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The File on Angelyn Stark
Angelyn Stark has a secret.
One day, her neighbor and friend, Nathan, saw something happen. Something between Angelyn and her stepfather. Then he told his grandmother, who was always looking out for Angelyn, and it turned into a mess. But Nathan didn't know what he was talking about then, and he doesn't know now.
Three years later, Angelyn is in high school and she thinks she's getting along fine--but there's a young teacher who wants to help her. He says she has potential she isn't living up to. Nobody has ever cared this way about Angelyn, not since Nathan's grandmother, anyway. But what does Mr. Rossi really want from her? And once Angelyn starts falling for him, does she really care? "From the Hardcover edition."
One day, her neighbor and friend, Nathan, saw something happen. Something between Angelyn and her stepfather. Then he told his grandmother, who was always looking out for Angelyn, and it turned into a mess. But Nathan didn't know what he was talking about then, and he doesn't know now.
Three years later, Angelyn is in high school and she thinks she's getting along fine--but there's a young teacher who wants to help her. He says she has potential she isn't living up to. Nobody has ever cared this way about Angelyn, not since Nathan's grandmother, anyway. But what does Mr. Rossi really want from her? And once Angelyn starts falling for him, does she really care? "From the Hardcover edition."
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First published January 1, 2011
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About the author
Catherine Atkins
3 books27 followersI am a writer and teacher from Northern California. My books include The File on Angelyn Stark(Knopf), Alt Ed(Putnam) and When Jeff Comes Home(Putnam).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 30, 2015
Mercifully short read. The story had a lot of potential but there was something way off in its execution.
For one thing, there is an awful lot of telling rather than showing. Much of the book is dialogue, and often it's circular, unproductive dialogue that leaves too many things hinted at and unexplained and leaves little room for real character development.
But the biggest problem is Angelyn herself. She is an unreliable narrator, and her untruthfulness is a big part of the plot. This combines with the lack of showing to make Angelyn very difficult to connect or empathize with.
We can accept that Angelyn's stepfather Danny did molest her, but only because the whole story depends on us accepting that. It is never shown to us; the one chapter showing any interaction between Danny and Angelyn, told through Angelyn's narration, leaves a lot of room for doubt. In that chapter, Angelyn is twelve and she and Danny are roughhousing in their pajamas on a Sunday morning. We're told nothing that would conclusively lead us to say "Uh oh, this is very bad." Angelyn's same-age neighbor Nathan sees them and is apparently upset enough to tell his grandmother, who reports what happened, and the family is investigated. Angelyn steadfastly maintains that nothing inappropriate happened between her and Danny, but her family relationships are ruined; her mother doesn't trust either her husband or her daughter, and she is openly hostile toward Angelyn, which Angelyn returns in kind. For his part, Danny never touches Angelyn again, barely speaks to her, and actually seems scared to death of her.
Only toward the end of the book does Angelyn change her tune and acknowledge that yes, Danny had been touching her inappropriately, and again, she does this solely through dialogue with her mother and her friends. She never directly addresses the reader; we don't get a rehashing of the flashback chapter, this time with Angelyn's honest memories. Angelyn's long-standing dishonesty make it hard for us to believe that she has suddenly stopped lying and is now telling the true story.
And her mother's relatively quick switch is not very believable either. She's spent most of the book so far being downright hateful to her daughter and seemingly taking pleasure from seeing Angelyn get in trouble at school, but once Angelyn claims to be telling the truth, she throws Danny out of the house and insists that they are going to the police to report him. It just does not ring true.
Basically, I felt that Angelyn jerked everyone around, including the reader, and I don't appreciate it. I got the feeling we were all supposed to think that Angelyn's boyfriend Steve is an abusive jerk, but really, the way she played him and played him, he stuck with her for too long. He's only a teenager himself, and his sometimes angry and immature reactions to Angelyn's manipulations are what you'd expect.
It was hard to know if Angelyn knew better than to do some of the things she did, especially the business with her teacher, Mr. Rossi. I get that she would have issues about boundaries, and that she was desperate for some kind of support, but I find it implausible that she was as unaware as she wanted us to think she was that her throwing herself at Rossi, coming to his house, etc. was out of line, especially after he kept trying to tell her so.
Atkins wanted us to care about Angelyn and to root for her, but though I felt pity for her, that isn't the same as empathy.
I do have to mention one thing I liked: Angelyn was believable in that she wasn't a secret science geek, bookworm, or big dreamer. I get so tired of the troubled/disadvantaged kid who is saved by a Love of Books or who will be the next Einstein if only they can get out from under whatever heavy problem they have right now. Angelyn has no apparent interests beyond partying and fighting, and though she likes Mr. Rossi and his World Cultures class, she is still a poor student; she has not thought at all about what she wants to do with her life, except that she wants to go someplace else. It's only at the very end of the book that she expresses an interest in joining the Coast Guard after graduation.
For one thing, there is an awful lot of telling rather than showing. Much of the book is dialogue, and often it's circular, unproductive dialogue that leaves too many things hinted at and unexplained and leaves little room for real character development.
But the biggest problem is Angelyn herself. She is an unreliable narrator, and her untruthfulness is a big part of the plot. This combines with the lack of showing to make Angelyn very difficult to connect or empathize with.
We can accept that Angelyn's stepfather Danny did molest her, but only because the whole story depends on us accepting that. It is never shown to us; the one chapter showing any interaction between Danny and Angelyn, told through Angelyn's narration, leaves a lot of room for doubt. In that chapter, Angelyn is twelve and she and Danny are roughhousing in their pajamas on a Sunday morning. We're told nothing that would conclusively lead us to say "Uh oh, this is very bad." Angelyn's same-age neighbor Nathan sees them and is apparently upset enough to tell his grandmother, who reports what happened, and the family is investigated. Angelyn steadfastly maintains that nothing inappropriate happened between her and Danny, but her family relationships are ruined; her mother doesn't trust either her husband or her daughter, and she is openly hostile toward Angelyn, which Angelyn returns in kind. For his part, Danny never touches Angelyn again, barely speaks to her, and actually seems scared to death of her.
Only toward the end of the book does Angelyn change her tune and acknowledge that yes, Danny had been touching her inappropriately, and again, she does this solely through dialogue with her mother and her friends. She never directly addresses the reader; we don't get a rehashing of the flashback chapter, this time with Angelyn's honest memories. Angelyn's long-standing dishonesty make it hard for us to believe that she has suddenly stopped lying and is now telling the true story.
And her mother's relatively quick switch is not very believable either. She's spent most of the book so far being downright hateful to her daughter and seemingly taking pleasure from seeing Angelyn get in trouble at school, but once Angelyn claims to be telling the truth, she throws Danny out of the house and insists that they are going to the police to report him. It just does not ring true.
Basically, I felt that Angelyn jerked everyone around, including the reader, and I don't appreciate it. I got the feeling we were all supposed to think that Angelyn's boyfriend Steve is an abusive jerk, but really, the way she played him and played him, he stuck with her for too long. He's only a teenager himself, and his sometimes angry and immature reactions to Angelyn's manipulations are what you'd expect.
It was hard to know if Angelyn knew better than to do some of the things she did, especially the business with her teacher, Mr. Rossi. I get that she would have issues about boundaries, and that she was desperate for some kind of support, but I find it implausible that she was as unaware as she wanted us to think she was that her throwing herself at Rossi, coming to his house, etc. was out of line, especially after he kept trying to tell her so.
Atkins wanted us to care about Angelyn and to root for her, but though I felt pity for her, that isn't the same as empathy.
I do have to mention one thing I liked: Angelyn was believable in that she wasn't a secret science geek, bookworm, or big dreamer. I get so tired of the troubled/disadvantaged kid who is saved by a Love of Books or who will be the next Einstein if only they can get out from under whatever heavy problem they have right now. Angelyn has no apparent interests beyond partying and fighting, and though she likes Mr. Rossi and his World Cultures class, she is still a poor student; she has not thought at all about what she wants to do with her life, except that she wants to go someplace else. It's only at the very end of the book that she expresses an interest in joining the Coast Guard after graduation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2012
Catherine Atkins writes heart-staggeringly good books. WHEN JEFF COMES HOME and ALT ED earned their place on my favorites shelf. Thus, I held THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK to an extremely high standard. I don't think THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK lives up to Atkin's two previous novels, but it's still an excellent (if tough) read.
Fifteen-year-old Angelyn Stark begins her day smoking in the bathroom with her best friends Jacey and Charity. No one messes with them. She's got a boyfriend, Steve Coslow, who keeps pressuring her for more. He always wants to have sex. She's got a mother who is never on her side. She's just met the new girl in school, who knows someone from her past she'd rather forget. She's also just been told by her World Cultures teacher, Mr. Rossi, that she's smart. That she could do better.
The first person narration doesn't occlude the things Angelyn doesn't think about. Even when she doesn't understand herself, the reader has a sense of her emotions. She's a complex, absorbing character. It's interesting to see how her interactions with others change throughout the novel as she grows more confident in her ability to judge character.
Atkins wisely doesn't make Angelyn a victim. She's affected by the sexual abuse she sufferer at the hands of her stepfather, as well as the emotional abuse by her mother, but it's not her defining quality. Nor is it her only problem. I really rooted for her, because she did have so much potential she'd been taught to ignore.
Parents may want to read THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK with younger teens and have a frank discussion about sexual abuse, bullying, and street harassment. Fans of Laura Wiess's SUCH A PRETTY GIRL will also enjoy THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK.
Fifteen-year-old Angelyn Stark begins her day smoking in the bathroom with her best friends Jacey and Charity. No one messes with them. She's got a boyfriend, Steve Coslow, who keeps pressuring her for more. He always wants to have sex. She's got a mother who is never on her side. She's just met the new girl in school, who knows someone from her past she'd rather forget. She's also just been told by her World Cultures teacher, Mr. Rossi, that she's smart. That she could do better.
The first person narration doesn't occlude the things Angelyn doesn't think about. Even when she doesn't understand herself, the reader has a sense of her emotions. She's a complex, absorbing character. It's interesting to see how her interactions with others change throughout the novel as she grows more confident in her ability to judge character.
Atkins wisely doesn't make Angelyn a victim. She's affected by the sexual abuse she sufferer at the hands of her stepfather, as well as the emotional abuse by her mother, but it's not her defining quality. Nor is it her only problem. I really rooted for her, because she did have so much potential she'd been taught to ignore.
Parents may want to read THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK with younger teens and have a frank discussion about sexual abuse, bullying, and street harassment. Fans of Laura Wiess's SUCH A PRETTY GIRL will also enjoy THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK.
January 14, 2013
I can tell that Atkins had good intentions with this book, but it just did not turn out right. It was so confusing and half the time I had no idea where the setting was. I hated that Angelyn kept going back and forth with Rossi and Steve. It was annoying. The first chapter was great but if it was written in a whole different way then I would be giving it 5*.
January 16, 2018
Angelyn Stark is making some poor decisions. In high school, 15 years old, already upsetting people around her, getting into fights,etc...turns out she needs to admit the truth to herself and grow up, take responsibility for her actions and lack of actions.
December 31, 2022
For this book at the beginning it made me feel really uncomfortable but in the end I’m kinda happy on how it turned out
January 4, 2012
Angelyn Stark is an odd sort of girl; you want to hate her, protect her, love her and slap her - all at the same time. She is a girl who has been lied about, who has had gossip spread all over town about her, has a boyfriend who is a really ridiculous human being, two best friends who are definitely not friendly, and a mother who has messed her up so badly by choosing to disregard certain things that are happening in her own home - that Angelyn Stark is not much more than a big mess who needs some serious help.
The new girl in town is named Jeni, and unfortunately she walks into the girl’s room and meets up with Angelyn Stark and her two friends, Charity and Jacey. Smoking like chimneys, pretending they are the tough kids on campus, Jeni has to deal with their bullying until she can get back to class.
Out of the three, who are playing “Queens of the School,” Angelyn Stark seems to be the only one who doesn’t want to cause Jeni pain, even though she puts on a real good show for her two friends. She doesn’t see the new girl again until the bell rings and they all appear together in Mr. Rossi’s classroom. Mr. Rossi is a nice guy and seems to forgive Angelyn of almost anything. He wants to support her, befriend her, and help her to see that she does have an IQ and needs to use it in order to make her life better. But Angelyn is too stuck in her own world to see that.
Every lunch hour she hangs out in the parking lot with her group of snotty friends and her boyfriend, Steve. Out here they eat chips and slam back beers, hoping to not be busted, as Steve desperately tries to get his girlfriend to add a little “sugar” to their time together.
What Angelyn finds at home is a mother who barely speaks to her and blames her for everything, and a step-dad who Angelyn attempts to avoid. Mrs. Daly was their next door neighbor at one time - an older lady who truly liked Angelyn and wanted to help her. Unfortunately, Mrs. Daly has a grandson who ‘saw’ something going on in Angelyn’s house and told people about it, causing Angelyn to have to deal with some serious pain from both her mother and the town.
As things progress, Angelyn finds herself liking the new girl, and her friends slowly begin to turn against her, as well as her beer-loving boyfriend who seems to want only one thing from Angelyn that she doesn’t like giving. As this once ‘cool’ girl becomes the outcast, she only has Jeni and her teacher to help her through, and the relationships she forms with them will have readers really thinking about how one single mistake can turn into a lifetime of demons.
This author has done a good job of touching on some pretty harsh subjects, and proving to teens that being yourself is NOT the worst thing you can do! A good read.
Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy
The new girl in town is named Jeni, and unfortunately she walks into the girl’s room and meets up with Angelyn Stark and her two friends, Charity and Jacey. Smoking like chimneys, pretending they are the tough kids on campus, Jeni has to deal with their bullying until she can get back to class.
Out of the three, who are playing “Queens of the School,” Angelyn Stark seems to be the only one who doesn’t want to cause Jeni pain, even though she puts on a real good show for her two friends. She doesn’t see the new girl again until the bell rings and they all appear together in Mr. Rossi’s classroom. Mr. Rossi is a nice guy and seems to forgive Angelyn of almost anything. He wants to support her, befriend her, and help her to see that she does have an IQ and needs to use it in order to make her life better. But Angelyn is too stuck in her own world to see that.
Every lunch hour she hangs out in the parking lot with her group of snotty friends and her boyfriend, Steve. Out here they eat chips and slam back beers, hoping to not be busted, as Steve desperately tries to get his girlfriend to add a little “sugar” to their time together.
What Angelyn finds at home is a mother who barely speaks to her and blames her for everything, and a step-dad who Angelyn attempts to avoid. Mrs. Daly was their next door neighbor at one time - an older lady who truly liked Angelyn and wanted to help her. Unfortunately, Mrs. Daly has a grandson who ‘saw’ something going on in Angelyn’s house and told people about it, causing Angelyn to have to deal with some serious pain from both her mother and the town.
As things progress, Angelyn finds herself liking the new girl, and her friends slowly begin to turn against her, as well as her beer-loving boyfriend who seems to want only one thing from Angelyn that she doesn’t like giving. As this once ‘cool’ girl becomes the outcast, she only has Jeni and her teacher to help her through, and the relationships she forms with them will have readers really thinking about how one single mistake can turn into a lifetime of demons.
This author has done a good job of touching on some pretty harsh subjects, and proving to teens that being yourself is NOT the worst thing you can do! A good read.
Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy
August 6, 2016
The File on Angelyn Stark
By: Catherine Atkins
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780375869068
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Publication date: 11/8/2011
Pages: 256
Sales rank: 657,908
Age range: 14 – 17 Years
Product dimensions: 5.82 (w) x 8.52 (h) x 0.91 (d)
Summary: Angelyn Stark is in high school. She has a small group of friends and a popular boyfriend. She does okay in school, but does not feel like she is intelligent. We first meet Angelyn in the bathroom. She is smoking with her friends, when a girl comes in to use the restroom. This is off-limits. Angelyn and her friends make sure the girl knows that from now on, she is not allowed to go into that restroom during that break. As the girls leave, the girl tells Angelyn that she knows someone who knows her. The girl tells Angelyn about Mrs. Daly, a former neighbor and tutor of Angelyn’s, and how she sees Mrs. Daly when she volunteers at the old folks home. From there, Angelyn is late to class, but her teacher gives her a break, and then at lunch she goes to drink beers with her friends and boyfriend. She is caught by her teacher again while she is fooling around with her boyfriend in the truck. Her teacher talks to her and tells her to not give herself away. We then follow Angelyn around and learn that her home life is not that great. I could go on, but I don’t want to do a play by play of the story. The basics are that Angelyn is finding out about herself and dealing with a lot of things that other teenagers are also dealing with. Her boyfriend is pressuring her to do things she doesn’t want to do, her friends leave her when she breaks up with him, and the abuse that has happened in her life seems to linger throughout everything. It’s very candid and realistic.
My thoughts: I think one of my favorite parts about this book is the fact that you see Angelyn struggling with decisions. When her boyfriend is trying to get her to have sex with him, she keeps passively pushing him off. As a high school teacher, I’m afraid to say that I see this happening and read accounts from my students about similar things as well. It is very hard to say no. Even as an adult, I believe we have a hard time saying no. Angelyn says no, but there are consequences to that action. It’s interesting how she weighs pros and cons within her head and how she views the world around her. The reason I go so into this book is because of the complete honesty involved. It does not sugar coat issues, skirt around issues, or exaggerate. The File on Angelyn Stark is just like reading the diary of a teenage girl. I appreciated it and know that my female high school students will enjoy it as well. I’m always being asked for books that are more realistic and “more like me.” It’s nice to give them one that is well written and still appropriate for their age group.
(5 stars)
By: Catherine Atkins
Product Details
ISBN-13: 9780375869068
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Publication date: 11/8/2011
Pages: 256
Sales rank: 657,908
Age range: 14 – 17 Years
Product dimensions: 5.82 (w) x 8.52 (h) x 0.91 (d)
Summary: Angelyn Stark is in high school. She has a small group of friends and a popular boyfriend. She does okay in school, but does not feel like she is intelligent. We first meet Angelyn in the bathroom. She is smoking with her friends, when a girl comes in to use the restroom. This is off-limits. Angelyn and her friends make sure the girl knows that from now on, she is not allowed to go into that restroom during that break. As the girls leave, the girl tells Angelyn that she knows someone who knows her. The girl tells Angelyn about Mrs. Daly, a former neighbor and tutor of Angelyn’s, and how she sees Mrs. Daly when she volunteers at the old folks home. From there, Angelyn is late to class, but her teacher gives her a break, and then at lunch she goes to drink beers with her friends and boyfriend. She is caught by her teacher again while she is fooling around with her boyfriend in the truck. Her teacher talks to her and tells her to not give herself away. We then follow Angelyn around and learn that her home life is not that great. I could go on, but I don’t want to do a play by play of the story. The basics are that Angelyn is finding out about herself and dealing with a lot of things that other teenagers are also dealing with. Her boyfriend is pressuring her to do things she doesn’t want to do, her friends leave her when she breaks up with him, and the abuse that has happened in her life seems to linger throughout everything. It’s very candid and realistic.
My thoughts: I think one of my favorite parts about this book is the fact that you see Angelyn struggling with decisions. When her boyfriend is trying to get her to have sex with him, she keeps passively pushing him off. As a high school teacher, I’m afraid to say that I see this happening and read accounts from my students about similar things as well. It is very hard to say no. Even as an adult, I believe we have a hard time saying no. Angelyn says no, but there are consequences to that action. It’s interesting how she weighs pros and cons within her head and how she views the world around her. The reason I go so into this book is because of the complete honesty involved. It does not sugar coat issues, skirt around issues, or exaggerate. The File on Angelyn Stark is just like reading the diary of a teenage girl. I appreciated it and know that my female high school students will enjoy it as well. I’m always being asked for books that are more realistic and “more like me.” It’s nice to give them one that is well written and still appropriate for their age group.
(5 stars)
September 23, 2012
I stayed up late to finish this one not because it was a complete page-turner but because I was legitimately worried about Angelyn Stark as a person who could be a student I know or someone I pass on the street. Her story is not unique, or so the reports say, of the number of girls abused by a parent or step-parent. In this case Angelyn's step-father sexually abused her and as you find out, while the mother suspected, once the neighbor, a same-age boy living with his grandmother saw it happen and reported it, Angelyn lied to her family, counselors, and police about it happening because her mother didn't believe it.
Subsequently, Angelyn began acting out and was looked at as somewhat easy leading her to a complex relationship with Steve. I enjoyed the complicated relationship and conversations that Angelyn and Steve have. Steve, a popular boy yet with a weakness for Angelyn, has the ability to turn her "friends" against her when they are fighting but yet always wants to rescue her in a way, though he certainly doesn't know the depth of her issues, though he begins to uncover them as their sexual relationship takes detours. I feel like this is a very real representation of a teenage relationship because of its roller coaster nature and real language.
What I do not like about the book is the addition of a story line in which Angelyn begins to fall for her teacher, Mr. Rossi, who shows interest in guiding her on a right path. But when his family derails, his weakness becomes her path inward to him. The book is strong enough WITHOUT the attempt for a sexual relationship from Angelyn. While Mr. Rossi makes a few mistakes, he does stop anything sexual from happening, but there are some very close calls. These, unless the teacher is a predator, would not really happen from having her in his car to rescue a dog to letting her in his house instead of standing his ground.
The book is powerful enough with the lead character struggling with her issues, Nathan, the boy who went to the police, constantly trying to apologize and talk with Angelyn though she doesn't want to hear him, the family dynamics compounded by her faulted relationship with her boyfriend and friends. I have a few students in mind who would enjoy the book and even though I do not enjoy tidy endings, this was okay since not everything Angelyn was dealing with was neatly wrapped up, but because a reader can make a personal connection to Angelyn as a misguided youth, you are happy that someone is finally listening!
Subsequently, Angelyn began acting out and was looked at as somewhat easy leading her to a complex relationship with Steve. I enjoyed the complicated relationship and conversations that Angelyn and Steve have. Steve, a popular boy yet with a weakness for Angelyn, has the ability to turn her "friends" against her when they are fighting but yet always wants to rescue her in a way, though he certainly doesn't know the depth of her issues, though he begins to uncover them as their sexual relationship takes detours. I feel like this is a very real representation of a teenage relationship because of its roller coaster nature and real language.
What I do not like about the book is the addition of a story line in which Angelyn begins to fall for her teacher, Mr. Rossi, who shows interest in guiding her on a right path. But when his family derails, his weakness becomes her path inward to him. The book is strong enough WITHOUT the attempt for a sexual relationship from Angelyn. While Mr. Rossi makes a few mistakes, he does stop anything sexual from happening, but there are some very close calls. These, unless the teacher is a predator, would not really happen from having her in his car to rescue a dog to letting her in his house instead of standing his ground.
The book is powerful enough with the lead character struggling with her issues, Nathan, the boy who went to the police, constantly trying to apologize and talk with Angelyn though she doesn't want to hear him, the family dynamics compounded by her faulted relationship with her boyfriend and friends. I have a few students in mind who would enjoy the book and even though I do not enjoy tidy endings, this was okay since not everything Angelyn was dealing with was neatly wrapped up, but because a reader can make a personal connection to Angelyn as a misguided youth, you are happy that someone is finally listening!
April 18, 2012
I didn't think that a book so simply written could have so much depth. By "simple" I mean that it was about 95% dialogue.
Angelyn is a girl who represses and denies everything that happened to her as a young girl and begins searching for the respect and love she feels she deserves from her boyfriend who just doesn't quite live up to what she wants. Then there's Mr. Rossi, a teacher who seems to get too close to her and she takes his intentions and turns them into feelings she shouldn't have. Searching for that love. She pushes too far sometimes, and as a reader I wasn't sure how far she'd go and how far Mr. Rossi would let her go. I was constantly on edge.
When a new girl, Jenni, arrives at her school, Angelyn doesn't want anything to do with her until she realizes the girls she thought were her friends begin to push her away. In Jenni, she learns what it means to have a real friend and someone who cares about you. I loved Jenni's character, she was there for Angelyn even when Angelyn wasn't there for herself.
I felt anger and disappointment towards Angelyn's mother. She seemed like the kind of mom you see around the poorer parts of town who seem to have nothing but negativity in their vocabulary, rage in their eyes & hate in their eyes. But, believe me, she turned my views on her around.
Angelyn's boyfriend, aggravated me, and even with his mild change of heart at the end, I still couldn't stand him and wished Angelyn would completely let him go. He seemed like the worst kind of person in her life.
I'd rather she would get to know Nathan again--after his true telling of what he saw while they were 13.
I'd recommend this to someone who wants to read something that has impact yet isn't 500 pages of words. It's a very very quick read that brought out every emotion possible. I may have shed a tear or two...!
Angelyn is a girl who represses and denies everything that happened to her as a young girl and begins searching for the respect and love she feels she deserves from her boyfriend who just doesn't quite live up to what she wants. Then there's Mr. Rossi, a teacher who seems to get too close to her and she takes his intentions and turns them into feelings she shouldn't have. Searching for that love. She pushes too far sometimes, and as a reader I wasn't sure how far she'd go and how far Mr. Rossi would let her go. I was constantly on edge.
When a new girl, Jenni, arrives at her school, Angelyn doesn't want anything to do with her until she realizes the girls she thought were her friends begin to push her away. In Jenni, she learns what it means to have a real friend and someone who cares about you. I loved Jenni's character, she was there for Angelyn even when Angelyn wasn't there for herself.
I felt anger and disappointment towards Angelyn's mother. She seemed like the kind of mom you see around the poorer parts of town who seem to have nothing but negativity in their vocabulary, rage in their eyes & hate in their eyes. But, believe me, she turned my views on her around.
Angelyn's boyfriend, aggravated me, and even with his mild change of heart at the end, I still couldn't stand him and wished Angelyn would completely let him go. He seemed like the worst kind of person in her life.
I'd rather she would get to know Nathan again--after his true telling of what he saw while they were 13.
I'd recommend this to someone who wants to read something that has impact yet isn't 500 pages of words. It's a very very quick read that brought out every emotion possible. I may have shed a tear or two...!
March 29, 2015
This is a great book for a teen book group or classroom discussion or even a younger teen/ parent book group. There is so much to discuss. Kids often live in a naive dream world and get themselves into situations without understanding what is going on. I feel through books you can learn lessons about life without going to the school of hard knocks.
Questions might be:
What do you do when your boyfriend only likes you for your body? What do you do if you are a teacher and want to help a troubled student? How should you dress and act if you don't want to be hit on by older men? If your friends are a bad influence and disloyal how do you find new friends? What does it mean to have self-respect? How can you change your life when your situation seems hopeless? What are the red flags for knowing when a neighbor, a friend or a student is being abused? What are the consequences for reporting it? What are the consequences for not reporting it?
Angelyn isn't very likeable but I could understand why she has behavior problems. She suffers from abuse and neglect. These are subjects worth taking a look at. I got tired of reading about all the drinking and smoking and petting. The fact that her boyfriend abandons a dog was a good analogy for abandonment in general. Does the way someone treats other creatures and other people reflect on the way that you will be treated as well? I really wanted Angelyn to be strong enough to dump her boyfriend. She didn't need to be owned.
It would have been a stronger book if the chapters alternated between Angelyn, Nathan and Jeni or maybe even Mr. Rossi. I wanted to hear about Angelyn from a different perspective especially since I liked Jeni and Nathan a lot and would have enjoyed knowing more about their lives.
Questions might be:
What do you do when your boyfriend only likes you for your body? What do you do if you are a teacher and want to help a troubled student? How should you dress and act if you don't want to be hit on by older men? If your friends are a bad influence and disloyal how do you find new friends? What does it mean to have self-respect? How can you change your life when your situation seems hopeless? What are the red flags for knowing when a neighbor, a friend or a student is being abused? What are the consequences for reporting it? What are the consequences for not reporting it?
Angelyn isn't very likeable but I could understand why she has behavior problems. She suffers from abuse and neglect. These are subjects worth taking a look at. I got tired of reading about all the drinking and smoking and petting. The fact that her boyfriend abandons a dog was a good analogy for abandonment in general. Does the way someone treats other creatures and other people reflect on the way that you will be treated as well? I really wanted Angelyn to be strong enough to dump her boyfriend. She didn't need to be owned.
It would have been a stronger book if the chapters alternated between Angelyn, Nathan and Jeni or maybe even Mr. Rossi. I wanted to hear about Angelyn from a different perspective especially since I liked Jeni and Nathan a lot and would have enjoyed knowing more about their lives.
February 4, 2012
2.0 out of 5 stars - Disappointing
Angelyn Stark has had a tough break or two in her short life. She has a difficult time with friends and school, but even worse is her home life. The gossip around town is that she's trouble and a bad girl -- is that true? And a neighbor boy contacts the authorities when he thinks he's seen something in her house that shouldn't be happening. No question, Angelyn is rebellious and acting out -- but why? Is the young, understanding history teacher, Mr. Rossi, the answer to her cry for help? It may be that Angelyn has lost the ability to find or fight her way out of the life she's living.
Although there is a lot of "drama" here, the characters in the novel seem flat and stereotypical and I found myself unable to feel much empathy for Angelyn and her situation because of that. The author goes for angst, but it seems forced and some of the situations require the reader to more than suspend disbelief.
Though this is marketed for YA, I don't think it is for younger high school students. I understand that some teens fight, have sex, drink beer, and smoke cigarettes, but some of the detail is a bit too graphic for this age group. I hesitate to put it on the shelves in my high school's library. I will ask a mature teen I know to read it and give a candid opinion and then may revise my review to reflect her thoughts.
Angelyn Stark has had a tough break or two in her short life. She has a difficult time with friends and school, but even worse is her home life. The gossip around town is that she's trouble and a bad girl -- is that true? And a neighbor boy contacts the authorities when he thinks he's seen something in her house that shouldn't be happening. No question, Angelyn is rebellious and acting out -- but why? Is the young, understanding history teacher, Mr. Rossi, the answer to her cry for help? It may be that Angelyn has lost the ability to find or fight her way out of the life she's living.
Although there is a lot of "drama" here, the characters in the novel seem flat and stereotypical and I found myself unable to feel much empathy for Angelyn and her situation because of that. The author goes for angst, but it seems forced and some of the situations require the reader to more than suspend disbelief.
Though this is marketed for YA, I don't think it is for younger high school students. I understand that some teens fight, have sex, drink beer, and smoke cigarettes, but some of the detail is a bit too graphic for this age group. I hesitate to put it on the shelves in my high school's library. I will ask a mature teen I know to read it and give a candid opinion and then may revise my review to reflect her thoughts.
August 12, 2012
'The File on Angelyn Stark' by Catherine Atkins is a novel about a fifteen year old girl named Angelyn Stark who is a troubled student at school. The reader travels through her life as things go from bad, to worse, to horrible, to okay.
The biggest thing I like about this book was that nothing really ever got better. It felt so real to me as I read it. In real life, things don't automatically get peachy keen at the end, and this book didn't do that. Some parts of this story made me sad for her, almost making me cry sometimes. Other points, I just didn't care, knowing that what had happened had been her fault. Angelyn has got to be the realest character I've ever read about, and I've read a lot of books. I also liked how the book was written. It was like we were actually inside of her mind with short sentences here and there, and also how there wasn't much description. Because really? While we think in our minds, we don't usually describe everything in vivid detail.
Now the reason this book didn't get 5 stars is because I wish some end points could have been wrapped up. For instance, I wish that it hadn't ended the way it did, even though I liked it. It just left me hanging, wanting more and hoping there was a second book. There isn't. Atkins knows how to write a good book, and she also knows how to end things so they leave you yearning for more to happen.
The biggest thing I like about this book was that nothing really ever got better. It felt so real to me as I read it. In real life, things don't automatically get peachy keen at the end, and this book didn't do that. Some parts of this story made me sad for her, almost making me cry sometimes. Other points, I just didn't care, knowing that what had happened had been her fault. Angelyn has got to be the realest character I've ever read about, and I've read a lot of books. I also liked how the book was written. It was like we were actually inside of her mind with short sentences here and there, and also how there wasn't much description. Because really? While we think in our minds, we don't usually describe everything in vivid detail.
Now the reason this book didn't get 5 stars is because I wish some end points could have been wrapped up. For instance, I wish that it hadn't ended the way it did, even though I liked it. It just left me hanging, wanting more and hoping there was a second book. There isn't. Atkins knows how to write a good book, and she also knows how to end things so they leave you yearning for more to happen.
June 15, 2013
The File on Angelyn Stark simply asks the reader to bear witness. In today’s dystopian saturated genre, it’s a small scale story about every day conflict. That the conflict isn’t at all rare is what makes it a shattering read.
The narrative is very clearly told by Angelyn. The dialogue and vernacular as specific to Anngelyn and where she lives, which was very refreshing. Many books in first person are affected by the author’s voice, but it was just Angelyn.
Almost all the prose is dialogue, and any time Angelyn’s thoughts were revealed they were short and reactive. The File on Angelyn Stark has no three paragraph epiphanies. At times the heavy-dialogue format muddled the story. There were many times the characters changed locations without a clear signifyer because there were nearly no descriptions.
However, the format served to make the story very stark. Reading a frank conversation about the sexual abuse Angelyn suffered carried great weight because as a reader, I couldn’t distract myself thinking about what the characters were wearing or what the weather was like. With only dialogue, every painful part of the story demanded your full attention.
Any writers struggling with purple prose should read this book as an example of how minimal language can be effective. It’s a short read, but is quite emotionally exhausting.
Review Posted on heyteenbookshesy.tumblr.com
The narrative is very clearly told by Angelyn. The dialogue and vernacular as specific to Anngelyn and where she lives, which was very refreshing. Many books in first person are affected by the author’s voice, but it was just Angelyn.
Almost all the prose is dialogue, and any time Angelyn’s thoughts were revealed they were short and reactive. The File on Angelyn Stark has no three paragraph epiphanies. At times the heavy-dialogue format muddled the story. There were many times the characters changed locations without a clear signifyer because there were nearly no descriptions.
However, the format served to make the story very stark. Reading a frank conversation about the sexual abuse Angelyn suffered carried great weight because as a reader, I couldn’t distract myself thinking about what the characters were wearing or what the weather was like. With only dialogue, every painful part of the story demanded your full attention.
Any writers struggling with purple prose should read this book as an example of how minimal language can be effective. It’s a short read, but is quite emotionally exhausting.
Review Posted on heyteenbookshesy.tumblr.com
February 27, 2012
Angelyn is a girl with a bad reputation. Her mother hates her. Her stepfather ignores her. Her boyfriend just broke up with her because she won’t put out. Her best girlfriends are spreading rumors about her. The only ones who seem to be interested in being around her are her developmentally delayed neighbor, a girl in class who is also a social outcast, and Angelyn’s World Cultures teacher. As Angelyn’s story is revealed, the consequences of all these relationships create a lot of problems for everyone.
I enjoyed this story of life out of control and how one’s choices can sometimes have unintended consequences. It’s a well-paced story that should appeal to teens. I liked that it wasn't too predictable, but that there weren't any outlandish surprises either. My only complaint…there’s no real sense of place – although not a critical piece of the story, details of the town and school would have grounded the story better. Some of the scenes and conversation are pretty detailed, so it’s for older teens.
I enjoyed this story of life out of control and how one’s choices can sometimes have unintended consequences. It’s a well-paced story that should appeal to teens. I liked that it wasn't too predictable, but that there weren't any outlandish surprises either. My only complaint…there’s no real sense of place – although not a critical piece of the story, details of the town and school would have grounded the story better. Some of the scenes and conversation are pretty detailed, so it’s for older teens.
June 16, 2012
ARC review
Ugh. This book was just full of awful writing, indistinguishable plot, and horrible characters. I hated this book. I felt that it could've been so much more. It had an interesting tagline, it just fell short on character development and plot and just everything. Blegh. Seriously, I hated all of the characters and NOTHING HAPPENED IN THE WHOLE BOOK. Okay sure, Angelyn kinda changed or something. Gah I don't even remember. I could care less really.
Oh right. The ONE thing that almost made me feel something other than disgust for the characters was the thing with Mr. Rice's (?) son. That made me sad. BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO KNOW WHAT HE DID THAT WAS SO BAD. Ugh. See what I mean??
(AHAHAHHA the teacher's name was Rossi. LOL "Rice" HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. That's soooooooooo hilarious and sad that I forgot his name. Snicker.)
Ahhhhh okay. Yeah. So I pretty much despised this book. At least I got it for free. Yay for free books! (even if they do suck) :P
Ugh. This book was just full of awful writing, indistinguishable plot, and horrible characters. I hated this book. I felt that it could've been so much more. It had an interesting tagline, it just fell short on character development and plot and just everything. Blegh. Seriously, I hated all of the characters and NOTHING HAPPENED IN THE WHOLE BOOK. Okay sure, Angelyn kinda changed or something. Gah I don't even remember. I could care less really.
Oh right. The ONE thing that almost made me feel something other than disgust for the characters was the thing with Mr. Rice's (?) son. That made me sad. BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO KNOW WHAT HE DID THAT WAS SO BAD. Ugh. See what I mean??
(AHAHAHHA the teacher's name was Rossi. LOL "Rice" HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. That's soooooooooo hilarious and sad that I forgot his name. Snicker.)
Ahhhhh okay. Yeah. So I pretty much despised this book. At least I got it for free. Yay for free books! (even if they do suck) :P
June 17, 2014
3 1/2 stars, in the first few chapters you want to hate Angelyn, then things unfold and stories are told and lives are built. It really just proves two points… You never know what's going on in someone's life and Teens are cruel sometimes. The book was almost completely dialogue and interaction between Angelyn and all of the significant people in her life but somehow it sucked me in to her story. I worried for her, wanted to scream at her mom, wanted to punch her boyfriend. I feel like Atkins did a great job of handling tough subjects and how children react to them. That being said, it was a lot of dialogue, not much detail or depth beyond the interactions and past stories. Definitely worth the quick read that it was and one that I think I will remember.
January 27, 2012
For such a simply written story Angelyn Stark was a deep and complex character that I really love. She comes off as a tough 15 yr-old girl-getting in fights, drinking beer at lunch, failing her classes-but underneath is a 12 yr old thats crying out for help and love. Where she finds it is in a closs (almost inappropriatly so) relationship with a young teacher who gives her the support and friendship she needs to stand up for who she is. But the real story isnt about them it's about HER-finding her voice. A short but great read.
November 14, 2012
This book isn't the best but I found it interesting and that I couldn't stop reading it. Mostly because I wanted to know what really happened with Angelyn, it wasn't exactly a page turner. The book leaves you wondering what happened to Angelyn when she was younger when you first read it but once you find out, to me it sort of stopped being as interesting. This book had three stars because the plot itself was pretty good but I thought the book didn't really have anything special that it made it stand out.
September 1, 2016
I don't think I have ever read a book with a character that I truly hated and could not stand. Angelyn I felt bad for her but come on how old is she like 10. I wish the girl acted more her age and was just more adult. I could not stand her and just how she would not leave Mr.Rossi alone like come on. So, I rated it a 2 because some parts held my interest but for the most part I could not stand it.
May 15, 2012
Topic matter is very difficult and mature, but author handles it with subtlety. I thought the language captures the angst, confusion, and pain that such a situation would provoke from someone. I found it interesting to get to know Angelyn Stark, to see how she pushed back in anger, and how she confused the roles of friend, father, and lover.
June 21, 2012
Fast-paced, dialogue heavy book...good for older, reluctant, high school readers that like issue novels like Ellen Hopkins (although this wasn't as gritty as hers tend to be)...you kind of just ended up feeling so bad for Angelyn, with the terrible things that happened to her and the terrible adults that surround her...
February 20, 2012
This YA novel is fast-paced gritty realistic fiction story about a troubled teen whose past is as messed up as her present. Sad story about child abuse and its lingering effects, especially when it goes untreated.
January 11, 2016
This book covered a very serious subject matter, but I couldn't stand the characters. They all annoyed me and pissed me off. Maybe I'm too old for this particular book. I'm not sure. I just couldn't connect with it.
September 12, 2016
Read for professional review.
January 26, 2012
I have a lot to say about this book, but will write more later.
September 9, 2012
I ate it in one bite. Never looked up. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
September 14, 2012
3.5 stars
January 9, 2013
Such a raw and dark read. Book thoughts to come...
March 28, 2013
Really good stayed up till it was finished. Was a page turner. Read it if you can.
August 8, 2013
This was a really good book. I liked it because I thought the other had a very intriguing writing style and great ideas. The book was a little depressing but I'd recommend it to an audience 12+
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