Title: Girls Like MeAuthor: Kristin Butcher
First Published: August 27, 2019
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pages: 144
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
Synopsis:
After accepting a ride home, sixteen-year-old Emma Kennedy is raped by a boy from school. But handsome, popular Ross Schroeder tells everyone the sex was consensual, and Emma is immediately branded as a slut. Even Emma's best friend, Jen, doesn't believe Emma's version of events. In fact, she is angry with Emma because she feels betrayed. After all, she liked Ross first.
But when Ross starts showing interest in Jen, Emma knows she will have to find a way to get Jen to believe that she really is in grave danger.
Before it's too late.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
Girls Like Me is a startling novel about rape and slut-shaming in high school. The pacing of this book moves like a runaway train and never slows down at any point, it is a very easy book to read in a single sitting. The book is aimed at younger readers and uses simple language that is easier to follow, it reminds me of the tone and pacing of young adult books in the 90s.
The subject matter presented in this story is troubling, and I wonder if it sacrifices believably in exchange for a dramatic plot. There are almost no character personalities beyond the immediate trauma that the main characters experience, so you never get much of a sense of who Emma and Jen were before the opening of the novel. Everything takes place a couple of months after the event, and it starts off with Emma suffering from trauma and bullying as she grapples with what has happened. Then suddenly everything just sort of dropped off, the rumors and bullying literally vanishing completely overnight, it didn’t make any sense.
Despite my issues with the writing, the easy readability is beneficial for highlighting important topics. It can be the right book for the right reader that can bring awareness of rape culture and slut-shaming which is an unfortunate reality for many people. It has a good message about believing victims and seeking help because a danger for one person can quickly become a danger to all.
Quote
“This kind of stuff doesn’t happen to girls like me.
Except that it did.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Kristin Butcher
Award-winning author of 30 books for children and teens, Kristin has recently ventured into the realm of fantasy with The Seer Trilogy, featuring Maeve, a 13-year old girl in Celtic Ireland — pursuing her gift and her identity.
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