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Stained
An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer.
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she's been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that-or succumb to a killer.
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she's been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that-or succumb to a killer.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
50 people are currently reading
2887 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Rainfield
12 books652 followersCheryl Rainfield is a queer, nonbinary lesbian award-winning author of SCARS, a Governor General Literary Award finalist, YALSA's Top 10 Quick Pick For Reluctant Readers, Rainbow Project List, Staff Pick for Teaching Tolerance, and which has frequently been banned by the far-right; and award-winning HUNTED and STAINED. They are also a cult torture survivor who writes strong girls and nonbinary teens
who save themselves; queer characters; and characters who overcome trauma.
And yes, it is their own arm on the cover of SCARS.
If you loved SCARS, you may want to get their free 38-page SCARS short story that picks up where SCARS left off by signing up for their author newsletter at www.CherylRainfield.com
who save themselves; queer characters; and characters who overcome trauma.
And yes, it is their own arm on the cover of SCARS.
If you loved SCARS, you may want to get their free 38-page SCARS short story that picks up where SCARS left off by signing up for their author newsletter at www.CherylRainfield.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
July 29, 2013
This is a very dark and harrowing story of one girl's strength and will to survive.
Sarah is a brave, sweet girl who is forced to face a cruel and unwelcoming world, day in and day out. She wants nothing more than to be normal; to be one of the Beautiful People, but the devastating turn her life takes will show her that behind the beauty can lie a monster.
My heart was in my throat for most of this story. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be, not knowing if you will live to see another day; if your captor will tire of you, and if he does how will your life end. Sarah's battle was only made that much worse by the fact that she was blind to the world throughout her ordeal. The horror she lived through at the hands of her abductor was heart-wrenching and it took all her willpower, as well as mine, to keep it together.
Where Sarah may have seemed desperate and on the brink on crumbling, she was actually being smart, knowing how and when to please her captor, knowing that if she angered him in anyway he'd punish her; but the truth is that everything he did to her was punishment, even if his sick, twisted mind thought otherwise. Sarah showed true courage and fierce determination. When she could have easily fallen, broken by the torment she was put through, she rose above the darkness and fought for her life.
This book was one of hope, inspiration, and self-acceptance, as Sarah dug deeper than ever before, to find the beauty and courage in her soul. Her triumphs had me cheering, and I'm glad that even in the darkness she was able to find a little ray of light. One that taught her to love herself, and to hold close the people who truly mattered.
I recommend this story to everyone. It will make you think twice about whining about the small things in life, and you'll learn to appreciate everything you have. It is also a reminder that when you feel lost, broken or hopeless, don't give up, dig deep, because we all have a little Sarah in us, we just have to believe in ourselves, and believe that we're worth it.
Sarah is a brave, sweet girl who is forced to face a cruel and unwelcoming world, day in and day out. She wants nothing more than to be normal; to be one of the Beautiful People, but the devastating turn her life takes will show her that behind the beauty can lie a monster.
My heart was in my throat for most of this story. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be, not knowing if you will live to see another day; if your captor will tire of you, and if he does how will your life end. Sarah's battle was only made that much worse by the fact that she was blind to the world throughout her ordeal. The horror she lived through at the hands of her abductor was heart-wrenching and it took all her willpower, as well as mine, to keep it together.
Where Sarah may have seemed desperate and on the brink on crumbling, she was actually being smart, knowing how and when to please her captor, knowing that if she angered him in anyway he'd punish her; but the truth is that everything he did to her was punishment, even if his sick, twisted mind thought otherwise. Sarah showed true courage and fierce determination. When she could have easily fallen, broken by the torment she was put through, she rose above the darkness and fought for her life.
This book was one of hope, inspiration, and self-acceptance, as Sarah dug deeper than ever before, to find the beauty and courage in her soul. Her triumphs had me cheering, and I'm glad that even in the darkness she was able to find a little ray of light. One that taught her to love herself, and to hold close the people who truly mattered.
I recommend this story to everyone. It will make you think twice about whining about the small things in life, and you'll learn to appreciate everything you have. It is also a reminder that when you feel lost, broken or hopeless, don't give up, dig deep, because we all have a little Sarah in us, we just have to believe in ourselves, and believe that we're worth it.
November 2, 2013
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Bullying, abduction, rape, murder.
Unpopular opinion time!
There seems to be an unspoken rule that if something has a positive message, you can't disagree with how it's presented. Actually, that rule is spoken after someone dares to criticise the message's vehicle.
There's a lot of messages I like, but dislike how they're presented. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" song may be upbeat and positive, but Madonna's "Express Yourself" is way better. (They're two different songs, Tezzy; you can't compare them! Listen to the music, and tell me they don't sound similar. Don't lie.) It's not even the best song on the Born This Way album. ("Government Hooker" is, followed by "Scheiße".)
And if you dare say you don't like the TV show Glee, people call you anti-gay, anti-arts, and a hater. I stopped watching after the first season when it stopped pretending to have a plot (teen pregnancy). It instead became just karaoke, with storylines written around the songs, instead of writing the stories first and then finding appropriate music.
And now there's Stained. Sarah Meadows judges people as much as they judge her, but the difference is she doesn't vocalise her opinions. She thinks of her best friend as "plump", and doesn't want to hook up with Nick because she doesn't deem him good-looking enough. And if she thinks of her friends like this, she does worse of others.
"You know you can trust me." As soon as someone says that, you know they can't be trusted. We can tell from the book's message that Sarah will survive, and we know who does it from the quote, so there's no mystery or suspense. Thus the interest factor goes down.
Nick is so freaking rude towards the police, keeps accusing them of not doing their jobs, and not trying hard enough to find Sarah... UP YOURS, NICK! You have no idea what police go through, how many different cases they have, and how they are all top-priority cases. NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU! Have some respect.
"Doesn't seem right, bad things happening to good people, does it? If it had to happen to anyone, it shoulda been one of those mean bitches, like Madison." What the hell does that mean? Do some people, more than others, deserve to be abducted, raped, and maybe murdered? I've heard victims of crime say they wouldn't wish what happened to them upon their worst enemy. But this book totally does!
I AM NOT AMUSED.
So in this story, all good-looking people are evil and all not-so-good-looking people are good? It's a subversion of the classic fairy tale trope, but it's still "us versus them" mentality. Prejudicial, too.
The novel's heavy-handed message is to be your own hero, to save yourself. But it's repeated so many times that I fear the hidden meaning: That if you can't free yourself from literal imprisonment, that if you can't dissociate during rape, that if you can't prevent yourself from being murdered...YOU SIMPLY AREN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH?!
I'm so offended I can't even respond to that.
So yes, a supposedly positive message with a poor delivery. Subtlety is a writer's best tool: Allow readers to come to their own conclusion rather than shoving it down their throats. They'll appreciate it more, and it won't leave such a bad taste.
This is such a disappointment in comparison to the author's other work. Cheryl Rainfield's début, Scars, is brilliant, and I highly recommend it. It's not just "an issues novel" - it's also a mystery, and that "whodunnit" aspect makes Scars a prime choice for binge-reading.
But Stained... I agree with your message, but I disagree with how you present it. Morals are supposed to be something that the lead character, and readers, learn at the very end of the novel. NOT hammered at them all the way through it. Even if I like what you have to say (and I do), I DON'T LIKE WHEN PEOPLE PREACH AT ME. Themes are supposed to be subtle, a discussion starter so readers can decide for ourselves what we think a book means.
What a let-down, for such a fabulous premise. This should've been a tense psychological thriller. But it isn't.
P.S. I know the author didn't intend to offend. And if the novel was more subtle, I wouldn't have even thought about hidden meanings. But writing and story-crafting are very difficult to master.
Unpopular opinion time!
There seems to be an unspoken rule that if something has a positive message, you can't disagree with how it's presented. Actually, that rule is spoken after someone dares to criticise the message's vehicle.
There's a lot of messages I like, but dislike how they're presented. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" song may be upbeat and positive, but Madonna's "Express Yourself" is way better. (They're two different songs, Tezzy; you can't compare them! Listen to the music, and tell me they don't sound similar. Don't lie.) It's not even the best song on the Born This Way album. ("Government Hooker" is, followed by "Scheiße".)
And if you dare say you don't like the TV show Glee, people call you anti-gay, anti-arts, and a hater. I stopped watching after the first season when it stopped pretending to have a plot (teen pregnancy). It instead became just karaoke, with storylines written around the songs, instead of writing the stories first and then finding appropriate music.
And now there's Stained. Sarah Meadows judges people as much as they judge her, but the difference is she doesn't vocalise her opinions. She thinks of her best friend as "plump", and doesn't want to hook up with Nick because she doesn't deem him good-looking enough. And if she thinks of her friends like this, she does worse of others.
"You know you can trust me." As soon as someone says that, you know they can't be trusted. We can tell from the book's message that Sarah will survive, and we know who does it from the quote, so there's no mystery or suspense. Thus the interest factor goes down.
Nick is so freaking rude towards the police, keeps accusing them of not doing their jobs, and not trying hard enough to find Sarah... UP YOURS, NICK! You have no idea what police go through, how many different cases they have, and how they are all top-priority cases. NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU! Have some respect.
"Doesn't seem right, bad things happening to good people, does it? If it had to happen to anyone, it shoulda been one of those mean bitches, like Madison." What the hell does that mean? Do some people, more than others, deserve to be abducted, raped, and maybe murdered? I've heard victims of crime say they wouldn't wish what happened to them upon their worst enemy. But this book totally does!
I AM NOT AMUSED.
So in this story, all good-looking people are evil and all not-so-good-looking people are good? It's a subversion of the classic fairy tale trope, but it's still "us versus them" mentality. Prejudicial, too.
The novel's heavy-handed message is to be your own hero, to save yourself. But it's repeated so many times that I fear the hidden meaning: That if you can't free yourself from literal imprisonment, that if you can't dissociate during rape, that if you can't prevent yourself from being murdered...YOU SIMPLY AREN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH?!
I'm so offended I can't even respond to that.
So yes, a supposedly positive message with a poor delivery. Subtlety is a writer's best tool: Allow readers to come to their own conclusion rather than shoving it down their throats. They'll appreciate it more, and it won't leave such a bad taste.
This is such a disappointment in comparison to the author's other work. Cheryl Rainfield's début, Scars, is brilliant, and I highly recommend it. It's not just "an issues novel" - it's also a mystery, and that "whodunnit" aspect makes Scars a prime choice for binge-reading.
But Stained... I agree with your message, but I disagree with how you present it. Morals are supposed to be something that the lead character, and readers, learn at the very end of the novel. NOT hammered at them all the way through it. Even if I like what you have to say (and I do), I DON'T LIKE WHEN PEOPLE PREACH AT ME. Themes are supposed to be subtle, a discussion starter so readers can decide for ourselves what we think a book means.
What a let-down, for such a fabulous premise. This should've been a tense psychological thriller. But it isn't.
P.S. I know the author didn't intend to offend. And if the novel was more subtle, I wouldn't have even thought about hidden meanings. But writing and story-crafting are very difficult to master.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2013
The bullied are often chosen by their tormentors for something that marks them as different from the herd. Something screams prey to those who make themselves predators of their own species, and in Sarah’s case it is a facial port-wine stain. Everyone, save three others who see their own share of mistreatment—two of them fat, one boy and one girl, and the other a lesbian—treats Sarah horribly. The very day that she was scheduled to do treatments to lighten her stain and a financial disaster befalls her father’s business preventing what she hoped would be salvation, she is snatched from the clutches of bullies into a far worse fate: a friend of the family kidnaps her, blindfolds her, and rapes her. With only peanut butter, bananas, and water in limited amounts left with a pair of buckets and no way to really see where she is and how she might escape, Sarah spends day after day dreading the man’s return trips filled with verbal abuse and rape.
Meanwhile, her parents and the sweet fat kid Nick, who always wanted to get something more going with Sarah than just their mutual love of comics and interest in writing and drawing their own, will absolutely not give up looking for her, even when weeks turn into months. Ultimately, it is Sarah who becomes her own savior in a hard fought battle against an almost caricatured villain with a horrifying past in taking girls and keeping them as long as possible before “freeing” them from the pain of their mundane lives. Neither Sarah nor Nick ever really become more than constructions of ink and paper for me. She not only suffers at the hands of others because they define and revile her for her facial disfigurement, but she seems to limit herself to her stain for the most part, too. I suppose her ordeal helps to unseat her preconceptions, but the book was more about message and less about captivating storytelling. I do see many, many positive reviews; and on the basis of awareness of bullying and the power of the will to survive, my remarks could be more glowing. As it is, I think it best to recommend to reluctant readers who don’t demand too much from their fiction, those who are looking for treatment of an issue and some sensationalism.
Meanwhile, her parents and the sweet fat kid Nick, who always wanted to get something more going with Sarah than just their mutual love of comics and interest in writing and drawing their own, will absolutely not give up looking for her, even when weeks turn into months. Ultimately, it is Sarah who becomes her own savior in a hard fought battle against an almost caricatured villain with a horrifying past in taking girls and keeping them as long as possible before “freeing” them from the pain of their mundane lives. Neither Sarah nor Nick ever really become more than constructions of ink and paper for me. She not only suffers at the hands of others because they define and revile her for her facial disfigurement, but she seems to limit herself to her stain for the most part, too. I suppose her ordeal helps to unseat her preconceptions, but the book was more about message and less about captivating storytelling. I do see many, many positive reviews; and on the basis of awareness of bullying and the power of the will to survive, my remarks could be more glowing. As it is, I think it best to recommend to reluctant readers who don’t demand too much from their fiction, those who are looking for treatment of an issue and some sensationalism.
September 12, 2013
I read this in July as an advance reading copy and couldn't review...NOW I can! Woohoo.
Cheryl Rainfield is one of the bravest people I know. She has faced some of the most harrowing events anyone could...as a defenseless child. She creates characters who find themselves in similar kinds of peril, and she uses her own horrors to bring reality to her books.
Stained...that's how Sarah feels. The port-wine stain that covers part of her face deeply affects the way she is seen by others and how she sees herself. She can be fierce in defense of others, but so very vulnerable when it comes to self defense. She knows she's being judged by her peers, but she can't help but do her own share of judging...Nick, who has such a crush on her but is nerdy and overweight, Charlene, who's desperate to be accepted.
All Sarah's hopes for a 'normal' life shatter in the first pages. Her dream of flawless skin explodes as she learns her father's business has been destroyed and the family has nothing...nothing but each other. Like so many other teens, that's JUST NOT ENOUGH. Her resentment blocks out her parents' words and she becomes even more bitter.
Then, she's abducted, held prisoner, starved, raped, attacked, tortured mentally and emotionally. Through it all, she learns how very strong she really is.
Nick narrates his own chapters as he bonds with Sarah's parents, fiercely pursuing leads, harassing the police for results. We see Nick grow too, gaining confidence and a faith in his own gifts.
Sarah never gives up, even after it's apparent her abductor plans to kill her.
I LOVE the line from the front of the book. It reflects Cheryl and it reflects Sarah: "Sometimes you have to be your own hero."
Cheryl saved herself those years ago, so she could create Sarah...who saved herself. As hard as her books are to read sometimes, as hard as it is to admit the reality in these books IS reality for some children, Cheryl uses all her courage to put these difficult stories out there, so kids who need this message will find their own courage: sometimes you have to be your own hero. Isn't that a message we want all young people to internalize?
Cheryl Rainfield is one of the bravest people I know. She has faced some of the most harrowing events anyone could...as a defenseless child. She creates characters who find themselves in similar kinds of peril, and she uses her own horrors to bring reality to her books.
Stained...that's how Sarah feels. The port-wine stain that covers part of her face deeply affects the way she is seen by others and how she sees herself. She can be fierce in defense of others, but so very vulnerable when it comes to self defense. She knows she's being judged by her peers, but she can't help but do her own share of judging...Nick, who has such a crush on her but is nerdy and overweight, Charlene, who's desperate to be accepted.
All Sarah's hopes for a 'normal' life shatter in the first pages. Her dream of flawless skin explodes as she learns her father's business has been destroyed and the family has nothing...nothing but each other. Like so many other teens, that's JUST NOT ENOUGH. Her resentment blocks out her parents' words and she becomes even more bitter.
Then, she's abducted, held prisoner, starved, raped, attacked, tortured mentally and emotionally. Through it all, she learns how very strong she really is.
Nick narrates his own chapters as he bonds with Sarah's parents, fiercely pursuing leads, harassing the police for results. We see Nick grow too, gaining confidence and a faith in his own gifts.
Sarah never gives up, even after it's apparent her abductor plans to kill her.
I LOVE the line from the front of the book. It reflects Cheryl and it reflects Sarah: "Sometimes you have to be your own hero."
Cheryl saved herself those years ago, so she could create Sarah...who saved herself. As hard as her books are to read sometimes, as hard as it is to admit the reality in these books IS reality for some children, Cheryl uses all her courage to put these difficult stories out there, so kids who need this message will find their own courage: sometimes you have to be your own hero. Isn't that a message we want all young people to internalize?
June 28, 2014
There were just so many holes in the plot that kept wanting to throw the book across the room. First of all, when Sarah's dad discovered that someone has embezzled money from the company, wouldn't he have investigated the employees, perhaps at least investigating Brian? Then when Sarah is kidnapped, her friend Constance is standing right there when Brian takes her. Wasn't she interviewed by the police? Then when she finally gets free after four months, the two women she runs to don't seem to think getting her to the police or hospital is much of an emergency. They make a meal and wait three hours for Sarah's parents and the police to show up. And then. . . . the hospital releases her to go home? She's been held captive and starved for 122 days. Surely, she would need more medical attention and extensive interviewing by the police. Instead, her parents put her in the car and drive her home where she apparently has the strength the presence of mind for a little romance with Nick.
It was all just too over the top without enough dramatic tension during the time she was held captive to advance the plot much. There is no real investigation or clue-finding as one might expect in a suspense thriller. The plot just rotated between Sarah's "oh, I'm hungry and I'll never get away" and Nick's "Oh, I wish I'd told her I loved her. I hope she is found."
It was all just too over the top without enough dramatic tension during the time she was held captive to advance the plot much. There is no real investigation or clue-finding as one might expect in a suspense thriller. The plot just rotated between Sarah's "oh, I'm hungry and I'll never get away" and Nick's "Oh, I wish I'd told her I loved her. I hope she is found."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2014
Cheryl Rainfield is an amazing human being. I love her to pieces. I have read SCARS, HUNTED, PARALLEL VISIONS, and now STAINED. All four books are incredibly well written, true-to-life and realistic teen fiction. But there's an air of realism that cuts through the pages, reaches out from the book as you hold it, and grips you like no other YA books I've read. Hands down, I am in awe of Cheryl's remarkable writing, and accessibility. And with STAINED, Cheryl has raised the bar once again.
I met Cheryl online and consider her a friend. But I can separate my friendship from my abilities to read and review a novel. I have felt so welcomed by Cheryl over the years, no matter when or how I check in with her. She always replies in a friendly and compassionate manner, and emotes smiles and hugs and feelings through social media with a tenacity most writers would not be able to keep up with. Not only is this accessibility true to connecting with Cheryl online, but it is equally true in the pages of her novels. STAINED grabbed me on page one and didn't let me go until the very last page. I was frustrated I couldn't carve out enough real life time to read cover to cover all at one sitting, as I had hoped to do. I struggled to put it down at times until I could pick it up again and read at a harrowing, high-stakes pace through chapter after chapter, and page after page.
Sarah and Nick are written in first person POV, in semi-alternating chapters. I say this as a caveat. Some books written in alternating chapters religiously alternate with odd and even chapter numbers. Cheryl alternates as the story unfolds, or as needed, to give the reader the most "there" persona to put you in the center of every moment as it happens. I found this to be very realistic in reading the book and it kept me wanting to know what happens next. Since this is a thriller of a novel, there's also a day or time stamp at the top to aid the reader in knowing how much time has elapsed since the last chapter. Rainfield uses this masterfully, keeping the reader on the edge of a knife blade.
While Nick and Sarah both become central to the story, I feel Sarah is truly the MC. Sarah's port wine stain on her cheek becomes the subject of her obsession with her own outward appearance, and also emboldens others to bully her. Sarah spends her time flipping through beauty magazines, and searching for her own beauty hidden behind her hair and her large facial blemish. But not everyone sees her this way. In fact, Nick sees beyond the surface and notices how Sarah protects others who are bullied, creates her comic book character, Diamond, who later becomes a persona she inhabits in real life, and the way she must decide to rescue herself from her captor.
Cheryl takes on the issues of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), kidnapping, bullying, rape, torture, brainwashing, and predators and how they groom their victims, in this novel. It's not easy to stomach many of the scenes, since they are written as unflinchingly as Sarah, who bravely resists everything her captor throws at her. It did not surprise me to learn that the captor was someone known, as is often the case in abuse and rape. With STAINED, Cheryl has become her strongest yet, in fleshing out characters who fight hard to overcome their attackers, and even humanizing her villain.
More books like this need to be written. This issues of CSA and rape are among the most avoided in our country. Most who have dealt with it, or know someone who has, prefer to sweep such topics and discussions under the carpet of conversation. This is wrong, and empowers predators to thrive in the dark shadows they inhabit, taking advantage of the downtrodden, the bullied, the social outcasts. One in six boys and one in four girls is sexually assaulted before they turn 18. These statistics are not only horrifying, but they're getting worse. Current data proves these numbers are moving in the wrong direction (one in five for boys, one in three for girls), and leaves 40 million survivors in the U.S. alone.
I applaud Cheryl Rainfield for standing up for these victims, these survivors, and their loved ones who need books like this one to identify themselves and to empower victims to become survivors and overcomers like Sarah. Not all families have the skills necessary to equip potential victims and help them avoid becoming abused. I believe STAINED could be effectively used as a therapeutic tool to help assault victims face and deal with their trauma history.
Apart from the issues addressed in STAINED, it is an amazing, fast-paced read. Gripping all the way to the last page. Wow! Highly recommended!!
I met Cheryl online and consider her a friend. But I can separate my friendship from my abilities to read and review a novel. I have felt so welcomed by Cheryl over the years, no matter when or how I check in with her. She always replies in a friendly and compassionate manner, and emotes smiles and hugs and feelings through social media with a tenacity most writers would not be able to keep up with. Not only is this accessibility true to connecting with Cheryl online, but it is equally true in the pages of her novels. STAINED grabbed me on page one and didn't let me go until the very last page. I was frustrated I couldn't carve out enough real life time to read cover to cover all at one sitting, as I had hoped to do. I struggled to put it down at times until I could pick it up again and read at a harrowing, high-stakes pace through chapter after chapter, and page after page.
Sarah and Nick are written in first person POV, in semi-alternating chapters. I say this as a caveat. Some books written in alternating chapters religiously alternate with odd and even chapter numbers. Cheryl alternates as the story unfolds, or as needed, to give the reader the most "there" persona to put you in the center of every moment as it happens. I found this to be very realistic in reading the book and it kept me wanting to know what happens next. Since this is a thriller of a novel, there's also a day or time stamp at the top to aid the reader in knowing how much time has elapsed since the last chapter. Rainfield uses this masterfully, keeping the reader on the edge of a knife blade.
While Nick and Sarah both become central to the story, I feel Sarah is truly the MC. Sarah's port wine stain on her cheek becomes the subject of her obsession with her own outward appearance, and also emboldens others to bully her. Sarah spends her time flipping through beauty magazines, and searching for her own beauty hidden behind her hair and her large facial blemish. But not everyone sees her this way. In fact, Nick sees beyond the surface and notices how Sarah protects others who are bullied, creates her comic book character, Diamond, who later becomes a persona she inhabits in real life, and the way she must decide to rescue herself from her captor.
Cheryl takes on the issues of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), kidnapping, bullying, rape, torture, brainwashing, and predators and how they groom their victims, in this novel. It's not easy to stomach many of the scenes, since they are written as unflinchingly as Sarah, who bravely resists everything her captor throws at her. It did not surprise me to learn that the captor was someone known, as is often the case in abuse and rape. With STAINED, Cheryl has become her strongest yet, in fleshing out characters who fight hard to overcome their attackers, and even humanizing her villain.
More books like this need to be written. This issues of CSA and rape are among the most avoided in our country. Most who have dealt with it, or know someone who has, prefer to sweep such topics and discussions under the carpet of conversation. This is wrong, and empowers predators to thrive in the dark shadows they inhabit, taking advantage of the downtrodden, the bullied, the social outcasts. One in six boys and one in four girls is sexually assaulted before they turn 18. These statistics are not only horrifying, but they're getting worse. Current data proves these numbers are moving in the wrong direction (one in five for boys, one in three for girls), and leaves 40 million survivors in the U.S. alone.
I applaud Cheryl Rainfield for standing up for these victims, these survivors, and their loved ones who need books like this one to identify themselves and to empower victims to become survivors and overcomers like Sarah. Not all families have the skills necessary to equip potential victims and help them avoid becoming abused. I believe STAINED could be effectively used as a therapeutic tool to help assault victims face and deal with their trauma history.
Apart from the issues addressed in STAINED, it is an amazing, fast-paced read. Gripping all the way to the last page. Wow! Highly recommended!!
September 18, 2013
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July 5th I tweeted, “Best welcome home greeting. ARC copy of Stained by @CherylRainfield I’m jumping up & down with joy. Putting all others away #summerreading”, and I read with barely a pause. As I finished the book I did so holding my breath. There was no way I was going to be able to write a review.
The protagonist, Sarah Meadows, felt too personal. She felt too real, and honestly that scared me a little. So I sat on my copy of Stained and waited for the rawness of Sarah’s experience to evaporate. I wanted to write an objective review. Unfortunately the struggles, fears, and eventual victory I felt along with Sarah as she grew from an obsessively self-conscious teen to a confident young lady would not abate.
In Stained author Cheryl Rainfield uses a port-wine stain covering half of the face of a teenager to represent the feelings of inadequacy many of us experience. Not every person with what society considers a blemish hates that which was given at birth, but many people suffer from the perception of blemishes that only matter within their own mind’s eye. Rainfield captures the feelings of the latter type perfectly.
Plus in true Rainfield style she validates the abused and gives them a flawed survivor in Sarah Meadows. She shows us that even if you’re scared, or imperfect, or ready to give up you can still be your own hero. That validation of being a survivor and honoring all your flaws proved to be the scary aspect of the story to review.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for every book Rainfield writes because she knows the heart of a survivor. Her stories provide the bibliotherapeutic opportunities that many authors cannot produce and many readers desperately need. However, this honest voice of courage through adversity can be frightening because it forces survivors and those fortunate enough not to have faced a similar situation to examine themselves. Am I strong enough to overcome abuse, bullying, self-hate, trust issues, etc? In Sarah Meadows we learn yes we can be that strong. We can be our own hero.
July 5th I tweeted, “Best welcome home greeting. ARC copy of Stained by @CherylRainfield I’m jumping up & down with joy. Putting all others away #summerreading”, and I read with barely a pause. As I finished the book I did so holding my breath. There was no way I was going to be able to write a review.
The protagonist, Sarah Meadows, felt too personal. She felt too real, and honestly that scared me a little. So I sat on my copy of Stained and waited for the rawness of Sarah’s experience to evaporate. I wanted to write an objective review. Unfortunately the struggles, fears, and eventual victory I felt along with Sarah as she grew from an obsessively self-conscious teen to a confident young lady would not abate.
In Stained author Cheryl Rainfield uses a port-wine stain covering half of the face of a teenager to represent the feelings of inadequacy many of us experience. Not every person with what society considers a blemish hates that which was given at birth, but many people suffer from the perception of blemishes that only matter within their own mind’s eye. Rainfield captures the feelings of the latter type perfectly.
Plus in true Rainfield style she validates the abused and gives them a flawed survivor in Sarah Meadows. She shows us that even if you’re scared, or imperfect, or ready to give up you can still be your own hero. That validation of being a survivor and honoring all your flaws proved to be the scary aspect of the story to review.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for every book Rainfield writes because she knows the heart of a survivor. Her stories provide the bibliotherapeutic opportunities that many authors cannot produce and many readers desperately need. However, this honest voice of courage through adversity can be frightening because it forces survivors and those fortunate enough not to have faced a similar situation to examine themselves. Am I strong enough to overcome abuse, bullying, self-hate, trust issues, etc? In Sarah Meadows we learn yes we can be that strong. We can be our own hero.
October 2, 2013
I feel bad about review this book because of my mixed feelings towards it. The message it's trying to get across gets there, loud and clear. Yet, there are so many things that I just couldn't overlook since this is a novel telling a story that might be fictional, happens to people all over the world. Before getting to the things that disappointed me, I want to say that Cheryl Rainfield did make me uncomfortable and she did make me remember that my life could be worse no matter the situation that I'm in. I think that Stained will remind readers of how lucky they are and how to always, always, always trust their gut, no matter what.
Stained is a tough book to get into and didn't take much to lose my attention since it is so very stiff and bland. Especially the characters, although I admired Sarah's courage and determination, I still couldn't connect with her and feel the emotions that Rainfield was trying to get me to. Nick, like Sarah, feels extremely contrived and odd because all I got from him is that he loves Sarah, like, a lot and he's willing to do anything for her. That's about it. He's only there as an accessory to Sarah rather than an actual friend who helps her get through a harsh time.
But, I did find the writing style to be okay for the most part. It flows nicely even if it doesn't give off an intense feeling. Like I mentioned before, Sarah's determination and courage changed her and for the better. I love the main message this novel gives off (Inner beauty is much more important than outer) as well as the smaller, albeit just as important, messages of how cruel some people can be about certain things.
Overall, this is a novel that I think should be read for the message rather than the story. Without enjoying it much, I was left disappointed and a bit confused at how quickly it moved at the end. The ending isn't as realistic as I wished it to be nor did it have me at the edge of my seat and thrusting my fist in the air. However, I still recommend this book to everyone because it's a great reminder as to how easy it is for a person to disappear by someone they know and may even trust.
Stained is a tough book to get into and didn't take much to lose my attention since it is so very stiff and bland. Especially the characters, although I admired Sarah's courage and determination, I still couldn't connect with her and feel the emotions that Rainfield was trying to get me to. Nick, like Sarah, feels extremely contrived and odd because all I got from him is that he loves Sarah, like, a lot and he's willing to do anything for her. That's about it. He's only there as an accessory to Sarah rather than an actual friend who helps her get through a harsh time.
But, I did find the writing style to be okay for the most part. It flows nicely even if it doesn't give off an intense feeling. Like I mentioned before, Sarah's determination and courage changed her and for the better. I love the main message this novel gives off (Inner beauty is much more important than outer) as well as the smaller, albeit just as important, messages of how cruel some people can be about certain things.
Overall, this is a novel that I think should be read for the message rather than the story. Without enjoying it much, I was left disappointed and a bit confused at how quickly it moved at the end. The ending isn't as realistic as I wished it to be nor did it have me at the edge of my seat and thrusting my fist in the air. However, I still recommend this book to everyone because it's a great reminder as to how easy it is for a person to disappear by someone they know and may even trust.
December 4, 2013
An emotional YA novel dealing with the abduction of a 13 year old girl, Sarah, who gets bullied at school because of a port wine stain on her face and how her ordeal makes her accept herself for who she is. The author deals well with the pain the girl feels because of her birth defect and the strength she finds within herself despite her confinement. I also fell in love with Nick, the "nerd" who secretly loves Sarah, and his tenacity for not wanting to give up on her. Recommended.
December 10, 2019
TRIGGER WARNING: Rape, bullying, kidnapping
As my interest in reading met it’s peak, someone recommended me this book, stating how amazing it was, and I thought “why wouldn’t I read it?”
First and foremost, this book is a terrible example of empowerment and female strength in today’s society. Being a female teenager, this story should have inspired me to not be so hard on myself, or criticize the little things in myself and others. However, it was written so rushed and poorly that I finished the book thinking “wow, there were so many grammatical errors”. I can usually remember all the fine details of books I’ve read, but I found a lot of information didn’t stick with me with Stained. My brain kind of said, “this is useless information! Goodbye!!”
My first issue was the vocabulary. It was so vague and basic, and there was way too much repetition of similes. The author might as well copy and pasted previous statements, as certain phrases were verbatim. I think similes and metaphors should make you think. They should amaze you. Non of them did in this book. In fact, I had to go over them again to even check if they were similes or just word vomit.
My other (and biggest) issue was how incredibly unrealistic the plot is. A girl with a skin condition is bullied, and therefore very self conscious of it. She has a friend who is over weight, whom she judges secretly for it. Sarah-the main character- has pictures upon pictures hung around her room of women’s faces to showcase how important it is that she is perfect. Sarah is supposed to get this birth deformity removed/covered/etc, but she is kidnapped. And by whom you may ask? Her father’s coworker! And this man is never caught until the very last minute. No one had suspected him, or seen him kidnap this child.
He then locks her in a shed with a very tight metal blindfold, only feeds her crackers and bananas, and makes her use a bucket for the toilet. He leaves the shed and comes back every once in a while just to rape her. In this little shed in the middle of no where, this girl never manages to find a single way of escape until she is literally about to be murdered. Then, she runs off to a cabin in the woods, whom a stereotypical lesbian couple lives. Now, I am all for LGBTQ+ representation, and I think it is normal, but I’m here it really emphasized how they were lesbians, and one was very butch. It seemed way too forced.
The man then finds this cabin, and the butch lesbian has a gun and is trying to scare him away, or shoot him if he manages to get into the house. The police finally arrive and take Sarah to the hospital, where she is discharged a couple days after. The man then breaks into her house, and ties up her parents and a police officer, just to kill Sarah. Sarah is up in her room with a boy that is suddenly a love interest now that she’s been found. This boy, Nick, then tries to risk his life for a girl he “loves” yet literally never talks to. Not in a serious way, at least. I don’t remember exactly how they get away from the man, but it’s something unrealistic.
In conclusion, this book has loads of grammatical mistakes, very bland diction, terrible use of information and realistic plot lines, and completely represents equality wrong.
I would go as far as to say it seems as if a 14 year old “depressed” Billie Eilish fan wrote this on Wattpad.
As my interest in reading met it’s peak, someone recommended me this book, stating how amazing it was, and I thought “why wouldn’t I read it?”
First and foremost, this book is a terrible example of empowerment and female strength in today’s society. Being a female teenager, this story should have inspired me to not be so hard on myself, or criticize the little things in myself and others. However, it was written so rushed and poorly that I finished the book thinking “wow, there were so many grammatical errors”. I can usually remember all the fine details of books I’ve read, but I found a lot of information didn’t stick with me with Stained. My brain kind of said, “this is useless information! Goodbye!!”
My first issue was the vocabulary. It was so vague and basic, and there was way too much repetition of similes. The author might as well copy and pasted previous statements, as certain phrases were verbatim. I think similes and metaphors should make you think. They should amaze you. Non of them did in this book. In fact, I had to go over them again to even check if they were similes or just word vomit.
My other (and biggest) issue was how incredibly unrealistic the plot is. A girl with a skin condition is bullied, and therefore very self conscious of it. She has a friend who is over weight, whom she judges secretly for it. Sarah-the main character- has pictures upon pictures hung around her room of women’s faces to showcase how important it is that she is perfect. Sarah is supposed to get this birth deformity removed/covered/etc, but she is kidnapped. And by whom you may ask? Her father’s coworker! And this man is never caught until the very last minute. No one had suspected him, or seen him kidnap this child.
He then locks her in a shed with a very tight metal blindfold, only feeds her crackers and bananas, and makes her use a bucket for the toilet. He leaves the shed and comes back every once in a while just to rape her. In this little shed in the middle of no where, this girl never manages to find a single way of escape until she is literally about to be murdered. Then, she runs off to a cabin in the woods, whom a stereotypical lesbian couple lives. Now, I am all for LGBTQ+ representation, and I think it is normal, but I’m here it really emphasized how they were lesbians, and one was very butch. It seemed way too forced.
The man then finds this cabin, and the butch lesbian has a gun and is trying to scare him away, or shoot him if he manages to get into the house. The police finally arrive and take Sarah to the hospital, where she is discharged a couple days after. The man then breaks into her house, and ties up her parents and a police officer, just to kill Sarah. Sarah is up in her room with a boy that is suddenly a love interest now that she’s been found. This boy, Nick, then tries to risk his life for a girl he “loves” yet literally never talks to. Not in a serious way, at least. I don’t remember exactly how they get away from the man, but it’s something unrealistic.
In conclusion, this book has loads of grammatical mistakes, very bland diction, terrible use of information and realistic plot lines, and completely represents equality wrong.
I would go as far as to say it seems as if a 14 year old “depressed” Billie Eilish fan wrote this on Wattpad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2014
Book Info: Genre:
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Those who need to learn to be their own hero
Book Available: October 1, 2013 in Hardcover, Kindle, and Audiobook formats
Trigger Warnings: bullying, kidnapping, sexual assault, rape, attempted murder, reported murder
My Thoughts: “Sometimes you have to be your own hero.” That is the lesson Cheryl Rainfield has said she tries to show in all her books. I'll admit to being a Cheryl Rainfield fan—I have liked all of her books I've read to date, and was very excited to find this one among my Vine offerings this month. I was also incredibly happy to note that my ARC has the original cover, the one deemed “too harsh” by some retailers, leading to a new cover being designed. That's fine, but I liked this original one, which really brings home the situation in which Sarah finds herself.
This is an incredibly difficult book to read, on multiple levels. First of all, the content is difficult, especially for anyone who has experienced any of the traumatic events reported in the book. Also, most of this book is thinking about things, talking about things, discussing things, and the internal dialogues of Sarah and Nick. There is not a lot of action, because the book is about the drastic changes that Sarah goes through as a result of her experiences. So people who prefer a more plot-driven book may have difficulties going through this. I, however, read the book straight through. There does tend to be some repetition, but that's to be expected in this sort of book.
Most of Cheryl Rainfield's books have at least one or two characters who are part of the QUILTBAG, which is also true in this book. None of them are main characters, but they are there, living their lives, and loving whom they please. I love this about her books. This one is also about learning to live for yourself, accept yourself for who you are, and not to spend so much time worrying about the opinions of people that have no control over your life, and I think that is a lesson well learned by younger readers.
Sensitive readers should take note of my trigger warnings, and be braced. While not necessarily as explicit as other books I've read, the events are nonetheless raw and difficult to read. However, it's a very moving book, and one I think a lot of people should take the time to read and think about. And definitely check out Cheryl Rainfield's other books as well, as she has some really great stories to tell. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a paperback ARC from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: In this heart-wrenching and suspenseful teen thriller, sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port-wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that—or succumb to a killer.
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Those who need to learn to be their own hero
Book Available: October 1, 2013 in Hardcover, Kindle, and Audiobook formats
Trigger Warnings: bullying, kidnapping, sexual assault, rape, attempted murder, reported murder
My Thoughts: “Sometimes you have to be your own hero.” That is the lesson Cheryl Rainfield has said she tries to show in all her books. I'll admit to being a Cheryl Rainfield fan—I have liked all of her books I've read to date, and was very excited to find this one among my Vine offerings this month. I was also incredibly happy to note that my ARC has the original cover, the one deemed “too harsh” by some retailers, leading to a new cover being designed. That's fine, but I liked this original one, which really brings home the situation in which Sarah finds herself.
This is an incredibly difficult book to read, on multiple levels. First of all, the content is difficult, especially for anyone who has experienced any of the traumatic events reported in the book. Also, most of this book is thinking about things, talking about things, discussing things, and the internal dialogues of Sarah and Nick. There is not a lot of action, because the book is about the drastic changes that Sarah goes through as a result of her experiences. So people who prefer a more plot-driven book may have difficulties going through this. I, however, read the book straight through. There does tend to be some repetition, but that's to be expected in this sort of book.
Most of Cheryl Rainfield's books have at least one or two characters who are part of the QUILTBAG, which is also true in this book. None of them are main characters, but they are there, living their lives, and loving whom they please. I love this about her books. This one is also about learning to live for yourself, accept yourself for who you are, and not to spend so much time worrying about the opinions of people that have no control over your life, and I think that is a lesson well learned by younger readers.
Sensitive readers should take note of my trigger warnings, and be braced. While not necessarily as explicit as other books I've read, the events are nonetheless raw and difficult to read. However, it's a very moving book, and one I think a lot of people should take the time to read and think about. And definitely check out Cheryl Rainfield's other books as well, as she has some really great stories to tell. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a paperback ARC from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: In this heart-wrenching and suspenseful teen thriller, sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port-wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that—or succumb to a killer.
July 3, 2017
It had a very powerful start, putting us in Sarah's shoes, showing how it feels to have such a prominent stain on her face. She is tormented and she feels like no one gives her the chance to see who she is besides someone that is not physically perfect.
I liked the dual perspective and getting to know Nick. He is nerdy and he is kind so I automatically was cheering for him even though he knew that she didn't see him like that. He saw past her face, and found her beautiful anyways. He thinks she is strong and they have a connection through comic books, he draws and she writes them.
There is a lot going on with Sarah, her dad has trouble at work and while she was going to get treatments for her face, that had to be put off because of the finances. I did like her mom, and I know as a teen that had to be annoying to be constantly told your parents think you are beautiful and that it is more than physical beauty to the world. But I am glad that she is present and saying these things.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the formatting. I am not sure, it is probably a product of being an ARC (advanced reader copy) but there were "l"s missing, and some of the lines were cut off.
But anyways, Cheryl Rainfield the author writes with such passion and so beautifully dark and gritty. The details of what Sarah went through weren't skimmed over, they were examined and it focused on her feelings too. I was amazed at how strong she was, how courageous and the will to survive. I also thought this story was all the more powerful because Cheryl writes from personal experience in abuse. That really touched me that she can relate with her main characters that way, that the feelings and emotions come from a very real place. And that she is able to share the stories, no matter what details are fiction and what comes from what she has experienced is a real gift. Not only to survivors of abuse or captivity that there is hope and that outlets exist for pain, but to those who haven't been through something like this to get a harrowing and realistic look at the mindset and experience of someone kidnapped, raped, and manipulated.
I also rooted for Sarah so much because she was smart. Even though desperate, she used her brain and did what she needed to in order to survive for the most part. She learned from her mistakes and her pride, and she was a mental fighter.
I love how she became her own hero and learned to see the beauty inside and out.
Bottom Line: Powerful look of a courageous main character with a will to live.
I liked the dual perspective and getting to know Nick. He is nerdy and he is kind so I automatically was cheering for him even though he knew that she didn't see him like that. He saw past her face, and found her beautiful anyways. He thinks she is strong and they have a connection through comic books, he draws and she writes them.
There is a lot going on with Sarah, her dad has trouble at work and while she was going to get treatments for her face, that had to be put off because of the finances. I did like her mom, and I know as a teen that had to be annoying to be constantly told your parents think you are beautiful and that it is more than physical beauty to the world. But I am glad that she is present and saying these things.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the formatting. I am not sure, it is probably a product of being an ARC (advanced reader copy) but there were "l"s missing, and some of the lines were cut off.
But anyways, Cheryl Rainfield the author writes with such passion and so beautifully dark and gritty. The details of what Sarah went through weren't skimmed over, they were examined and it focused on her feelings too. I was amazed at how strong she was, how courageous and the will to survive. I also thought this story was all the more powerful because Cheryl writes from personal experience in abuse. That really touched me that she can relate with her main characters that way, that the feelings and emotions come from a very real place. And that she is able to share the stories, no matter what details are fiction and what comes from what she has experienced is a real gift. Not only to survivors of abuse or captivity that there is hope and that outlets exist for pain, but to those who haven't been through something like this to get a harrowing and realistic look at the mindset and experience of someone kidnapped, raped, and manipulated.
I also rooted for Sarah so much because she was smart. Even though desperate, she used her brain and did what she needed to in order to survive for the most part. She learned from her mistakes and her pride, and she was a mental fighter.
I love how she became her own hero and learned to see the beauty inside and out.
Bottom Line: Powerful look of a courageous main character with a will to live.
December 14, 2020
TRIGGER WARNING: stupro, rapimento, prigionia, manipolazione emotiva e psicologica, sindrome da stress post-traumatico, bullismo.
Mi rendo conto - in realtà me ne sono resa conto già da un po' - che non importa quanto il messaggio sia importante: se la resa poi non è all'altezza bisogna comunque essere sinceri con il voto finale. Era già stato così il caso con What Unbreakable Looks Like.
Sarah Meadows è una ragazza vittima da sempre di sguardi, prese in giro e bullismo per via di una voglia che le copre quasi interamente una guancia. Da anni ritaglia foto di volti di modelle e li appende in camera, desiderosa di svegliarsi e avere un viso come il loro. Ha un rapporto conflittuale con sua madre, la quale non fa che ripeterle quanto sia comunque bellissima e che alla fine l'importante è essere belli dentro, che se gli altri non lo capiscono è un problema loro - ma è Sarah quella che ogni giorno deve affrontare gli sguardi e le battute. E se gli altri la giudicano, lei non può fare a meno di giudicarli a loro volta - classificando la loro bellezza in base ad una scala che va da uno a dieci.
Sarah ha solo Charlene come amica e forse anche Nick, un ragazzo che condivide con lei la passione per i fumetti ma che tende comunque a mantenere a distanza perché, per l'appunto, non è abbastanza in alto nella scala della bellezza e non vuole che gli altri abbiano un ulteriore motivo per prenderla in giro se li vedono insieme.
La sua vita cambia il giorno in cui finalmente avrebbe dovuto sottoporsi ad un doloroso trattamento che l'avrebbe resa più "normale": la compagnia di suo padre ha perso molti soldi e rischiano la bancarotta, quindi il trattamento è fuori discussione forse per sempre; un nuovo ragazzo a scuola l'ha presa particolarmente di mira pur non conoscendola e Charlene, anche lei alla disperata ricerca di qualcuno che la ami nonostante il suo peso, per un momento si unisce ai bulli quando il ragazzo nuovo sembra darle attenzioni.
Quando però pensa di essere al sicuro dopo essere stata salvata dal branco sulla via di casa, Sarah viene rapita - e senza testimoni ad assistere, si rende conto che se vuole sopravvivere e tornare alla sua vita dovrà salvarsi da sola.
C'è una cosa che mi è sempre rimasta impressa sin dalla prima volta che l'ho letta: è vero che a volte c'è davvero il mostro sconosciuto che ti aspetta nel vicolo buio, ma altrettanto spesso è qualcuno che conosci a farti del male.
È ciò che succede in questo libro: per quanto l'istinto di Sarah sia allenato e sempre pronto a cogliere le minacce dei bulli, questo non ha potuto nulla quando è proprio una persona a lei vicina - e di cui pensava di fidarsi - a farle del male.
A rapirla e poi a stuprarla, a tenerla segregata per mesi e mettendola alla fame con la chiara intenzione poi di ucciderla alla fine.
Io personalmente ho avuto subito delle brutte sensazioni fin dalla prima volta che il personaggio è entrato in scena e quindi non mi sono neanche stupita quando le cose hanno preso una brutta piega.
La parte iniziale e quella finale sono quelle più coinvolgenti, ma quella centrale manca del tutto di tensione psicologica - aspetto su cui il romanzo dovrebbe fondarsi. Vediamo ripetute sempre le stesse scene, sentiamo ripetuti sempre gli stessi discorsi - e la morale della storia che il lettore dovrebbe trovare da sé alla fine del libro, ci viene sempre sbattuta in faccia ogni volta che Sarah si dice che deve salvarsi da sola ed essere la sua stessa eroina. E viene ripetuto così tante volte che sembra quasi che se non riesci letteralmente a liberarti da sola e a scappare, allora non sei forte abbastanza oppure non ci hai provato abbastanza.
Ho trovato sconcertante come Nick, sebbene abbia una cotta per lei, ogni giorno fosse a casa dei genitori di Sarah per stare insieme a loro - e capisco aiutare nelle ricerche, distribuire volantini, ma piazzarsi così in casa altrui e anche presentarsi ogni giorno alla centrale di polizia, chiedendo malamente ai detective cosa stanno facendo per trovare Sarah, l'ho trovato eccessivo.
In generale non ho sviluppato empatia con i personaggi - sì, un po' con Sarah, ma non nella parte in cui sarebbe davvero contato. Sono tutti un po' monodimensionali ed è vero che essendoci solo il punto di vista di Sarah e Nick si perdono un po' le voci degli altri personaggi, ma dopo l'inizio non si sa più niente di Charlene e manca anche un vero epilogo che mostri le reazioni di quelli che conoscono Sarah.
Sembra passare anche lo stereotipo (inverso rispetto a quello delle fiabe) secondo il quale le persone di bell'aspetto sono cattive e quelle invece di aspetto "normale" o "brutto" sono buone - addirittura, ad un certo punto, un personaggio si chiede perché questo non sia accaduto alla mean girl della situazione, come se certe cose alcune persone se le meritassero più di altre. Passa quindi un messaggio che ha insito un pregiudizio, che mette un gruppo di persone contro un altro per partito preso - in questo caso, la bellezza.
Il rapitore di Sarah fa delle cose orribili, è cattivo e crudele, ma nonostante ciò resta un personaggio di carta e basta - ha tutte le caratteristiche per appartenere ad un episodio di Criminal Minds, eppure la resa sembra quasi quella di un personaggio dei cartoni animati. Proprio perché la parte centrale è piatta e priva di tensione psicologica, non ci sono mai stati momenti in cui ho avuto seriamente paura - proprio perché le stesse scene e le stesse dinamiche tendevano a ripetersi, ogni volta che andava a trovare Sarah non c'era mai un brivido di terrore che mi facesse temere il peggio.
Questo libro ha un messaggio davvero positivo, ma mi dispiace che la resa non sia all'altezza - e mi dispiace ancora di più perché la stessa autrice ha scritto nelle note che è ispirato a cose vere che ha subito lei: rapimento, segregazione, abusi, fame. Così come altre cose che ha scritto nel libro che non ho ancora letto perché rappresenta un trigger.
Ci sono state parti che ho sottolineato perché mi sono ritrovata in Sarah all'inizio, quando deve affrontare i bulli: quando è sempre all'erta, quando è in tensione, quando capisce che sta per essere presa di mira - sia verbalmente che fisicamente.
Sono cose in cui mi sono ritrovata perché le ho affrontate anche io, ho avuto anche io persone che mi hanno attaccata per il mio aspetto anche senza conoscermi - che mi hanno chiesto con che coraggio uscissi di casa e mostrassi la mia faccia al mondo. Potevo capire, sentire il suo disagio - e non con la stessa gravità, ma io ho sempre avuto una guancia più rossa dell'altra che ha sempre stonato con la mia carnagione pallida e che ogni volta, prima di uscire, copro con fondotinta e strati su strati di correttore.
La storia è terribile - terribile nel senso che è vera e realistica, ispirata a cose orribili che purtroppo continuano ad accadere a ragazze che non sempre vengono salvate da altri o riescono a salvarsi da sole. Quindi è davvero un peccato che il modo di presentarla non sia stato all'altezza del messaggio che voleva trasmettere.
Per questo ho di gran lunga preferito Jane Anonymous, letto all'inizio di quest'anno.
Mi rendo conto - in realtà me ne sono resa conto già da un po' - che non importa quanto il messaggio sia importante: se la resa poi non è all'altezza bisogna comunque essere sinceri con il voto finale. Era già stato così il caso con What Unbreakable Looks Like.
Sarah Meadows è una ragazza vittima da sempre di sguardi, prese in giro e bullismo per via di una voglia che le copre quasi interamente una guancia. Da anni ritaglia foto di volti di modelle e li appende in camera, desiderosa di svegliarsi e avere un viso come il loro. Ha un rapporto conflittuale con sua madre, la quale non fa che ripeterle quanto sia comunque bellissima e che alla fine l'importante è essere belli dentro, che se gli altri non lo capiscono è un problema loro - ma è Sarah quella che ogni giorno deve affrontare gli sguardi e le battute. E se gli altri la giudicano, lei non può fare a meno di giudicarli a loro volta - classificando la loro bellezza in base ad una scala che va da uno a dieci.
Sarah ha solo Charlene come amica e forse anche Nick, un ragazzo che condivide con lei la passione per i fumetti ma che tende comunque a mantenere a distanza perché, per l'appunto, non è abbastanza in alto nella scala della bellezza e non vuole che gli altri abbiano un ulteriore motivo per prenderla in giro se li vedono insieme.
La sua vita cambia il giorno in cui finalmente avrebbe dovuto sottoporsi ad un doloroso trattamento che l'avrebbe resa più "normale": la compagnia di suo padre ha perso molti soldi e rischiano la bancarotta, quindi il trattamento è fuori discussione forse per sempre; un nuovo ragazzo a scuola l'ha presa particolarmente di mira pur non conoscendola e Charlene, anche lei alla disperata ricerca di qualcuno che la ami nonostante il suo peso, per un momento si unisce ai bulli quando il ragazzo nuovo sembra darle attenzioni.
Quando però pensa di essere al sicuro dopo essere stata salvata dal branco sulla via di casa, Sarah viene rapita - e senza testimoni ad assistere, si rende conto che se vuole sopravvivere e tornare alla sua vita dovrà salvarsi da sola.
C'è una cosa che mi è sempre rimasta impressa sin dalla prima volta che l'ho letta: è vero che a volte c'è davvero il mostro sconosciuto che ti aspetta nel vicolo buio, ma altrettanto spesso è qualcuno che conosci a farti del male.
È ciò che succede in questo libro: per quanto l'istinto di Sarah sia allenato e sempre pronto a cogliere le minacce dei bulli, questo non ha potuto nulla quando è proprio una persona a lei vicina - e di cui pensava di fidarsi - a farle del male.
A rapirla e poi a stuprarla, a tenerla segregata per mesi e mettendola alla fame con la chiara intenzione poi di ucciderla alla fine.
Io personalmente ho avuto subito delle brutte sensazioni fin dalla prima volta che il personaggio è entrato in scena e quindi non mi sono neanche stupita quando le cose hanno preso una brutta piega.
La parte iniziale e quella finale sono quelle più coinvolgenti, ma quella centrale manca del tutto di tensione psicologica - aspetto su cui il romanzo dovrebbe fondarsi. Vediamo ripetute sempre le stesse scene, sentiamo ripetuti sempre gli stessi discorsi - e la morale della storia che il lettore dovrebbe trovare da sé alla fine del libro, ci viene sempre sbattuta in faccia ogni volta che Sarah si dice che deve salvarsi da sola ed essere la sua stessa eroina. E viene ripetuto così tante volte che sembra quasi che se non riesci letteralmente a liberarti da sola e a scappare, allora non sei forte abbastanza oppure non ci hai provato abbastanza.
Ho trovato sconcertante come Nick, sebbene abbia una cotta per lei, ogni giorno fosse a casa dei genitori di Sarah per stare insieme a loro - e capisco aiutare nelle ricerche, distribuire volantini, ma piazzarsi così in casa altrui e anche presentarsi ogni giorno alla centrale di polizia, chiedendo malamente ai detective cosa stanno facendo per trovare Sarah, l'ho trovato eccessivo.
In generale non ho sviluppato empatia con i personaggi - sì, un po' con Sarah, ma non nella parte in cui sarebbe davvero contato. Sono tutti un po' monodimensionali ed è vero che essendoci solo il punto di vista di Sarah e Nick si perdono un po' le voci degli altri personaggi, ma dopo l'inizio non si sa più niente di Charlene e manca anche un vero epilogo che mostri le reazioni di quelli che conoscono Sarah.
Sembra passare anche lo stereotipo (inverso rispetto a quello delle fiabe) secondo il quale le persone di bell'aspetto sono cattive e quelle invece di aspetto "normale" o "brutto" sono buone - addirittura, ad un certo punto, un personaggio si chiede perché questo non sia accaduto alla mean girl della situazione, come se certe cose alcune persone se le meritassero più di altre. Passa quindi un messaggio che ha insito un pregiudizio, che mette un gruppo di persone contro un altro per partito preso - in questo caso, la bellezza.
Il rapitore di Sarah fa delle cose orribili, è cattivo e crudele, ma nonostante ciò resta un personaggio di carta e basta - ha tutte le caratteristiche per appartenere ad un episodio di Criminal Minds, eppure la resa sembra quasi quella di un personaggio dei cartoni animati. Proprio perché la parte centrale è piatta e priva di tensione psicologica, non ci sono mai stati momenti in cui ho avuto seriamente paura - proprio perché le stesse scene e le stesse dinamiche tendevano a ripetersi, ogni volta che andava a trovare Sarah non c'era mai un brivido di terrore che mi facesse temere il peggio.
Questo libro ha un messaggio davvero positivo, ma mi dispiace che la resa non sia all'altezza - e mi dispiace ancora di più perché la stessa autrice ha scritto nelle note che è ispirato a cose vere che ha subito lei: rapimento, segregazione, abusi, fame. Così come altre cose che ha scritto nel libro che non ho ancora letto perché rappresenta un trigger.
Ci sono state parti che ho sottolineato perché mi sono ritrovata in Sarah all'inizio, quando deve affrontare i bulli: quando è sempre all'erta, quando è in tensione, quando capisce che sta per essere presa di mira - sia verbalmente che fisicamente.
Sono cose in cui mi sono ritrovata perché le ho affrontate anche io, ho avuto anche io persone che mi hanno attaccata per il mio aspetto anche senza conoscermi - che mi hanno chiesto con che coraggio uscissi di casa e mostrassi la mia faccia al mondo. Potevo capire, sentire il suo disagio - e non con la stessa gravità, ma io ho sempre avuto una guancia più rossa dell'altra che ha sempre stonato con la mia carnagione pallida e che ogni volta, prima di uscire, copro con fondotinta e strati su strati di correttore.
La storia è terribile - terribile nel senso che è vera e realistica, ispirata a cose orribili che purtroppo continuano ad accadere a ragazze che non sempre vengono salvate da altri o riescono a salvarsi da sole. Quindi è davvero un peccato che il modo di presentarla non sia stato all'altezza del messaggio che voleva trasmettere.
Per questo ho di gran lunga preferito Jane Anonymous, letto all'inizio di quest'anno.
September 23, 2013
Cheryl Rainfield has done it again. As one of the powerhouse young adult authors who championed the #YASaves hashtag on Twitter, a cause that was taken up by authors and readers alike who felt that powerful teen literature had helped them survive high school and shaped them into the adults they are today, Rainfield often writes about the characters and topics that teen readers hunger for but that the adults in their lives want to pretend aren't real.
In this latest work from Rainfield, who has openly shared that her childhood of physical and sexual abuse is a strong motivation for what prompts her to write for young adults, teen Sarah Meadows has lived with taunting, staring, and bullying for a birth mark that covers half of her face. But when she is kidnapped one day on the way home from school, she has to look inside herself and find the courageous person who hides inside her, or risk further torture and death.
As with all of Rainfield's books, what drives the story isn't so much the very real circumstances that far too many teens today find themselves in, but the very real characters she creates on the page. All of us can identify with the main and supporting characters in her stories because she knows teenagers and their struggles like virtually no other writer today.
In an interesting aside, Rainfield's most recent title was basically sent back to the drawing board by book retailers who felt the original cover was too intense for their shelves. Stained has been redesigned, but still contains the same thrilling plot structures and real-life characters that have made Rainfield such a force in young adult literature.
Stained (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) will be available on October 1st from book retailers everywhere.
In this latest work from Rainfield, who has openly shared that her childhood of physical and sexual abuse is a strong motivation for what prompts her to write for young adults, teen Sarah Meadows has lived with taunting, staring, and bullying for a birth mark that covers half of her face. But when she is kidnapped one day on the way home from school, she has to look inside herself and find the courageous person who hides inside her, or risk further torture and death.
As with all of Rainfield's books, what drives the story isn't so much the very real circumstances that far too many teens today find themselves in, but the very real characters she creates on the page. All of us can identify with the main and supporting characters in her stories because she knows teenagers and their struggles like virtually no other writer today.
In an interesting aside, Rainfield's most recent title was basically sent back to the drawing board by book retailers who felt the original cover was too intense for their shelves. Stained has been redesigned, but still contains the same thrilling plot structures and real-life characters that have made Rainfield such a force in young adult literature.
Stained (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) will be available on October 1st from book retailers everywhere.
October 30, 2013
Perhaps I am stronger than I think. - Thomas Merton
"Stained" is an excellent book, telling the painful story of Sarah Meadows. Sarah is 17 years old and has grown up with a large port wine birthmark on her face. She's had to call on her inner strength to put up with the rude comments, stares, and bullies all her life. But now she's been kidnapped and really must call on that strength to make it through this horrendous experience alive and sane.
The story is told in the alternating first person voices of Sarah and of Nick, a friend who wants to be more than a friend and doesn't give up the search for the missing Sarah. These alternating voices work well so that the reader finds out Sarah's feelings during her imprisonment and abuse. With Nick telling his side, the reader finds out what is going on on the home front with Sarah's parents, friends and of course, Nick.
Fast paced with super character development, I found myself rushing through to find out the ending.
Slight spoiler warning:
My only negative is the age group this book is targeted to. The imprint is "Harcourt Children's Books" and the Advanced Reading Copy I have says the targeted audience is 14 years old and up. Just be WARNED: This book not only contains some rough language, more troubling is the sexual abuse including repeated rapes that are a major part of this book. Also, child abduction, emotional and physical abuse and a serial killer fill the pages of this story. This book has intense, emotional, heart wrenching scenes in it. Just make sure you or your child are prepared.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
"Stained" is an excellent book, telling the painful story of Sarah Meadows. Sarah is 17 years old and has grown up with a large port wine birthmark on her face. She's had to call on her inner strength to put up with the rude comments, stares, and bullies all her life. But now she's been kidnapped and really must call on that strength to make it through this horrendous experience alive and sane.
The story is told in the alternating first person voices of Sarah and of Nick, a friend who wants to be more than a friend and doesn't give up the search for the missing Sarah. These alternating voices work well so that the reader finds out Sarah's feelings during her imprisonment and abuse. With Nick telling his side, the reader finds out what is going on on the home front with Sarah's parents, friends and of course, Nick.
Fast paced with super character development, I found myself rushing through to find out the ending.
Slight spoiler warning:
My only negative is the age group this book is targeted to. The imprint is "Harcourt Children's Books" and the Advanced Reading Copy I have says the targeted audience is 14 years old and up. Just be WARNED: This book not only contains some rough language, more troubling is the sexual abuse including repeated rapes that are a major part of this book. Also, child abduction, emotional and physical abuse and a serial killer fill the pages of this story. This book has intense, emotional, heart wrenching scenes in it. Just make sure you or your child are prepared.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 24, 2013
I litteraly just finished this book. I had a hard time doing so. I never felt emotionally connected to the main character Sarah. Her abduction seemed unrealiatic, a lot of things about this book were unrealistic.
So, Sarah was born with a port-wine stainnon her face, she is extremely embarrassed by it. When the book begins she's excited about treatments to fix her face, but discovers her father's company is in debt. She is tormented at school and by strangers, but yet the book never mentions her attempting to cover it with make up. Tattoo concealer would work to cover it. She's even willing to get a job and save for treatmemts, but not make up? Right...
After she's abducted her captor leaves her alone for days, maybe even weeks, the book isn't very clear. But, every time she almost escapes he pulls up. Such a strange coincidence considering it happens EVERYTIME. Also, she's blindfolded the entire time (119 days). The book says she tugs at it everyday, but can't get it off until she prys some boards lose then the blindfold comes off. Right...
Also, I found the dialogue very corney.
So, Sarah was born with a port-wine stainnon her face, she is extremely embarrassed by it. When the book begins she's excited about treatments to fix her face, but discovers her father's company is in debt. She is tormented at school and by strangers, but yet the book never mentions her attempting to cover it with make up. Tattoo concealer would work to cover it. She's even willing to get a job and save for treatmemts, but not make up? Right...
After she's abducted her captor leaves her alone for days, maybe even weeks, the book isn't very clear. But, every time she almost escapes he pulls up. Such a strange coincidence considering it happens EVERYTIME. Also, she's blindfolded the entire time (119 days). The book says she tugs at it everyday, but can't get it off until she prys some boards lose then the blindfold comes off. Right...
Also, I found the dialogue very corney.
October 23, 2013
Where do I even begin with Stained? First, I’d like to say how I hands down loved this book. I read it in less than a day. The story was completely gripping and it plays on the emotions the way Fault in Our Stars by John Green. If you loved that book, you’ll most likely love this one. I do have a few warnings for anyone thinking about picking up this book. While I applaud Rainfield’s use of showing Sarah overcoming her victim mentality to save herself and the ones she loves, I caution readers because of the content she chooses to share about Sarah’s abduction. I do believe all of these were important to her story but when I think about my nieces and if I’d want them reading something this traumatic. Even when I was in high school, I think this book would have been hard for me to read because of its content.
Full Review Here: http://www.literarylunespublications....
And Here: http://ashleylaurasmith.wordpress.com...
Full Review Here: http://www.literarylunespublications....
And Here: http://ashleylaurasmith.wordpress.com...
November 12, 2013
I loved it.
She really came down deep and you could tell that it was all from the heart, personal in a way.
I didn't like the beginning so much and the end felt somewhat rushed but that's NOT changing my view.
And the suspense! My heart was beating the last 30-50 pages. I just kept turning page after page, guessing what would happen next.
The point is, I felt like I was there, just watching, and that made me feel... scared, I guess.
THE GUY IS CRAZY! I'd be terrified out of my mind if I was with him!
The book also taught me a little bit about my own life. Like people's opinions don't matter if you don't care what they think. And that's something that believe it or not, is hard to do.
I also know a little bit more about what rape is.
It was beautiful.
She really came down deep and you could tell that it was all from the heart, personal in a way.
I didn't like the beginning so much and the end felt somewhat rushed but that's NOT changing my view.
And the suspense! My heart was beating the last 30-50 pages. I just kept turning page after page, guessing what would happen next.
The point is, I felt like I was there, just watching, and that made me feel... scared, I guess.
THE GUY IS CRAZY! I'd be terrified out of my mind if I was with him!
The book also taught me a little bit about my own life. Like people's opinions don't matter if you don't care what they think. And that's something that believe it or not, is hard to do.
I also know a little bit more about what rape is.
It was beautiful.
October 3, 2014
I love this book, its amazing the way Sarah talks it seems like she is just lie me!!
A girl name Sarah is an outcast and she gets bullied. She plans to get surgery to make her prefect. Her parents have to tell her to not to got after something happened at his work. She goes to school and a new boy came to school. Sarah rates him out of a 10 an 8. He wares all black, Sarah talks to him then he invites her to his house. That is where all the craziness happens.
A girl name Sarah is an outcast and she gets bullied. She plans to get surgery to make her prefect. Her parents have to tell her to not to got after something happened at his work. She goes to school and a new boy came to school. Sarah rates him out of a 10 an 8. He wares all black, Sarah talks to him then he invites her to his house. That is where all the craziness happens.
December 31, 2017
As a survivor of rape I had a very hard time reading this book. Nothing against the author. It just was too much for me. Too many triggers and I suppose not something I could relate to. I just mostly skimmed a bunch of it after enduring too many emotions while reading it. I think it may help some understand the trauma of rape but this was just too much for me.
May 30, 2014
This novel was heartbreaking, thrilling and I could not tear myself away. I think everyone should read this book no matter what your background.
April 2, 2019
Close to ten years ago, I read Scars by Cheryl Rainfield. At the time, I really enjoyed it. It had a huge emotional impact on me. I've had the audiobook for another one of her books, Stained, for a while. I recently decided to start listening to it. I'm glad I did. It also had a huge emotional impact on me.
I enjoyed listening to Stained, if enjoyed is a word that can be used in this situation. The subject matter made it incredibly difficult to listen to at times. The author puts so much detail into what Sarah goes through. At times, it gave me a lot of anxiety, and I had to step back from the audiobook, take a break, and go listen to some cheerful music to get my head out of that mindset. That's not a bad thing though. That means that the author did a great job of writing a character and situation that the reader is able to connect to very well.
I think Stained is a book that everyone should read, as long as they can handle the subject matter. It brings awareness to a subject that most people don't think about. Sometimes as a society, we see missing girls on the news, and think "oh, that's tragic", and move on with our day. Maybe if more people read this book, they would be more willing to help with search efforts, or just go out of their way to show support for the family. In this book, the author details not only what Sarah goes through, but what the family goes through as well. I couldn't even imagine going through a hell like that. It will definitely make me think twice about what I can do to help the next time I see a case like Sarah's on the news. No amount of help is too small when something like this happens.
I found Stained to be an impactful book. Even after finishing it, I can't stop thinking about it. I have a feeling it will be one of those books that stays with me for years after I read it. My only complaint was that I thought the money situation that happened was wrapped up in a way that was too convenient and slightly took some believability out of the story, and that's a very minor complaint. Otherwise, I thought this book was incredible. I definitely recommend reading it if you can handle the harsh subject matter. Just do some research on the trigger warnings before going into it just in case, and remember you can always take a break if it gets to be too much.
I enjoyed listening to Stained, if enjoyed is a word that can be used in this situation. The subject matter made it incredibly difficult to listen to at times. The author puts so much detail into what Sarah goes through. At times, it gave me a lot of anxiety, and I had to step back from the audiobook, take a break, and go listen to some cheerful music to get my head out of that mindset. That's not a bad thing though. That means that the author did a great job of writing a character and situation that the reader is able to connect to very well.
I think Stained is a book that everyone should read, as long as they can handle the subject matter. It brings awareness to a subject that most people don't think about. Sometimes as a society, we see missing girls on the news, and think "oh, that's tragic", and move on with our day. Maybe if more people read this book, they would be more willing to help with search efforts, or just go out of their way to show support for the family. In this book, the author details not only what Sarah goes through, but what the family goes through as well. I couldn't even imagine going through a hell like that. It will definitely make me think twice about what I can do to help the next time I see a case like Sarah's on the news. No amount of help is too small when something like this happens.
I found Stained to be an impactful book. Even after finishing it, I can't stop thinking about it. I have a feeling it will be one of those books that stays with me for years after I read it. My only complaint was that I thought the money situation that happened was wrapped up in a way that was too convenient and slightly took some believability out of the story, and that's a very minor complaint. Otherwise, I thought this book was incredible. I definitely recommend reading it if you can handle the harsh subject matter. Just do some research on the trigger warnings before going into it just in case, and remember you can always take a break if it gets to be too much.
October 1, 2013
*I received a copy of STAINED in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley. Thank you!
Why I Wanted To Read STAINED:
Having read and loved Cheryl Rainfield's novel Scars, I was extremely excited when I was contacted to take part in the tour for Stained. With Scars, which I stumbled upon in a rather roundabout way, I was drawn in immediately, and I was eager to find out whether Stained would have the same type of effect.
Despite knowing I liked Cheryl's writing style, however, Stained also represented a departure in genre for me. While it is still in many ways a contemporary novel, Stained also has suspense and thriller elements. It was very interesting reading something that both delved so deeply into its core characters and moved at a frantic pace, using in-novel timestamps to move everything along.
So, are you curious to find out what I thought of Stained? Read on and I'll share my thoughts. Hopefully I'll also convince you of why you should really sit down and check Stained out, regardless of what genre(s) of fiction you normally settle in with.
My Thoughts:
There is part of me that wands to skip writing a review all together and just go "Read it! Read it now!". But that would do both me as a reviewer, and this absolutely mind shattering book, a disservice.
The first thing I must tell you all is that while Stained is beautifully written, it is not a book for the faint of heart. Many books about abduction, violence, abuse and rape within YA take place after the trauma to the main character has occurred. We deal with the aftermath, the overwrought emotion, the 'what happens next'.
In Stained we live the experience, which is something that I found very gripping as a reader, but which I am very aware my cause triggers for some people. I'm extremely glad that Cheryl decided to take her book this route, as she is brutally honest and does not romanticize this the way I've seen a few other writers do. This is a journey into the depths of the heart of darkness. There are things that happened in Stained that made my skin crawl. But the important thing here isn't how horrible what happens to Sarah is. What matters is that despite being trapped in this living nightmare, we see a girl with the strength to not only survive, but also have the strength and desire to live by novel's end. (How she gets there and what, exactly, happens along the way? You'll have to read Stained to find that out.)
Stained is both a very tense, emotional novel, and a very meticulous, character driven one. I loved both Sarah and Nick. I think that Sarah is a fantastic main character and I really appreciated the fact that we see both her strengths and weaknesses, and then see these things effect her during her abduction. I think that there is a great deal of challenge in creating a character who can balance having both strength and vulnerability. With Sarah, Cheryl succeeded in striking that balance time and again.
As for Nick? I loved, loved, loved Nick. Nick is not your typical YA hero. He's fat. He's a nerd. He's a little out of the main stream. Yet he is oh so very real, and I loved his feelings for Sarah--both romantically and as a friend. I also really loved how his perspective was used to break up sections of the novel, both to increase and break points of tension, and to give the reader a glimpse of what was going on in the outside world. Further, with the amount that he (and her family) cared for Sarah, the amount they stood to lose if she was not found, my dread increased tenfold. I think that it was vital to show us that Sarah had things to live for, people who loved her. By sharing Nick's perspective, the reader will get that message loud and clear.
The last thing I want to give a nod to is that this is another book I've read this year that has the theme of super heroes being incorporated into showing the progression of a character's awareness of her own self worth. This is an idea that I find really fun and inspiring, and I loved the idea that if Sarah could somehow get out of this mess, she and Nick might be able to make comics together. When things were at their hardest, remembering how much she valued the ideas of her heroic character, Diamond, was one of the things that gave her the strength to keep going... I've never been in the situation Sarah faces in Stained, but as a lover of comics, video games and fantasy novels, I could immediately relate to this aspect of her personality and how it served as both her passion and a method to cope with the challenges in her life.
Purchase or Pass?:
Stained is the kind of book that I wish everyone would sit down and read. From the beauty of the writing, to the depth of the characters, to the importance of the message, to the absolutely gripping plot... There is so much here that was brilliantly done that it's honestly very hard to get it all into words for you guys without going too far and risking turning this review into a novella.
Just trust me (provided something here didn't flash a warning off in your head)... This is one of the must-read books of 2013 and I'm certain that even as we pass into the new year, it will undoubtedly keep that must read status. Stained is a story of love and loss, hope and despair, sorrow and survival. Above all, it is a story of courage, hope, and the will to live that will stick with you long after the final page has been turned.
5/5 Hearts -- Awesome!
Why I Wanted To Read STAINED:
Having read and loved Cheryl Rainfield's novel Scars, I was extremely excited when I was contacted to take part in the tour for Stained. With Scars, which I stumbled upon in a rather roundabout way, I was drawn in immediately, and I was eager to find out whether Stained would have the same type of effect.
Despite knowing I liked Cheryl's writing style, however, Stained also represented a departure in genre for me. While it is still in many ways a contemporary novel, Stained also has suspense and thriller elements. It was very interesting reading something that both delved so deeply into its core characters and moved at a frantic pace, using in-novel timestamps to move everything along.
So, are you curious to find out what I thought of Stained? Read on and I'll share my thoughts. Hopefully I'll also convince you of why you should really sit down and check Stained out, regardless of what genre(s) of fiction you normally settle in with.
My Thoughts:
There is part of me that wands to skip writing a review all together and just go "Read it! Read it now!". But that would do both me as a reviewer, and this absolutely mind shattering book, a disservice.
The first thing I must tell you all is that while Stained is beautifully written, it is not a book for the faint of heart. Many books about abduction, violence, abuse and rape within YA take place after the trauma to the main character has occurred. We deal with the aftermath, the overwrought emotion, the 'what happens next'.
In Stained we live the experience, which is something that I found very gripping as a reader, but which I am very aware my cause triggers for some people. I'm extremely glad that Cheryl decided to take her book this route, as she is brutally honest and does not romanticize this the way I've seen a few other writers do. This is a journey into the depths of the heart of darkness. There are things that happened in Stained that made my skin crawl. But the important thing here isn't how horrible what happens to Sarah is. What matters is that despite being trapped in this living nightmare, we see a girl with the strength to not only survive, but also have the strength and desire to live by novel's end. (How she gets there and what, exactly, happens along the way? You'll have to read Stained to find that out.)
Stained is both a very tense, emotional novel, and a very meticulous, character driven one. I loved both Sarah and Nick. I think that Sarah is a fantastic main character and I really appreciated the fact that we see both her strengths and weaknesses, and then see these things effect her during her abduction. I think that there is a great deal of challenge in creating a character who can balance having both strength and vulnerability. With Sarah, Cheryl succeeded in striking that balance time and again.
As for Nick? I loved, loved, loved Nick. Nick is not your typical YA hero. He's fat. He's a nerd. He's a little out of the main stream. Yet he is oh so very real, and I loved his feelings for Sarah--both romantically and as a friend. I also really loved how his perspective was used to break up sections of the novel, both to increase and break points of tension, and to give the reader a glimpse of what was going on in the outside world. Further, with the amount that he (and her family) cared for Sarah, the amount they stood to lose if she was not found, my dread increased tenfold. I think that it was vital to show us that Sarah had things to live for, people who loved her. By sharing Nick's perspective, the reader will get that message loud and clear.
The last thing I want to give a nod to is that this is another book I've read this year that has the theme of super heroes being incorporated into showing the progression of a character's awareness of her own self worth. This is an idea that I find really fun and inspiring, and I loved the idea that if Sarah could somehow get out of this mess, she and Nick might be able to make comics together. When things were at their hardest, remembering how much she valued the ideas of her heroic character, Diamond, was one of the things that gave her the strength to keep going... I've never been in the situation Sarah faces in Stained, but as a lover of comics, video games and fantasy novels, I could immediately relate to this aspect of her personality and how it served as both her passion and a method to cope with the challenges in her life.
Purchase or Pass?:
Stained is the kind of book that I wish everyone would sit down and read. From the beauty of the writing, to the depth of the characters, to the importance of the message, to the absolutely gripping plot... There is so much here that was brilliantly done that it's honestly very hard to get it all into words for you guys without going too far and risking turning this review into a novella.
Just trust me (provided something here didn't flash a warning off in your head)... This is one of the must-read books of 2013 and I'm certain that even as we pass into the new year, it will undoubtedly keep that must read status. Stained is a story of love and loss, hope and despair, sorrow and survival. Above all, it is a story of courage, hope, and the will to live that will stick with you long after the final page has been turned.
5/5 Hearts -- Awesome!
Read
October 13, 2020really hard to get through because of the heavy topics of the story but a worthwhile message for sure
July 19, 2016
Having been born with a port wine stain, Sarah has suffered a lot of bullying from other kids (and sometimes adults). The day that she is finally going to start treatments to minimize the colouring of her birthmark, her father announces that his company's finances have been gutted by a yet-unknown person. They can't afford the treatments; they might even lose the house. Upset, Sarah goes to school like normal, only to be picked on by more people. And then she's abducted by someone she knows. Blindfolded, raped, starved, and locked up where no one can hear her, Sarah has to find a way out before her abductor ends her life.
Well, this is one of those books that I wanted to like a lot more than I did. It's partially based on some of the experiences that the author had when she was a child, and for that I am genuinely sorry that anyone would have to suffer anything akin to what Sarah did. But I'm only reviewing the book itself, not the author's life.
The book itself feels quite choppy to me. I never felt drawn into the story at all; I did finish the book, hoping that at some point it would grow on me, but it really didn't.
I also felt that the characters were quite two dimensional. Nick, for example, just existed to show what was happening with Sarah's parents and to repeatedly tell the readers that Sarah is incredibly strong and brave. He didn't feel like he had his own separate personality at all. And, to be honest, I found it rather disturbing that he kept thinking about kissing Sarah when he knew that she had been abducted. It just skeeved me. I guess this was to show the reader that, in spite of what had happened to Sarah, she was still lovable and nothing could make her not be. A great sentiment and a true one, too, but
And then there is Sarah.
I had problems with the dialogue, especially when it concerned Sarah's parents. It never rang true to me.
The ending was just over the top for me. That just reeked of a bad after-school movie or something. And then things just...ended. I understand that not every book needs a definite stopping point with all loose ends tied up, but it rather felt like the author decided that she was tired of writing and just stopped. It felt like we were still in the middle of a lot of different things.
Altogether, I found this book disappointing at best. There's not a lot of "meat" here; it has a very bare bones feel. I wanted some introspection, but it's more of a blow-by-blow of what is happened. There is no closure, and I honestly would fear for Sarah's mental health if she was a real person, because I don't think she'd be getting the help she needs to healthily deal with what happened to her.
Well, this is one of those books that I wanted to like a lot more than I did. It's partially based on some of the experiences that the author had when she was a child, and for that I am genuinely sorry that anyone would have to suffer anything akin to what Sarah did. But I'm only reviewing the book itself, not the author's life.
The book itself feels quite choppy to me. I never felt drawn into the story at all; I did finish the book, hoping that at some point it would grow on me, but it really didn't.
I also felt that the characters were quite two dimensional. Nick, for example, just existed to show what was happening with Sarah's parents and to repeatedly tell the readers that Sarah is incredibly strong and brave. He didn't feel like he had his own separate personality at all. And, to be honest, I found it rather disturbing that he kept thinking about kissing Sarah when he knew that she had been abducted. It just skeeved me. I guess this was to show the reader that, in spite of what had happened to Sarah, she was still lovable and nothing could make her not be. A great sentiment and a true one, too, but
And then there is Sarah.
I had problems with the dialogue, especially when it concerned Sarah's parents. It never rang true to me.
The ending was just over the top for me. That just reeked of a bad after-school movie or something. And then things just...ended. I understand that not every book needs a definite stopping point with all loose ends tied up, but it rather felt like the author decided that she was tired of writing and just stopped. It felt like we were still in the middle of a lot of different things.
Altogether, I found this book disappointing at best. There's not a lot of "meat" here; it has a very bare bones feel. I wanted some introspection, but it's more of a blow-by-blow of what is happened. There is no closure, and I honestly would fear for Sarah's mental health if she was a real person, because I don't think she'd be getting the help she needs to healthily deal with what happened to her.
February 21, 2021
**ORIGINALLY POSTED ON www.WeAreWordNerds.com**
Ive seen several interviews with this author where she states she wrote this book because she wished there’d been something like it available when she was a teen. I get that, I do, and I find it very admirable. Feelings for the author and the author’s cause should have no baring on my review of the book though. So, what did I think about the actual book?
Character wise: I never connected to the main character, Sarah. Even though there was plenty of back story about her and how she was constantly bullied over her “stain”, I just didn't care. I kept thinking about my own childhood and how mean the kids were to me about my name & my weight, and shrugging. Kids are bullied all the time. For being heavy, for being poor, for being smart. Truth is, kids are assholes. And I really just didn’t care about her. She felt flat to me.
The secondary characters, were just that. Secondary (in other words, ordinary). I repeatedly rolled my eyes at the parents, especially in the second half of the book. And Sarah’s friends, *sigh*.
Story wise: I thought the story was well thought out. I did like the idea of it. I enjoyed the whole “who is the bad guy” thing and waiting for everyone else to figure it out. I didn't care for how it was delivered. The tone or style of the book feels like its aimed at younger teens, and having repeated rape in a book for that age range…just makes me cringe.
And then there is the romance part. The romance aspect of the book, was meh. The “ugly” duckling finds true love in the end. Really? I probably would have enjoyed this book SO MUCH more had there not been a secondary ‘love story’ plot going on.
So, where does that leave me?
I read the book, I did not DNF it. I finished it because I wanted to see how it would end. So, something must have been drawing me into the story. Right?
I don’t know that I would recommend it to adults because the writing style, just felt “dumbed down” for me. If that makes sense at all. And I would never recommend it to kids because of the content matter. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable telling a kid to pick it up. Well, unless I thought they would benefit from it and their parents wouldn’t disapprove of the content.
Mom Notes:
This book contains: bullying, abduction, and rape.
For Students & Teachers:
* this book is NOT listed yet, but other books by this author, in similar genre rank:
ATOS Book Level: UG
Interest Level: 3.7
AR Points: 7
My Thoughts:
I’ve been putting this review off for a few days now, trying to digest my feelings about this book. I guess the best thing for me to do is just say it, so ….
I did like the book. But...
Always a "but", right? I felt the writing style was aimed at a younger YA crowd, however, the content is NOT. This book contains an abduction and multiple/repeated rape. Its not graphic or anything, but it is what it is. I am in no way trying to say such things should not be in books, I’m just saying I am uncomfortable reading it. (Probably due to family history) I really am uncomfortable with the thought of kids reading it. I mean, my own kids are 13 & 17. I would not recommend this book to them, even though it is clearly written to that age range “style” wise. Call me a fuddy duddy, or over protective, or whatever if you want. That is just the way it is.
Ive seen several interviews with this author where she states she wrote this book because she wished there’d been something like it available when she was a teen. I get that, I do, and I find it very admirable. Feelings for the author and the author’s cause should have no baring on my review of the book though. So, what did I think about the actual book?
Character wise: I never connected to the main character, Sarah. Even though there was plenty of back story about her and how she was constantly bullied over her “stain”, I just didn't care. I kept thinking about my own childhood and how mean the kids were to me about my name & my weight, and shrugging. Kids are bullied all the time. For being heavy, for being poor, for being smart. Truth is, kids are assholes. And I really just didn’t care about her. She felt flat to me.
The secondary characters, were just that. Secondary (in other words, ordinary). I repeatedly rolled my eyes at the parents, especially in the second half of the book. And Sarah’s friends, *sigh*.
Story wise: I thought the story was well thought out. I did like the idea of it. I enjoyed the whole “who is the bad guy” thing and waiting for everyone else to figure it out. I didn't care for how it was delivered. The tone or style of the book feels like its aimed at younger teens, and having repeated rape in a book for that age range…just makes me cringe.
And then there is the romance part. The romance aspect of the book, was meh. The “ugly” duckling finds true love in the end. Really? I probably would have enjoyed this book SO MUCH more had there not been a secondary ‘love story’ plot going on.
So, where does that leave me?
I read the book, I did not DNF it. I finished it because I wanted to see how it would end. So, something must have been drawing me into the story. Right?
I don’t know that I would recommend it to adults because the writing style, just felt “dumbed down” for me. If that makes sense at all. And I would never recommend it to kids because of the content matter. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable telling a kid to pick it up. Well, unless I thought they would benefit from it and their parents wouldn’t disapprove of the content.
Mom Notes:
This book contains: bullying, abduction, and rape.
For Students & Teachers:
* this book is NOT listed yet, but other books by this author, in similar genre rank:
ATOS Book Level: UG
Interest Level: 3.7
AR Points: 7
October 2, 2013
Review originally posted at http://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogs... on September 28, 2013.
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows has always focused on the port-wine stain that covers the right-side of her face, determined to get the surgical treatments so that she might become "normal". The debilitating impact she has experienced because of it has compelled her to live vicariously through her comic character, Diamond, to hide behind a curtain of hair, and to only hang out with other social outcasts. But the very day she is to start treatment, her father learns that someone has embezzled so much money from his graphic design company that there isn't enough to pay a bank loan and her surgery.
At school, Sarah has to share this unexpected news with her group of friends: Charlene who is overweight and the brunt of her father's verbal abuse; Gemma, a lesbian; and Nick, who is considered a geeky "doughboy" by others, though Sarah considers that,
"They don't care that he's kind, smart, and good natured, and sort of cute in a soft, chubby way, with messy, sandy hair that's always falling into his eyes and a quick smile. All they see is his weight and his social awkwardness." (pg. 15)
When Nick narrates a chapter, he emulates the same sentiments about Sarah, calling her beautiful and wishing she could see how amazing she is.
On the way home, a bullying incident has Brian Gormley, her dad's cute assistant, coming to her rescue, offering to help and drive her home. Though she declines, feeling that "Something isn't right" (pg. 35), Brian grabs her, drugs her and locks her away, with a padlocked leather blindfold on. He claims that he will help her and her parents by giving them "freedom from the pain in their lives" (pg. 84) as he has done for others. Thus begins a tortuous imprisonment of months in which Sarah endures physical, sexual and psychological abuse at Brian's hands. Worse is Sarah's ignorance of the efforts being made to find her, especially by Nick and her parents, with the duplicitous Brian even offering assistance. Nick becomes relentless in pursuing every lead possible, outdoing the seemingly ineffective efforts of the police.
Throughout Sarah's imprisonment, she attempts to understand Brian's motivations, determined that she would not "let Brian's lies become my reality." (pg. 154) As she attempts to appease him, Sarah is actually becoming emotionally stronger, learning how to handle him and manipulate situations as she can. It's ironic that the very manipulation Brian accuses Sarah of instigating to derive guilt from her parents is a skill she develops courtesy of his abuse. Though he may see her as becoming weaker and submissive, Sarah continues to look for any means to save herself, recognizing that she "has to get herself out, not wait for someone to save her." (pg. 179)
Cheryl Rainfield has courageously admitted that she has drawn on her personal experiences to write Stained (see original Stained release announcement ), emphasizing the positive attributes of courage, perseverance, and self-reliance rather than on the trauma. This becomes self-evident from the tag line for the book,
Sometimes YOU have to be your own hero.
But just as important is self-acceptance, as Sarah, Nick and her friends learn. They might all see the "better side" of life for those who are beautiful or slender or popular, but a crash course in introspection makes them realize the superficiality of those attributes and the absence of any relationship with goodness. The beautiful Brian Gormley is a prime example of a revolting inside to an oft admired exterior. Sadly for Sarah, this lesson must come at the cost of her freedom.
Not an easy read, Stained will have young adult readers both cringing for the physical, sexual and emotional abuse Sarah must endure and cheering for her efforts and determination to survive, recognizing that her Stained face has only been masking, temporarily, the hero within.
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows has always focused on the port-wine stain that covers the right-side of her face, determined to get the surgical treatments so that she might become "normal". The debilitating impact she has experienced because of it has compelled her to live vicariously through her comic character, Diamond, to hide behind a curtain of hair, and to only hang out with other social outcasts. But the very day she is to start treatment, her father learns that someone has embezzled so much money from his graphic design company that there isn't enough to pay a bank loan and her surgery.
At school, Sarah has to share this unexpected news with her group of friends: Charlene who is overweight and the brunt of her father's verbal abuse; Gemma, a lesbian; and Nick, who is considered a geeky "doughboy" by others, though Sarah considers that,
"They don't care that he's kind, smart, and good natured, and sort of cute in a soft, chubby way, with messy, sandy hair that's always falling into his eyes and a quick smile. All they see is his weight and his social awkwardness." (pg. 15)
When Nick narrates a chapter, he emulates the same sentiments about Sarah, calling her beautiful and wishing she could see how amazing she is.
On the way home, a bullying incident has Brian Gormley, her dad's cute assistant, coming to her rescue, offering to help and drive her home. Though she declines, feeling that "Something isn't right" (pg. 35), Brian grabs her, drugs her and locks her away, with a padlocked leather blindfold on. He claims that he will help her and her parents by giving them "freedom from the pain in their lives" (pg. 84) as he has done for others. Thus begins a tortuous imprisonment of months in which Sarah endures physical, sexual and psychological abuse at Brian's hands. Worse is Sarah's ignorance of the efforts being made to find her, especially by Nick and her parents, with the duplicitous Brian even offering assistance. Nick becomes relentless in pursuing every lead possible, outdoing the seemingly ineffective efforts of the police.
Throughout Sarah's imprisonment, she attempts to understand Brian's motivations, determined that she would not "let Brian's lies become my reality." (pg. 154) As she attempts to appease him, Sarah is actually becoming emotionally stronger, learning how to handle him and manipulate situations as she can. It's ironic that the very manipulation Brian accuses Sarah of instigating to derive guilt from her parents is a skill she develops courtesy of his abuse. Though he may see her as becoming weaker and submissive, Sarah continues to look for any means to save herself, recognizing that she "has to get herself out, not wait for someone to save her." (pg. 179)
Cheryl Rainfield has courageously admitted that she has drawn on her personal experiences to write Stained (see original Stained release announcement ), emphasizing the positive attributes of courage, perseverance, and self-reliance rather than on the trauma. This becomes self-evident from the tag line for the book,
Sometimes YOU have to be your own hero.
But just as important is self-acceptance, as Sarah, Nick and her friends learn. They might all see the "better side" of life for those who are beautiful or slender or popular, but a crash course in introspection makes them realize the superficiality of those attributes and the absence of any relationship with goodness. The beautiful Brian Gormley is a prime example of a revolting inside to an oft admired exterior. Sadly for Sarah, this lesson must come at the cost of her freedom.
Not an easy read, Stained will have young adult readers both cringing for the physical, sexual and emotional abuse Sarah must endure and cheering for her efforts and determination to survive, recognizing that her Stained face has only been masking, temporarily, the hero within.
October 2, 2013
Do you want to read a story that is extremely realistic, puts you on the edge of your seat, and makes you care deeply for the characters? Then I would suggest Stained by the amazing Cheryl Rainfield, who has also written Scars, Hunted, and Parallel Visions. Like in her previous books, Cheryl writes with deep passion and realism, giving an unflinching and honest view of a world that very few people dare to speak about.
In Stained, the main character, Sarah Meadows, endures bullying from her fellow classmates and rude stares from strangers for the port wine stain that she was born with. Despite this, she has loving, affectionate parents and a strong, defiant personality. I absolutely loved her as a character. When she gets abducted, she is forced to endure horrible abuse and neglect. I found that my heart was in my throat as I read her defiant struggle to escape and to not let her abuser win. I will not give away specific details, but the plot is excellent, told in the first person point of view of Sarah and her friend, Nick. These alternating points of view keep the novel suspenseful and make you want to keep reading until you've reached the end.
I also love the message of this novel, that one should stand up to bullying and help those out who are in need whenever possible. There is also the message that you can be your own hero. I love that Sarah finds inspiration in comic books, and that she relies on the love and support that she gets from her family and friends to survive, to not give up any hope even when the future seems bleak and dreary. It takes real strength to go through something like that.
I've heard so many people say that it's depressing talking or writing about subjects such as abuse and abduction. What is more depressing to me is the fact that so many people are scared to talk about these every day occurrences, and in doing so they are supporting a system that silences survivors. If we could only speak more openly about these horrible yet real occurrences, perhaps we could spark a change in someone's life. Your neighbor may see something suspicious and actually act upon on it instead of ignoring the warning signs. I also believe that there is healing in actively talking about traumatic events. If we are more open to having an active discussion about taboo subjects such as rape and incest, perhaps the shame and guilt that survivors feel will lessen. It is always hard to come out and say that yes, this happened to me, but writers like Cheryl Rainfield give me hope in such dark times. She can inspire people, both young and old, to come out and share their similar experiences, whether it be bullying, sexual abuse, or any other sort of harm. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before but this is why she's one of my biggest heroes.
I definitely suggest Stained since it will be a book that you will not forget. Yes, it tackles tough issues, but it is a powerful, amazing book about finding courage in the darkest of times and finding the hidden strength within you to keep pushing forward. It is extremely inspiring and an amazing read.
In Stained, the main character, Sarah Meadows, endures bullying from her fellow classmates and rude stares from strangers for the port wine stain that she was born with. Despite this, she has loving, affectionate parents and a strong, defiant personality. I absolutely loved her as a character. When she gets abducted, she is forced to endure horrible abuse and neglect. I found that my heart was in my throat as I read her defiant struggle to escape and to not let her abuser win. I will not give away specific details, but the plot is excellent, told in the first person point of view of Sarah and her friend, Nick. These alternating points of view keep the novel suspenseful and make you want to keep reading until you've reached the end.
I also love the message of this novel, that one should stand up to bullying and help those out who are in need whenever possible. There is also the message that you can be your own hero. I love that Sarah finds inspiration in comic books, and that she relies on the love and support that she gets from her family and friends to survive, to not give up any hope even when the future seems bleak and dreary. It takes real strength to go through something like that.
I've heard so many people say that it's depressing talking or writing about subjects such as abuse and abduction. What is more depressing to me is the fact that so many people are scared to talk about these every day occurrences, and in doing so they are supporting a system that silences survivors. If we could only speak more openly about these horrible yet real occurrences, perhaps we could spark a change in someone's life. Your neighbor may see something suspicious and actually act upon on it instead of ignoring the warning signs. I also believe that there is healing in actively talking about traumatic events. If we are more open to having an active discussion about taboo subjects such as rape and incest, perhaps the shame and guilt that survivors feel will lessen. It is always hard to come out and say that yes, this happened to me, but writers like Cheryl Rainfield give me hope in such dark times. She can inspire people, both young and old, to come out and share their similar experiences, whether it be bullying, sexual abuse, or any other sort of harm. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before but this is why she's one of my biggest heroes.
I definitely suggest Stained since it will be a book that you will not forget. Yes, it tackles tough issues, but it is a powerful, amazing book about finding courage in the darkest of times and finding the hidden strength within you to keep pushing forward. It is extremely inspiring and an amazing read.
November 11, 2013
Actual rating: 2.5
Stained is by far not an easy read, what with [trigger warning from here on in] bullying, kidnapping and rape being what drives the storyline. It’s a relatively quick read, as it is fast paced once Sarah has been kidnapped and the tension and fear is ramped up. But it is one that will also make your stomach turn.
Sarah, for most of her life, has been subjected to the cruel stares and words of her classmates for a very obvious port wine stain that covers her cheek. As a result, she has very little confidence and self-worth. She wants to have surgery to remove the stain, but unfortunately, that falls through. Sarah is devastated, but she doesn’t realize that things are only about to get worse as she is kidnapped on her way home from school and taken to an abandoned location where she is regularly raped and then left in isolation for days at a time. Living in her own personal hell, she has plenty of time to reflect on her value as a person and what is happening to her, and comes to the realization that she is the only one that can save herself in this situation, and so she begins a concentrated effort to escape.
Throughout all this the narrative’s POV switches to Nick, a love-struck classmate of Sarah’s whom shares her plight of being bullied, although for him it is because of his weight. He see’s in Sarah what his fellow classmates don’t: a beautiful, smart girl. Nick becomes dedicated to trying to find Sarah, helping the family put up posters, and badgering the police to do more. He won’t stop until Sarah’s home safe.
Honestly, I almost didn’t finish this one, as the first part of the book really wasn’t working for me. Sarah and Nick seemed to be shells of characters -- Sarah with her intense focus on her lack of self-confidence and her stain and Nick with his love for Sarah. There wasn’t much else to them. The writing wasn’t drawing me in either, but fortunately, the story had, and I decided to keep going.
To read the rest of this review, please visit my blog Bookish Comforts (available 11/13/13). Thank you!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Stained is by far not an easy read, what with [trigger warning from here on in] bullying, kidnapping and rape being what drives the storyline. It’s a relatively quick read, as it is fast paced once Sarah has been kidnapped and the tension and fear is ramped up. But it is one that will also make your stomach turn.
Sarah, for most of her life, has been subjected to the cruel stares and words of her classmates for a very obvious port wine stain that covers her cheek. As a result, she has very little confidence and self-worth. She wants to have surgery to remove the stain, but unfortunately, that falls through. Sarah is devastated, but she doesn’t realize that things are only about to get worse as she is kidnapped on her way home from school and taken to an abandoned location where she is regularly raped and then left in isolation for days at a time. Living in her own personal hell, she has plenty of time to reflect on her value as a person and what is happening to her, and comes to the realization that she is the only one that can save herself in this situation, and so she begins a concentrated effort to escape.
Throughout all this the narrative’s POV switches to Nick, a love-struck classmate of Sarah’s whom shares her plight of being bullied, although for him it is because of his weight. He see’s in Sarah what his fellow classmates don’t: a beautiful, smart girl. Nick becomes dedicated to trying to find Sarah, helping the family put up posters, and badgering the police to do more. He won’t stop until Sarah’s home safe.
Honestly, I almost didn’t finish this one, as the first part of the book really wasn’t working for me. Sarah and Nick seemed to be shells of characters -- Sarah with her intense focus on her lack of self-confidence and her stain and Nick with his love for Sarah. There wasn’t much else to them. The writing wasn’t drawing me in either, but fortunately, the story had, and I decided to keep going.
To read the rest of this review, please visit my blog Bookish Comforts (available 11/13/13). Thank you!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2014
"Stained"
well that was a read !
i liked this book but at the same time i hated it !
only because it touch me on so much levels because i understand Sarah and i could feel her pain and the loneliness she felt.
i liked this book because its a book that needs to be out there for people to read !! we have all seen those missing kids poster all over every store you go to you see them and am sure no one ever stop and think about them.I i know i didn't i would just pass by them and never think about it.Like if it will could never happen to anyone i love ! but it could!!! it can happen to ANYONE !!!
Sarah is a beautiful girl and strong but that's never enough !
Her kidnapping is only the surface of this book !
this book goes deeper than that! this book is about a beautiful girl who question herself and cry herself to sleep because the world is a shallow place and being brave,courageous and strong is simply not enough to live in this world that's the message children these days are getting!
society is telling theses children that they need to be cute,slutty,wear make up ,dress and act like and adult and worry about what everyone think about you !
No !!!
kids are kids why dose the media put so much pressure on them to grow up so fast ?? let them enjoy life as a child, let them be hopeful ,let them be kind ,let them learn to live with one another.
No society has to break them down and than tear them apart if they do not fallow like everyone else.
than the bullying starts she cries and wants to change herself just to make them stop she thinks less of herself and than hates her self which leaves her vulnerable to those devils like Brain to take advantage of her lack of self esteem!
but i love this book because Sarah was never a victim she didn't let her self turn into one, She found herself in her pain she found her beauty and strength and now she no longer wants to fallow or lead she just want to live ! and that's what i wish all the children of this generation! stop fallowing and find you beauty and strength and LIVE LIFE !!
well that was a read !
i liked this book but at the same time i hated it !
only because it touch me on so much levels because i understand Sarah and i could feel her pain and the loneliness she felt.
i liked this book because its a book that needs to be out there for people to read !! we have all seen those missing kids poster all over every store you go to you see them and am sure no one ever stop and think about them.I i know i didn't i would just pass by them and never think about it.Like if it will could never happen to anyone i love ! but it could!!! it can happen to ANYONE !!!
Sarah is a beautiful girl and strong but that's never enough !
Her kidnapping is only the surface of this book !
this book goes deeper than that! this book is about a beautiful girl who question herself and cry herself to sleep because the world is a shallow place and being brave,courageous and strong is simply not enough to live in this world that's the message children these days are getting!
society is telling theses children that they need to be cute,slutty,wear make up ,dress and act like and adult and worry about what everyone think about you !
No !!!
kids are kids why dose the media put so much pressure on them to grow up so fast ?? let them enjoy life as a child, let them be hopeful ,let them be kind ,let them learn to live with one another.
No society has to break them down and than tear them apart if they do not fallow like everyone else.
than the bullying starts she cries and wants to change herself just to make them stop she thinks less of herself and than hates her self which leaves her vulnerable to those devils like Brain to take advantage of her lack of self esteem!
but i love this book because Sarah was never a victim she didn't let her self turn into one, She found herself in her pain she found her beauty and strength and now she no longer wants to fallow or lead she just want to live ! and that's what i wish all the children of this generation! stop fallowing and find you beauty and strength and LIVE LIFE !!
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