What do you think?
Rate this book
Poison Ivy
Ivy Davidson's life has been filled with opportunities to make choices. When her father was brutally murdered and she was made to watch, she had a choice. Facing years of abuse at the hands of those she trusted, she had a choice. Now Ivy faces the ultimate choice--whether to let a life of drug abuse and prostitution destroy her, or use the lessons she's learned and the strength and wisdom they've given her to fight back and fight on...
227 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
6 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 3, 2013
Poison Ivy is a graphic recount of a child's life turned up side down by the ones she loved and trusted.
As Ivy leads you on a crash course of her life, you can't help but feel sorry for her and have an innate need to save her. What I enjoyed about Travis' story is how he had written Ivy to fit the role of any woman under the son. Yes she is AA but she could easily be white, Asian or any other race. I like how he remained focused on his main character and gave just enough insight to the sub characters to give an understanding of how they effected Ivy's life by way of their unresolved issues. The twist and turns of this story will leave you hanging on to the very end. The best part about this novel is just when you think you have it all figured out, Travis throws a wrench in it to prove you wrong.
Poison Ivy is one of those novels that will remain with you long after you've read it. I look forward to more works by him as his story and writing style are like a breath of fresh air amongst a world filled with the same retired story lines.
As Ivy leads you on a crash course of her life, you can't help but feel sorry for her and have an innate need to save her. What I enjoyed about Travis' story is how he had written Ivy to fit the role of any woman under the son. Yes she is AA but she could easily be white, Asian or any other race. I like how he remained focused on his main character and gave just enough insight to the sub characters to give an understanding of how they effected Ivy's life by way of their unresolved issues. The twist and turns of this story will leave you hanging on to the very end. The best part about this novel is just when you think you have it all figured out, Travis throws a wrench in it to prove you wrong.
Poison Ivy is one of those novels that will remain with you long after you've read it. I look forward to more works by him as his story and writing style are like a breath of fresh air amongst a world filled with the same retired story lines.
April 29, 2013
I made Travis’ acquaintance on Myspace and was very interested in his Poison Ivy book and him as a person, and, one thing leading to another, I’ve ended up with his book in my hands and a review to do. So here goes:
The “Black Poe,” rap he’s given to promote himself placed a question mark in my mind which eventually led me to expect him to write something I’m more inclined to reading, such as a work of supernatural horror/fantasy, or something related to that genre. Poison Ivy, on the surface, is nothing like that……it first looks like an average piece of pulp fiction spoken straight out from an African American-in-the ghetto perspective that may fall way short of something meaningful and end up in the slush pile of thousands of manuscripts of like-kind.
After having read it, I’m telling you all now, this is not your momma’s bedtime story. It may be more familiar to that reality among us which countless holier-than-thou’s refuse to consider, how in America there exists a way of life that characters such as Ivy Davidson live every day, where sex exploitation is a way of life regardless of how old you are and turning tricks for the pricks that own your ass is as much a part of life as breathing. Here in this tale we have Ivy, who at a very young age turns to prostitution as a result of the fates of her mother and father, through no choice of her own but of the choices of the adults in the world around her, where men aren’t men but gun-toting johns and women and girls regardless of age are sexual playthings, a world where even the law partakes off the record from behind closed doors, drugs are passed like trick-or-treat candy and the difference between each day is that you’ve lived through the others and probably want to die from living that long.
But the reality of Ivy herself as a character shifts, to the point where she’s convinced her father is one person and then another, nobody is who they at first seem to be, including, astonishingly enough, herself. The expertise Travis Fox presents in the way he writes this work is raw and gritty, with twists and turns evident in the work of an accomplished writer. I can tell he knows the world of which he writes intimately, at least to a degree enough that he’s familiar with it…..I mean, you write what you know……but with this work he shines in a learned sort of literacy, for which he should be doing lectures to young underprivileged aspiring writers (hint hint, Travis), because Travis Vp Fox’s literary talent and passion is an inspiration to not only all of Black America, but to America as a whole regardless of where one comes from or the color of one’s skin.
And as far as proclaiming himself a Black Poe……well, I tell you, I’ve yet to see the kind of supernatural blood-and-guts genre-type stories from him, but reading this work presents material just as shocking, because it’s based on realism, which can often be worse than something whimsical one can whip up from nothing. Not to mention, the style in which Travis writes matched with the very ambition of the man makes him a literary voice that shines, of which I applaud, and I look forward to many future works courtesy of the Black Poe……
The “Black Poe,” rap he’s given to promote himself placed a question mark in my mind which eventually led me to expect him to write something I’m more inclined to reading, such as a work of supernatural horror/fantasy, or something related to that genre. Poison Ivy, on the surface, is nothing like that……it first looks like an average piece of pulp fiction spoken straight out from an African American-in-the ghetto perspective that may fall way short of something meaningful and end up in the slush pile of thousands of manuscripts of like-kind.
After having read it, I’m telling you all now, this is not your momma’s bedtime story. It may be more familiar to that reality among us which countless holier-than-thou’s refuse to consider, how in America there exists a way of life that characters such as Ivy Davidson live every day, where sex exploitation is a way of life regardless of how old you are and turning tricks for the pricks that own your ass is as much a part of life as breathing. Here in this tale we have Ivy, who at a very young age turns to prostitution as a result of the fates of her mother and father, through no choice of her own but of the choices of the adults in the world around her, where men aren’t men but gun-toting johns and women and girls regardless of age are sexual playthings, a world where even the law partakes off the record from behind closed doors, drugs are passed like trick-or-treat candy and the difference between each day is that you’ve lived through the others and probably want to die from living that long.
But the reality of Ivy herself as a character shifts, to the point where she’s convinced her father is one person and then another, nobody is who they at first seem to be, including, astonishingly enough, herself. The expertise Travis Fox presents in the way he writes this work is raw and gritty, with twists and turns evident in the work of an accomplished writer. I can tell he knows the world of which he writes intimately, at least to a degree enough that he’s familiar with it…..I mean, you write what you know……but with this work he shines in a learned sort of literacy, for which he should be doing lectures to young underprivileged aspiring writers (hint hint, Travis), because Travis Vp Fox’s literary talent and passion is an inspiration to not only all of Black America, but to America as a whole regardless of where one comes from or the color of one’s skin.
And as far as proclaiming himself a Black Poe……well, I tell you, I’ve yet to see the kind of supernatural blood-and-guts genre-type stories from him, but reading this work presents material just as shocking, because it’s based on realism, which can often be worse than something whimsical one can whip up from nothing. Not to mention, the style in which Travis writes matched with the very ambition of the man makes him a literary voice that shines, of which I applaud, and I look forward to many future works courtesy of the Black Poe……
August 21, 2011
amazing book by an amazing author read it so many times. this book is so sad but it shows u what life can be like for ppl who ar'nt as lucky as we r
July 14, 2012
A Hard Way to Exist
Ivy Davidson lives with her parents in the Huntington Park of Philadelphia. To onlookers, it may appear that they have a very good life. However, that's the furthest thing from the truth.
Drowning in a sorrowful sea, Ivy was terrorized as early as age five. Frightened of losing God's love, Ivy's sick father used that in order to trick his baby girl out of her innocence.
Unable to feel love and happiness like others, Ivy's only comfort came via heroine. All Ivy ever wanted was love, to live, go to prom and graduate. Instead she was misled, misguided, assaulted, raped and hated.
Continuously defiled, poor little Ivy never really grew up and suffers with trying to pave a way out of nothing. Will there ever be a change in Ivy's circumstance, or is she destined to be a forsaken soul?
"Poison Ivy" is a very difficult book to read as it deals with molestation. Though I felt like Travis Vp Fox started the book with promise, he completely lost me. Although I was able to complete the book, I am left wondering if Ivy was a schizophrenic, who began to hallucinate, or if she had alter personalities. It's unclear about what was and wasn't real and how much time had honestly passed. While I didn't find Poison Ivy insufferable, I do see room for improvements.
Reviewed by: Crystal
Ivy Davidson lives with her parents in the Huntington Park of Philadelphia. To onlookers, it may appear that they have a very good life. However, that's the furthest thing from the truth.
Drowning in a sorrowful sea, Ivy was terrorized as early as age five. Frightened of losing God's love, Ivy's sick father used that in order to trick his baby girl out of her innocence.
Unable to feel love and happiness like others, Ivy's only comfort came via heroine. All Ivy ever wanted was love, to live, go to prom and graduate. Instead she was misled, misguided, assaulted, raped and hated.
Continuously defiled, poor little Ivy never really grew up and suffers with trying to pave a way out of nothing. Will there ever be a change in Ivy's circumstance, or is she destined to be a forsaken soul?
"Poison Ivy" is a very difficult book to read as it deals with molestation. Though I felt like Travis Vp Fox started the book with promise, he completely lost me. Although I was able to complete the book, I am left wondering if Ivy was a schizophrenic, who began to hallucinate, or if she had alter personalities. It's unclear about what was and wasn't real and how much time had honestly passed. While I didn't find Poison Ivy insufferable, I do see room for improvements.
Reviewed by: Crystal
October 20, 2010
this book takes place in a middle school classroom and it very sad what happens in this book because in this part of the book where they in the class the 3 bullies start to call her posion ivy . so one of the teacher from there school decide that they should have a mock trial to show the girl that by bullyinq people you get in trouble to. this book is very shockinq even writting about it make me wanna do something about kid bulling other kids this days just to show off like who do yuh need to prove your all that like many kids end up making sucide and they sometime end up doing crazy thing like that kid in virgina that locked everyone in the class room and killed them all just because they was making fun of him and bulling him like dead serious this isnt funny many kid get bullied and stay shut and then when they cant take any longer they go crazy . this why i recommend this book to all dha kid that liketo bully people .
December 15, 2017
In the urban novel, Poison Ivy by Travis Fox, the main character, Ivy life gets turned upside down. She was forced to watch her father get murdered. Then the people she trusted the most, betrayed her. Now it's time for her to make a choice whether or not she will continue to be strong or let her past affect her future. This novel went deep into the details of the abuse. But that also made the novel more real.
Since the age 5, Ivy has been brain washed. A problem that she encountered took place when someone her mom trusted took her innocence and was told it was normal. Ivy never trusted him. But who can she tell without putting herself in jeopardy. The only person that can help her is God, but he isn't answering her prayers fast enough.
My favorite part is when Ivy was telling what was going on in her home after her father was killed. Since he was the main financial source in the house, things changed. Going from have food in the house, heat circulating , light throughout the house, to not having any of that can change your life tremendously. I like that part because I can relate to not having one of those on once in my life. But you have to remember that feeling and keep going and striving to be better, just so you will never have that feeling again.
" Poison Ivy " was actually the first urban book I read and after reading this, I would definitely try another and would suggest others to read it as well. In my opinion I think the best audience for this novel would be with the theme self-confidence, life experiences, relationships, and love. So it’s a little bit of everything. That’s another thing I like about the novel.
Since the age 5, Ivy has been brain washed. A problem that she encountered took place when someone her mom trusted took her innocence and was told it was normal. Ivy never trusted him. But who can she tell without putting herself in jeopardy. The only person that can help her is God, but he isn't answering her prayers fast enough.
My favorite part is when Ivy was telling what was going on in her home after her father was killed. Since he was the main financial source in the house, things changed. Going from have food in the house, heat circulating , light throughout the house, to not having any of that can change your life tremendously. I like that part because I can relate to not having one of those on once in my life. But you have to remember that feeling and keep going and striving to be better, just so you will never have that feeling again.
" Poison Ivy " was actually the first urban book I read and after reading this, I would definitely try another and would suggest others to read it as well. In my opinion I think the best audience for this novel would be with the theme self-confidence, life experiences, relationships, and love. So it’s a little bit of everything. That’s another thing I like about the novel.
July 24, 2012
Reader Discretion Advised
In this dark, sadistic and disturbing novel, Travis Fox recounts the story of Ivy Davidson. Ivy is forced into prostitution at the tender age of ten. Plunged deeply into the dark, seedy underworld of prostitution where anything goes and nothing matters, Ivy finds herself looking for love, self-worth, acceptance and a purpose in life. Some days she doesn't know if she is coming or going. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Ivy?
This is not a bad book and Fox can certainly tell a story, but I can't say this is a book I'd easily recommend to others. The subject matter is sensitive, the details graphic and the language aggressive. Poison Ivy is definitely for a mature audience and those not easily offended or disgusted. Harrowing depiction. The end effect, though, is a book you may find hard to read, but even harder to forget.
In this dark, sadistic and disturbing novel, Travis Fox recounts the story of Ivy Davidson. Ivy is forced into prostitution at the tender age of ten. Plunged deeply into the dark, seedy underworld of prostitution where anything goes and nothing matters, Ivy finds herself looking for love, self-worth, acceptance and a purpose in life. Some days she doesn't know if she is coming or going. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Ivy?
This is not a bad book and Fox can certainly tell a story, but I can't say this is a book I'd easily recommend to others. The subject matter is sensitive, the details graphic and the language aggressive. Poison Ivy is definitely for a mature audience and those not easily offended or disgusted. Harrowing depiction. The end effect, though, is a book you may find hard to read, but even harder to forget.
July 14, 2011
This book is about a small and innocent girl who life gets turned around because of her father’s mistakes. Ivy was little when her dad came into the house one day screaming they had to leave and he was in trouble , the next thing she knew, there was men decked out in black and blood splattered all over her home. As Ivy grows up she is forced to do things she should not have to do at that age. Left with so many questions and concerns, the truth starts spilling out, and even more lives are taken.
This book was depressing, but still interesting. The beginning is really strong and makes you attach. It got a little confusing at times because if flashed back and forth of Ivy’s life.
This book was depressing, but still interesting. The beginning is really strong and makes you attach. It got a little confusing at times because if flashed back and forth of Ivy’s life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2009
This book was one of the best saddest books i read. It really made me shocked because the more i read the worse things got for ivy and its crazy. i loved it and i will read it 100 times if i have to. i learned so much from this book. i learned when prostitutes choose to prostitute they don't do it because they want to they choose it to make a living because they have no choice.
October 28, 2009
SO CRAZY ITs A must READ!(lol)
March 4, 2010
what a strange and troubling book.
Read
September 13, 2011excellent book!!! bit kinda sad i felt so sorry for her!
October 8, 2012
this book was sad. It had parts in it when you didnt know if things really happened or she was dreaming it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews