One Girl

by Patty Blount

A Some Boys short story. Available from the authors website.

Some Boys don’t listen…so one girl will keep fighting.

It’s been two hundred and twenty-six days since the party in the woods that taught Grace Collier a lot about herself. She survived rape, she survived her best friends and even her family turning against her. She’s a fighter – a champion for what’s right, not what’s easy, which is good because what she has to do now is the hardest thing ever…she needs to break up with Ian Russell, the boy who saved her.

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About the author

Patty Blount grew up quiet and a bit invisible in Queens, NY, but found her voice in books. Today, she writes smart and strong characters willing to fight for what’s right. She’s the award-winning author of edgy, realistic, gut-wrenching contemporary and young adult romance. Still a bit introverted, she gets lost often, eats way too much chocolate, and tends to develop mad, passionate crushes on fictional characters. Let’s be real; Patty’s not nearly as cool as her characters, but she is a solid supporter of women’s rights and loves delivering school presentations.

Patty is best known for her internet issues novels, SEND, a 2012 Junior Library Guild Fall Pick and TMI, a 2014 Watty winner, and her #MeToo novels, including SOME BOYS, a 2015 CLMP Firecracker winner and SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW, a 2019 double Athena Award winner. Visit her website at pattyblount.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter. She blogs at YA Outside the Lines and is also active online. She loves hearing from readers, especially when they tell her she’s cool (even though she knows it’s not true), and is easily bribed with chocolate. Never underestimate the power of chocolate.

Reviews

[Ankita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this feels like a some sort of closure to the story. It makes more sense because life doesn't just end where the book ends. It's hurts me to think that how difficult the life of rape victim or survivor can be. This book and the 1st one "some boys" needs to be more popular than it is. It shows that the struggle of justice and acceptance doesn't just end where the rapist get arrested.. it still continues after that.
I'll just say everyone one should give it a read. You'll definitely not regret it.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo primero que pensé fue
"F*CK NO"
Cuando comienzo a leer la historia
"Esto es tan cierto"
Cuando Grace comienza a ser insensata
"WHYYYYY!!!! YOU STUPID"
Cuando Ian comienza a ser insensato
"WEEEEY, NOOOOO, CAMBIA ESE PENSAMIENTO"
Cuando la autora comienza a dar en el clavo y aceptas y comprendes todo
*INSERTE MAR DE LÁGRIMAS INEXISTENTE* "SI ES CIERTO, TODO ES CIERTO, PERDONA MI IGNORANCIA E INCOMPRENSIÓN"

[Jaimie Runner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this first book (Some Boys) and even though this short story was only two chapters I thought it was a really good way to end their story.

[Ciamar13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved revisiting Grace and Ian. Short and powerful

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sono passati cinque anni da quando ho letto Some Boys di Patty Blount e ancora non ho dimenticato nulla di quel libro, da tanto che mi è rimasto impresso.

Questa novella funge da sequel - o anche da intermezzo visto che, in Someone I Used to Know, Grace e Ian fanno una comparsata - ed è ambientata 226 giorni dopo lo stupro che Grace ha subito ad una festa.

Sebbene sia una piccola novella e si sviluppi solo su due capitoli, uno dal punto di vista di Grace e uno da punto di vista di Ian, risuona potente nel messaggio che vuole trasmettere - perché non basta che Ian le abbia creduto, che l'abbia salvata in più di un modo, che la ami e che lei lo ami a sua volta, che la faccia sentire al sicuro e protetta, ancora Grace vive nella paura e soffre di attacchi di panico e flashbacks continui.

Ian, nella prima metà di Some Boys, lasciava molto a desiderare e aveva comportamenti al limite del tossico, ma poi si decideva a sviluppare una spina dorsale e migliorava. Qui, dopo un momento melodrammatico in cui tende ad incentrare su di sé le cose anche quando non sono di sua competenza e non è lui il diretto interessato, alla fine matura e si rende conto che non può risolvere tutto da solo e che non è nemmeno tenuto a farlo - che il compito di un bravo partner in una coppia risulta essere ben altro.

A volte l'amore non basta perché Grace deve imparare ad amarsi lei prima di tutto di nuovo, ad avere di nuovo padronanza del suo corpo e della sua mente e della sua vita - quando invece Ian spesso la fa sentire rinchiusa in una fortezza di plexiglas e anche involontariamente la tratta come se fosse sempre sul punto di implodere e spezzarsi. E Ian non lo fa con cattiveria, non fa apposta a non farle mai dimenticare ciò che è successo, ma la maturità di questa novella sta nel far capire ai due protagonisti e ai lettori che entrambi sono sopravvissuti, entrambi sono vittime, entrambi sono traumatizzati ed entrambi devono guarire - magari insieme.

[gelsomino ⚝ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, reminding people that the trauma does not stop after the trial. That people do not always believe the "guilty" charge was the right one. That sometimes they do not always want to be labeled a "rape victim" as they are so much more. They need the space to be able to stand up by themselves, knowing someone is behind them supporting. Not always next to them but at least behind them, they can stand up for themselves and do not always need protecting. Life is not perfect, and books do not always have a happy ending. This book's ending is one of character's trying to get the happy ending, but not there just yet. However, the hope is all they need to keep going on.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't feel like these two chapters are necessary to feel closure. The first book (Some Boys) ended perfectly fine. Had I not come across One Girl I would have felt closure with the way Some Boys ended. I do like that in One Girl it shows the struggle of her being in a relationship after being a victim of rape.

[☀️Carden☀️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set one more year after the conclusion of SOME BOYS. A light quick read (about 10 pages on a PDF document.) A decent ending.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

genuinely probably one of my all time favorite books. i would recommend this to anyone.

[Find Me Behind a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great shirt story. It's a follow-up to Some Boys and definitely worth reading if you loved the first book. It's 2 chapters long and is in the POV of both Grace and Ian. Grace is trying to learn to love herself and teying to figure out how to do just that.

Ian and Grace are strong characters and they bring out the best in each other. I love them together.

[Kacennnka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ze Some boys jsem byla unesená, a tak jsem byla ráda, že autorka vydala tuhle novelku - hrozně jsem se chtěla znovu podívat za Grace a Ianem. Bohužel to bylo spíš zklamání a zpětně bych byla možná radši, kdybych se tomuhle příběhu vyhnula, ale co už. Akorát mi prostě přišlo, že to byla citová ždímačka, kterou už ten příběh nepotřeboval.

[Julia Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I wasn’t me anymore. I wasn’t who I used to be and I hated who I am”