In Ecstasy

by Kate McCaffrey

A best friend sinks into a quicksand of teenage addictions.

Sophie and Mia have been best friends for most of their 15 years. Sophie is popular, so when she suggests they try ecstasy Mia figures it can't hurt her own chances with the in crowd. Mia is elated when the drug lives up to its name and amazed when Lewis, the hottest guy in school, kisses her goodnight.

Soon Lewis is Mia's boyfriend, and she and Soph are running with his fast, rich friends, until Sophie is sexually assaulted by Lewis's drug-dealing buddy. Reluctant to say what happened, Sophie grows distant, leaving Mia to conclude she's jealous of her popular boyfriend. But to keep Lewis's attention, Mia grows increasingly dependent on the confidence that only E seems to give her. When things worsen, it is the girls' strained but solid friendship that finally helps bring Mia back from the brink.

Powerfully told from the alternating points of view of each girl, In Ecstasy is a brutally frank and utterly convincing portrait of the challenges facing contemporary teens.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Drugs, Fiction, Romance, Addiction, Teen

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Kate grew up in Perth’s northern suburbs. She has a degree in English and Art and a diploma in Education.

Kate is the author of three award-winning novels for young adults: Destroying Avalon (2006), winner of the WAYBRA Award for older readers and the Western Australian Premier’s Book Award for Young Adults; In Ecstasy (2008), winner of the Australian Family Therapists Children’s Literature Awards; and Beautiful Monster (2010), named a 2011 White Raven, selected from newly published books from around the world as especially noteworthy by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. She is currently putting the finishing touches on a fourth novel to be published by Fremantle Press in 2014.
Awards

Winner, Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature, 2008
Highly Commended, Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature, 2007
Winner, Western Australian Premier’s Book Award, 2007
Notable Book, Children’s Book Council of Australia, 2007
Winner, West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award, 2007

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best book I have ever read on the theme of why and how young people get involved with drugs, or for that matter, any other self destructive behaviour. The two main characters are so sensitively and accurately drawn, that I could recognise so much of their feelings and responses in myself as a young person, even though that was decades ago. The author shows so much respect for the realities of adolescence, that need to belong, to be accepted by peers before you know if they are even worthy of your admiration. Kate is a superb technician, employing the two points of view, journeys and choices.
I have just finished this book, so will probably edit this review when I have had more time to reflect on its powerful themes. Kate is a credit to modern Australian fiction, and the fact she is a West Australian makes me particularly proud!

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

In Ecstasy comes from alternating perspectives of Mia and Sophie, best friends for what might as well be forever. Sophie is gorgeous and irresistible, while Mia is funny but insecure and in her friend's shadow. At a party, Lewis, Mia's crush, starts showing interest in her, and offers her an ecstasy pill. How could she possibly say no and pass up the opportunity to get closer to him?

In Ecstasy takes an honest and raw look at teen drug abuse. With the story spanning over months, you see the user's slow decline. You see the drugs affect every aspect of her life - her friendships, school, her family; even her personality completely warps. Just when something happens you think will shock her out of it, she falls deeper.

Offering both the perspective of Mia and Sophie shows the reader how Mia feels due to her drug use as opposed to how it looks from the outside.

Both Mia and Sophie were dynamic characters with a lot of depth. Their friendship was apparently perfect, until Mia's change caused them to drift apart. Even when they weren't close anymore, both characters seemed to genuinely care for the other. In Ecstasy is as much about friendship as it is about drugs.

The plot wasn't action-packed or suspenseful, but it was intense. The writing style was simple yet engaging. The book on the whole was captivating, and I could hardly put it down.

I give In Ecstasy a 4 out of 5.

[prettylittleliar · Rating 4 out of 5]

unfortunately very relatable but this is what made it good to me

[Alex Wilkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

School made me read this one a very long time ago, I remember polishing it off in one sitting and absolutely loving it so naturally I had to reread it to see if it hold up now that I’m not the same age as the characters.

It very much does hold up, polished it off in one sitting again.

[SAVINA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this back in high school, my teacher had picked it out for me and I stayed up that night reading the whole thing. I loved it, I though it was so brutal and raw. I don't remember if the representation was as good as I think it might be but I do remember absolutely hating all the guys, they were so obnoxious and creepy. I also can't quite remember if the female friendship was well portrayed. But quite honestly I really enjoyed this book, at the young age I read it it was definitely eye opening :)

[Mélina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie et Mia ont 15 ans et sont meilleures amies depuis toujours. Sophie est magnifique, fait toujours les têtes et est la fille populaire que tous les gars s’arrachent. Mia, c’est son ombre. Quand Sophie est sollicitée par de multiples invitations, Mia la suit. Alors qu’elles sont dans un party, Sophie et Mia se font offrir de l’ecstasy, ce qui permet à la personnalité de Mia de flamboyer et de la mettre en lumière. Enchaînant les drogues et les rencontres malfaisantes, Mia s’enfonce dans l’univers de la drogue, creusant un fossé entre elle et Sophie.

Ce livre, c’est une petite bombe. On y voit le laid de l’être humain qui abuse des jeunes filles naïves et brisées. C’est choquant et bouleversant à lire. C’est impossible de rester de marbre face à Mia et Sophie. On veut les réveiller, les sauver, les serrer dans nos bras. Ce qui leur arrive, c’est assez graphique. Il faut faire attention à nos petits cœurs. C’est un beau livre, à lire définitivement!

[Kerran Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know they're aimed at younger readers, but I've been a Kate McCaffrey fan since I was a teenager, and I still enjoy her writing. Her books are quick reads for me, I finished this one in a few hours, but as with her other works I've read I was engaged, and I loved the relationships explored and the tough issues brought to attention, in this case drugs. After hearing Kate speak at an event recently I bought a few of her books that I hadn't read when I was younger, so I will be making my way through them as well.

[lilli clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s not good enough for three stars but it’s not below average so i’ll give it 2.5.

these topics always make me feel like i’m in a health lesson again, and i understand the need for awareness on the subject of drugs and sa but i didn’t really find it that interesting in terms of writing a novel about it.

mia and sophie were both unlikeable characters.
and i don’t understand lewis at all.

[⋆꣑ৎ˙⋆]

i just want to read this because it was something my english teacher made us read for class in like grade 10 or 11 so i’d like to go back and reread it after a long time

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don't think i am the target age demographic for this book but i kinda liked it ngl

[YA Reads Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meet Mia. She’s only just turned fifteen and she’s always been in Sophie’s shadow. Not that she minded, not really. Without Sophie, Mia wouldn’t have a social life. Without Sophie, Mia would probably be a nobody. So when Sophie takes Mia to a party one night and offers her an ecstasy tablet, Mia doesn’t even think about saying no. Before she even realises what is happening to her, Mia is flying high – and loving every minute of it. Armed with the artificial confidence the drug provides, Mia is invincible, and her newfound radiance does not go unnoticed.

Enter Lewis. Very hot. Sweet and charming as hell. Suddenly very interested in Mia. Lewis is no stranger to ecstasy. His parents are away a lot and Lewis is often left to fend for himself. It’s not hard to turn into a party animal when you’ve got no parental units to keep you in your cage. The more Mia hangs out with Lewis, the more ecstasy she takes. Before she even knows what is happening, Mia can’t socialize without it.

Slot in Sophie here. Sophie is supposed to be Mia’s best friend, but since she’s been hanging out with Lewis and his crew, she’s changed. Sophie can see what is happening to Mia, but when she tries to talk to her about it, Mia reckons that she’s just jealous and blows her off. Sophie has a whole lot of other stuff going on in her life and she really needs her best friend right now … but is that even Mia anymore?

In Ecstasy is all about the downward spiral. For Mia, its one that is fueled by drugs and an overarching need to fit in, feel popular and be loved. For Sophie, while it may have started like that for her, her painful journey takes a bit of a different turn. With both girls so disconnected, who is going to save them? Who is going to snap them back to their reality?

Kate McCaffrey’s portrayal of the drug scene is terrifyingly accurate. If you’re thinking about taking drugs, or you know someone who may be thinking about it, reading something like In Ecstasy first might be a smart move. While Mia’s story isn’t applicable to everyone, and not everyone who takes drugs gets addicted, In Ecstasy is an excellent representation of what can happen if you do.

I can’t say that I enjoyed reading this, but I’m certainly glad that I did.

[the bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
After reading destroying Avalon, I thought I was gonna feel the same with this one,
Unfortunately thats not what happened
So this was emotional, You know that by the blurb
It did take a while to read, I haven’t been able to read that much this year,
I wasn’t really.. engaged, I didn’t like the MC’S (Main Characters)
“ A best friend sinks into a quicksand of teenage addictions.

Sophie and Mia have been best friends for most of their 15 years. Sophie is popular, so when she suggests they try ecstasy Mia figures it can't hurt her own chances with the in crowd. Mia is elated when the drug lives up to its name and amazed when Lewis, the hottest guy in school, kisses her goodnight.

Soon Lewis is Mia's boyfriend, and she and Soph are running with his fast, rich friends, until Sophie is sexually assaulted by Lewis's drug-dealing buddy. Reluctant to say what happened, Sophie grows distant, leaving Mia to conclude she's jealous of her popular boyfriend. But to keep Lewis's attention, Mia grows increasingly dependent on the confidence that only E seems to give her. When things worsen, it is the girls' strained but solid friendship that finally helps bring Mia back from the brink.

Powerfully told from the alternating points of view of each girl, In Ecstasy is a brutally frank and utterly convincing portrait of the challenges facing contemporary teens.”

The plot was okay, But there were some things I rolled my eyes at, I don’t want to list any spoilers,
Just the MC’S annoying thoughts,

I think you should still give a try, this just wasn’t for me,
Thank you to Fremantle Press for the review copy!

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie and Mia have been best friends for as long as either can remember. While Sophie is the popular, beautiful, "It-Girl" at high school, Mia instead feels that she's always just living in the shadows --- known mostly to her peers only through her association with Sophie. Even so, Mia looks up to Sophie because she knows her best friend would never steer her wrong. When the girls go to a party and Sophie suggests that they try ecstasy, Mia doesn't think twice before popping the pill right along with her best friend.

It all started with one pill. One pill that made Sophie reconsider the price of popularity after the scary night that threatened to change everything. One pill that escalated Mia into bliss, passion, and notoriety among her peers. One pill that led to many more. One pill that destroyed a friendship.

IN ECSTASY is a captivating novel told through the alternating viewpoints of the two girls each designated by its own font to keep the distinctions clear. The chapters are short and quick, making this a surprisingly fast read (despite the weighty topic).

Honest, realistic, gripping, and heart-breaking, IN ECSTASY is definitely a novel that I would recommend to anyone interested in tales of friendship, despair, or addiction.

[Tilly Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate McCaffrey is an amazing author who writes about problems that teenagers face. In Ecstasy revolves around drugs and its written so wonderfully to explore the reasons why teenagers and young adult gets involved them. Kate writes these books in such a realistic manner that it has a huge affect on the reader. She shows the peer pressure and harsh reality that teens are put in when it comes to school and social lives. Because it’s written from two teenager’s points of view it gives you in-sight on their perspective of drugs and how they feel invincible.

This book made my guts twist but it also made me appreciate the life I had and being raised the way I was. In Ecstasy was a huge eye opener. It’s written in dual perspective from two best friends. One of them watches her friend as she becomes involved with drugs and bad social groups. This book scared me but it’s one that should be known and read widely among schools. It deserves all the awards it’s received. Kate has done a WONDERFUL job at writing this and it’s hands down the best book I’ve read related to drugs.

Genre: YA/Realistic Fiction
Rating: 4/5

[Erin Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a brilliant story. If you ever want to know exactly what drugs can do to you without actually taking them, then read this book. Highly reccommended. It scared me, the things that these girls went through and did and then how they treated one another. Mia went right off the deep end and when she did it was a terrifying thing to read about, I never knew what actually happened behind closed doors but now it's left me in a state of shock. I read this story in one sitting and it had me utterly enthralled the whole way through. I kept imagining what if it was real life and that was one of my friends going off the deep end, how would I react, what would I do? It was a real engaging story, one that teenagers and parents alike should read.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Ectasy is the best book i've ever read. The book is about two best friend's that enter another year of high school, unprepared for all of the change's that will occur. Mia and Sophie try Ectasy together, and love it. So they do it again. And again. Soon, Sophie realize's she isn't the kind of person that let's her life slip away to drug's. But Mia can't let go. Mia loses herself, her family, everything to drug's. Even Sophie. In Ectasy is suspensful, thrilling, and an all around amazing book. The book is unique because you never know what will come next. It tell's an amazing story about how drug's affect you and your life. But it prove's that you're strong enough to pull through it. In Ectasy is truely an amazing book, read it!

[Madelyn Phillips]

In Ecstasy by Kate McCaffrey is a book about two girls, Sophie and Mia, who have been best friends since kindergarten. The girls are now 15 and are sophomores in high school. Sophie is the popular one who hangs out with mainly seniors. While Mia is very shy and anxious and only hangs out with Sophie. Sophie decided to take Mia to a senior party. They then decided to try ecstasy with a very popular guy, Lewis Scott. After her first experience Mia fell in love with ecstasy it made her feel like she finally fit in with Sophie's friends, she was confident and could finally relax around other people. Sophie had liked it too and was okay with taking more until she had an event happen that scared her. Mia and Lewis soon started dating it started with them only taking ecstasy together but soon she had done weed and cocaine. Mia and Sophie end up not being friends anymore when Mia forgets about Sophie and begins to hang out with the seniors. In Ecstasy show you real-life scenarios, the book really shows what can happen when people abuse drugs and how it isn't pretty. The book is very interesting and tells the tales of how some people begin to fall into a hole when it comes to drugs. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an author who tells the truth and does not hide anything from the reader.

[Lizzie Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Ecstasy by Kate McCaffrey. This is a very good book that keeps the reader on their toes. I shows two sides of the what seemed to be an inseparable bond between two girls. They have known each other their whole lives and have known every single thing about each other. Or so they thought. When high school comes around, try as you might, friendships that you thought you may never lose are tested to their absolute limits. In high school, parties are big, but so are drugs and alcohol. So many people say that they know how to control themselves but that isn’t always the case. Life really can become hard when you make those two things a major part of your life. These two best friends could tell you that first hand. I really enjoyed this book because it kept me guessing about how different situations were going to play out. It tells a fairly in depth story about what and who you allow into your life can really start to control you and change you. This book was an easy read that made it hard to put down. I don’t want to give away what happens in the end but I feel like it truly sends a message that everyone should be aware of! Ten out of ten would recommend.

[Yakov Pyatnitskov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I liked the story even though I'm probably not in its target audience (29 yo and male). The writing style was clear, the story was moving forward and not burdened with too much description and the solution to alternate between two main characters by chapters was an interesting one.

The beginning of the book was very good but the last third is a bit unbelievable. If you finish it you will know what I mean but the ends meet in a predictable way. I would want the ending to be more interesting – but hey, it's not my book.

It was a quick read and a good introduction to teen literature. Some characters were quiet believable (Sophie and Mia) some not (Lewis). If you are looking for a description of a downward spiral on drugs then go no further.

[Amber Crotty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome!!! I love the characters and the plot by the different perspectives of the two protagonist. Sophie and Mia (main characters) were very descriptive of the use of Ecstasy or they call it E. And how the drug affect their lives and their friendship. Some parts of the book made me cry and hurtful on some chapters words from Mia's events on the drug and not realizing the horrible truth of consuming the drug.

In conclusion, this author is my favourite(as I have read her other two books and maybe said the same thing) and I wish that this book could be in a featured film, a TV series or anything that will show teenagers the affect of drugs.

[~Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

an important read, especially for Aussie teens or anybody older who needs a reminder to stay away from drugs FOREVER.

i'm very anti-drugs and extremely anti-alcohol as i've seen multiple family members be ruined by these substances.

i don't know what it is about Australia and drug culture but it seems like it's the only way to have fun here. I live in a popular Aussie city and the night life here is the only thing to do here. That and our city for some reason is very into fitness so if people don't like to exercise then the other option is drugs. I got lucky that i'm athletic and find many hobbies in fitness.

[Juan Felipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think this is one of the best books i've read ever.

When i started reading this book i wasn't really expecting it to be good, i was hoping it to be more like a book about how drugs in general would ruin your life without a chance to get back to the real world and have a new opportunity to start again, but amazingly this book gave me a new view of how something can escalate, and quickly make everything seem like there will never be a way out, but with time and effort, just in that moment, all the love we felt or shared one day, will take us back home.

[Britt Meter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got me hooked about teenagers using drugs and the ling term effects of drug use. Mia and Sophie have been friends for years but when they both tried ecstasy at a party, everything is turned upside down especially their friendship. The book was told in two perspectives so it was interesting to see their view in each other when the situation has changed where Mia is more popular and taking more drugs to fit in whereas Sophie was assaulted by a drug dealer and trying to be the good friend towards Mia. 4 stars 🌟

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was honestly such a powerful, emotional story. I read it in about three hours, I genuinely could not put it down. I think everyone should read this, it's such an eye opening story and it deals with a multitude of issues that people face. I honestly don't have words to describe the impact this book has and the way it made me feel .

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA novel with an important message: don't do drugs. Co-protagonists Sophie and Mia are complex, believable characters. Mia's descent into drug addiction is detailed with stark realism, as is Sophie's trauma from the sexual assault. Through it all, their friendship offers an uplifting undercurrent of hope for a way out.

[Garry Nigeria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book to my 4 yr old kid now they believe that "Gargling on throbbing cocks" is ok. This is undisputedly unacceptable. I was recommended this book by Jemimah Billy Bob the 92yr old librarian at a preschool. Jemimah if your reading this its not a threat but a warning. You will be hearing from my lawyer Barbruth Demarcus James Daniel Johnson the third jnr.

[Tabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little big of an easier read, with larger font. Subject matter is far from easy. Good look into the mind of a teenager dealing with drugs and sex, and how young people with good heads on their shoulders get involved in it.

[Alexis W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book so interesting when i was a teenager, it was the introduction into fantasy and teen crime i couldn’t ever imagine. It was well written and had my attention constantly til the end; which is hard when you have ADHD.

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it in a single sitting...Emotionally impactful, incredibly realistic, this is a book i'll proudly call one of my favourites.

[Rhiannon Rabby | 31 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the characters were a little too juvenile at first, but they grew on me and it was really quite good.