Stacey returns home after being raped, to a sister with a baby who got pregnant at 14, but instead of maturing is still self-absorbed & irresponsible, plus a mother who makes it worse by making excuses for her. Believing that they are unable or will not want to help her, she tells her best friend. Since she doesn't want to go to the authorities her friend advises her to write her story to figure things out.
Her story is not the difficult read you were expecting, but reads as a classic boy meets girl plot of a cute teen movie but with the impeding doom of a rape that will happen. You do feel something is off, even before things take that ugly turn. Anne Cassidy smartly uses the date rape scenario, because it helps you understand the anguish, crippling shame & guilt the victim is experiencing even more. Also because she wants you to take her heroine's side because rape in any circumstance is wrong, not because the perpetrator is a cliche criminal sicko.
Stacey's narrative has the feeling of someone confessing to doing something wrong. You do want to grab her, shake her & tell her to wake up for being so naive but.... nothing excuses rape. NOTHING.
With the knowledge of the rape coming, you keep thinking as you read "OK, now it is going to happen like this", then "No like this" but you never, never, never see what & how it is coming, AT ALL. And the aftermath is unexpected too, but so truthful.
This might be a quick read, not only due to the 180 pages and the straight to point writing, but believe me it will seep into you & haunt your soul for quite a while.
Her story is not the difficult read you were expecting, but reads as a classic boy meets girl plot of a cute teen movie but with the impeding doom of a rape that will happen. You do feel something is off, even before things take that ugly turn. Anne Cassidy smartly uses the date rape scenario, because it helps you understand the anguish, crippling shame & guilt the victim is experiencing even more. Also because she wants you to take her heroine's side because rape in any circumstance is wrong, not because the perpetrator is a cliche criminal sicko.
Stacey's narrative has the feeling of someone confessing to doing something wrong. You do want to grab her, shake her & tell her to wake up for being so naive but.... nothing excuses rape. NOTHING.
With the knowledge of the rape coming, you keep thinking as you read "OK, now it is going to happen like this", then "No like this" but you never, never, never see what & how it is coming, AT ALL. And the aftermath is unexpected too, but so truthful.
This might be a quick read, not only due to the 180 pages and the straight to point writing, but believe me it will seep into you & haunt your soul for quite a while.