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Bad Girl: Confessions Of A Teenage Delinquent
With adolescent swagger, BAD GIRL tells the unnerving story of an outlaw young life that must be broken, reshaped and finally redeemed.
At fifteen Abigail Vona was Involved with boys, booze, drugs and stealing anything and everything she could lay her hands on. She was spiraling out of control. Helpless to control his daughter, Mr. Vona committed Abigail to Peninusla Village, a controversial treatment facility for “behavior modification” in Louisville, Tennessee. No sooner did she walk through the door she was put on suicide watch which lasted for 3 months. She was not allowed to dress in more than a hospital gown until she graduated to “level-three lockdown” and “wilderness boot camp” where she stayed for nearly a year. And though it all started as a nightmare, it eventually became her salvation.
At fifteen Abigail Vona was Involved with boys, booze, drugs and stealing anything and everything she could lay her hands on. She was spiraling out of control. Helpless to control his daughter, Mr. Vona committed Abigail to Peninusla Village, a controversial treatment facility for “behavior modification” in Louisville, Tennessee. No sooner did she walk through the door she was put on suicide watch which lasted for 3 months. She was not allowed to dress in more than a hospital gown until she graduated to “level-three lockdown” and “wilderness boot camp” where she stayed for nearly a year. And though it all started as a nightmare, it eventually became her salvation.
267 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 27, 2007
this would have been a much better book if she had waited until she was a better writer to write it.
which is unfortunate, because a lot of the ideas and the things she was saying were really actually quite interesting and refreshing, but it's so bare bones and so . . . choppy, that it's hard to get a narrative out.
i especially wanted an epilogue, or something. but no.
it's the story of a girl who gets sent to one of those "tough love" camps, and does really well. i do think the book does a good job of saying WHY those camps work for some kids, and it really portrayed the camp and all the staff (by the end) in a positive way, which i liked.
what i didn't like was the interspersing of her narrative with notes from her file. often times the file notes had NOTHING to do with either what you just read or what you were about to read. i don't know if it was supposed to create the awareness of an untrustworthy narrator, but that seemed odd, given that this was a memoir she was writing. there were apparently over 500 pages of notes - i want to know why she chose the ones she did, why she put them where they went. it would make sense if they went by day, but like i said, they don't match up to what she writes, so i got really confused. maybe it's just me.
not bad, not great, quick read, and actually insightful into what a tough love camp looks like.
which is unfortunate, because a lot of the ideas and the things she was saying were really actually quite interesting and refreshing, but it's so bare bones and so . . . choppy, that it's hard to get a narrative out.
i especially wanted an epilogue, or something. but no.
it's the story of a girl who gets sent to one of those "tough love" camps, and does really well. i do think the book does a good job of saying WHY those camps work for some kids, and it really portrayed the camp and all the staff (by the end) in a positive way, which i liked.
what i didn't like was the interspersing of her narrative with notes from her file. often times the file notes had NOTHING to do with either what you just read or what you were about to read. i don't know if it was supposed to create the awareness of an untrustworthy narrator, but that seemed odd, given that this was a memoir she was writing. there were apparently over 500 pages of notes - i want to know why she chose the ones she did, why she put them where they went. it would make sense if they went by day, but like i said, they don't match up to what she writes, so i got really confused. maybe it's just me.
not bad, not great, quick read, and actually insightful into what a tough love camp looks like.
February 9, 2008
This is a memoir, written by a 19-year-old who had been in a boot-camp type of alternative therapeutic home for a year when she was 15. A chapter or so into it and I oddly found myself in the girl's corner, pissed off at the overbearing staff and their extreme methods and punishments, forcing the girls to do pushups/situps for various minor infractions and making them sit on their beds, not talking, not doing anything, all day long. The girl was put in the home by her father, for her bad behavior, which mainly consisted of smoking pot three times and shoplifting. She was a virgin. Why the fuck is she in a place like this with prostitutes, child molesters, hardcore drug users, and girls prone to fits of extreme violence? I found myself cheering when one of the girls beat up a staff member so bad she had to be hospitalized and another who bit the inside of her mouth so she could spit blood in the face of a staff. The reason it's so weird for me to be rooting for the girls is that I've been on the other side of the fence, teaching at-risk youth at a special ed high school for almost eight years. It's also weird because I never broke the law or got in much trouble in high school at all. Another problem I had with the methods employed by "The Village" was that although the girl looks back and thinks it really helped her, come on, like she's not gonna be drinking and fucking shortly after going back home like any normal teenager? How long could trying to act perfect last? And of course I'm right, because after the book was published when she was a couple years older, she started banging her 50-year-old agent, which doesn't sound healthy to me. Um, anyways it was an engaging book and doesn't really try to teach you any lessons, just a cross-section of someone's experience, so that's cool with me.
July 28, 2015
I normally just skim through the book descriptions before I read a book and sometimes I don't even read the book description at all. I went into this book without knowing what I was going to read about other than a delinquent teenager.
I'm glad that I didn't know that this was about her being sent away to a level three lockdown facility. It just made the book all the better for me. I got to wonder where her father had sent her to and find out the answer right along with her.
Due to other books I have read on this subject and being that I myself spent a year as a teen in such a "brainwashing" program I really had a negative outlook on these type of facilities. But I can honestly say I feel that this program did help Abby to be a better person.
Some of the games they play with your mind in these type of programs usually make me mad and there were a few of these in this book that did as well. I didn't like how they tried to make Abby see her mother as bad and someone she should avoid. I also didn't like the fact that at times she was told how she felt when actually she felt very different. I also didn't like that she had to find something to be addicted to.
I would definitely read another book on how she is doing now if she ever writes one. I think it would be interesting to see if the program had any negative or positive long term effects.
I'm glad that I didn't know that this was about her being sent away to a level three lockdown facility. It just made the book all the better for me. I got to wonder where her father had sent her to and find out the answer right along with her.
Due to other books I have read on this subject and being that I myself spent a year as a teen in such a "brainwashing" program I really had a negative outlook on these type of facilities. But I can honestly say I feel that this program did help Abby to be a better person.
Some of the games they play with your mind in these type of programs usually make me mad and there were a few of these in this book that did as well. I didn't like how they tried to make Abby see her mother as bad and someone she should avoid. I also didn't like the fact that at times she was told how she felt when actually she felt very different. I also didn't like that she had to find something to be addicted to.
I would definitely read another book on how she is doing now if she ever writes one. I think it would be interesting to see if the program had any negative or positive long term effects.
December 21, 2008
I know there are a lot of people that love to relive their teenage years. The angst! The rebellion! Maybe it's that I'm over 40 now. Angst is angst. Acting out is acting out. It's kind of like drinking...it seemed a lot more impressive at the time than it does now. Didn't think what Abigail did was anything out of the ordinary. Didn't think the reaction was in line with it. Marginally interesting, but only the sense of a spolied rich girl making a big stink out of being bad (when she wasn't that bad)...and then making a big stink about getting better (when she really didn't get any better). The big stinks kinda tell me that she needs to get over herself.
December 16, 2007
This autobiography was interesting enough, but it wasn't the intense page turner I thought it was going to be. Some of it is pretty effed up (can you say effed up on goodreads?) but I think that will be the YA draw.
February 22, 2024
This book is about a 15-year-old girl named Abigail(Abby) who got sent to a behavioral correctional facility by her dad for drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and having sex. This book starts out with Abby thinking that she is going to a summer camp but she quickly realizes that is not the case when she arrives and the staff brings her to a room full of beds with no windows and bright lights. At first, Abby doesn’t want to follow the rules but she knows the only way she is going to get out of this place is by following what they say. Over time she works her way up and ends up making it out to the cabins which is a place that has different rules but is more free. After about a year of being there, she finally gets released and can go back home.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it’s very interesting to hear about some of the things that happened while she was there and how she grew to like the place. But I would have liked to know what happened once she left, like did she have a relationship with her dad or mom? Did she go back to her old ways? There are so many questions that I felt weren’t answered. Overall I do feel this is a good book for someone who enjoys reading about teenage delinquents, but it’s not necessarily for me which is why I gave this book 3 stars.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it’s very interesting to hear about some of the things that happened while she was there and how she grew to like the place. But I would have liked to know what happened once she left, like did she have a relationship with her dad or mom? Did she go back to her old ways? There are so many questions that I felt weren’t answered. Overall I do feel this is a good book for someone who enjoys reading about teenage delinquents, but it’s not necessarily for me which is why I gave this book 3 stars.
August 9, 2017
I'm generally a big fan of the "bad girl" autobiographical genera, fiction or non-fiction. This is definitely a good read for others who like that type of book.
The notes from therapists about the author were interesting because they showed how differently she was behaving than how she thought she was. The conflict between her story and how she was interacting with the world was an unusual addition that helped the story.
One issue I had was that the author seemed mildly homophobic. She definitely only mentions being gay in a negative light, and how she comes to like some people, despite that they are probably lesbians. However, the author was obviously troubled in many ways, so it seems slightly forgivable, given than her view on the world is already not quite right. I just imagined that she changed her mind later on as she grew up.
Overall I recommend this book to anyone else who likes this genera.
The notes from therapists about the author were interesting because they showed how differently she was behaving than how she thought she was. The conflict between her story and how she was interacting with the world was an unusual addition that helped the story.
One issue I had was that the author seemed mildly homophobic. She definitely only mentions being gay in a negative light, and how she comes to like some people, despite that they are probably lesbians. However, the author was obviously troubled in many ways, so it seems slightly forgivable, given than her view on the world is already not quite right. I just imagined that she changed her mind later on as she grew up.
Overall I recommend this book to anyone else who likes this genera.
April 9, 2025
While I read this book back when I was around 15, it somehow came to me today while reading some other book descriptions. If I had read it today, it wouldn't have impressed me so. But for the sake of nostalgia, as a goodie-two-shoes that I was, who did eventually rebel, this book is like a safe-keep in my bookcase. The story is compelling, but I will agree with what others mention in their reviews. This story would have been told even better if the writer had written it later on in life, with a more mature writing style.
October 19, 2021
More like 2.5 stars. Truthfully, I thought she was schizophrenic and the reason she was there was because it was a mental institution. I thought it was well paced and I liked the facilities notes. But honestly it just seemed like one day she was fine and released. But no epilogue was given and the book just kind of ended.
May 6, 2019
I would have liked an epilogue so we could find out how she is doing since she left the Village. It would be nice to know if all the time she spent there was successful or if she went back to her old ways. I’m not sure I believe that tough love is always the right way to handle these children.
March 5, 2024
Read this a long time ago and I had written it was good.
March 10, 2011
Bad Girl is the autobiographical account of adolescent Abby Vona and her experiences of enduring a rehabilitation camp for delinquent youths. Set in the present day, Vona’s descriptions are noticeably devoid of any color or distinguishing features, representing her statement that the facility exudes the absence of character and personality. Overall, Vona conjures a setting reminiscent of a mental health facility as depicted in countless books, plays and films, notably One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Unfortunately, Bad Girl reads more like a case history than a personal account, especially with the inclusion of treatment notes at the end of each day in the pseudo-journal. Each of the girls in Abby’s group also seem to have little in terms of personality despite the flaws that have brought them to the facility. Abby herself garners little compassion and sympathy, which makes the book far less inspiring.
The book does succeed in detailing how this facility and presumably others treat substance abuse. There are intermittent psychoanalytical moments of insight into the so-called delinquent behavior, including self-mutilation and Abby’s primary means of malfeasance, stealing. This could prove insightful for some teens who have some experience with juvenile detention centers, as well as those who are trying to work through issues of parental neglect and other forms of abuse.
Though not exactly stimulating, Bad Girl is fairly easy reading and the subject matter might be more identifiable for teen students than the autobiographies of celebrities and political figures. Vona refrains from much physical description of herself, which is her way of saying that Abby could represent anyone, regardless of her race, ethnicity or class. It would be interesting to see if teenage boys would relate to the character.
This book proves that it could serve as good material for teachers looking to find insight into troubled students, but it could serve as a possibility for independent reading or as part of a larger paper.
Unfortunately, Bad Girl reads more like a case history than a personal account, especially with the inclusion of treatment notes at the end of each day in the pseudo-journal. Each of the girls in Abby’s group also seem to have little in terms of personality despite the flaws that have brought them to the facility. Abby herself garners little compassion and sympathy, which makes the book far less inspiring.
The book does succeed in detailing how this facility and presumably others treat substance abuse. There are intermittent psychoanalytical moments of insight into the so-called delinquent behavior, including self-mutilation and Abby’s primary means of malfeasance, stealing. This could prove insightful for some teens who have some experience with juvenile detention centers, as well as those who are trying to work through issues of parental neglect and other forms of abuse.
Though not exactly stimulating, Bad Girl is fairly easy reading and the subject matter might be more identifiable for teen students than the autobiographies of celebrities and political figures. Vona refrains from much physical description of herself, which is her way of saying that Abby could represent anyone, regardless of her race, ethnicity or class. It would be interesting to see if teenage boys would relate to the character.
This book proves that it could serve as good material for teachers looking to find insight into troubled students, but it could serve as a possibility for independent reading or as part of a larger paper.
August 15, 2014
2.5 stars. This book was well-paced and somewhat horrifying, which made it a quick read, but I'm not sure I'd call it a good one. I was interested, and the writing was decent, but this being the second book I've read now about "behavior modification boot camps" for teenagers, I'm starting to think that they're all annoying. I was more interested in why this girl wound up where she did than her time in the facility, but the book only briefly explains in interspersed chapters some of the things she'd done wrong as a teenager. Her infractions, though numerous, were not nearly as serious as anyone would think to wind up in a level three lock down facility, and it made me feel sorrier for her than I felt the narrative wanted me to. Her parents sucked, she lacked discipline, was mouthy, defiant, etc, but compared to the other girls in her group, her crimes were small and her issues insignificant (perhaps that's why she grew up to write a book and they grew up to...who knows, she doesn't tell us because continuing relationships once out of the treatment center is discouraged- frustrating when these people played such a significant role IN the book, but nevermind that...). Overall, I just felt bad reading this. Perhaps the inclusion of the therapists' notes sat oddly with me, but this was even too voyeuristic for my reality-tv-genre-saturated interest.
April 29, 2009
Abigail thought she was going to a summer camp when her father dropped her off at Peninsula Village in Tennessee. After being escorted by unfriendly staff to a brightly lit room with eight beds, no windows and no door on the bathroom, Abby figures out that this is not your typical summer camp; it is a boot camp for delinquent teens. Abby spends almost a year at the facility, they call it The Village, and almost goes crazy during her stay. In the end she learns to cope with the problems that inspired her parents to send her there in the first place, lying, stealing, drinking, running away.
I was a little disappointed in this story. I wanted something a little bit more dramatic and this story left me wanting. Abby is very confused when she first arrives at the facility, not sure why she is there, or what the rules are. She is very frightened by the whole system, but eventually comes to accept it. The story was set up for the reader to hate Peninsula Village but by the end Abby is singing it's praises. I had a hard time reconciling those feelings as a reader.
I was a little disappointed in this story. I wanted something a little bit more dramatic and this story left me wanting. Abby is very confused when she first arrives at the facility, not sure why she is there, or what the rules are. She is very frightened by the whole system, but eventually comes to accept it. The story was set up for the reader to hate Peninsula Village but by the end Abby is singing it's praises. I had a hard time reconciling those feelings as a reader.
June 10, 2009
I really struggled with this book. On the one hand, I liked that she pulled no punches, and told her story in a very straight-forward and blunt kind of a way. On the other hand, I couldn't get past the underlying tone of...was it pride? A certain sense of ashamed pride in her actions?...that wormed its way through the chapters.
Abigail never apologizes for her behavior or the fact that she spiraled so far out of control, so quickly. She never asks the reader to forgive her excesses, to not cringe at her language, or to look past her decisions.
However, I didn't get a feeling of absolution from her writing, either. She knew she was heading somewhere terrible, and she knew that she had to change. But it wasn't until her father stepped in and forced rehab on her that she decided to grow up and take responsibility for her life.
At any rate - I liked it enough for the message of hope and redemption, and that's what I choose to focus on when I think back on Abigail's story.
Abigail never apologizes for her behavior or the fact that she spiraled so far out of control, so quickly. She never asks the reader to forgive her excesses, to not cringe at her language, or to look past her decisions.
However, I didn't get a feeling of absolution from her writing, either. She knew she was heading somewhere terrible, and she knew that she had to change. But it wasn't until her father stepped in and forced rehab on her that she decided to grow up and take responsibility for her life.
At any rate - I liked it enough for the message of hope and redemption, and that's what I choose to focus on when I think back on Abigail's story.
May 13, 2009
If I could, I'd give this book 3-1/2 stars, though I really did like this book.
The reviews I read from readers who criticized it for being overly simplistic and not very well written ARE accurate. However, in the author's defense (and to her credit), she wrote the book shortly after graduating from a special high school for kids with learning disabilities. Considering Vona is severely dyslexic (and has other, similar processing-type disorders), she expresses herself very well in writing. So she's learning-disabled AND very young; I figured she could use a teensy break, at least in the grammar/syntax department.
More after a bit...
5-13-09 After a bit of reflection, I DID enjoy this book; however, I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone other than, perhaps, a teenage girl on the brink. It's just not unique enough or well written enough to warrant a recommendation.
The reviews I read from readers who criticized it for being overly simplistic and not very well written ARE accurate. However, in the author's defense (and to her credit), she wrote the book shortly after graduating from a special high school for kids with learning disabilities. Considering Vona is severely dyslexic (and has other, similar processing-type disorders), she expresses herself very well in writing. So she's learning-disabled AND very young; I figured she could use a teensy break, at least in the grammar/syntax department.
More after a bit...
5-13-09 After a bit of reflection, I DID enjoy this book; however, I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone other than, perhaps, a teenage girl on the brink. It's just not unique enough or well written enough to warrant a recommendation.
March 18, 2009
Abby will have to learn to get a hold of herself the hard way by going to a camp for teens who can’t follow one rule at home. Her first day is torture since she would always get in trouble for little this. She would do anything to get out of the boot camp her parents call help. During her stay she meets some others girls with the same or worst problems. After mouths of help, Abby soon understands the good and bad. She just now has to fix her past.
Bad Girl by Abigail Vona is okay. It wasn’t a big page-turner, but it did draw me in a little. Bad Girl might be a good for girls who do act up or who always find trouble since author is Abby. I do have to say that the only thing that Abby and I have in common is that we both have dyslexia. I’m proud that Abby did get over everything that she had to face. I didn’t hate the book nor did I love it.
Bad Girl by Abigail Vona is okay. It wasn’t a big page-turner, but it did draw me in a little. Bad Girl might be a good for girls who do act up or who always find trouble since author is Abby. I do have to say that the only thing that Abby and I have in common is that we both have dyslexia. I’m proud that Abby did get over everything that she had to face. I didn’t hate the book nor did I love it.
September 23, 2010
Other people are down on the quality of the writing in this book, but they seem to be missing the point. The greatness in this book is the evolution of her thinking. She started out thinking she was "just a normal kid" and couldn't figure out why she was sent away. Over the course of the narrative, you see glimmers of her thinking changing, until ultimately, she starts to see how much she was deluding herself. It is sprinkled with memos from the therapists and staffers of "The Village" which clarifies the differences between the reality of her behaviors and her delusions. It was great to follow her story as she saw herself reflected in the other troubled girls.
If this book didn't have the F-word in it so much, I would recommend it to all of my students that seem to consider their behavior "normal."
If this book didn't have the F-word in it so much, I would recommend it to all of my students that seem to consider their behavior "normal."
September 15, 2007
This was a great book. It is a memoir of the author spending time in a mental institution. She learns a lot about herself, taking responsibility for her actions, and she looks at life and people in a different perspective after leaving the institution. At first I thought it was a little extreme for Abigail's father to put her in a mental institution for typical teenage behavior but after reading the book... the "Village" was something Abigail needed. My least favorite character was Abigail's father. He was such a wimp, letting Abigail's brother step all over him and let him have so much control. I agree with Abigail that her brother needed to be put in mental instituition too. Overall great book.
August 5, 2016
I was really interested in this book and kind of expected something along the lines of "A million little pieces" and that is sort of where it went, but.... its from the viewpoint of a teenager and that is very apparent. I loved that Abigail was so honest about her feelings, and I became very frustrated that her writing/behaviors didn't appear to match (at all) the writings of the staff/therapists of the rehab camp. I don't think I would recommend this book to another adult, but I think it would be good for a teenager to read as their are good life lessons hidden in the writing that I'm not sure where intentional, but you can see that Abigail is growing and learning about herself during the story.
February 5, 2010
Based on what I have read from the back cover I feel I can relate to this story in the sense of I want freedom to, and I will do anything in order for me to earn it maybe not go to the extremes but whatever it takes. I personally have never been to a camp for troubled or criminal teens, so I don't know exactly what that feel like, but from what is said on the back cover it seems pretty harsh and to controlling. it states that you are not able to leave unless the people in charge feel you have been cured. I think once I start reading this book I will find it interesting and will like it a lot.
February 21, 2011
This book shows the messed-up lives of teenage or little girls.This book takes place in an instituted for girls with serious life problems. The main character, Abigail Vona, and the person by which the book is being narrated by. She had lived a hard life, until she got put in the institute. The she change dramatically and became a more open and better person. But once she found peace in herself and in the institute, she didnt want to leave. She became attach to the staff and the girls in the institute. Aby had to let go of the people in the institute, and life her new and better life.
December 30, 2015
This book was a little hard for me to follow. In the beginning, Abigail is put into a facility for troubled teens but she says she was not told the rules to follow or what she was allowed or not allowed to do -- which i find hard to digest.
The book hints at some maternal mental illness with Abigail's mother but it is never fully explored or explained in the book-
As far as Abby- the book never really explains why she did the things she did or what led to her being put in the facility.
I felt like this was the middle of someone's diary just typed up and then printed.
The book hints at some maternal mental illness with Abigail's mother but it is never fully explored or explained in the book-
As far as Abby- the book never really explains why she did the things she did or what led to her being put in the facility.
I felt like this was the middle of someone's diary just typed up and then printed.
May 1, 2007
The title makes the book sound kind of cheesy, but it is actually an excellent read. The self-professed trials and tribulations of this young girl provide a clear perspective to which others can relate. This is one of the few paperbacks that I bought a couple of years ago and still have, that in itself is meaningful!
May 18, 2009
This book wasn't too bad.
Another memoir this one was written by a 19 yr old girl who was in a boot-camp type of alternative therapeutic home for a year and all the trials she had through it. A lot of stuff was just thrown at you when you know it would have been interesting if she would have shared more of the back story. Still an okay read though.
Another memoir this one was written by a 19 yr old girl who was in a boot-camp type of alternative therapeutic home for a year and all the trials she had through it. A lot of stuff was just thrown at you when you know it would have been interesting if she would have shared more of the back story. Still an okay read though.
July 7, 2011
I've read this book before, when I was more into reading non-fiction life stories of girls my age. So I decided to re-read the book and see if I still enjoyed it. I thought that it was good, it's a little odd, the notes do not match up with the story, but its overall an easy read. I think it's an interesting look into a life that not many people have experienced.
September 10, 2016
A memoir that has a similar tone to Puberty Blues. The young author is not exactly regretful of the bad things that she did, but she is glad to have moved past this stage in her life and on to better things. I think this will certainly appeal to a YA audience, especially because of its gritty content and blunt narrative style.
October 1, 2014
This was a great book because it was actually the author that went to The Village and not a fictional story and also i felt like I was at The Village with all the girl going through what Abby was going through. The Village is relatively close to me so that also made me feel like I was there. This is a great book and i recommend this to everyone.
January 20, 2016
I read this in two days. It was an interesting read. I thought that the progress reports didn't really reflect what the actual journaling did. I was glad that she ended up out of there. I thought it would have been nicer if we knew a little more of just how bad she was to begin with. I don't think I will be reading this book again.
April 20, 2008
This is an interesting story of teenage rebellion and parent control. I related to parts of it, having worked in some pretty restrictive educational settings. I thought it was a bit predictable, although there are a handful of "unpredictable" moments.
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