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Delicate
Ivy’s seemingly perfect, master-of-social-causes boyfriend breaks it off in the school hallway before their final exam. So much for love. It turns out Jeremy wants to get good and laid by someone new over summer vacation, before they both head off to different universities in the fall.
At her grandmother’s seventy-fifth birthday party, Ivy is in no mood to socialize. In fact, she’s downright delicate. Unfortunately, sixteen-year-old Lucan’s peanut allergy reaction happens right in front of her eyes. As Ivy keeps him company the two realize they’re second cousins who haven’t seen each other in six years due to a mysterious family feud.
The old drama is the last thing on Lucan’s mind. He has more immediate problems, like his mom’s noisy playtime activities with her brash younger boyfriend. On top of that, Lucan’s a constant witness to his best friend’s toxic relationship, which he begins to suspect has become abusive.
As the weeks pass, Lucan and Ivy’s summer seems more like a minefield of disastrous events — but at least they have their developing friendship with each other to count on. Or is that what’s really going on?
At her grandmother’s seventy-fifth birthday party, Ivy is in no mood to socialize. In fact, she’s downright delicate. Unfortunately, sixteen-year-old Lucan’s peanut allergy reaction happens right in front of her eyes. As Ivy keeps him company the two realize they’re second cousins who haven’t seen each other in six years due to a mysterious family feud.
The old drama is the last thing on Lucan’s mind. He has more immediate problems, like his mom’s noisy playtime activities with her brash younger boyfriend. On top of that, Lucan’s a constant witness to his best friend’s toxic relationship, which he begins to suspect has become abusive.
As the weeks pass, Lucan and Ivy’s summer seems more like a minefield of disastrous events — but at least they have their developing friendship with each other to count on. Or is that what’s really going on?
226 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2015
1 person is currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
C.K. Kelly Martin
17 books326 followersLong before I was an author I was a fan of books about Winnie the Pooh, Babar, Madeline, Anne Shirley and anything by Judy Blume. Throughout high school my favourite class was English. No surprise, then, that most of my time spent at York University in Toronto was as an English major—not the traditional way to graduate with a B.A. (Hons) in film studies but a fine way to get a general arts education.
After getting my film studies degree I headed for Dublin, Ireland and spent the majority of the nineties there in forgettable jobs meeting unforgettable people and enjoying the buzz. I always believed I'd get around to writing in earnest eventually, and I began writing my first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then I'd discovered that fiction about young people felt the freshest and most exciting to me. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once.
Currently residing near Toronto with my Dub husband, I'm an aunt to twenty-one nieces and nephews, and a great-aunt to five great-nieces and two great-nephews. I became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continue to visit Dublin as often as I can while working on novels about young people.
My first young adult book, I Know It's Over, came out with Random House in September 2008, and was followed by One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Life and Death, My Beating Teenage Heart and sci-fi thriller Yesterday. I released Yesterday's sequel, Tomorrow, in 2013 and put out my first adult novel, Come See About Me, as an ebook in June 2012. Two of my contemporary YA books, The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing and Delicate, were published by Cormorant Books' Dancing Cat Books imprint in 2014 and 2015. They also published my middle grade sci-fi, Stricken.
My 2017 young adult novel, Just Like You Said It Would Be, is the book of my heart. Packed with movies references and giddy love for Dublin, Ireland, Just Like You Said It Would Be is a frank exploration of first love, full of confusion, elation, disappointment and its knack of making the ordinary seem amazing.
In 2019 I made my horror debut with DCB under the name Cara Martin. Booklist described Shantallow as "serious, literary and very scary" and Kirkus called it "gut-wrenching on various levels." It was an Ottawa Book Awards finalist and was longlisted for the Sunburst Award.
After getting my film studies degree I headed for Dublin, Ireland and spent the majority of the nineties there in forgettable jobs meeting unforgettable people and enjoying the buzz. I always believed I'd get around to writing in earnest eventually, and I began writing my first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then I'd discovered that fiction about young people felt the freshest and most exciting to me. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once.
Currently residing near Toronto with my Dub husband, I'm an aunt to twenty-one nieces and nephews, and a great-aunt to five great-nieces and two great-nephews. I became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continue to visit Dublin as often as I can while working on novels about young people.
My first young adult book, I Know It's Over, came out with Random House in September 2008, and was followed by One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Life and Death, My Beating Teenage Heart and sci-fi thriller Yesterday. I released Yesterday's sequel, Tomorrow, in 2013 and put out my first adult novel, Come See About Me, as an ebook in June 2012. Two of my contemporary YA books, The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing and Delicate, were published by Cormorant Books' Dancing Cat Books imprint in 2014 and 2015. They also published my middle grade sci-fi, Stricken.
My 2017 young adult novel, Just Like You Said It Would Be, is the book of my heart. Packed with movies references and giddy love for Dublin, Ireland, Just Like You Said It Would Be is a frank exploration of first love, full of confusion, elation, disappointment and its knack of making the ordinary seem amazing.
In 2019 I made my horror debut with DCB under the name Cara Martin. Booklist described Shantallow as "serious, literary and very scary" and Kirkus called it "gut-wrenching on various levels." It was an Ottawa Book Awards finalist and was longlisted for the Sunburst Award.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 30, 2015
With high grades, a scholarship to Carleton University in the fall, and a perfect boyfriend, everything in Ivy's life was going according to plan. That is, right until Jeremy suddenly breaks up with Ivy before their final exam and shatters her heart. He meant everything to her. They shared a passion for social causes, and led their AVL group at school, and sure, he was heading to Montreal for university, but she never imagined they would ever be apart. Jeremy might be apologetic about their break up, but Ivy can't mask the rising fury and pain.
Lucan can't help feeling caught in the middle. His parents have been divorced for several years now, but his father doesn't approve of his ex-wife's new younger boyfriend. Lucan isn't really a fan of him either, especially since he can hear them having sex down the hall at night (shudder!), but his father's comments about his mother make him uncomfortable. And then there's his best friend Des, whose volatile relationship with his girlfriend has become abusive.
When Ivy and Lucan meet at her grandmother's seventy-fifth birthday party, they find a friend in each other, someone they can trust and confide in knowing they won't be judged. They're second cousins who haven't seen each other in years, not since a mysterious family feud drove their mothers apart, but Ivy and Lucan reconnect over the summer as they deal with issues that are all too realistic.
Maybe it's because the gritty cover threw me off at first, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I absolutely enjoyed C.K. Kelly Martin's latest YA contemporary fiction novel Delicate. Everything from peanut allergies and family arguments to sexually transmitted infections and abusive relationships were approached head-on and pulled no punches. What a refreshing attitude!
Delicate was a very socially conscious read, and while it dealt with serious teen issues, it never felt judgmental. I feel like any teen or new adult can relate to the problems Ivy and Lucan faced in the novel, or walk away with more knowledge of how to get help and face these problems should they arise. Ivy's interest in social activism was also very inspiring and made you feel you can make a difference in the world, if only you simply raise your voice. C.K. Kelly Martin's Delicate was an absolute page-turner, and I hope you add it your TBR.
Lucan can't help feeling caught in the middle. His parents have been divorced for several years now, but his father doesn't approve of his ex-wife's new younger boyfriend. Lucan isn't really a fan of him either, especially since he can hear them having sex down the hall at night (shudder!), but his father's comments about his mother make him uncomfortable. And then there's his best friend Des, whose volatile relationship with his girlfriend has become abusive.
When Ivy and Lucan meet at her grandmother's seventy-fifth birthday party, they find a friend in each other, someone they can trust and confide in knowing they won't be judged. They're second cousins who haven't seen each other in years, not since a mysterious family feud drove their mothers apart, but Ivy and Lucan reconnect over the summer as they deal with issues that are all too realistic.
Maybe it's because the gritty cover threw me off at first, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I absolutely enjoyed C.K. Kelly Martin's latest YA contemporary fiction novel Delicate. Everything from peanut allergies and family arguments to sexually transmitted infections and abusive relationships were approached head-on and pulled no punches. What a refreshing attitude!
Delicate was a very socially conscious read, and while it dealt with serious teen issues, it never felt judgmental. I feel like any teen or new adult can relate to the problems Ivy and Lucan faced in the novel, or walk away with more knowledge of how to get help and face these problems should they arise. Ivy's interest in social activism was also very inspiring and made you feel you can make a difference in the world, if only you simply raise your voice. C.K. Kelly Martin's Delicate was an absolute page-turner, and I hope you add it your TBR.
May 24, 2016
Delicate was a new to me book that I decided to review on a whim - simply because, HELLO, sounds amazing. It was full of drama; touching on many situations and themes in an unapologetic way I like to see in YA. No sugar-coating at all - and I loved seeing that.
Both Ivy and Lucan are dealing with serious issues in their life and find comfort in each other. It wasn't an UNHEALTHY kind of comfort either, which was refreshing to read about. Sure, romantic feelings developed but it wasn't the baseline of their relationship. They start to depend on each other and I liked how Ms. Martin handled their relationship. Especially in the end.
What I loved most about Delicate was how the author tackled so many touchy subjects, without overwhelming me as the reader, and, not undermining each one's importance. Abuse, sex, toxic relationships, STIs, betrayal and more. It's educational, realistic and again, unapologetic. There's not ONE single message from Delicate that the reader will walk away from, its many.
Overall - I really liked it! I'm glad I picked Delicate up and experienced the beginning of Ivy and Lucan's story. It's one of those books I wish I had read as a teen. I highly recommend it!
I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Both Ivy and Lucan are dealing with serious issues in their life and find comfort in each other. It wasn't an UNHEALTHY kind of comfort either, which was refreshing to read about. Sure, romantic feelings developed but it wasn't the baseline of their relationship. They start to depend on each other and I liked how Ms. Martin handled their relationship. Especially in the end.
What I loved most about Delicate was how the author tackled so many touchy subjects, without overwhelming me as the reader, and, not undermining each one's importance. Abuse, sex, toxic relationships, STIs, betrayal and more. It's educational, realistic and again, unapologetic. There's not ONE single message from Delicate that the reader will walk away from, its many.
Overall - I really liked it! I'm glad I picked Delicate up and experienced the beginning of Ivy and Lucan's story. It's one of those books I wish I had read as a teen. I highly recommend it!
I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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June 23, 2016Martin excels at writing complicated, nuanced teen relationships, and it's no different in this book. In this story, the lines between friendship and romance are explored, as well as what it means to be related and what it means to be family.
For those looking for "things" in a YA book that aren't common, this one tackles a teenage girl acquiring an STD, as well as a teen boy who struggles with a horrible peanut allergy. As always, Martin writes sophisticated and realistic teenage sexuality, in a way that's unfiltered, messy, complicated, and very, very real. Also explored are domestic violence and abuse, in a way that's not after school special but rather, in a way teens are forced to grapple with truths they don't want to see or admit to.
The description of the book doesn't really do it justice, primarily because it's a character-driven novel. If you love stories that are about average teenagers struggling with "average" things, this is one you'll want, for sure.
For those looking for "things" in a YA book that aren't common, this one tackles a teenage girl acquiring an STD, as well as a teen boy who struggles with a horrible peanut allergy. As always, Martin writes sophisticated and realistic teenage sexuality, in a way that's unfiltered, messy, complicated, and very, very real. Also explored are domestic violence and abuse, in a way that's not after school special but rather, in a way teens are forced to grapple with truths they don't want to see or admit to.
The description of the book doesn't really do it justice, primarily because it's a character-driven novel. If you love stories that are about average teenagers struggling with "average" things, this is one you'll want, for sure.
July 20, 2016
rating 4.5/5
Books that focus mainly on the dynamics of relationships are some of my favorites and C.K. Kelly Martin has a knack for writing these books. That is probably why DELICATE has been on my reading wishlist since June of 2015. DELICATE definitely focuses on the complexities of relationships - the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are so many to examine:
Ivy's relationship with her parents
Lucan's relationship with his mother and her new, young boyfriend
Ivy's relationship with Jeremy - Is it really over? Can Ivy let go when Jeremy can't seem to?
Lucan's friendship with his best friend Des
Ivy's friendship with her best friend Betina
Ivy's parents' relationship with Lucan's mother - There's some history there, some bad blood that they can't seem to get beyond and Ivy is just now finding it out.
Ivy's friendship with Jeremy - Can they be friends after everything they've gone through?
And Ivy's relationship with Lucan - What is going on between them? Is it romantic? How does their family connection fit in to all of it? Can they or should they be more than friends?
I loved reading about all of them and how in some way they are all connected. Each relationship affects another. Nothing is ever simple. Relationships rarely are.
As a side note, I thought that Lucan's peanut allergy would play a major role in the story as a whole, but it doesn't. If anything, it shows that there is so much more to Lucan than just his allergy.
Memorable Quotes:
"Life is a lot of things, not just the person you're sleeping with."
"I went home and wrote tortured poetry in my head without ever putting a word down on paper."
"It's hard when people turn out to be someone other than who you expected them to be."
"He was the real thing. We'd been the real thing. And it was over."
I've come to really enjoy C.K. Kelly Martin's books. I seek them out and have yet to be disappointed. Thank goodness. DELICATE is a fantastic addition to contemporary YA. It's a book that could be referred to as "under the radar", but readers definitely need to take notice.
Books that focus mainly on the dynamics of relationships are some of my favorites and C.K. Kelly Martin has a knack for writing these books. That is probably why DELICATE has been on my reading wishlist since June of 2015. DELICATE definitely focuses on the complexities of relationships - the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are so many to examine:
Ivy's relationship with her parents
Lucan's relationship with his mother and her new, young boyfriend
Ivy's relationship with Jeremy - Is it really over? Can Ivy let go when Jeremy can't seem to?
Lucan's friendship with his best friend Des
Ivy's friendship with her best friend Betina
Ivy's parents' relationship with Lucan's mother - There's some history there, some bad blood that they can't seem to get beyond and Ivy is just now finding it out.
Ivy's friendship with Jeremy - Can they be friends after everything they've gone through?
And Ivy's relationship with Lucan - What is going on between them? Is it romantic? How does their family connection fit in to all of it? Can they or should they be more than friends?
I loved reading about all of them and how in some way they are all connected. Each relationship affects another. Nothing is ever simple. Relationships rarely are.
As a side note, I thought that Lucan's peanut allergy would play a major role in the story as a whole, but it doesn't. If anything, it shows that there is so much more to Lucan than just his allergy.
Memorable Quotes:
"Life is a lot of things, not just the person you're sleeping with."
"I went home and wrote tortured poetry in my head without ever putting a word down on paper."
"It's hard when people turn out to be someone other than who you expected them to be."
"He was the real thing. We'd been the real thing. And it was over."
I've come to really enjoy C.K. Kelly Martin's books. I seek them out and have yet to be disappointed. Thank goodness. DELICATE is a fantastic addition to contemporary YA. It's a book that could be referred to as "under the radar", but readers definitely need to take notice.
November 21, 2015
(YA) I was only going to read 30 pages or so, because I had other stuff to do, but then I got sucked in, and it flew by, so here I am.
What I like about Martin's writing is that she creates a specific texture within her teen characters that make them feel real. A private thought, spoken, or the way a character dips his head can mean volumes when characters are this well-portrayed.
For me, the book's theme was violence: the violence of allergies, betrayals, infidelities, your body, your life, your intentions. While Ivy's boyfriend breaks up with her, her second cousin Lucan's dealing with his mother's younger boyfriend presence and his best-friend's volatile relationship. Ivy and Lucan form a bond (they aren't "real" second cousins) and it's that thread of hope -- of being understood -- that leads them into the delicate area of almost-love.
For all the drama, it's an understated book, really, with feelings and desires creeping out between the lines of dialogue. I liked Lucan best, I liked the way he thought about Ivy. It's not about what happens as much as what you are dying to see happen -- Ivy and Lucan figuring out they like each other.
---
Also, can I just vent and say how much I hated Lucan's mother's boyfriend, Julian Caravello? I wanted to throttle the guy every time he was on the page. Every. Single. Time. He wasn't even the biggest asshole of the book, but seriously. Every. Single. Time.
What I like about Martin's writing is that she creates a specific texture within her teen characters that make them feel real. A private thought, spoken, or the way a character dips his head can mean volumes when characters are this well-portrayed.
For me, the book's theme was violence: the violence of allergies, betrayals, infidelities, your body, your life, your intentions. While Ivy's boyfriend breaks up with her, her second cousin Lucan's dealing with his mother's younger boyfriend presence and his best-friend's volatile relationship. Ivy and Lucan form a bond (they aren't "real" second cousins) and it's that thread of hope -- of being understood -- that leads them into the delicate area of almost-love.
For all the drama, it's an understated book, really, with feelings and desires creeping out between the lines of dialogue. I liked Lucan best, I liked the way he thought about Ivy. It's not about what happens as much as what you are dying to see happen -- Ivy and Lucan figuring out they like each other.
---
Also, can I just vent and say how much I hated Lucan's mother's boyfriend, Julian Caravello? I wanted to throttle the guy every time he was on the page. Every. Single. Time. He wasn't even the biggest asshole of the book, but seriously. Every. Single. Time.
December 9, 2015
I adored this book for so many reasons.
The story of Ivy and Lucan - both struggling in their own worlds until they collide.
As I was reading this book, the one thing that kept going through my head was "everything is predestined". Indeed, while both Lucan and Ivy were living some very difficult moments - each in their own worlds, fate would intervene drawing them to each other in a slow, sometimes sweet, sometimes harsher manner - clearly demonstrating that when you think you are at your darkest hour, the next "good thing", in your life, is already moving toward you (albeit sometimes wayyyy too slowly).
Ivy is smart and in love, but her world is about to fall apart when the perfect guy becomes the cruel ex-guy.
Lucan is smart but not particularly ready for the world. Although he is far from living a sheltered life, he also hasn't been exposed to a lot in his short life, leaving him very ill equipped to deal with the emotional ups and downs of his friends and of his parents.
The action starts quickly in this novel with Jeremy basically dumping Ivy (yep, the perfect guy can't get a clue about maybe NOT dumping his girlfriend right before a final). Ivy can't believe it and basically spends the next few days in a daze, until Jeremy comes over and they have sex, after which he dumps her again.
While this sounds harsh, the author actually makes it hard to hate Jeremy, he is clearly conflicted about all the feelings HE has and I thought this was interesting and clever and frustrating for me. I wanted to HATE him, after all, who has not been unceremoniously dumped before? but, in the Jeremy character, we see that, in many instances, few things are ever all black or all white.
If this wasn't bad enough, we soon discover that Ivy needs to deal with more than just a breakup, which I had not seen coming. Here again, the author chooses to write all of her characters with good and bad qualities - just like real life, making it, once again, hard for me to dearly HATE anybody in this story. That was so frustrating LOL.
As for Lucan, while his love life is non existent, he somehow ends up having to deal with his best friend's breakup and specifically, the reason for the breakup. In the process he discovers things about his friend that he struggles to understand, all the while worrying about parents who basically hate each other.
When Ivy and Lucan finally meet, the friendship has ups and downs, but you do feel that both characters want to find some middle ground, all the while licking their own wounds and worrying about what they should do next.
As a side note, any other reviewers have mentioned the abuse aspect of this story. Yes, its definitely there, but its not in the spotlight. I like that its something that is lived, discussed, confronted and dealt with but its not done in a "in your face" kind of way. Its more subtly written and quite effective.
However, for me, the magic of this story is that all of the characters are both likeable and not so much at different points of the story. I like that nothing is shoved in your face, while at the same time it is all brought to the forefront. Nothing is black and white and everybody suffers because of poor choices.
The writing is down to earth and challenges us to ask ourselves how we would react in certain situations. It is beautifully laid out in a straightforward story that refuses to take the "holier than thou road" - instead, the author chooses to write the story and let her readers discover all the nuances.
I LOVED THIS BOOK - I NEED A SEQUEL.
The story of Ivy and Lucan - both struggling in their own worlds until they collide.
As I was reading this book, the one thing that kept going through my head was "everything is predestined". Indeed, while both Lucan and Ivy were living some very difficult moments - each in their own worlds, fate would intervene drawing them to each other in a slow, sometimes sweet, sometimes harsher manner - clearly demonstrating that when you think you are at your darkest hour, the next "good thing", in your life, is already moving toward you (albeit sometimes wayyyy too slowly).
Ivy is smart and in love, but her world is about to fall apart when the perfect guy becomes the cruel ex-guy.
Lucan is smart but not particularly ready for the world. Although he is far from living a sheltered life, he also hasn't been exposed to a lot in his short life, leaving him very ill equipped to deal with the emotional ups and downs of his friends and of his parents.
The action starts quickly in this novel with Jeremy basically dumping Ivy (yep, the perfect guy can't get a clue about maybe NOT dumping his girlfriend right before a final). Ivy can't believe it and basically spends the next few days in a daze, until Jeremy comes over and they have sex, after which he dumps her again.
While this sounds harsh, the author actually makes it hard to hate Jeremy, he is clearly conflicted about all the feelings HE has and I thought this was interesting and clever and frustrating for me. I wanted to HATE him, after all, who has not been unceremoniously dumped before? but, in the Jeremy character, we see that, in many instances, few things are ever all black or all white.
If this wasn't bad enough, we soon discover that Ivy needs to deal with more than just a breakup, which I had not seen coming. Here again, the author chooses to write all of her characters with good and bad qualities - just like real life, making it, once again, hard for me to dearly HATE anybody in this story. That was so frustrating LOL.
As for Lucan, while his love life is non existent, he somehow ends up having to deal with his best friend's breakup and specifically, the reason for the breakup. In the process he discovers things about his friend that he struggles to understand, all the while worrying about parents who basically hate each other.
When Ivy and Lucan finally meet, the friendship has ups and downs, but you do feel that both characters want to find some middle ground, all the while licking their own wounds and worrying about what they should do next.
As a side note, any other reviewers have mentioned the abuse aspect of this story. Yes, its definitely there, but its not in the spotlight. I like that its something that is lived, discussed, confronted and dealt with but its not done in a "in your face" kind of way. Its more subtly written and quite effective.
However, for me, the magic of this story is that all of the characters are both likeable and not so much at different points of the story. I like that nothing is shoved in your face, while at the same time it is all brought to the forefront. Nothing is black and white and everybody suffers because of poor choices.
The writing is down to earth and challenges us to ask ourselves how we would react in certain situations. It is beautifully laid out in a straightforward story that refuses to take the "holier than thou road" - instead, the author chooses to write the story and let her readers discover all the nuances.
I LOVED THIS BOOK - I NEED A SEQUEL.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2015
* I received an advanced ebook from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion or my review *
As a teen, I never really dated much and by that I mean pretty much not at all. That being said, I was as stubborn as a donkey and I'd like to think that I would have stood up and walked away from a relationship that negatively affected me in any way. That's what I'd like to think I would have done but who really knows. Delicate brings to the table a few very important issues for both teens and even adults.
Intimate partner violence is, sadly, not something new but we are, as a society, starting to bring more awareness to this and it's effects. As a teenager, I didn't really know much about this subject and it rarely came up in conversations I had because I was not personally a victim of it. It was only as I got older and started reading more and branching out with what I liked to read (different genres, reading the news more, being exposed to literature through my university program) that I began to realize how widespread and important an issue this is. What Martin does in Delicate is bring the reality of this into focus in the context of a teen reader's life. I think sometimes teenagers can feel invincible; thinking oh that will never happen to me (I mean we even do it as adults). She shows them that it can happen to them and that, if it does happen, something needs to be done about it and that there are help and resources available.
I like that Delicate also didn't paint sex in high school in a negative light. Instead it offered a similar reminder that nobody gets a free pass with it and to always keep personal health and safety in mind. STIs are a very real problem both in the high school and university settings and opening teens' eyes to this early is key. It's easy to think "My boyfriend/girlfriend would never do that to me" or "Oh, it's just one time. What's the worst that could happen?" but things can go downhill fast. Martin reminds her readers that it really is better to be safe than sorry.
This is one of those stories that gets my "teacher brain" fired up. There are so many teachable moments throughout and even calls to action. Offensive shirts, like the one mentioned in Delicate, are unfortunately very common in today's fashion. While reading this may not get everyone to want to start a group at school to combat violence, it very likely can get both males and females thinking about the messages around them. Whether they speak out against them or simply choose to no longer shop at a certain store because of offensive material, they're making their opinion count and sending a message. Similarly, not everyone can be as directly involved as Lucan in remedying a toxic relationship but now they know the signs and know to alert someone who can do something.
The story itself didn't suck me in as much as I had hoped but it was a quick read and I really liked what the book stood for. This is definitely one I would tuck into my repertoire as an educator because there is an abundance of teachable moments and fuel for very important discussions. These are all subjects that many people don't want to get into with teens but they desperately need the information and the chance to talk about them and have their questions answered.
As a teen, I never really dated much and by that I mean pretty much not at all. That being said, I was as stubborn as a donkey and I'd like to think that I would have stood up and walked away from a relationship that negatively affected me in any way. That's what I'd like to think I would have done but who really knows. Delicate brings to the table a few very important issues for both teens and even adults.
Intimate partner violence is, sadly, not something new but we are, as a society, starting to bring more awareness to this and it's effects. As a teenager, I didn't really know much about this subject and it rarely came up in conversations I had because I was not personally a victim of it. It was only as I got older and started reading more and branching out with what I liked to read (different genres, reading the news more, being exposed to literature through my university program) that I began to realize how widespread and important an issue this is. What Martin does in Delicate is bring the reality of this into focus in the context of a teen reader's life. I think sometimes teenagers can feel invincible; thinking oh that will never happen to me (I mean we even do it as adults). She shows them that it can happen to them and that, if it does happen, something needs to be done about it and that there are help and resources available.
I like that Delicate also didn't paint sex in high school in a negative light. Instead it offered a similar reminder that nobody gets a free pass with it and to always keep personal health and safety in mind. STIs are a very real problem both in the high school and university settings and opening teens' eyes to this early is key. It's easy to think "My boyfriend/girlfriend would never do that to me" or "Oh, it's just one time. What's the worst that could happen?" but things can go downhill fast. Martin reminds her readers that it really is better to be safe than sorry.
This is one of those stories that gets my "teacher brain" fired up. There are so many teachable moments throughout and even calls to action. Offensive shirts, like the one mentioned in Delicate, are unfortunately very common in today's fashion. While reading this may not get everyone to want to start a group at school to combat violence, it very likely can get both males and females thinking about the messages around them. Whether they speak out against them or simply choose to no longer shop at a certain store because of offensive material, they're making their opinion count and sending a message. Similarly, not everyone can be as directly involved as Lucan in remedying a toxic relationship but now they know the signs and know to alert someone who can do something.
The story itself didn't suck me in as much as I had hoped but it was a quick read and I really liked what the book stood for. This is definitely one I would tuck into my repertoire as an educator because there is an abundance of teachable moments and fuel for very important discussions. These are all subjects that many people don't want to get into with teens but they desperately need the information and the chance to talk about them and have their questions answered.
February 16, 2016
With only one exam to go before she’s done high school forever, Ivy feels as though her life is going according to plan. That is until her (seemingly) perfect boyfriend tells her he wants to see other people on the way to said exam. She thought she would spend her last summer before university with Jeremy, fighting for their shared social causes. But now summer looms long and lonely in front of her. That is until she’s reunited with her second cousin Lucan, who she hasn’t seen in years.
Read the rest of my review over on Women Write About Comics
Read the rest of my review over on Women Write About Comics
February 18, 2016
I wanted to love this, but I really disliked Ivy, who is one of the principal characters. There are some important messages here about healthy relationships and sex, but to me they are overshadowed by a selfish, spoiled, 2 dimensional girl who never seems to really resolve her problems or grow. I wish the story had stuck to Lucan's point of view as he was the more interesting, better developed character.
January 9, 2016
I just whipped through DELICATE by C.k. Kelly Martin in two days (which is unheard of for my allotted reading time.) I think I might love this one the most out of all of her books (and I love all of her books a great deal.) Wonderful characters and problems with no easy answers made it a gripping read. Highly recommended!
January 29, 2016
An interesting read, sorry that so many young people are living in such varied families and having to deal with so much violence. Why kids are having sex at such an early age, I have NO understanding of but glad some parents are smart enough to teach them about protection. Hope both these kids find a happy partner and life, with luck maybe each other!
February 17, 2016
Review/Blog tour to be posted at Lost in a Great Book
Want to read
December 16, 2015I won this book via Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. I received a paperback copy.
August 3, 2016
Wonderful YA novel touching on a wide range difficult subjects in realistic and honest fashion. I truly enjoyed reading this book and accompanying the characters on their journey.
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