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Wrecked
“Outstanding, powerful, and important . . . This is, hands down, one of the best sexual assault reads in YA.”—Book Riot
What really happened at the party that night?
Haley saw Jenny come back to the dorm, shell-shocked.
Richard heard Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with.
When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Jordan claims she’s lying. Haley and Richard, who have just started dating, are pushed to opposite sides of the school’s investigation. Will the truth ever come to light? Reputations, relationships, and whole lives depend on it.
What really happened at the party that night?
Haley saw Jenny come back to the dorm, shell-shocked.
Richard heard Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with.
When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Jordan claims she’s lying. Haley and Richard, who have just started dating, are pushed to opposite sides of the school’s investigation. Will the truth ever come to light? Reputations, relationships, and whole lives depend on it.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2016
66 people are currently reading
5525 people want to read
About the author
Maria Padian
9 books136 followersI'm a reader and an author: not a critic or a reviewer! I believe in the power of stories. So while I definitely have my opinions about the things I read, my primary goal is to share great books and promote literature, which is one of my great, abiding passions.
That said, I'm no longer going to affix stars to the books I read. I'll offer a comment or two, and maybe if I'm deliriously in love and can't contain my excitement I color in five of those stars ... but as a creator of stories I well know what goes into writing a book, and can't possible assign a "number" to anyone's work. I'm in awe of anyone brave enough to put it out there. Carry on!
To learn more about the books I've written, visit my website at http://www.mariapadian.com
That said, I'm no longer going to affix stars to the books I read. I'll offer a comment or two, and maybe if I'm deliriously in love and can't contain my excitement I color in five of those stars ... but as a creator of stories I well know what goes into writing a book, and can't possible assign a "number" to anyone's work. I'm in awe of anyone brave enough to put it out there. Carry on!
To learn more about the books I've written, visit my website at http://www.mariapadian.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
October 4, 2016
“These lists are about… point of view. Who tells the story. Ms. James gives us a list of narrators and Mr. Bockus gives us a different one. All in an attempt to grasp that great, elusive, bothersome thing: the truth. I wonder, Richard, why Mr. Bockus doesn’t want you to tell his side of the story?”
An emotional and timely look at sexual assault on a college campus.
We're seeing a lot more books on this issue. Though there's still a long way to go, issues such as rape culture, victim-blaming and the effect of social media in rape cases are coming to the forefront. I, alone, have read many YA books dealing with rape and its aftermath over the last couple of years. All the Rage is a fantastic and heart-wrenching example. Exit, Pursued by a Bear is an important lesson about the way we should treat rape victims.
Wrecked, however, stands out because of the extremely well-drawn characters and the unique perspective - rather than being narrated by the rape victim, it is told from the point of view of the victim's roommate and a friend of the accused. This allows us to be outsiders to the crime and see what is all too true in real life cases: the flimsy and confused narrative of the victim, often caused by excessive alcohol. We see how hard it is to punish rapists; how easy it is for doubt to creep in.
Padian does a great job of portraying everyday college life in a way that is compelling. Haley is charming and funny; Richard is a lovable doofus. The romance that emerges between them is natural and sweet.
That's part of why this book is so strong. I thought the college romance running alongside the main story might be tasteless in a novel about a subject like this, but it serves to highlight a fact we often forget - these are not far away, hypothetical characters in a dystopian world; they are real, full of hopes, dreams and fears. They could be that person over there. They could be us.
Victim-blaming is called out and so is the casual way people become desensitized to words like "rape". The characters are quick to point out when Richard good-naturedly likens enthusiastic sex to rape. Ultimately, we are left with the message that "No means NO" is not enough, because it assumes a lack of "No" is a "Yes". The book doesn't shy away from stating its point: consent (not implied, not assumed) is necessary, important, and sexy.
I also found it interesting how Padian reverses traditional gender roles in the romance. Haley is a soccer player - a jock of sorts - and Richard is a hopeless romantic who got in too deep when his ex just wanted casual sex. It was pretty subtle and I didn't notice the subversion of the stereotypes at first, but I liked it. It felt very appropriate in a novel dealing with a crime that is often gendered.
My only complaint is that I wish Carrie's character had been more developed. She makes some important points in the novel, though given that she is highly unlikable throughout, it's still unclear to me what her role was supposed to be - a strong feminist fighting the rape culture? Or an example of negative extremes?
Anyway, my criticisms are small and I think Wrecked is a great book. It shows the importance of consent, the need for better discussion about what constitutes consent, and the interesting ways perspective changes everything.
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April 3, 2016This is, hands down, one of the best sexual assault reads in YA, and it's a book that high schoolers of all genders should read.
Told through the points of view of Haley -- a soccer player whose been benched due to her third concussion and roommate of Jenny, who was raped -- and Richard, a housemate of the boy who raped Jenny, and interspersed with short vignettes of the events that actually went down that night, this is a story about who knows the truth, who tells the truth, and the ways that the truth can be confusing, challenging, and ultimately be wielded to best serve those in charge of determining it. At first, it seems so clear what happened, that Jenny was raped by Jordan, but as details come together, we're given the look into how victims can forget things that happened in ways that those charged with "uncovering the truth" can manipulate and make work against them. It was absolutely impossible not to think about the recent verdict in the Ghomeshi case and how the women were accused of being liars when they couldn't remember the color of a car or the color of a shirt or other details that, in the face of trauma, DO NOT MATTER. This book made me angry at so many characters at so many different times.
This is set on a small private college campus. As someone who went to one where a massive Situation About Rape Culture occurred, it was impossible not to see how painfully realistic this was. The way the book was told, through those points of view that weren't the accused and the accuser was brilliant, since it allowed us to see the depths and expanses to which rape culture does and does not work. It was also really refreshing . There is, unfortunately,
This book is outstanding, powerful, and important. It's extremely readable, and both Haley and Richard are compelling, well-rounded, flawed characters who are, ultimately, doing the things that they think are best to do.
Pair this with SPEAK, ALL THE RAGE, and WHAT WE SAW.
Told through the points of view of Haley -- a soccer player whose been benched due to her third concussion and roommate of Jenny, who was raped -- and Richard, a housemate of the boy who raped Jenny, and interspersed with short vignettes of the events that actually went down that night, this is a story about who knows the truth, who tells the truth, and the ways that the truth can be confusing, challenging, and ultimately be wielded to best serve those in charge of determining it. At first, it seems so clear what happened, that Jenny was raped by Jordan, but as details come together, we're given the look into how victims can forget things that happened in ways that those charged with "uncovering the truth" can manipulate and make work against them. It was absolutely impossible not to think about the recent verdict in the Ghomeshi case and how the women were accused of being liars when they couldn't remember the color of a car or the color of a shirt or other details that, in the face of trauma, DO NOT MATTER. This book made me angry at so many characters at so many different times.
This is set on a small private college campus. As someone who went to one where a massive Situation About Rape Culture occurred, it was impossible not to see how painfully realistic this was. The way the book was told, through those points of view that weren't the accused and the accuser was brilliant, since it allowed us to see the depths and expanses to which rape culture does and does not work. It was also really refreshing . There is, unfortunately,
This book is outstanding, powerful, and important. It's extremely readable, and both Haley and Richard are compelling, well-rounded, flawed characters who are, ultimately, doing the things that they think are best to do.
Pair this with SPEAK, ALL THE RAGE, and WHAT WE SAW.
September 18, 2018
✔️ Book #2 done for the Contemporary-A-Thon
Challenge: " "read a dark/spooky contemporary" "
Pros
- the story is written from the perspective of the rape victim (jenny)'s roommate, usually we're put right in the life of the victim themselves, seeing their inner conflict, their trauma, their self-blame, and their anger and hatred towards their abuser
- but this book really offered a new perspective, one we're MUCH more familiar with, the outsider looking in on a tragedy
- i thought that was so clever of the author to choose bc it mirrors reality so much. we're often left in the dark, trying to piece together the facts and discern the true story
- the story is crafted so incredibly well and gives the reader small snippets between the chapters relating what took place on that horrible night
- i have to say i was underwhelmed by the ending but i TOTALLY get why the author did it
- the story felt so real, God, it was like something that actually took place and its so heartbreaking to see how easily everything gets twisted together 😭😭
- i thought the characters were incredibly developed
- theyre not perfect, they make mistakes and slip up and theyre dealing with all this while managing college, it just felt like an actual representation of what happens in college
- THE DIALOGUE ON CONSENT was probably my favourite thing about the book
- it talked about how blurry the lines can get and how consent is something everyone just assumes and how silence isnt "Yes" and GOSH DAMMIT IM SO HAPPY THIS BOOK WENT INTO SUCH DETAIL
- victim blaming was another big part of the book and while it hurt to read, it just goes to show how incredibly cruel the world can be
- how everyone is so quick to brush the claims away and point fingers and make the victim feel as if they are in the wrong, it hurts my heart
- overall, im REALLY REALLY impressed with this book and i didnt want to put it down, like i was willing to forgo sleep and thats a big deal for me okay
Cons
- i really dont have much to say badly about the book
- yes the ending left me craving more, bc it felt so unresolved
- but also i understand, totally totally totally understand why the author chose to end it that way
- carrie's character seemed unnecessarily mean. she stands for protecting and helping those who need it but shes an actual bish and i just found that kinda counterproductive
- IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF HER AND HALEY COULD GET ALONG
- but thats it
- i have no other complaints
now i need to get started on my next book, tootles
4.5 stars!
Challenge: " "read a dark/spooky contemporary" "
Pros
- the story is written from the perspective of the rape victim (jenny)'s roommate, usually we're put right in the life of the victim themselves, seeing their inner conflict, their trauma, their self-blame, and their anger and hatred towards their abuser
- but this book really offered a new perspective, one we're MUCH more familiar with, the outsider looking in on a tragedy
- i thought that was so clever of the author to choose bc it mirrors reality so much. we're often left in the dark, trying to piece together the facts and discern the true story
- the story is crafted so incredibly well and gives the reader small snippets between the chapters relating what took place on that horrible night
- i have to say i was underwhelmed by the ending but i TOTALLY get why the author did it
- the story felt so real, God, it was like something that actually took place and its so heartbreaking to see how easily everything gets twisted together 😭😭
- i thought the characters were incredibly developed
- theyre not perfect, they make mistakes and slip up and theyre dealing with all this while managing college, it just felt like an actual representation of what happens in college
- THE DIALOGUE ON CONSENT was probably my favourite thing about the book
- it talked about how blurry the lines can get and how consent is something everyone just assumes and how silence isnt "Yes" and GOSH DAMMIT IM SO HAPPY THIS BOOK WENT INTO SUCH DETAIL
- victim blaming was another big part of the book and while it hurt to read, it just goes to show how incredibly cruel the world can be
- how everyone is so quick to brush the claims away and point fingers and make the victim feel as if they are in the wrong, it hurts my heart
- overall, im REALLY REALLY impressed with this book and i didnt want to put it down, like i was willing to forgo sleep and thats a big deal for me okay
Cons
- i really dont have much to say badly about the book
- yes the ending left me craving more, bc it felt so unresolved
- but also i understand, totally totally totally understand why the author chose to end it that way
- carrie's character seemed unnecessarily mean. she stands for protecting and helping those who need it but shes an actual bish and i just found that kinda counterproductive
- IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF HER AND HALEY COULD GET ALONG
- but thats it
- i have no other complaints
now i need to get started on my next book, tootles
4.5 stars!
June 4, 2017
Wow! Given the outcome of the Brock Turner sentencing and the increase of North American media highlighting the ongoing campus rape culture, "Wrecked" is quite timely. The story is dually narrated by two college students, Haley and Richard, that just happen to meet after the alleged crime has taken place. Neither are aware of the other person's connection to the victim or to the accused.
Unlike the main protagonist of What We Saw who was a bystander that wanted to seek the real story, Haley and Richard do not hide their reluctance in getting involved. After all, they are two young college students that are trying to stay on top of their academics and deal with familial matters. As the story progresses and the campus begins to take sides, Haley and Richard find themselves more drawn into the proceedings. A factor that may or may not jeopardize their budding relationship.
The strength of this novel is probably in how realistic Haley and Richard are both portrayed. Like many of us, when a sexual assault is reported , there is a lot of bewilderment, frustration, and anger. Many of us feel powerless as to what should/could/would have occurred had x or y not happened. We see this again and again between Haley and her roommate, Jenny.
Because she is a kid herself, Haley, struggles between being the support her friend needs and feeling completely unequipped to help her through the investigation. Richard, too, is at a loss, and continually pushes away from any contact with his friends. However, his moral compass will not allow him to sit on the sidelines for long.
The secondary characters also make their presence well-known on the pages and illustrate all the different viewpoints such a case brings out in a community. There is certainly a lot of education that needs to be done. Hopefully, it will be soon!
Thanks to NetGalley/Algonquin Young Readers for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
Unlike the main protagonist of What We Saw who was a bystander that wanted to seek the real story, Haley and Richard do not hide their reluctance in getting involved. After all, they are two young college students that are trying to stay on top of their academics and deal with familial matters. As the story progresses and the campus begins to take sides, Haley and Richard find themselves more drawn into the proceedings. A factor that may or may not jeopardize their budding relationship.
The strength of this novel is probably in how realistic Haley and Richard are both portrayed. Like many of us, when a sexual assault is reported , there is a lot of bewilderment, frustration, and anger. Many of us feel powerless as to what should/could/would have occurred had x or y not happened. We see this again and again between Haley and her roommate, Jenny.
Because she is a kid herself, Haley, struggles between being the support her friend needs and feeling completely unequipped to help her through the investigation. Richard, too, is at a loss, and continually pushes away from any contact with his friends. However, his moral compass will not allow him to sit on the sidelines for long.
The secondary characters also make their presence well-known on the pages and illustrate all the different viewpoints such a case brings out in a community. There is certainly a lot of education that needs to be done. Hopefully, it will be soon!
Thanks to NetGalley/Algonquin Young Readers for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2019
I had a lot of problems with this book, so I guess we should just get right to it.
A young woman comes home after a night out and tells her friends she’s been raped. A young man comes home after a party and tells his friends he hooked up with a girl. Who’s telling the truth? Who’s lying? And can two people who are on opposing sides keep their budding romance from being dragged into the fray.
Honestly, I thought this sounded really interesting. I’m always willing to give books dealing with this subject matter a chance as I think the more of them there are, the more this topic gets talked about and that can only be a good thing. Unfortunately this is one of the weakest YA books dealing with sexual assault that I’ve read. I don’t even really know how to explain why…
The characters were at best, uninteresting and at worst, awful. Haley is the roommate of the girl who says she’s been raped, and how does she act when she hears this news? She worries about how it’s going to affect her own life. Not in any serious way, like maybe worrying if she’s in danger. No, more like she can’t be bothered to go to some meetings with her when Jenny needs a friend there. We are told that Haley is sympathetic and a good friend, but that’s not what I saw. Granted, she does have her redeemable moments, but they are few and far between and most of the time she’s too wrapped up in her sort-of-relationship with the other main character, Richard.
And Richard was even worse than Haley. He’s a “nice guy” as we’re often told. The problem is though, if you keep having to remind people after you’ve said something offensive that you’re a nice guy you’re probably not a nice guy. He jokes about rape, and when his girlfriend gets upset about it, he thinks she’s overreacting to everything because she’s a feminist. Oh yes, there’s a straw feminist in here too, a trope I will call out every single time I see it because it’s the worst. I can’t say too much more about his opinions without giving away spoilers, but he has some messed up ideas. Yes someone might call him out on them, but he never really changes and then people (Haley) just forgets that he said them when he says sorry, even though it’s clear he doesn’t mean it.
Their relationship is basically the main focus of the story, but it’s just boring.
The rest of the book, there was just something that didn’t seem genuine about it. The whole investigation into the alleged rape, for instance. The accused’s “legal” team go for the tactic of denying that the two people ever had sex, or even talked at all. Now, I’m obviously in no way an expert, but doesn’t that seem like an easy defence to poke holes in? If even one person saw them together (at a party) it pretty much destroys that defence? Isn’t it much easier (as we’ve seen too many times) to say that the sex was consensual? I don’t know, everything just felt so contrived.
There was a part around the 70% mark where I thought things were about to get really interesting, but that was resolved about two pages later in a line that was completely out of the blue and awkwardly shoe-horned in. You know those lines that awkwardly give too much exposition for what it is? Example
“Do you want to get pizza tonight?”
“Hey do you remember that car accident that happened when I was three and killed both our parents leaving us only each other for love and support? They would’ve wanted me to have pizza. Sure I”l have pizza”
That’s basically how everything is resolved here and it’s just so contrived!
I don’t know. Overall, this book just felt shallow. The writing style wasn’t engaging, often going off on tangents and memories for pages, by which time I had forgotten what was going on in the present.
When compared to other, stronger books about this subject such as Speak, All The Rage and even What We Saw, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. I’m sorry to say that it’s forgettable.
I feel bad that this review is so negative, but I honestly can’t think of one thing that I liked about this book.
A young woman comes home after a night out and tells her friends she’s been raped. A young man comes home after a party and tells his friends he hooked up with a girl. Who’s telling the truth? Who’s lying? And can two people who are on opposing sides keep their budding romance from being dragged into the fray.
Honestly, I thought this sounded really interesting. I’m always willing to give books dealing with this subject matter a chance as I think the more of them there are, the more this topic gets talked about and that can only be a good thing. Unfortunately this is one of the weakest YA books dealing with sexual assault that I’ve read. I don’t even really know how to explain why…
The characters were at best, uninteresting and at worst, awful. Haley is the roommate of the girl who says she’s been raped, and how does she act when she hears this news? She worries about how it’s going to affect her own life. Not in any serious way, like maybe worrying if she’s in danger. No, more like she can’t be bothered to go to some meetings with her when Jenny needs a friend there. We are told that Haley is sympathetic and a good friend, but that’s not what I saw. Granted, she does have her redeemable moments, but they are few and far between and most of the time she’s too wrapped up in her sort-of-relationship with the other main character, Richard.
And Richard was even worse than Haley. He’s a “nice guy” as we’re often told. The problem is though, if you keep having to remind people after you’ve said something offensive that you’re a nice guy you’re probably not a nice guy. He jokes about rape, and when his girlfriend gets upset about it, he thinks she’s overreacting to everything because she’s a feminist. Oh yes, there’s a straw feminist in here too, a trope I will call out every single time I see it because it’s the worst. I can’t say too much more about his opinions without giving away spoilers, but he has some messed up ideas. Yes someone might call him out on them, but he never really changes and then people (Haley) just forgets that he said them when he says sorry, even though it’s clear he doesn’t mean it.
Their relationship is basically the main focus of the story, but it’s just boring.
The rest of the book, there was just something that didn’t seem genuine about it. The whole investigation into the alleged rape, for instance. The accused’s “legal” team go for the tactic of denying that the two people ever had sex, or even talked at all. Now, I’m obviously in no way an expert, but doesn’t that seem like an easy defence to poke holes in? If even one person saw them together (at a party) it pretty much destroys that defence? Isn’t it much easier (as we’ve seen too many times) to say that the sex was consensual? I don’t know, everything just felt so contrived.
There was a part around the 70% mark where I thought things were about to get really interesting, but that was resolved about two pages later in a line that was completely out of the blue and awkwardly shoe-horned in. You know those lines that awkwardly give too much exposition for what it is? Example
“Do you want to get pizza tonight?”
“Hey do you remember that car accident that happened when I was three and killed both our parents leaving us only each other for love and support? They would’ve wanted me to have pizza. Sure I”l have pizza”
That’s basically how everything is resolved here and it’s just so contrived!
I don’t know. Overall, this book just felt shallow. The writing style wasn’t engaging, often going off on tangents and memories for pages, by which time I had forgotten what was going on in the present.
When compared to other, stronger books about this subject such as Speak, All The Rage and even What We Saw, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. I’m sorry to say that it’s forgettable.
I feel bad that this review is so negative, but I honestly can’t think of one thing that I liked about this book.
September 22, 2018
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After returning from a party the night before, Haley can see her roommate Jenny, is shaken up but doesn't know why. Across campus, Richard's roommate Jordan brags about hooking up with a freshman during the party the night before. When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard are put on opposite sides of the investigation.
I definitely believe that this is one of the best books regarding sexual assault awareness I have read so far. I love the themes and topics explored in this book. It discussed not only rape-culture but victim blaming and consent as well. It was done in a way that wasn't in-your-face-preachy, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The mix of humour and seriousness thrown into the story balanced out perfectly. I also love how this story is told from the perspective of the roommates INSTEAD of the rape victim. I also loved how we got flashbacks from Jenny's point of view in between chapters as well! I think it brought a unique twist to the usual way this topic is covered in books. It was crazy to see how a victim's story and words could be twisted to poke holes in what she was saying and how easily the perpetrator can be left to walk freely. Jenny's story is so realistic to what often happens to victims today, it was heartbreaking.
One main reason I loved this book so much was that I related to the main character Haley so much. She suffered from a career ending concussion from soccer as I did with basketball. Many things she was feeling and expressing were things I had gone through myself such as the loss of identity and feeling lost. I also really loved Richard. He was charming and didn't always say the right thing, but he tried to make things right when he messed up and I loved that about him.
Overall, I highly recommend everyone read this book as I think it does an amazing job covering a very important topic.
After returning from a party the night before, Haley can see her roommate Jenny, is shaken up but doesn't know why. Across campus, Richard's roommate Jordan brags about hooking up with a freshman during the party the night before. When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard are put on opposite sides of the investigation.
I definitely believe that this is one of the best books regarding sexual assault awareness I have read so far. I love the themes and topics explored in this book. It discussed not only rape-culture but victim blaming and consent as well. It was done in a way that wasn't in-your-face-preachy, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The mix of humour and seriousness thrown into the story balanced out perfectly. I also love how this story is told from the perspective of the roommates INSTEAD of the rape victim. I also loved how we got flashbacks from Jenny's point of view in between chapters as well! I think it brought a unique twist to the usual way this topic is covered in books. It was crazy to see how a victim's story and words could be twisted to poke holes in what she was saying and how easily the perpetrator can be left to walk freely. Jenny's story is so realistic to what often happens to victims today, it was heartbreaking.
One main reason I loved this book so much was that I related to the main character Haley so much. She suffered from a career ending concussion from soccer as I did with basketball. Many things she was feeling and expressing were things I had gone through myself such as the loss of identity and feeling lost. I also really loved Richard. He was charming and didn't always say the right thing, but he tried to make things right when he messed up and I loved that about him.
Overall, I highly recommend everyone read this book as I think it does an amazing job covering a very important topic.
December 1, 2016
I really wanted to read this book because it's not often that there's a book set in college that is about something of substance. I'm not going to go on a New Adult rant, but seriously there are so many important stories about the college experience that aren't getting told (I'm thinking more books like Fangirl and less books like Beautiful Disaster).
So, I was very interested to read a book about something as important as sexual assault on college campus. I don't have all my facts in line, but it's something like a quarter of women will be victims of sexual assault during their college career. And with the whole Brock Turner injustice happening recently.... well, books like this couldn't be more important.
Having said all that, this book gave me such odd feelings. I could not put the book down, but I felt so complicated about the characters. I felt like almost every single one was equally sympathetic and aggravating. I don't have to like the characters to like the book, which was sort of the case here, but it felt weird to feel so many different feelings towards the victim. The bottom line is no one should have to go through what Jenny went through, whether I love her as a person or not. That in of itself made me feel icky because I WANTED to love her as a person and I just couldn't... which is kind of messed up of me, but it was how I was feeling!! (See what I mean?? That's totally icky)
I kind of think that this book became more interesting because of the frustrating characters.
Haley was put in this really uncomfortable position of being Jenny's sole confidant when they weren't really friends at all beforehand. But she didn't just roll with it and came off as selfish at times.
Richard (the guy who lives with Jenny's rapist) was shown as the ignorant guy-- always saying offensive stuff, but not really knowing why it was offensive.
And then there's Carrie. She's this uber-feminist woman who Richard has a fling with pre-Jenny situation, but ultimately she became almost the villain of this book because of how harsh she was.
If I could change anything about this book it would definitely be Carrie. Her portrayal to me just enforces femi-nazi stereotypes that feminists are man-hating and unlikable and hard-headed. I also am a tad bit over the over-sensitivity of our society, and this book spotlights it. There's a lot of freaking out about things that Richard says that, yes most of it was super-dumb and inappropriate. Maybe I'm crazy, but to stop and have like a LESSON over it just feels a little contrived. People say dumb stuff all the time, and I just CAN'T stop every time it happens and have a reaction to it.
The hardest part for me was just realizing how hard it was for Jenny to prove her case. There was alcohol involved, the attack wasn't videotaped or photographed, and her grasp of all the details were foggy. BUT SO WHAT!!! It supremely sucks that we live in a culture that it has to be a perfect case for a rape victim to be believed and get justice.
OVERALL: Really great, unputdownable book that made me feel really conflicted about every single character. I loved the way the process was shown and it was super sad to see how hard it is for victims to just be believed. I think we need a lot more books like this!! It made me feel uncomfortable and I'm pretty sure that was the whole point.
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So, I was very interested to read a book about something as important as sexual assault on college campus. I don't have all my facts in line, but it's something like a quarter of women will be victims of sexual assault during their college career. And with the whole Brock Turner injustice happening recently.... well, books like this couldn't be more important.
Having said all that, this book gave me such odd feelings. I could not put the book down, but I felt so complicated about the characters. I felt like almost every single one was equally sympathetic and aggravating. I don't have to like the characters to like the book, which was sort of the case here, but it felt weird to feel so many different feelings towards the victim. The bottom line is no one should have to go through what Jenny went through, whether I love her as a person or not. That in of itself made me feel icky because I WANTED to love her as a person and I just couldn't... which is kind of messed up of me, but it was how I was feeling!! (See what I mean?? That's totally icky)
I kind of think that this book became more interesting because of the frustrating characters.
Haley was put in this really uncomfortable position of being Jenny's sole confidant when they weren't really friends at all beforehand. But she didn't just roll with it and came off as selfish at times.
Richard (the guy who lives with Jenny's rapist) was shown as the ignorant guy-- always saying offensive stuff, but not really knowing why it was offensive.
And then there's Carrie. She's this uber-feminist woman who Richard has a fling with pre-Jenny situation, but ultimately she became almost the villain of this book because of how harsh she was.
If I could change anything about this book it would definitely be Carrie. Her portrayal to me just enforces femi-nazi stereotypes that feminists are man-hating and unlikable and hard-headed. I also am a tad bit over the over-sensitivity of our society, and this book spotlights it. There's a lot of freaking out about things that Richard says that, yes most of it was super-dumb and inappropriate. Maybe I'm crazy, but to stop and have like a LESSON over it just feels a little contrived. People say dumb stuff all the time, and I just CAN'T stop every time it happens and have a reaction to it.
The hardest part for me was just realizing how hard it was for Jenny to prove her case. There was alcohol involved, the attack wasn't videotaped or photographed, and her grasp of all the details were foggy. BUT SO WHAT!!! It supremely sucks that we live in a culture that it has to be a perfect case for a rape victim to be believed and get justice.
OVERALL: Really great, unputdownable book that made me feel really conflicted about every single character. I loved the way the process was shown and it was super sad to see how hard it is for victims to just be believed. I think we need a lot more books like this!! It made me feel uncomfortable and I'm pretty sure that was the whole point.
My Blog:
September 3, 2017
I'm not one to call a book "required reading" often, but for Maria Padian's Wrecked, I'll gladly pull out that honor. This book should most definitely be considering required reading for not only high school students but for college ones as well.
Wrecked sets out to answer the question: "What really happened at the party that night?" Jenny claims she was raped while Jordan claims it was good natured, consensual fun. Haley's noticed something's not been right with her roommate since the party, but she's not sure exactly what's going on. Richard, on the other hand, knows Jordan hooked up with someone that night, as Jordan made sure to brag about it the next day, but was it really nonconsensual?
Once I started this book I simply couldn't put it down. I dragged it with me to the laundromat and my favorite local cafe. I even went so far as to read it between stirring the stew I had that night. I wanted no NEEDED to know not only what transpired that night but what was going to be done in light of it. As a college graduate, I'm the first to admit that stories like Jenny's are more prevalent than anyone would like to admit. It only takes one split second, one bad situation, to end up like Jenny: confused and hurt and reeling from the decision between standing up for yourself and risking no one believing you or staying quite and letting something like this happen to someone else. It's what made this book so addicting, because Jenny could be anyone....your sister, your cousin, your best friend, that girl down the hall you only talked to once, and even you. While I've never been in Jenny's shoes, it was still hard for me to stomach what had happened. I felt for her so incredibly much, especially when everything seemed to be going against her and for Jordan. What made this narrative so intriguing, however, was the fact that it was mostly told through the POVs of Jenny and Jordan's roommates, Richard and and Haley. It introduced an interesting twist to the story, as you saw the two of them not only react to the situation but start to digest as well as take action for what occurred that night.
Talking about Richard and Haley, I enjoyed both of them as characters. I feel like Maria Padian did a great job of presenting the different questions and discussion that come up with situations like this. Both Richard and Haley don't always have the right reaction nor the correct thing to say. Richard, in particular, puts his foot in his mouth more than once, but I think that's what made them so relatable, so real, because they're like anyone would be going through the same situation. They think through the hard questions, such as well, this didn't happen to me, so should I really stick my neck out for this, or in Richard's case in particular, should he believe Jenny, the girl he barely knows, or Jordan, the guy he's known from the start of college.
Maria's writing is also on point within this. She seamlessly switched between narratives, and while I had a love/hate relationship with the short sections of text before each chapter detailing the events of that night (because I wanted to know the full story), it was beautifully done...it built suspense and questions throughout.
In all, I highly recommend Maria Padian's Wrecked. It's a timely and thought provoking book, one that I URGE high school seniors and college freshmen in particular to read.
Grade: A+
"Here's one thing I've learned: the real snakes in the world? Don't look like anything you'd expect them to." - pg. 55 (paperback edition)
Wrecked sets out to answer the question: "What really happened at the party that night?" Jenny claims she was raped while Jordan claims it was good natured, consensual fun. Haley's noticed something's not been right with her roommate since the party, but she's not sure exactly what's going on. Richard, on the other hand, knows Jordan hooked up with someone that night, as Jordan made sure to brag about it the next day, but was it really nonconsensual?
Once I started this book I simply couldn't put it down. I dragged it with me to the laundromat and my favorite local cafe. I even went so far as to read it between stirring the stew I had that night. I wanted no NEEDED to know not only what transpired that night but what was going to be done in light of it. As a college graduate, I'm the first to admit that stories like Jenny's are more prevalent than anyone would like to admit. It only takes one split second, one bad situation, to end up like Jenny: confused and hurt and reeling from the decision between standing up for yourself and risking no one believing you or staying quite and letting something like this happen to someone else. It's what made this book so addicting, because Jenny could be anyone....your sister, your cousin, your best friend, that girl down the hall you only talked to once, and even you. While I've never been in Jenny's shoes, it was still hard for me to stomach what had happened. I felt for her so incredibly much, especially when everything seemed to be going against her and for Jordan. What made this narrative so intriguing, however, was the fact that it was mostly told through the POVs of Jenny and Jordan's roommates, Richard and and Haley. It introduced an interesting twist to the story, as you saw the two of them not only react to the situation but start to digest as well as take action for what occurred that night.
Talking about Richard and Haley, I enjoyed both of them as characters. I feel like Maria Padian did a great job of presenting the different questions and discussion that come up with situations like this. Both Richard and Haley don't always have the right reaction nor the correct thing to say. Richard, in particular, puts his foot in his mouth more than once, but I think that's what made them so relatable, so real, because they're like anyone would be going through the same situation. They think through the hard questions, such as well, this didn't happen to me, so should I really stick my neck out for this, or in Richard's case in particular, should he believe Jenny, the girl he barely knows, or Jordan, the guy he's known from the start of college.
Maria's writing is also on point within this. She seamlessly switched between narratives, and while I had a love/hate relationship with the short sections of text before each chapter detailing the events of that night (because I wanted to know the full story), it was beautifully done...it built suspense and questions throughout.
In all, I highly recommend Maria Padian's Wrecked. It's a timely and thought provoking book, one that I URGE high school seniors and college freshmen in particular to read.
Grade: A+
May 30, 2016
I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Publishers in exchange for an honest review. This is no way affects my opinion.
It's going to take me a while to accumulate my thoughts because right now it would just consist of me typing over and over again how much I hate society. I also want to leave posting my review closer to the release date. In short though this has been one of the hardest books I've had to read. It's heartbreakingly and angrily realistic. It's important and devastating. It's definitely a book everyone should read at least once.
I would have given it 5 stars, but Haley and Richard annoyed the hell out of me for the majority of the book and I found myself wanting to skip all their scenes together unless they were with Jenny or talking about Jenny.
I'm just really angry you guys. Not because this book was bad but because it's just not fair. It's really not fair. I want to cry. So I'm going to stop now.
Wrecked is going to be released on October 4th. You can pre-order or buy a copy at the following links:
Amazon • Book Depository • Algonquin Young Readers
It's going to take me a while to accumulate my thoughts because right now it would just consist of me typing over and over again how much I hate society. I also want to leave posting my review closer to the release date. In short though this has been one of the hardest books I've had to read. It's heartbreakingly and angrily realistic. It's important and devastating. It's definitely a book everyone should read at least once.
I would have given it 5 stars, but Haley and Richard annoyed the hell out of me for the majority of the book and I found myself wanting to skip all their scenes together unless they were with Jenny or talking about Jenny.
I'm just really angry you guys. Not because this book was bad but because it's just not fair. It's really not fair. I want to cry. So I'm going to stop now.
Wrecked is going to be released on October 4th. You can pre-order or buy a copy at the following links:
Amazon • Book Depository • Algonquin Young Readers
May 14, 2017
(Review courtesy of www.craftyscribbles.com)
During a party, Jenny accuses rape by Jordan. Its aftermath leaves friends, acquaintances and a college swaying towards fact or fiction and what's best for Jenny or Jordan. Verdicts lay in the corners of both students, leaving us all wrecked in its path.
Wrecked offers an unflinching look at sexual assault within our college campuses. Rape, rape-culture, victimization, and perpetrator alignment receive a trial throughout this story's pages. Told between two perspectives, not of the rape survivor, but her roommate and her roommate's love interest as readers, we see how we play a role in bolstering or chipping away at this hurtful societal ill.
Padian paints her picture via a believable plot with well-developed characters and dialogue. Furthermore, she flips gender roles. Haley's the jock and Richard's the lovelorn fellow trying to figure himself out. You witness discussions with college students without the use of hyper-aware language (Take note, Josh Whedon!). In other words, eighteen year-olds sound reasonable and not as though they're thirty-somethings trapped in younger bodies. The two observers, see murkiness in the situation - most of which they present themselves. Doubt permeates each page. However, victim-blaming never receives a welcomed vibe from the go. Good.
Furthermore, I appreciate how Padian set events leading to Jenny's rape in specks in-between each chapter. Dread speckles with each turn as you know what's about to arrive, and when the moment comes, without gratuity, you feel the emptiness and sadness she encounters before, during, and after. It's heavy and will not let go, as sexual assault refuses to do in reality.
You will feel anger at Jordan, Haley, Richard - even misplaced at Jenny because you want to prevent the inevitable. Her helplessness becomes your own.
With all books, cons present themselves. Two such cons are the one-note Carrie character (the "Angry Feminist/Social Do-Gooder") and an inappropriate love story (while not Insta-love, which I detest, the subplot builds).
Con #1: Carrie's angry, justified, of course. But, as readers, we often do not see glimmers of anything more, unless you count jealousy. However, what's jealousy without anger attached? I would have preferred moments of joy or indifference. In a way, the Mona character could have splintered into Carrie.
Con #2: The inappropriate love sub-plot of Haley and Richard. Yeah, I get it. Living life includes moments where you move on, despite negativity rimmed around you. I felt dirty though as I witnessed a scene where consent teaching came off as jokey. You may feel otherwise. Yet, I can't shake that feeling.
Regardless of those two cons, these story deserves a read. Padian writes a realistic telling of the all too familiar course many college stories unwittingly registered for in their matriculation. Verdict: 4 out of 5.
*This book happily sits on my bookshelf from my own wallet.*
During a party, Jenny accuses rape by Jordan. Its aftermath leaves friends, acquaintances and a college swaying towards fact or fiction and what's best for Jenny or Jordan. Verdicts lay in the corners of both students, leaving us all wrecked in its path.
Wrecked offers an unflinching look at sexual assault within our college campuses. Rape, rape-culture, victimization, and perpetrator alignment receive a trial throughout this story's pages. Told between two perspectives, not of the rape survivor, but her roommate and her roommate's love interest as readers, we see how we play a role in bolstering or chipping away at this hurtful societal ill.
Padian paints her picture via a believable plot with well-developed characters and dialogue. Furthermore, she flips gender roles. Haley's the jock and Richard's the lovelorn fellow trying to figure himself out. You witness discussions with college students without the use of hyper-aware language (Take note, Josh Whedon!). In other words, eighteen year-olds sound reasonable and not as though they're thirty-somethings trapped in younger bodies. The two observers, see murkiness in the situation - most of which they present themselves. Doubt permeates each page. However, victim-blaming never receives a welcomed vibe from the go. Good.
Furthermore, I appreciate how Padian set events leading to Jenny's rape in specks in-between each chapter. Dread speckles with each turn as you know what's about to arrive, and when the moment comes, without gratuity, you feel the emptiness and sadness she encounters before, during, and after. It's heavy and will not let go, as sexual assault refuses to do in reality.
You will feel anger at Jordan, Haley, Richard - even misplaced at Jenny because you want to prevent the inevitable. Her helplessness becomes your own.
With all books, cons present themselves. Two such cons are the one-note Carrie character (the "Angry Feminist/Social Do-Gooder") and an inappropriate love story (while not Insta-love, which I detest, the subplot builds).
Con #1: Carrie's angry, justified, of course. But, as readers, we often do not see glimmers of anything more, unless you count jealousy. However, what's jealousy without anger attached? I would have preferred moments of joy or indifference. In a way, the Mona character could have splintered into Carrie.
Con #2: The inappropriate love sub-plot of Haley and Richard. Yeah, I get it. Living life includes moments where you move on, despite negativity rimmed around you. I felt dirty though as I witnessed a scene where consent teaching came off as jokey. You may feel otherwise. Yet, I can't shake that feeling.
Regardless of those two cons, these story deserves a read. Padian writes a realistic telling of the all too familiar course many college stories unwittingly registered for in their matriculation. Verdict: 4 out of 5.
*This book happily sits on my bookshelf from my own wallet.*
October 5, 2016
WRECKED is an important story about rape on college campuses encompassing such important themes as consent, drinking, drugs, responsibility to look after friends, how victims and accused are treated.
Told in alternating chapters between the survivor's roommate and a housemate of the accused Maria Padian's novel is at times heavy-handed, feeling like a primer on consent or a lecture on taking care of victims. The writing lacked voice and the prose read as clunky.
None of the characters felt fully fleshed out. I think the story would have been stronger in first person rather than third. The narrators had been those directly involved in the (alleged) rape.
I didn't feel that the romance between the narrators was interesting or had chemistry. I couldn't figure out what they saw in each other.
I wish WRECKED had been told differently, because the story of how college students react to (alleged) rape, the taking of sides, victim blaming, not wanting to get involved are topics that merit exploration in a manner that tells a story instead of beats the reader over the head.
Told in alternating chapters between the survivor's roommate and a housemate of the accused Maria Padian's novel is at times heavy-handed, feeling like a primer on consent or a lecture on taking care of victims. The writing lacked voice and the prose read as clunky.
None of the characters felt fully fleshed out. I think the story would have been stronger in first person rather than third. The narrators had been those directly involved in the (alleged) rape.
I didn't feel that the romance between the narrators was interesting or had chemistry. I couldn't figure out what they saw in each other.
I wish WRECKED had been told differently, because the story of how college students react to (alleged) rape, the taking of sides, victim blaming, not wanting to get involved are topics that merit exploration in a manner that tells a story instead of beats the reader over the head.
October 23, 2018
4/5 Stars
"Here's one thing I've learned: the real snakes in the world? Don't look like anything you'd expect them to."
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault, cyberbullying
This story is as relevant as ever. The topics this book focuses on such as sexual assault, consent and cyberbullying because of said sexual assault should be talked about more. I feel like what makes Wrecked stand out to a lot of novels with a similar subject is the point of view. Usually the reader follows the victims perspective throughout the novel. In Wrecked we get two perspecives, one is the victims roommate and the second one is sort of a friend of the accused. And this kind of storytelling was very relatable, because usually we also just hear two different stories and we have no clue who is telling the truth.
Something I also found very interesting was the Little "snippets" before every chapter. We get more Information on that very night and try to figure out how everything went down.
I removed one star because sometimes I had difficulties following the writing style. The sudden switching to flashbacks and then getting back into the present confused me alot. I had to read some passages twice to understand if this was a flashback or if we are still in the present. I feel like a first person POV would have been a better option.
Overall this book was great. It tackles important subjects and I thought all of it was handled great. For everyone who wants to read a book, taking on relevant topics and disscussing them - this might be a book for you!
"Here's one thing I've learned: the real snakes in the world? Don't look like anything you'd expect them to."
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault, cyberbullying
This story is as relevant as ever. The topics this book focuses on such as sexual assault, consent and cyberbullying because of said sexual assault should be talked about more. I feel like what makes Wrecked stand out to a lot of novels with a similar subject is the point of view. Usually the reader follows the victims perspective throughout the novel. In Wrecked we get two perspecives, one is the victims roommate and the second one is sort of a friend of the accused. And this kind of storytelling was very relatable, because usually we also just hear two different stories and we have no clue who is telling the truth.
Something I also found very interesting was the Little "snippets" before every chapter. We get more Information on that very night and try to figure out how everything went down.
I removed one star because sometimes I had difficulties following the writing style. The sudden switching to flashbacks and then getting back into the present confused me alot. I had to read some passages twice to understand if this was a flashback or if we are still in the present. I feel like a first person POV would have been a better option.
Overall this book was great. It tackles important subjects and I thought all of it was handled great. For everyone who wants to read a book, taking on relevant topics and disscussing them - this might be a book for you!
August 16, 2016
Beginning the morning after the sexual assault of a freshman college student, Wrecked is told from two adjacent perspectives, including that of Haley, the victim’s roommate, and Richard, the rapist’s housemate. With the start of the school year only weeks behind them, neither Haley nor Richard knows those involved well, yet they both find themselves involved in the resulting inquiry. The situation is further complicated when Haley and Richard, unaware of the other’s relation to the victim and aggressor, develop a relationship.
Padian’s Wrecked is a story that will transfix readers from the opening pages, even as they want to look away. When there are two conflicting stories and neither can be corroborated, who is to be believed? As a university investigator delves into a case, which character witnesses can be trusted and which have personal motives? Does a victim have a responsibility to fellow female students? Or vice versa? Timely, gripping, and incredibly important, Padian’s novel confronts the difficult and often complicated nature of sexual assault on a college campus, as well as the inevitable student discussion and backlash.
Padian’s Wrecked is a story that will transfix readers from the opening pages, even as they want to look away. When there are two conflicting stories and neither can be corroborated, who is to be believed? As a university investigator delves into a case, which character witnesses can be trusted and which have personal motives? Does a victim have a responsibility to fellow female students? Or vice versa? Timely, gripping, and incredibly important, Padian’s novel confronts the difficult and often complicated nature of sexual assault on a college campus, as well as the inevitable student discussion and backlash.
May 26, 2016
Frustrating that this isn't out until October 2016, as I want to tell so many people I know to read this. A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for granting me access to an ARC.
A timely novel exploring attitudes to sexuality on American college campuses.
While the story itself might seem a common one - and a definite publishing theme of the moment - it is skilfully narrated. We are told the story of what happened to Jenny through the eyes of her roommate, Hayley, and Richard, a friend of the boy who raped her.
Absorbing story, and this should appeal to so many readers. One or two stereotypical characters, but the writer plays with these and this means they serve a definite role.
A timely novel exploring attitudes to sexuality on American college campuses.
While the story itself might seem a common one - and a definite publishing theme of the moment - it is skilfully narrated. We are told the story of what happened to Jenny through the eyes of her roommate, Hayley, and Richard, a friend of the boy who raped her.
Absorbing story, and this should appeal to so many readers. One or two stereotypical characters, but the writer plays with these and this means they serve a definite role.
October 6, 2016
Full review on www.novelgossip.com
Every once in awhile a book comes along that tackles difficult subject matter head on in a moving and poignant way. Some of you may remember my glowing review of It Ends With Us and a big part of why I liked that book so much was that Colleen Hoover was not afraid to shed light on a disturbing, yet important subject. Though the issues explored in Wrecked are different, they are no less important and I found myself thinking that it is similar because it’s such an important book for young people to read. This is another one that I want my kids to read, it will be especially relevant at the end of high school before they head off to college.
This one is told from two perspectives, that of Haley and Richard. Haley is a soccer playing freshman who has just been sidelined after her third concussion and Richard is a sophomore math whiz. Their paths cross in unexpected ways after Haley’s roommate, Jenny claims Richard’s housemate, Jordan sexually assaulted her. At the same time Haley and Richard begin to explore their very new relationship, the two are placed unwillingly on opposite sides of the schools investigation into the matter. The truth of what really happened that night is slowly and painstakingly revealed through small snippets at the end of each chapter. At times this frustrated me, but it was also very clever on Padian’s part because the reader is just as much in the dark about what went down as the rest of the characters.
As details about the investigation are leaked on campus, rumors spread like wildfire. Jenny becomes the target of cyber bullying and harassment and everyone even remotely connected to the events of that fateful night are forced to take sides. Though it pains me to admit this, I found myself questioning if Jenny was telling the truth several times. She was wasted and barely remembers anything that happened, so how can she know for sure that she was raped? Padian was so skillful in showing how this event affected an entire college and she successfully managed to make me, as a reader experience all the emotions and conflicting thoughts that the characters were feeling themselves.
Rape culture is such a heavy topic but one that couldn’t be more timely and relevant, especially when it happens on a college campus. It’s running rampant and I googled some statistics that were shocking and horrifying. What happened to Jenny is happening to young women all across the country and it is not ok. The importance of consent is prevalent in this book and for that reason alone I will be encouraging everyone to read this.
This isn’t a story with a neat and tidy ending, but you know what? That’s ok for me this time. Why? Because it’s true and accurate and I can definitely see things playing out in the exact same way at colleges across the country. Victim blaming/shaming, people only worrying about covering their own asses, and frankly, appalling behavior is the sad and unfortunate truth of what usually happens when a college student is sexually assaulted. I applaud Padian for taking on a tough issue and sharing it in a book that teenagers will actually want to read. She’s created a story that is relatable and well timed with characters that you would see at any college in America. She succeeded in making me really think all the while going through a plethora of emotions that will stay with me for quite some time.
Every once in awhile a book comes along that tackles difficult subject matter head on in a moving and poignant way. Some of you may remember my glowing review of It Ends With Us and a big part of why I liked that book so much was that Colleen Hoover was not afraid to shed light on a disturbing, yet important subject. Though the issues explored in Wrecked are different, they are no less important and I found myself thinking that it is similar because it’s such an important book for young people to read. This is another one that I want my kids to read, it will be especially relevant at the end of high school before they head off to college.
This one is told from two perspectives, that of Haley and Richard. Haley is a soccer playing freshman who has just been sidelined after her third concussion and Richard is a sophomore math whiz. Their paths cross in unexpected ways after Haley’s roommate, Jenny claims Richard’s housemate, Jordan sexually assaulted her. At the same time Haley and Richard begin to explore their very new relationship, the two are placed unwillingly on opposite sides of the schools investigation into the matter. The truth of what really happened that night is slowly and painstakingly revealed through small snippets at the end of each chapter. At times this frustrated me, but it was also very clever on Padian’s part because the reader is just as much in the dark about what went down as the rest of the characters.
As details about the investigation are leaked on campus, rumors spread like wildfire. Jenny becomes the target of cyber bullying and harassment and everyone even remotely connected to the events of that fateful night are forced to take sides. Though it pains me to admit this, I found myself questioning if Jenny was telling the truth several times. She was wasted and barely remembers anything that happened, so how can she know for sure that she was raped? Padian was so skillful in showing how this event affected an entire college and she successfully managed to make me, as a reader experience all the emotions and conflicting thoughts that the characters were feeling themselves.
Rape culture is such a heavy topic but one that couldn’t be more timely and relevant, especially when it happens on a college campus. It’s running rampant and I googled some statistics that were shocking and horrifying. What happened to Jenny is happening to young women all across the country and it is not ok. The importance of consent is prevalent in this book and for that reason alone I will be encouraging everyone to read this.
This isn’t a story with a neat and tidy ending, but you know what? That’s ok for me this time. Why? Because it’s true and accurate and I can definitely see things playing out in the exact same way at colleges across the country. Victim blaming/shaming, people only worrying about covering their own asses, and frankly, appalling behavior is the sad and unfortunate truth of what usually happens when a college student is sexually assaulted. I applaud Padian for taking on a tough issue and sharing it in a book that teenagers will actually want to read. She’s created a story that is relatable and well timed with characters that you would see at any college in America. She succeeded in making me really think all the while going through a plethora of emotions that will stay with me for quite some time.
March 17, 2016
Maria Padian’s Wrecked gave me the feeling I have watching a tightrope walker – I’m scared of what I might see, yet I can’t take my eyes away. In this “he said, she said” story, Jenny, the accuser, says one thing. Jordan, the accused, says another. The tension is only heightened as Haley and Richard, the chosen confidantes of Jenny and Jordan, seem to be on the road to being two of the most star-crossed lovers in contemporary young adult literature. Wrecked is a riveting drama, complete with a bonus track: spot-on observations of the hothouse atmosphere of a small liberal arts college.
October 4, 2016
3.5 stars? I'm not sure how to rate this one. Was it enjoyable? Not especially. But did I appreciate what this books says and represents, do I think it's an important read? Absolutely. I liked nearly everything about this book, but the entire package fell a bit flat. Would still highly recommend, because we've got to talk about rape more in YA lit, especially in college.
September 18, 2017
Here is a story about sexual assault on a college campus that talks about partying, drinking, looking out for your friends and most important of all consent. You will also see how people react to the accused and the accuser and how others treat them. I am not to happy with the ending of this one, there was no closure for the victim and what seems typical of now a days the accused walks away scot free. I think that this is a very serious topic that could have been written about a bit differently instead of being overly heavy handed and judgemental in parts. Ultimately if someone does not say yes coherently it is not ok to proceed.
September 20, 2016
About: Wrecked is a fiction novel written by Maria Padian. It will be published on 10/4/2016 by Algonquin Young Readers, 368 pages. The genres are young adult, contemporary, fiction, new adult, romance, realistic fiction, feminism, and college. Maria has written 3 other books which I have yet to read.
My Experience: I started reading Wrecked on 9/7/16 and finished it on 9/20/16 at 1AM. No, it didn’t take me that long to read. After 28% of reading Wrecked, I jumped into reading The Young Elites and The Rose Society. I shouldn’t do that, but I did. To be totally honest of why I did that, I jumped into other books because I was irritated with the constant flash backs in this book. I was reading along and then the scene changed and I was caught off guard thinking where was I and then I realized I am lost in one of the characters’ memory. This flashbacks occurred many times throughout the book, often it feels like a memory, other times, it’s plain intentional. Many scenes, I just wish it continues on because it would have been so good.
Besides the flash backs, this book is awesome! I enjoy the humor between Richard and Haley and their separate POVs. I like Haley’s no sharing rule or only share when she doesn’t like her portion and how she compares herself to Carrie. I like Haley’s mad scale to Richard and how reasonable she is for Jenny. I like how Richard stands up for himself against Jordan’s family and how he got caught saying things he doesn’t planned on saying but when he’s mad, it slipped. I like that this book has Jenny’s story of what really happened running parallel to the story. I like how the title is weaved into the story more than once. This book is definitely a realistic fiction. I understand completely why Dean Hunt made his decision and why many people got away. I have read it on the news about this and I have always dislike that “not guilty until proven guilty” because I am an honest person and I like others to be honest. I feel angry that people don’t own up to their responsibilities and that they will try to get away with what they can and let the victims suffer. Life is unfair. The good loses. The bad guys got away. Justice comes way too late. This book is a reminder of the real life and I highly recommend all women to read it. I would give this book a 5 stars if there weren’t so many flashbacks.
Pro: humor, page turner, fast paced, guys and girls’ point of views, college setting, lesson learned, real life experience, a good reminder,
Con: flash backs
I rate it 4.5 stars!
***Disclaimer: I received this ebook for free from Edelweiss in an exchanged for an honest review. Many thanks to author Maria Padian, Edelweiss, and Algonquin for the Advanced Reader Copy. I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
My Experience: I started reading Wrecked on 9/7/16 and finished it on 9/20/16 at 1AM. No, it didn’t take me that long to read. After 28% of reading Wrecked, I jumped into reading The Young Elites and The Rose Society. I shouldn’t do that, but I did. To be totally honest of why I did that, I jumped into other books because I was irritated with the constant flash backs in this book. I was reading along and then the scene changed and I was caught off guard thinking where was I and then I realized I am lost in one of the characters’ memory. This flashbacks occurred many times throughout the book, often it feels like a memory, other times, it’s plain intentional. Many scenes, I just wish it continues on because it would have been so good.
Besides the flash backs, this book is awesome! I enjoy the humor between Richard and Haley and their separate POVs. I like Haley’s no sharing rule or only share when she doesn’t like her portion and how she compares herself to Carrie. I like Haley’s mad scale to Richard and how reasonable she is for Jenny. I like how Richard stands up for himself against Jordan’s family and how he got caught saying things he doesn’t planned on saying but when he’s mad, it slipped. I like that this book has Jenny’s story of what really happened running parallel to the story. I like how the title is weaved into the story more than once. This book is definitely a realistic fiction. I understand completely why Dean Hunt made his decision and why many people got away. I have read it on the news about this and I have always dislike that “not guilty until proven guilty” because I am an honest person and I like others to be honest. I feel angry that people don’t own up to their responsibilities and that they will try to get away with what they can and let the victims suffer. Life is unfair. The good loses. The bad guys got away. Justice comes way too late. This book is a reminder of the real life and I highly recommend all women to read it. I would give this book a 5 stars if there weren’t so many flashbacks.
Pro: humor, page turner, fast paced, guys and girls’ point of views, college setting, lesson learned, real life experience, a good reminder,
Con: flash backs
I rate it 4.5 stars!
***Disclaimer: I received this ebook for free from Edelweiss in an exchanged for an honest review. Many thanks to author Maria Padian, Edelweiss, and Algonquin for the Advanced Reader Copy. I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
November 29, 2016
*****For my full review, stop by Darling & Co.*****
Wow! Just wow! That is how I felt when I finished Wrecked. I felt wrecked. There was so much truth and accuracy in this book on rape culture; Maria Padian really hit the nail on the head. It was almost sickening reading about it and knowing that it is that correct. This book really needs to be on a high school reading list. I know it won't because of the subject matter, but that's a different story. This book is really incredible and I believe anyone about to go into college, anyone in college, anyone who just got out of college, anyone who parties hard a lot, or anyone who is a friend or family member of anyone who fits the aforementioned groups should read this book. I really enjoyed the book. There is really good character development and plot. And most importantly, it feels extremely accurate.
Wow! Just wow! That is how I felt when I finished Wrecked. I felt wrecked. There was so much truth and accuracy in this book on rape culture; Maria Padian really hit the nail on the head. It was almost sickening reading about it and knowing that it is that correct. This book really needs to be on a high school reading list. I know it won't because of the subject matter, but that's a different story. This book is really incredible and I believe anyone about to go into college, anyone in college, anyone who just got out of college, anyone who parties hard a lot, or anyone who is a friend or family member of anyone who fits the aforementioned groups should read this book. I really enjoyed the book. There is really good character development and plot. And most importantly, it feels extremely accurate.
March 30, 2017
Wrecked got pretty heavy handed with its lesson in some places. The conversations around the difference btwn "yes means yes" compared to "no means no" are incredibly important and I think the novel did a really good job of making the difference between the two clear. But it did so at the expense of character nuance. At times Richard seemed to be unreasonably obtuse purely for the sake of teaching young readers about consent. Maybe it's because I'm an adult, I've encountered this discussion before in more complex and nuanced ways? Maybe the target audience of late teens/early twenties readers needs a heavy handed lesson in consent? I'm curious to read through other reviews of the book to see what others thought.
October 20, 2016
Richard and Haley are college students and potentially about to start dating. Except Haley's roommate was raped at a party and Richard's housemate was the one accused of the crime. And the guy even told Richard he hooked up with a freshman. Everyone has a different theory about what happened (and a viewpoint on who's to blame).
This is such an important novel and I love that this topic (consent, and what constitutes consent) is presented here. I also love how sensitively it's handled. None of the details are gratuitous and Jenny (who was raped) is treated respectfully by every halfway decent character.
This is the kind of book that sparks important conversations. Highly recommended.
This is such an important novel and I love that this topic (consent, and what constitutes consent) is presented here. I also love how sensitively it's handled. None of the details are gratuitous and Jenny (who was raped) is treated respectfully by every halfway decent character.
This is the kind of book that sparks important conversations. Highly recommended.
April 4, 2016
High schools and colleges and their wider communities need this book and the discussions it's going to spark. The characters are beautifully rendered and absolutely believable ... and we believe them. So which one is telling the truth?
Read this book!
Read this book!
June 27, 2019
4,5 stars
I absolutely loved this book and the themes and messages it represents.
I absolutely loved this book and the themes and messages it represents.
March 30, 2018
Solid 4 stars, even with the horrible, garish pink cover.
This was a strong book about rape culture in colleges, but what made it so enjoyable was its leading characters of Richard and Haley, who get caught up in the accusations and allegations by association. And despite there being interspersed flashbacks to tell the real story of what happened between their POVs, the reader is left to make up their own opinion about what really happened through confused memories, secondhand testimonies and denials by people who want to see themselves removed of any blame - much the same as it would be in the real world.
Haley and Richard were great characters, and I really enjoyed their narration of the novel. I also thought secondary characters like Mona and Gail were fantastic and supportive, although I'm still confused as to what I'm supposed to make of Carrie. She delivered some strong messages about female empowerment and anti-rape culture, but at the same time, she was also presented as being unlikeable, for reasons including her preachy SJW tendencies and her eco-friendly and vegan lifestyle. So... I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do with her - is she portraying what NOT to be like? But then... what about all her feminist messages? I'm still not sure what was supposed to be achieved here.
Pink cover aside (I really really hate pink), this was a fantastic book. It's highly readable, and I flew through this in a single day. The ending didn't quite feel satisfactory, but I can see how Padian is trying to mimic real life rape cases where there isn't necessarily a neat 'happily ever after' and things go back to normal. In any case, this is definitely one that I recommend you pick up.
This was a strong book about rape culture in colleges, but what made it so enjoyable was its leading characters of Richard and Haley, who get caught up in the accusations and allegations by association. And despite there being interspersed flashbacks to tell the real story of what happened between their POVs, the reader is left to make up their own opinion about what really happened through confused memories, secondhand testimonies and denials by people who want to see themselves removed of any blame - much the same as it would be in the real world.
Haley and Richard were great characters, and I really enjoyed their narration of the novel. I also thought secondary characters like Mona and Gail were fantastic and supportive, although I'm still confused as to what I'm supposed to make of Carrie. She delivered some strong messages about female empowerment and anti-rape culture, but at the same time, she was also presented as being unlikeable, for reasons including her preachy SJW tendencies and her eco-friendly and vegan lifestyle. So... I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do with her - is she portraying what NOT to be like? But then... what about all her feminist messages? I'm still not sure what was supposed to be achieved here.
Pink cover aside (I really really hate pink), this was a fantastic book. It's highly readable, and I flew through this in a single day. The ending didn't quite feel satisfactory, but I can see how Padian is trying to mimic real life rape cases where there isn't necessarily a neat 'happily ever after' and things go back to normal. In any case, this is definitely one that I recommend you pick up.
October 3, 2016
I finished Wrecked last night but was left feeling like I had no closure over the events that transpired. Ironic really considering the topic...I'm at a loss here...it's definitely a story that should be read especially given the underwhelming/disappointing response to the rape culture in universities. Full review to come on my blog (Link is in the bio).
Update: Full Review:
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
I’d like to thank Algonquin Young Readers for approving me to receive an eGalley of Wrecked by Maria Padian via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this book from Netgalley after reading the synopsis & thinking…this sounds like an episode of Law & Order:SVU which I used to love watching! I figured that this book would have to be told from multiple points of views which is also a favorite format of mine. The book didn’t disappoint, the author handled the topic well & in doing so, she sheds some much needed light on the rape culture in colleges/universities. Another topic/theme playing in the background is sports related head injuries leading to concussions. We first get introduced to Haley who has suffered her 3rd sports related concussion on the field & is facing the very real possibility of not being able to continue playing soccer in college. Haley is sharing a college dorm room with Jenny who enters the room acting very strangely but not really saying much other than to grab some of her things. Haley & Jenny are polar opposites & don’t really know each other this being their freshmen year of college. Where Haley is more outgoing, athletic, and quick witted…Jenny is quiet, small framed, referred to as “mousy”, and always in the schools lab. Their schedules are set-up such that they barely cross paths. Jenny had accepted an invitation to attend a party with the request that she bring other freshmen females along with her. The events that took place at the party are basically given to us the readers as the story unfolds. Bits & pieces fall into place with every account that is given and just like in a game of old school Telephone, different versions start to convolute the truth.
We meet Richard & Carrie who have just broken up, Richard is a math tutor where Haley goes to work on her math sets & Carrie happens to be the person who works at the hotline set up for victims of sexual assault. Carrie is the person who takes Jenny’s call & quickly befriends Jenny. We also meet Jordan, the accused rapist who also happens to live in the same house as Richard. Haley & Richard find it easy to be in each others company and start seeing each other outside of math tutoring. None is the wiser to just how connected everyone in their lives are to the events that took place the night of the party. The chapters bounce back & forth between Haley & Richard as they tell their sides of the story. In between chapters there are pages that offer a different piece to the puzzle of what really happened that night. So in some pages you may read the thoughts Jenny was having as she is making her way around the party house while extremely intoxicated. These parts capture vividly what it feels like to be intoxicated at a level where you lose yourself in your surroundings. Some pages are the thoughts of other key players who witnessed Jenny stumbling around but who also never come forward. When the university begins it’s investigation, it is days after the rape took place & Jenny has forgone the option of reporting it to the police. In doing so, the university now carries a formal investigation away from the public and the possible outcomes are: expulsion for the accused OR if no evidence or witnesses can be found, a “no sanction” can be ruled & the accused would be permitted to remain in the school.
The way this book was written hooked me in & kept me turning the pages. I really wanted to get to those in between pages that offered a little bit of insight as to what happened the night of the rape but it was never enough. I realized that this was purposefully done by the author to give an accurate portrayal of what happens when a college student loses consciousness due to intoxication & is taken advantage of. The victim would NOT be able to recount details with absolute certainty during the time they lost consciousness (scary thought). I often found myself trying to decipher what was fact from fiction. I could NOT stop myself from thinking about the real life Broch Turner case & how that played out. I felt a range of emotions, confusion, frustration, and helplessness for Jenny. Just like Jenny, I was left feeling a whole lot of anger for many different reasons. Some ranging from where were the “friends” she came with to the party? why weren’t they trying their hardest to look for her? why is everyone keeping quiet? why is everyone more worried about the fact that they were drinking? I mean the questions in my head just kept me turning the pages faster hoping for closure. Maria Padian handled this sensitive topic really well & I honestly believe that this story should be read. Wrecked is a book that sheds light on a prevalent issue in our current day & the underwhelming attention placed on the rape culture within our colleges & universities. I would absolutely recommend this book if you’re looking for a very real take on this sensitive topic.
Update: Full Review:
https://lairofbooksblog.wordpress.com...
I’d like to thank Algonquin Young Readers for approving me to receive an eGalley of Wrecked by Maria Padian via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this book from Netgalley after reading the synopsis & thinking…this sounds like an episode of Law & Order:SVU which I used to love watching! I figured that this book would have to be told from multiple points of views which is also a favorite format of mine. The book didn’t disappoint, the author handled the topic well & in doing so, she sheds some much needed light on the rape culture in colleges/universities. Another topic/theme playing in the background is sports related head injuries leading to concussions. We first get introduced to Haley who has suffered her 3rd sports related concussion on the field & is facing the very real possibility of not being able to continue playing soccer in college. Haley is sharing a college dorm room with Jenny who enters the room acting very strangely but not really saying much other than to grab some of her things. Haley & Jenny are polar opposites & don’t really know each other this being their freshmen year of college. Where Haley is more outgoing, athletic, and quick witted…Jenny is quiet, small framed, referred to as “mousy”, and always in the schools lab. Their schedules are set-up such that they barely cross paths. Jenny had accepted an invitation to attend a party with the request that she bring other freshmen females along with her. The events that took place at the party are basically given to us the readers as the story unfolds. Bits & pieces fall into place with every account that is given and just like in a game of old school Telephone, different versions start to convolute the truth.
We meet Richard & Carrie who have just broken up, Richard is a math tutor where Haley goes to work on her math sets & Carrie happens to be the person who works at the hotline set up for victims of sexual assault. Carrie is the person who takes Jenny’s call & quickly befriends Jenny. We also meet Jordan, the accused rapist who also happens to live in the same house as Richard. Haley & Richard find it easy to be in each others company and start seeing each other outside of math tutoring. None is the wiser to just how connected everyone in their lives are to the events that took place the night of the party. The chapters bounce back & forth between Haley & Richard as they tell their sides of the story. In between chapters there are pages that offer a different piece to the puzzle of what really happened that night. So in some pages you may read the thoughts Jenny was having as she is making her way around the party house while extremely intoxicated. These parts capture vividly what it feels like to be intoxicated at a level where you lose yourself in your surroundings. Some pages are the thoughts of other key players who witnessed Jenny stumbling around but who also never come forward. When the university begins it’s investigation, it is days after the rape took place & Jenny has forgone the option of reporting it to the police. In doing so, the university now carries a formal investigation away from the public and the possible outcomes are: expulsion for the accused OR if no evidence or witnesses can be found, a “no sanction” can be ruled & the accused would be permitted to remain in the school.
The way this book was written hooked me in & kept me turning the pages. I really wanted to get to those in between pages that offered a little bit of insight as to what happened the night of the rape but it was never enough. I realized that this was purposefully done by the author to give an accurate portrayal of what happens when a college student loses consciousness due to intoxication & is taken advantage of. The victim would NOT be able to recount details with absolute certainty during the time they lost consciousness (scary thought). I often found myself trying to decipher what was fact from fiction. I could NOT stop myself from thinking about the real life Broch Turner case & how that played out. I felt a range of emotions, confusion, frustration, and helplessness for Jenny. Just like Jenny, I was left feeling a whole lot of anger for many different reasons. Some ranging from where were the “friends” she came with to the party? why weren’t they trying their hardest to look for her? why is everyone keeping quiet? why is everyone more worried about the fact that they were drinking? I mean the questions in my head just kept me turning the pages faster hoping for closure. Maria Padian handled this sensitive topic really well & I honestly believe that this story should be read. Wrecked is a book that sheds light on a prevalent issue in our current day & the underwhelming attention placed on the rape culture within our colleges & universities. I would absolutely recommend this book if you’re looking for a very real take on this sensitive topic.
August 11, 2016
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and I'm happy to say that this book is a Rave. The first thing I noticed about this book is the cover, which I love, but the synopsis is the reason I had to read Wrecked. I'm trying to read more books that deal with tough topics, rape being among them, and Padian did an excellent job addressing a very sensitive topic.
Narrated from both male and female third person POV, the book follows Haley and Richard, friends of the rape victim, Jenny, and the accused, Jordan. Haley and Jenny are freshman at MacCallum College and complete opposites who share a dorm room. The book opens with Haley recovering from another concussion from soccer and finding out that her career is now over. She's the ultimate tomboy, obsessed with soccer, and in the beginning of the novel, that's all she's worried about.
Jenny is the shy and quiet type that spends most of her time in the science lab. Based on Haley's description of her roommate, I wouldn't have expected Jenny to go to a party, let alone attend with the girls who left her at Conundrum House. Jenny is a very sympathetic character who displays all the signs of a victim that felt very real to me. It would've been a completely different book if it was told from Jenny and Jordan's POV, but I'm not sure it would've worked as well as it did here.
Unlike most of the students at this school, Richard's parents can barely afford to pay his tuition. He works as a math tutor as part of his work study, and while following around his ex-girlfriend, he runs into Haley, mostly because he's curious about why she's hanging out with his ex. Richard is a good guy, but some of the things he says make him sound like an insensitive caveman, provoking a negative response from some of the women in the book. This is something he learns to work on by the end of the novel.
When Haley learns that Jenny was raped and has filed a complaint with the school, she becomes part of the university's formal investigation. Instead of a lawyer, Jenny requests Haley as her counselor, despite Haley's protests that she's not the right person for the job. As Jordan's housemate, Richard is pulled into the investigation as a counselor, making it difficult for Haley to trust Richard when she finds out he's friends with the accused.
At the end of each chapter, there are small clips of the past that range from Jenny pre-gaming with the girls she attended the party with to the specific details of what happened between Jenny and Jordan. By the end of the book, I was sympathetic to both Jenny and Jordan because there are always two sides to a story, and as the truth is revealed, it's hard to put all the blame on Jordan. There's a lot of doubt about Jenny's story and the accuracy of the events throughout that were very realistic. I was constantly wondering if Jenny was raped and if Jordan was the person responsible. The investigation pulls in different guys and girls who know Jenny and Jordan, making it a bit of a guessing game until the very end.
As I mentioned, this book is a Rave that I highly recommend for young adult to adult readers. Wrecked contains an important message everyone should read and a story that's relevant after all of the college rape investigations that we've seen over the past few years. Without evidence, rape is extremely hard to prove, and in cases such as these, the only recourse a victim may have available is a formal investigation by the school.
Note: I'm waiting until September to publish this review on my blog. The publication date is October 4, 2016. Check out the rest of my reviews at rantandraveaboutbooks.com
Narrated from both male and female third person POV, the book follows Haley and Richard, friends of the rape victim, Jenny, and the accused, Jordan. Haley and Jenny are freshman at MacCallum College and complete opposites who share a dorm room. The book opens with Haley recovering from another concussion from soccer and finding out that her career is now over. She's the ultimate tomboy, obsessed with soccer, and in the beginning of the novel, that's all she's worried about.
Jenny is the shy and quiet type that spends most of her time in the science lab. Based on Haley's description of her roommate, I wouldn't have expected Jenny to go to a party, let alone attend with the girls who left her at Conundrum House. Jenny is a very sympathetic character who displays all the signs of a victim that felt very real to me. It would've been a completely different book if it was told from Jenny and Jordan's POV, but I'm not sure it would've worked as well as it did here.
Unlike most of the students at this school, Richard's parents can barely afford to pay his tuition. He works as a math tutor as part of his work study, and while following around his ex-girlfriend, he runs into Haley, mostly because he's curious about why she's hanging out with his ex. Richard is a good guy, but some of the things he says make him sound like an insensitive caveman, provoking a negative response from some of the women in the book. This is something he learns to work on by the end of the novel.
When Haley learns that Jenny was raped and has filed a complaint with the school, she becomes part of the university's formal investigation. Instead of a lawyer, Jenny requests Haley as her counselor, despite Haley's protests that she's not the right person for the job. As Jordan's housemate, Richard is pulled into the investigation as a counselor, making it difficult for Haley to trust Richard when she finds out he's friends with the accused.
At the end of each chapter, there are small clips of the past that range from Jenny pre-gaming with the girls she attended the party with to the specific details of what happened between Jenny and Jordan. By the end of the book, I was sympathetic to both Jenny and Jordan because there are always two sides to a story, and as the truth is revealed, it's hard to put all the blame on Jordan. There's a lot of doubt about Jenny's story and the accuracy of the events throughout that were very realistic. I was constantly wondering if Jenny was raped and if Jordan was the person responsible. The investigation pulls in different guys and girls who know Jenny and Jordan, making it a bit of a guessing game until the very end.
As I mentioned, this book is a Rave that I highly recommend for young adult to adult readers. Wrecked contains an important message everyone should read and a story that's relevant after all of the college rape investigations that we've seen over the past few years. Without evidence, rape is extremely hard to prove, and in cases such as these, the only recourse a victim may have available is a formal investigation by the school.
Note: I'm waiting until September to publish this review on my blog. The publication date is October 4, 2016. Check out the rest of my reviews at rantandraveaboutbooks.com
January 1, 2017
"Here's one thing I've learned: the real snakes in the world? Don't look anything like you'd expect them to."
This is not a 'Rape Book'. Okay, sure, sexual abuse is one of the (many) themes. But it's so much MORE than that: a mystery/thriller, a YA contemporary, a romance. A book about College, and feminism. I really liked the way it had me doubting everyone's motivations.
This book is written in the third person, which I thought made it infinitely more readable. Paired with following Haley and Richard instead of Jenny and Jordan, there was just a little bit of distance. When a story is more connected and emotive it is harder to see clearly what is happening, and the issues we're dealing with here are complex enough without that extra element. I also really liked the format of the book, the way that between each chapter we learned a little more about what really happened that night.
I am saddened that the college failed to find alternative housing for Jenny when she asked for it, and didn't respond adequately to the social media harassment. I say saddened because I have seen and heard (and read) of this sort of thing so many times now I just don't have the energy to be angry about it any more.
Jenny made a big choice in this situation: I felt that this book showed the implications of this very well, but also affirmed Jenny's right to choose whatever she felt was best for her.
The characters were well done, all completely different. I really liked Haley's character, she tries to be a good friend to Jenny, even though she has her own issues that absolutely no one is supporting her through, and they don't seem to have been that close beforehand. The situation is also causing minor problems with Haley's new relationship and Haley is nothing but supportive, even if she doesn't understand. She's so kind, but doesn't put up with any bullshit.
I was amazed when I got to the end and Richard and Jenny actually met for the first time. Richard spent all this time thinking about this girl he's never even laid eyes on? Their meeting brought back the message that this could and does happen to anyone.
"she's the girl guys tend to overlook. Who dresses in forgettable clothes. Listens instead of inserting herself. The chorus, the wallpaper, the background-music girl."
This is not a 'Rape Book'. Okay, sure, sexual abuse is one of the (many) themes. But it's so much MORE than that: a mystery/thriller, a YA contemporary, a romance. A book about College, and feminism. I really liked the way it had me doubting everyone's motivations.
This book is written in the third person, which I thought made it infinitely more readable. Paired with following Haley and Richard instead of Jenny and Jordan, there was just a little bit of distance. When a story is more connected and emotive it is harder to see clearly what is happening, and the issues we're dealing with here are complex enough without that extra element. I also really liked the format of the book, the way that between each chapter we learned a little more about what really happened that night.
I am saddened that the college failed to find alternative housing for Jenny when she asked for it, and didn't respond adequately to the social media harassment. I say saddened because I have seen and heard (and read) of this sort of thing so many times now I just don't have the energy to be angry about it any more.
Jenny made a big choice in this situation: I felt that this book showed the implications of this very well, but also affirmed Jenny's right to choose whatever she felt was best for her.
The characters were well done, all completely different. I really liked Haley's character, she tries to be a good friend to Jenny, even though she has her own issues that absolutely no one is supporting her through, and they don't seem to have been that close beforehand. The situation is also causing minor problems with Haley's new relationship and Haley is nothing but supportive, even if she doesn't understand. She's so kind, but doesn't put up with any bullshit.
I was amazed when I got to the end and Richard and Jenny actually met for the first time. Richard spent all this time thinking about this girl he's never even laid eyes on? Their meeting brought back the message that this could and does happen to anyone.
"she's the girl guys tend to overlook. Who dresses in forgettable clothes. Listens instead of inserting herself. The chorus, the wallpaper, the background-music girl."
October 27, 2016
This book, overall, was good but the ending really pissed me off…sigh
February 25, 2018
I'd finished a book yesterday afternoon and then I dramatically bounced through starting and stopping no less than four other books before I found a review for Wrecked, downloaded the audiobook onto my Kindle, and then pretty much listened to it straight through, pausing only briefly to sleep.
It is so timely, a book about campus sexual assault, date rape, consent, drinking, capacity, and responsibility.
It's about legal remedies vs. campus processes vs. trial by social media and all the little nuances of campus life during the pendency of this case.
And, most interestingly, it's told from the perspective of two "side" characters, the roommate of the alleged victim and a housemate of the alleged perpetrator. Before I get heat about blaming the victim, first, remember this is fiction, and second, I'm an attorney. Everything is allegations until proven in a court of law. Far be it from me to slander fictional characters.
So Haley and Richard are side characters each sucked into this controversial issue, and who coincidentally, like each other and awkwardly try to navigate early dating in a bizarre but yet completely believable early romantic relationship, while getting called on stage during a campus training on how affirmative consent can be sexy, and pulled in opposite directions about this case. But despite this sweet love story, this is no romance.
It was very compelling, thought-provoking, and timely. Of course, I'd like to point out, it also would have been timely and appropriate 30 years ago when I was in college, but without the social media. Times are finally a-changing.
It is so timely, a book about campus sexual assault, date rape, consent, drinking, capacity, and responsibility.
It's about legal remedies vs. campus processes vs. trial by social media and all the little nuances of campus life during the pendency of this case.
And, most interestingly, it's told from the perspective of two "side" characters, the roommate of the alleged victim and a housemate of the alleged perpetrator. Before I get heat about blaming the victim, first, remember this is fiction, and second, I'm an attorney. Everything is allegations until proven in a court of law. Far be it from me to slander fictional characters.
So Haley and Richard are side characters each sucked into this controversial issue, and who coincidentally, like each other and awkwardly try to navigate early dating in a bizarre but yet completely believable early romantic relationship, while getting called on stage during a campus training on how affirmative consent can be sexy, and pulled in opposite directions about this case. But despite this sweet love story, this is no romance.
It was very compelling, thought-provoking, and timely. Of course, I'd like to point out, it also would have been timely and appropriate 30 years ago when I was in college, but without the social media. Times are finally a-changing.
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