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Pieces Of Us (2012)

by Margie Gelbwasser(Favorite Author)

3.55 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0738721646 (ISBN13: 9780738721644)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Flux

review 1: This review contains some very vague spoilers.I genuinely don't know how to rate this book. It's one of the most disturbing books I've read but it was also thought provoking and real. It shows the influences that our actions have on others, how they can change people's lives, their character, how they can shape them.It's a story of four teenagers, who meet during the summer, at a lakeside community, told by alternating points of view. All of them have been abused in one way or another, and we can see how they come together and drift apart or turn on each other. Alex, who was beaten by numerous of her mother's boyfriends, has turned cold and hard, having developed a hatred towards women who have casual sexual relationships or even have simply had sex and in turn mistreats t... morehem, being violent and cruel, even to the woman he claims to love.Katie, a beautiful cheerleader that has everything she wants, given freely by her mother, who seems to reward her for her beauty alone. When she gets drunk at a party, she gets raped by her boyfriend and a friend of hers who tape her and blackmail her into sleeping with them again in order to secure that the tape never gets out. She ends up so broken, unable to stand up for herself, developing the feeling that she actually deserves it, causing even more harm to herself.Julie, a girl so blatantly neglected by her own mother, who prefers her other, more beautiful daughter, develops such jealousy and hatred towards her sister, whom, in the end, she tries to emotionally harm. She gets mean and spiteful, trying to get revenge on her mother's neglect and her sister's popularity.Kyle, a troubled kid, who was pushed by his brother to have sexual relationships with girls he brought over, has become distanced, unable to feel secure in his own skin. Feeling dirty when he gets close with a girl he likes,and angry at his brother, he is the only character sympathetic to Katie's troubles, kind and understanding, trying to help her deal with her problems, in a way searching for his own way out.All these characters had deeply disturbing traits, actions that were questionable at best, and I think that it's part of what made them more real. Because in such situations, it's hart to be logical, and act in a way considered normal. We see changes in their personalities, with roots so deep in their past, that we understand what brought them to that point. There were characters towards whom it was easier to be sympathetic than others, but in all cases I think the most important question was asked: Whose fault is it when a girl jealous of her mother's attention to her sister becomes so cruel,actively try to hurt her? Whose fault is it when a kid that has been beaten repeatedly by his mother's string of boyfriends, lashes out trying to hurt girls, that in his mind act like his mother? When a girl that has been told repeatedly that her beauty is everything, ends up being broken, trapped in her feelings of deserving of pain, and her own will to hurt herself? When a kid,sexually abused, ends up so confused and hurt that doesn't know what to do?The answer is somewhere in the middle, but it poses a great question and in a way that brings tears in your eyes and makes you feel sorry for every "asshole", every "bitch", every "slut" and every "pussy" whose stories we'll never hear.
review 2: Most people would agree that this book is pretty morbid. It's extremely depressing, and it's pretty inappropriate. But it's a good book nonetheless. Pieces of Us is about 4 teens, who leave their lives behind to go to their grandparents house in the summer. Each of the have been abused in different ways. I liked the book, I like books that are gritty and real, and not sugar coated and unbelievable. In this book though, whore, slut, and skank are used repeatedly (usually by Alex). Alex has NO respect for females. Most of the Characters are really unlikable, especially Alex. The writing was pretty good, not PERFECT but most writing isn't. I like books like this, books about dark things and stuff teenagers have to deal with, even though this one was a bit too dismal. What I couldn't really believe was, how Katie could be so strong. If I had to go through what she did I wouldn't be able to cope. I'm not sure if she's just extremely strong, numb, or the book is unrealistic. less

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