. Everyone was cold to her when she need a shoulder to cry on and someone who was caring and understanding.