Some Girls Are.
ISBN 9780312573805 Macmillan Distribution Services 01 Mar 2010
Rare.
Rare that I read a book and feel as though I have been punched in the stomach.
Never before.
Never before have a I read a book that made me feel as though I had been mentally eviscerated.
Some Girls Are is the latest release from notable Young Adult author Courtney Summers.
There is much I could say about this book, the sheer volumes I want to share with you all could fill multiple pages. I am choosing not to do that with this book. Why?
Because, nothing I say will do it justice. Nothing I say will adequetely convey to you how incredibly powerful this book is.
What I will say is this. READ IT. If you are a parent, READ IT. If you are a teacher, READ IT. If you have any interaction with adolescents, READ IT.
There are those of you who will read the synopsis for this book and scoff the words “only in America can/does this happen”. It easy to say that. Easier for all of us, all of us adults. Easier, because believe me when I say none of us wants to believe this is what’s happening out there amongst our kids. None of us wants to believe its happening and we aren’t seeing it happen. It hurts too much to believe that this is what they are doing to each other right under our ‘watchful’ eyes. But they are. Sure, not all of them. But IT IS happening. And that scares the living daylights out of me.
If you take nothing more from this book, take this thought. The teenage universe is not a safe place to inhabit. There is no safety in numbers. And adults are futile if they are blind to what is really going on. In this world we live in, where time is the most precious commodity, precious because it eludes us everyday, the time to really look at our kids, talk to them, LISTEN to them, SEE them, we need now more than ever to MAKE that time.
Courtney, if you read this, take a moment to pat yourself on the back and think about exactly what you have accomplished with your book. It is a masterpiece of devastating truth, written so poetically it made me cry. Amazing work, truly. You should be incredibly proud of your book! For what its worth, I am.
Posted by tyecattanach on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 pm and tagged ARC- Advance Reading Copy, Book club, Bullying, Censorship, Confronting titles, Courtney Summers, Engaging Read, Friendship, Great reads, Mean Girls, PG-14 yrs, Powerful reading, reluctant readers, Some Girls Are | Comments & Trackbacks (11)
Brilliant review Tye! It really is such a powerful, important book and superbly written, and I agree – words don’t do it justice. It’s one of those few books you read in life that latch onto a piece of your heart and you carry it with you forever. Teachers and parents should absolutely read this book – I don’t think I’ve read such a brutally honest and accurate portrayal of high school and the complex friendships between teenage girls.
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:48 pmTwo enthusiastic thumbs up!
: )
Why thank you Sonja!
A huge thanks must go to you for introducing me to ‘Cracked Up To Be’ and for sharing your ARC
xxx
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:54 pmBeautiful Beautiful Beautiful!
I’m also really glad everyone who’s reviewing this book is actually keeping under raps the plot and details and whatnot.
Like half of it for me was that you saw what was about to happen but your sitting there going ‘no no this won’t happen: no HUMAN BEING would do this to each other!’ and yet it DOES happen, and IS happening, and EVERYSINGLE high school can attest to it.
I am however PERVERSELY glad I was not the only cry baby….thank you for crying Tye….
…..Sonj is totally calling us soft touches by the way….
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 ami told you i think i emotionally disconnected from the horror….
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 amLOVE this review!! Way to make people excited to read SGA while not spoiling anything!!
And you’re so right, this is a problem people don’t think about enough with teens. ROCK Courtney for writing a book that will blow people’s SOCKS off!
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 pmThank you Emily, that is high praise indeed! Im so glad you liked it!
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:44 pmI could not agree more about blowing peoples socks off, Im still trying to recover!
speaking of horror: poor sonj is totally reading ‘Living Dead Girl’ by Elizabeth Scott….tough going….
you sure you want it????? because sonj is throwing around words like ‘most horrific thing ever’…..and her ‘horrific’ reading list is quite extensive as you well know……
i’m betting it totally gives ‘One Foot Wrong’ a run for its money and that was BEYOND ANYTHING!
October 4th, 2009 at 2:28 pmIm going to read it. I think….
October 4th, 2009 at 8:18 pmi’m fine…really…i told you nicole – compartmentalising…
October 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pmand it is a good book…
I couldn’t agree more. I tried reading something else. I tried working out. I tried singing LOUDLY. I tried pacing. Going for a walk. Chatterboxing St.Matt’s ear off…
…I can’t get SOME GIRLS ARE out of my head. So. Important.
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:42 pmMe either! Still today it haunts me. It echoes in the conversations I hear around me every single day.
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:44 pmIt is truly, BRILLIANT.
And frightening.