What do you think?
Rate this book
Something Wicked
Sixteen-year-old Melissa’s most recent troubles stem from a secret: her twenty-eight-year-old boyfriend, Michael, has just broken up with her. Even though the relationship is clearly over, Melissa clings to the past, riding a never-ending wave of hope and disappointment. Meaningless sexual escapades, drunken nights, and drug-induced blackouts help her deal with heartbreak, but her pain goes much deeper than her failed relationship. Along with a broken heart, Melissa has to cope with the memories of her younger brother’s death; the non-existent parenting of her insecure, flighty mother; being juggled between social workers and psychologists; and getting kicked out of school and sent to a special program for at-risk youth. So when the cracks in her life threaten to tear her apart, Melissa has to decide whether to keep fighting—or to let go.
263 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
185 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 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 2, 2012
Solid 3.5, rounded to a 4, just because I think its rating on Goodreads should be just a little bit higher.
I can't say I really liked the whole experience of reading this book, nor can I say that it was perfect. I wouldn't have picked this up had it not been nominated for the 2012 White Pine Award and fortunately enough, I don't think it was a complete waste of my time. Melissa is plenty whiny, melodramatic, and sometimes frustratingly defeatist, and you could feel the rawness of her harsh 16 years in the way she spoke, acted, and thought. Every time she took a step forward, it seemed that something would come along and pull her back a couple steps. She was angry, hypocritical, and most of the time she got me angry too. I couldn't understand what could drive her to be so reckless in the beginning, but over time, she sort of grew on me. I also couldn't understand why she was so hung up on her ex-boyfriend, Michael, when the little snippets of the relationship we're allowed to see were filled with transparent hero worship and flat romance. At the same time, her personality rang true. Grief, or any type of strong emotion really, can drive a person to do foolish things, and when you put a couple of those strong emotions in a volatile teenage girl then you're liable to see some messy results.
What I didn't like very much was the way the conclusion of the book was handled. I was reading an article in the New York Review of Books, which discussed how sometimes readers may feel that they reach a certain point of a novel when they are satisfied with what has been discussed thus far and would be happy with finishing the book at that point. I felt like the last 50 or so pages of the books were handled somewhat clumsily and felt too much like an after school special to me. I didn't feel like it rang true to what Melissa, as I saw her, would have done. Things were too calm, and Melissa was filled with too much anger not to have had at least one confrontation after what had happened. If the book had ended 50 pages earlier, I think I would have been satisfied.
At the same time, the insights that Melissa gained towards the end were something I wanted for her to experience. The realizations were hard-won but, in the end, necessary.
I also want to take the time to applaud Lesley Anne Cowan for her writing style. There was something about it that felt smooth but raw, which I thought was an interesting reflection of Melissa's personality.
Would I recommend this? Yes, but with reservations.
I can't say I really liked the whole experience of reading this book, nor can I say that it was perfect. I wouldn't have picked this up had it not been nominated for the 2012 White Pine Award and fortunately enough, I don't think it was a complete waste of my time. Melissa is plenty whiny, melodramatic, and sometimes frustratingly defeatist, and you could feel the rawness of her harsh 16 years in the way she spoke, acted, and thought. Every time she took a step forward, it seemed that something would come along and pull her back a couple steps. She was angry, hypocritical, and most of the time she got me angry too. I couldn't understand what could drive her to be so reckless in the beginning, but over time, she sort of grew on me. I also couldn't understand why she was so hung up on her ex-boyfriend, Michael, when the little snippets of the relationship we're allowed to see were filled with transparent hero worship and flat romance. At the same time, her personality rang true. Grief, or any type of strong emotion really, can drive a person to do foolish things, and when you put a couple of those strong emotions in a volatile teenage girl then you're liable to see some messy results.
What I didn't like very much was the way the conclusion of the book was handled. I was reading an article in the New York Review of Books, which discussed how sometimes readers may feel that they reach a certain point of a novel when they are satisfied with what has been discussed thus far and would be happy with finishing the book at that point. I felt like the last 50 or so pages of the books were handled somewhat clumsily and felt too much like an after school special to me. I didn't feel like it rang true to what Melissa, as I saw her, would have done. Things were too calm, and Melissa was filled with too much anger not to have had at least one confrontation after what had happened. If the book had ended 50 pages earlier, I think I would have been satisfied.
At the same time, the insights that Melissa gained towards the end were something I wanted for her to experience. The realizations were hard-won but, in the end, necessary.
I also want to take the time to applaud Lesley Anne Cowan for her writing style. There was something about it that felt smooth but raw, which I thought was an interesting reflection of Melissa's personality.
Would I recommend this? Yes, but with reservations.
December 4, 2013
*spoilers alert*
This book was terrible. Really, it was. The writing style itself was okay, nothing too amazing.
But I'm talking about the plot, the storyline.
Let me start off by saying that I would probably have never read this book unless it was it was nominated for White Pine, which it was. But, I thought I'd give it a try, since I like to read all of the ten books.
The heroine is pathetic. A huge hypocrite. Her life is filled with drugs, partying, anger, and many other issues. The whole is about her complaining. The whole book! Maybe except the last five pages. I wanted to go to the library and return it. It was that bad.
I was hoping for some character development to happen, something that would make become stronger, something different.
But no.
She just whines on about her mom and her problems.
NOT what she is doing to fix it.
NOT what she is trying to change.
Anything, she just sits and takes it.
It was so boring, I can't really believe it was nominated.
I'm sorry, but if this book gets the award, I might not join ever again.
It basically went like this: My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that. My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.
Get the point, right? She really doesn't do anything until the last...what, two three chapters in the book? Really annoying. This book just dragged on.
I don't recommend this book for anyone, I'm sorry, but it's just not so great a piece of literature.
This book was terrible. Really, it was. The writing style itself was okay, nothing too amazing.
But I'm talking about the plot, the storyline.
Let me start off by saying that I would probably have never read this book unless it was it was nominated for White Pine, which it was. But, I thought I'd give it a try, since I like to read all of the ten books.
The heroine is pathetic. A huge hypocrite. Her life is filled with drugs, partying, anger, and many other issues. The whole is about her complaining. The whole book! Maybe except the last five pages. I wanted to go to the library and return it. It was that bad.
I was hoping for some character development to happen, something that would make become stronger, something different.
But no.
She just whines on about her mom and her problems.
NOT what she is doing to fix it.
NOT what she is trying to change.
Anything, she just sits and takes it.
It was so boring, I can't really believe it was nominated.
I'm sorry, but if this book gets the award, I might not join ever again.
It basically went like this: My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that. My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.My life sucks. I won't do anything about it. I miss Micheal. I hate my mom. I hate my life. I hate everything and everyone. And I won't try anything to change that.
Get the point, right? She really doesn't do anything until the last...what, two three chapters in the book? Really annoying. This book just dragged on.
I don't recommend this book for anyone, I'm sorry, but it's just not so great a piece of literature.
February 17, 2020
Although Lesley is really a forgotten Canadian author, I actually found this book at goodwill. Personally, I really enjoyed this book and actually relate to Melissa, I think it is hard to understand her but I can really relate to her.
March 15, 2012
Presently, of the three 2012 White Pine books I have read, this is the only one that didn't suck. And by suck, I mean wasn't a disaster and wasn't a tarnish on the white pants of good writing everywhere. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of "Ashes, Ashes" or "The Gathering", but those reviews are for another time.
So, straight-up, "Something Wicked" absolutely shocked me. It was really good on all fronts except the ending, which I found unsatisfying. Otherwise, a solid four stars. So let's break it down.
The Story/Plot
It was pretty good. Even though I can't say it was the most original thing ever, it was still enjoyable--which is definitely something, coming from me, because normally I don't read this genre of book. Without giving anything away, the main character, Melissa, just goes through a bunch of typical teenage problems and learns how to make a better life for herself. The classic kind of set up with her crazy friends, going to parties, getting drunk, doing drugs, having lots of sex, that sort of idea. Basically, she and her friends break into a house at one point, and when they're caught they are forced to go to court in a few months. This creates one of the undercurrents of the novel, which is Melissa trying to do things to turn her life around so the judge will let her off easy. Another aspect is her fragile family life, as her single mother sometimes acts like more of a child than Melissa, and both of them are still troubled by the death of Melissa's younger brother a few years previous. On top of everything else is that Melissa recently broke-up with her boyfriend--who was 28 (she's sixteen)--and this leaves her kind of questioning the value of her life without him. Again, not the most original thing ever, but the execution was quite brilliant.
Also, I found Melissa very relatable, despite the fact we have very little in common outside of her feelings for Michael, her older boyfriend. I could sympathize so much with her position and feelings, which I found a little shocking because I really didn't expect to. And that was really nice.
Characters
Like I said earlier, the characters in this novel were fairly easy to relate with. Their feelings, emotions, and reactions seemed authentic and genuine, which actually isn't as common as one would think within the young adult genre. I felt the author portrayed teenagers with great accuracy, and how they acted and reacted to and in situations seemed very real. Melissa also served as an excellent main character with a surprising amount of depth and realism. As a whole, I didn't really feel there was any character that wasn't done well. Everyone has their own story and own place within the novel, and although some were a touch stereotypical, it wasn't overly so.
Voice/Writing Style
Brilliant. Lesley Anne Cowen definitely knows what she is doing when it comes to writing. Its powerful and smooth, and also very easy to read and follow. It just grabs you, you know? Pulls you in. There's also just enough description that a reader can be fully emerged within the story without their being too much or too little. Her word choice reflected the genre and age group well, and again, it felt very authentic. Finally, I really enjoyed the shorter chapters, as I felt it added a lot to the overall pace of the story. All in all, no complaints here from me.
The Flaws
In my opinion, everything about the book was pretty great except the ending. What I meant earlier when I said it was unsatisfying came mostly from the fact that I felt the novel had no ending resolution. There was supposed to be one of those implied endings, where although its not stated that everything turned out okay you know it did, but the author kind of screwed it up a little. Instead she threw a veil of doubt over the outcome and left me feeling like the novel was incomplete.
Let me explain. It would be like at the end of the seventh Harry Potter book, where Harry is waving goodbye to Albus, and he comments about how all is well. Imagine in the line before, where he's talking about how he hasn't been pained by his scar in years, he mentions that Voldemort could possibly be back. Now, doesn't that just destroy the entire ending of the book? Now readers are like, wow, hang on. There's no happy ending at all! Voldemort could come back! So now that "all is well" is not really well at all, as this wrench has been tossed into the works and left everyone kind of hanging. That is how I felt about the ending of "Something Wicked".
In Conclusion
If the author hadn't dropped the ball with the ending of the book, I think I would have given it all five stars. Still, regardless of that, it was still an excellent read and I would easily recommend to any person who likes young adult books. As a White Pine selection, I have to say they choose well with this one. And if I had to vote on the best one tomorrow, this would definitely be my pick. I look forward to reading other works by this author, as she is, without a doubt, incredibly good at her craft.
Give it a shot. I think you might be surprised. Cheers.
So, straight-up, "Something Wicked" absolutely shocked me. It was really good on all fronts except the ending, which I found unsatisfying. Otherwise, a solid four stars. So let's break it down.
The Story/Plot
It was pretty good. Even though I can't say it was the most original thing ever, it was still enjoyable--which is definitely something, coming from me, because normally I don't read this genre of book. Without giving anything away, the main character, Melissa, just goes through a bunch of typical teenage problems and learns how to make a better life for herself. The classic kind of set up with her crazy friends, going to parties, getting drunk, doing drugs, having lots of sex, that sort of idea. Basically, she and her friends break into a house at one point, and when they're caught they are forced to go to court in a few months. This creates one of the undercurrents of the novel, which is Melissa trying to do things to turn her life around so the judge will let her off easy. Another aspect is her fragile family life, as her single mother sometimes acts like more of a child than Melissa, and both of them are still troubled by the death of Melissa's younger brother a few years previous. On top of everything else is that Melissa recently broke-up with her boyfriend--who was 28 (she's sixteen)--and this leaves her kind of questioning the value of her life without him. Again, not the most original thing ever, but the execution was quite brilliant.
Also, I found Melissa very relatable, despite the fact we have very little in common outside of her feelings for Michael, her older boyfriend. I could sympathize so much with her position and feelings, which I found a little shocking because I really didn't expect to. And that was really nice.
Characters
Like I said earlier, the characters in this novel were fairly easy to relate with. Their feelings, emotions, and reactions seemed authentic and genuine, which actually isn't as common as one would think within the young adult genre. I felt the author portrayed teenagers with great accuracy, and how they acted and reacted to and in situations seemed very real. Melissa also served as an excellent main character with a surprising amount of depth and realism. As a whole, I didn't really feel there was any character that wasn't done well. Everyone has their own story and own place within the novel, and although some were a touch stereotypical, it wasn't overly so.
Voice/Writing Style
Brilliant. Lesley Anne Cowen definitely knows what she is doing when it comes to writing. Its powerful and smooth, and also very easy to read and follow. It just grabs you, you know? Pulls you in. There's also just enough description that a reader can be fully emerged within the story without their being too much or too little. Her word choice reflected the genre and age group well, and again, it felt very authentic. Finally, I really enjoyed the shorter chapters, as I felt it added a lot to the overall pace of the story. All in all, no complaints here from me.
The Flaws
In my opinion, everything about the book was pretty great except the ending. What I meant earlier when I said it was unsatisfying came mostly from the fact that I felt the novel had no ending resolution. There was supposed to be one of those implied endings, where although its not stated that everything turned out okay you know it did, but the author kind of screwed it up a little. Instead she threw a veil of doubt over the outcome and left me feeling like the novel was incomplete.
Let me explain. It would be like at the end of the seventh Harry Potter book, where Harry is waving goodbye to Albus, and he comments about how all is well. Imagine in the line before, where he's talking about how he hasn't been pained by his scar in years, he mentions that Voldemort could possibly be back. Now, doesn't that just destroy the entire ending of the book? Now readers are like, wow, hang on. There's no happy ending at all! Voldemort could come back! So now that "all is well" is not really well at all, as this wrench has been tossed into the works and left everyone kind of hanging. That is how I felt about the ending of "Something Wicked".
In Conclusion
If the author hadn't dropped the ball with the ending of the book, I think I would have given it all five stars. Still, regardless of that, it was still an excellent read and I would easily recommend to any person who likes young adult books. As a White Pine selection, I have to say they choose well with this one. And if I had to vote on the best one tomorrow, this would definitely be my pick. I look forward to reading other works by this author, as she is, without a doubt, incredibly good at her craft.
Give it a shot. I think you might be surprised. Cheers.
February 27, 2025
Usually I put a 1 star if I DNF but i did finish that one and it was one of the worst book I read . It's badly written ( looks like it's written by a 16 yo ) it also says on the book that this is for 14yo and up .....I would never let my daugther read this until she is at least 16yo and even that would be too young imo.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
January 19, 2024
SPOILERS
Mostly a struggle to finish after I was recommended it by a friend. Depressing, too. I did end up rooting for the main character though, so I won't give one star.
Mostly a struggle to finish after I was recommended it by a friend. Depressing, too. I did end up rooting for the main character though, so I won't give one star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2012
Review:
This book stunned me. Like a slap across my face. I am not quite sure how I feel about it because my reaction of an aftershock following the reading of this book is a complete jumble of complicated emotions. Negative? Positive? I will say it has stunned and pained me quite negatively, but I will also say that it has led to a lot of reflecting done on my part. During the journey through this bluntly realistic read, I was torn between following this character and listening to my own morals and what I think life and society for young girls like Melissa (and me) should be like. In the "Review" section, I will try to review this book by what this book is, but I have a lot to say after that as well.
This documentary-like book is written in the most crude and blunt rendition of the character's life, personality, and feelings as possible. Melissa runs wild, a high school student having a relationship with a 28-year-old man, swinging by house parties and having sex casually, and running loose as her mother isn't near as responsible as what a parent should be. Her vocabulary is stained with a potent and overwhelmingly bottomless supply of swear words and I visibly winced at practically each and every one. (though I'm more sensitive to that than most people.)
The use of first person brought me up close to Melissa to an uncomfortable extent. I will give points to Ms. Cowan, though, for painting such a shocking montage of another face of our society. Grinding through this book was like being grounded to stay by Melissa's side for a torturing period of time. Melissa, as a character, is actually decently created though, and at one point, I was starting to feel bad for her. I was hoping for her to get better, I really was. As the synopsis states, Melissa has to decide whether to keep fighting—or to let go. "or to let go." Excuse me?
I don't know what else to say. This is one mess of a review, and I'm sorry!!! However, that's exactly how this book felt to me and how I felt after reading it. A mess. Not necessarily the "mess" that is categorized as bad, but just a jumble of uncoordinated elements that leaves you feeling completely lost and messed up.
Rating: ✰ 1 Depressed Hoot
Final Notes:
I cannot seem to be able to focus on this book itself at all, mainly due to the fact that it addresses such harsh issues. However, it has brought a lot of thinking to my opinionated head about our world today. I will be truthful and say that this book exposed me to a side of society that I have never encountered so up close before, and therefore, it resulted in me being a bit...paralyzed, in a sense. It is a face that I am not at all familiar with. It is a face that we are educated to stay away from. It is a face that scares me.
Yet I have to acknowledge that it is there, and how important it is for us to help people like Melissa.
However, I'd like to take a moment and ask, is it really necessary to bring upon such exposure to this situation in such a blunt and imposing manner to the young people of our society? Is it really necessary to do this through the powerful way of the pen? I don't approve of this. I believe that high school students like us get enough exposure to this world through other outlets and agents of socialization.
The author has her freedom of exploring this topic as much as she wants, but I am absolutely 100% against this being in White Pine, making its way through mass production to go straight into the hands of today's high school students.(Spoiler at 3 o' clock) This book has no definite end. It offers no solid conclusion that says Melissa improves and finds herself. She doesn't. How is this encouraging people in reality who may end up like her? We should try to improve this world, and through such literature as this, it is not happening.
Of course, the author can write what she wants. But please, please, PLEASE! We should be choosing the audience more wisely. High school students get no correct sense of morals and strong and justified independent thinking out of this type of book.
Thank you for reading, if you have reached it this far. I will state once again that I do not mean to offend anyone in any way in this post. It is a mere state of my honest opinion, and it was not meant to put down the author personally regarding her writing in any way at all.
♡ Vivian
This book stunned me. Like a slap across my face. I am not quite sure how I feel about it because my reaction of an aftershock following the reading of this book is a complete jumble of complicated emotions. Negative? Positive? I will say it has stunned and pained me quite negatively, but I will also say that it has led to a lot of reflecting done on my part. During the journey through this bluntly realistic read, I was torn between following this character and listening to my own morals and what I think life and society for young girls like Melissa (and me) should be like. In the "Review" section, I will try to review this book by what this book is, but I have a lot to say after that as well.
This documentary-like book is written in the most crude and blunt rendition of the character's life, personality, and feelings as possible. Melissa runs wild, a high school student having a relationship with a 28-year-old man, swinging by house parties and having sex casually, and running loose as her mother isn't near as responsible as what a parent should be. Her vocabulary is stained with a potent and overwhelmingly bottomless supply of swear words and I visibly winced at practically each and every one. (though I'm more sensitive to that than most people.)
The use of first person brought me up close to Melissa to an uncomfortable extent. I will give points to Ms. Cowan, though, for painting such a shocking montage of another face of our society. Grinding through this book was like being grounded to stay by Melissa's side for a torturing period of time. Melissa, as a character, is actually decently created though, and at one point, I was starting to feel bad for her. I was hoping for her to get better, I really was. As the synopsis states, Melissa has to decide whether to keep fighting—or to let go. "or to let go." Excuse me?
I don't know what else to say. This is one mess of a review, and I'm sorry!!! However, that's exactly how this book felt to me and how I felt after reading it. A mess. Not necessarily the "mess" that is categorized as bad, but just a jumble of uncoordinated elements that leaves you feeling completely lost and messed up.
Rating: ✰ 1 Depressed Hoot
Final Notes:
I cannot seem to be able to focus on this book itself at all, mainly due to the fact that it addresses such harsh issues. However, it has brought a lot of thinking to my opinionated head about our world today. I will be truthful and say that this book exposed me to a side of society that I have never encountered so up close before, and therefore, it resulted in me being a bit...paralyzed, in a sense. It is a face that I am not at all familiar with. It is a face that we are educated to stay away from. It is a face that scares me.
Yet I have to acknowledge that it is there, and how important it is for us to help people like Melissa.
However, I'd like to take a moment and ask, is it really necessary to bring upon such exposure to this situation in such a blunt and imposing manner to the young people of our society? Is it really necessary to do this through the powerful way of the pen? I don't approve of this. I believe that high school students like us get enough exposure to this world through other outlets and agents of socialization.
The author has her freedom of exploring this topic as much as she wants, but I am absolutely 100% against this being in White Pine, making its way through mass production to go straight into the hands of today's high school students.(Spoiler at 3 o' clock) This book has no definite end. It offers no solid conclusion that says Melissa improves and finds herself. She doesn't. How is this encouraging people in reality who may end up like her? We should try to improve this world, and through such literature as this, it is not happening.
Of course, the author can write what she wants. But please, please, PLEASE! We should be choosing the audience more wisely. High school students get no correct sense of morals and strong and justified independent thinking out of this type of book.
Thank you for reading, if you have reached it this far. I will state once again that I do not mean to offend anyone in any way in this post. It is a mere state of my honest opinion, and it was not meant to put down the author personally regarding her writing in any way at all.
♡ Vivian
December 22, 2019
Ugh. Just why?
September 29, 2015
I found Something Wicked at my local library and was intrigued by the awesome cover and the Canadian author sticker. I love Canadian authors, especially forgotten ones like Lesley Anne Cowan. I had no idea what to expect out of the book and was caught completely off guard by it's dark plot and characters.
Melissa was such an interesting character to read about. While I sympathized with her plight to define herself separate from her negative home environment and previous history I was also frustrated with the choices she made about her education, sexual experience, friends, and substance abuse habits. I loved how the novel wasn't about one central "thing" that happened to her but rather a conglomeration of her ADD, poverty, breakup, and home life. Rather than focusing on one issue Lesley Anne Cowan made Melissa as real as possible because we each face multiple problems and roadblocks in our every day life that shape the person we become.
As I struggled to empathize with Melissa I was shocked by her comparison to Greek mythological characters. She identified as both Echo and Sisyphus, doomed forever to repeat both her actions and words. Her beautiful descriptions of her thoughts and experiences turned her from a trashy lost teenager to a scared young woman in my mind.
As someone who has never tried drugs before I am very uncomfortable reading stories where characters are obsessive or regular users. Seeing how it controls their lives and changes them is a "birth control" on drug usage for me. However I'm glad that substance abuse novels are written because they can be awesome tools and resources for youth trying to overcome their own vices. In the recent #yasaves/WSJ incident it was mentioned that teens need literature that mirror their own lives to give them hope. I'm really glad that all of Melissa's actions had serious and realistic repercussions to show other teenagers that you can't get a "free ride" in life, that there are consequences for poor or illegal behaviour.
Melissa was such an interesting character to read about. While I sympathized with her plight to define herself separate from her negative home environment and previous history I was also frustrated with the choices she made about her education, sexual experience, friends, and substance abuse habits. I loved how the novel wasn't about one central "thing" that happened to her but rather a conglomeration of her ADD, poverty, breakup, and home life. Rather than focusing on one issue Lesley Anne Cowan made Melissa as real as possible because we each face multiple problems and roadblocks in our every day life that shape the person we become.
As I struggled to empathize with Melissa I was shocked by her comparison to Greek mythological characters. She identified as both Echo and Sisyphus, doomed forever to repeat both her actions and words. Her beautiful descriptions of her thoughts and experiences turned her from a trashy lost teenager to a scared young woman in my mind.
As someone who has never tried drugs before I am very uncomfortable reading stories where characters are obsessive or regular users. Seeing how it controls their lives and changes them is a "birth control" on drug usage for me. However I'm glad that substance abuse novels are written because they can be awesome tools and resources for youth trying to overcome their own vices. In the recent #yasaves/WSJ incident it was mentioned that teens need literature that mirror their own lives to give them hope. I'm really glad that all of Melissa's actions had serious and realistic repercussions to show other teenagers that you can't get a "free ride" in life, that there are consequences for poor or illegal behaviour.
May 31, 2011
Life just plain sucks at times, and in the eyes of a troubled teen, those times can seem to happen far too often. Sixteen year old Melissa is angry most of the time and she doesn't know why. She also keeps making poor choices when it comes to drug use, sexual partners and just about every thing else. it's not that she has given up on life, she does want to be a veterinarian when she finishes school, it's just that she has no idea how to get where she wants to be.
As a parent I found this a hard book to read. I want to best for my kids, I can tell them all sorts of truths and things meant to help them, but I can't make them listen and use that information. Melissa's mother wasn't much of a role model, but she did have her uncle that showed some concern and did try to help in his own way. She had a counsellor that she was seeing weekly and she also had the teachers at her 'Day School' who truly cared. Her uncle told her "You decide to be happy ... It's a decision" but Melissa wasn't ready to hear that message.
This story rang true on all events. Teens don't think the same way as adults. Their thought processes are handled in the amygdala where emotional responses happen. My doctor recommended the following video The Adolescent Brain from The Discovery Channel,when I was struggling to understand my teen.
I highly recommend this book for teens and adults who deal with teens. Some of the insights I found very helpful. When Melissa finally decided to accept help, it's not for the reasons an adult might. She thinks to herself, "I've made a decision about my life: I don't give up. I give in. There's a difference. I give in the destiny I'm being pushed toward... But it's not surrender it's more like I'm stopping the resistance."
As a parent I found this a hard book to read. I want to best for my kids, I can tell them all sorts of truths and things meant to help them, but I can't make them listen and use that information. Melissa's mother wasn't much of a role model, but she did have her uncle that showed some concern and did try to help in his own way. She had a counsellor that she was seeing weekly and she also had the teachers at her 'Day School' who truly cared. Her uncle told her "You decide to be happy ... It's a decision" but Melissa wasn't ready to hear that message.
This story rang true on all events. Teens don't think the same way as adults. Their thought processes are handled in the amygdala where emotional responses happen. My doctor recommended the following video The Adolescent Brain from The Discovery Channel,when I was struggling to understand my teen.
I highly recommend this book for teens and adults who deal with teens. Some of the insights I found very helpful. When Melissa finally decided to accept help, it's not for the reasons an adult might. She thinks to herself, "I've made a decision about my life: I don't give up. I give in. There's a difference. I give in the destiny I'm being pushed toward... But it's not surrender it's more like I'm stopping the resistance."
May 26, 2010
I wanted to read Something Wicked for two reasons: 1) the main character and I share the same name and 2) I could relate to the story, not me exactly, but growing up there were people in my life who were on the wrong track and I wanted so badly to help them. In Melissa, Lesley shows us that behind a troubled teen there lies a desperate cry for help, for hope. When Melissa was 9, her younger brother passed away, she lives with her mother who is very lax with rules and not the best role model...it's like the cards were stacked against her. Something Wicked is a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of someone struggling. Although dark, it is realistic and a real eye opener!
If you have ever tried to help someone fighting their own demons, you will know that trying to use reason/logic seems to go nowhere, that it's like they need to hit rock bottom before they are willing to accept defeat; Melissa is no different. She is such a believable character, and given all her struggles, one can't help but feel angry at her for her choices and horrible for her when things so wrong.
When reading, I wondered if passing this book along to someone struggling would help, knowing they aren't alone while at the same time showing then an outside look, how bad decisions affect you and how you have the power to take control of your life! The brilliance of this novel lies in it's simple message about growing up that I think ANY teen can relate too.
If you have ever tried to help someone fighting their own demons, you will know that trying to use reason/logic seems to go nowhere, that it's like they need to hit rock bottom before they are willing to accept defeat; Melissa is no different. She is such a believable character, and given all her struggles, one can't help but feel angry at her for her choices and horrible for her when things so wrong.
When reading, I wondered if passing this book along to someone struggling would help, knowing they aren't alone while at the same time showing then an outside look, how bad decisions affect you and how you have the power to take control of your life! The brilliance of this novel lies in it's simple message about growing up that I think ANY teen can relate too.
January 24, 2013
Melissa is messed up. At 16 years old she has experienced life in ways that most of us will not. Her younger brother's death from leukemia was the beginning of a descent into drugs, violence and reckless sexual behaviour. She thinks she has it all together, but part of her knows that she is lying to herself. as events escalate and her behaviours bring her into contact with the law, things look like they may push her over the edge. Part of her wants to let go and be done with it all, but part of her wants to hold on.
I picked this book up because some concerns over the content were raised and I needed to read it to evaluate whether it should remain on the shelves in my library.
I finished it because Melissa's character is compelling, and as good fiction does, I was able to enter into a life that I otherwise would have no access to.
I would recommend this to parents, and teachers of teenagers because we need reminders that the children we come into contact with are never as transparent as they seem. We need to remember that they have issues and baggage that we don't know about and which cause them to behave the way they do. We need to remember that we should look deeper and see the whole child, and do our best to understand.
I picked this book up because some concerns over the content were raised and I needed to read it to evaluate whether it should remain on the shelves in my library.
I finished it because Melissa's character is compelling, and as good fiction does, I was able to enter into a life that I otherwise would have no access to.
I would recommend this to parents, and teachers of teenagers because we need reminders that the children we come into contact with are never as transparent as they seem. We need to remember that they have issues and baggage that we don't know about and which cause them to behave the way they do. We need to remember that we should look deeper and see the whole child, and do our best to understand.
November 23, 2011
Something Wicked by Lesley Anne Cowan is the story of 16-year-old Melissa, who seems to be looking for a whole whack of trouble. Nominated for the 2012 White Pine competition, Something Wicked has been noted for its controversial subject matter: There’s plenty of sex, drugs and at-risk behaviour being done by this teen.
Written by a secondary school teacher of at-risk students, the book is intended as much for 16-year-old, at-risk female readers, as it is for teachers, parents and classmates of such teen girls. I benefited from reading the book for its insights into the reasons behind the behaviours.
The amount of sexual activity and drug use is shocking, but believable. Melissa is a girl who is drowning in her world and seeking every means of escape. The choices she makes in the book, even until the end, provide plenty of fodder for discussions.
Written by a secondary school teacher of at-risk students, the book is intended as much for 16-year-old, at-risk female readers, as it is for teachers, parents and classmates of such teen girls. I benefited from reading the book for its insights into the reasons behind the behaviours.
The amount of sexual activity and drug use is shocking, but believable. Melissa is a girl who is drowning in her world and seeking every means of escape. The choices she makes in the book, even until the end, provide plenty of fodder for discussions.
February 21, 2014
Overall, I found this novel really intriguing. I couldn't put it down. I'm a huge fan of Lesley Ann Cowan's work and when I discovered she wrote a second novel I was very excited. The novel doesn't have a happy ending and although I want all books to end happily, this novel is supposed to portray the catastrophic issues that many teens face in life and the fact of the matter is that in life not everyone has a happy ending. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Anyway, great novel (in my opinion).. very sad but still, it kept my attention. I would definitely recommend it if you are into novels about drug use and abuse, realistic issues/matters, mental health and stuff like that. Happy reading!
October 7, 2012
Concept/Ideas: 4/5
Storyline/Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
A great coming of age type of novel. I reccommend this book to any teenager in general.
Cover art: Interesting... Not a huge fan of the cover though, may I say. It does create an accurate description of Melissa from the book, but other than that I don't really see anything special. I'm not sure what the lines are supposed to symbolize. To me, it seems to symbolize perhaps the fact that in the book Mel continually felt like she was falling apart, into 'pieces'. Hm... Not too eye-catching though. I do like the bright face against the dark backdrop.
Storyline/Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
A great coming of age type of novel. I reccommend this book to any teenager in general.
Cover art: Interesting... Not a huge fan of the cover though, may I say. It does create an accurate description of Melissa from the book, but other than that I don't really see anything special. I'm not sure what the lines are supposed to symbolize. To me, it seems to symbolize perhaps the fact that in the book Mel continually felt like she was falling apart, into 'pieces'. Hm... Not too eye-catching though. I do like the bright face against the dark backdrop.
April 14, 2012
I didn't expect to care about Michelle as much as I did. There is a lot going on with her, and I was able to understand her life and experience. This book is well written and I appreciate the author making Michelle disaffected without being surly, the same way her mothers faults are outlined but she is still portrayed as loving. A good read, anyone who was ever a teenage girl can find something to relate to.
July 21, 2015
We are all a wicked person in some ways I believe. But what Melissa had was a totally damaged self. She was driven by all her bearings. I can't imagine a life like hers. But this is something happening in the real world, not just in Lesley Anne Cowans. A series of unfortunate events that comes from one mistake and then spread out. This book taught me just how important a family is really to a child.
May 1, 2010
3 1/2 stars. It was a darkly passionate story, however I feel like it wrapped up too neatly in the end and sort of took away from the depressive struggles of the protagonist.
Review to Come June 1.
Review to Come June 1.
January 18, 2012
This book was so descriptive, it was almost as if you start to develop a relation with the main character. The author really captured all the events and feelings into this book. It also had a great story line to it.
July 12, 2010
This book is amazing!!
July 28, 2010
Gritty, powerful, heartbreaking, and inspiring.
July 30, 2010
It was okay. Not as good as what I was expecting, but still pretty decent. It was just OK.
Read
January 24, 2011it was an ok book it showed what some teens might be going through ...drugs, sex ,and just trying to find yourself
May 28, 2011
I felt really bad for melissa she was a very disturbed girl with no help from her mom. she was seeking love and acceptance in tall the wrong ways.
August 9, 2011
I really wanted to like this book but in the end it just ended up being an okay book.
May 25, 2012
My heart went out to the main character even though she was wayward.. At least she found her way in the end - a good read overall.
January 19, 2012
As a teen I would love this book and would be able to identify with the anger, guilt and sadness that comes from being 16! I thought the ending was unfinished. Enjoyed this one!
May 1, 2012
This book was absolutely horrible.
April 13, 2012
SKIP IT! Tries too hard to be everything for everyone.
Social content - high school
Social content - high school
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews