moniska89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
picsnbooks18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Addiction
ropalimpia's review against another edition
I wanted to reread this book since I loved Ellen Hopkins as a kid, but the teen voice became insufferable. I just can't care about edgy teen problems anymore.
scarletbirb's review against another edition
3.0
For some reason, this book wasn't as great as I thought it would be. In all honesty, the "poems" were incredible, but the story just didn't "do it for me". I understand the whole point of the story, but drugs/sex stories aren't my cup of tea. Although, the ending was somewhat bitter-sweet and I liked it. I recommend this to poetry lovers or people that like harsh stories filled with crime and hardship... not sure if I could stand to read the trilogy though....
andersonh92's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An exciting, quick read. It was an easy read, but not easy to read. Very gritty and raw. I loved re-reading this one, and can’t wait to re-read the rest!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Rape
bigdreamsandwildthings's review against another edition
4.0
“Now it’s crank.
Meth. The monster. It’s a bitch
on the body, but damn do you fly.”
4.5 stars. This is a hard book. But it's an important one, and one that I think the world is better off for having it in it.
Kristina is a good girl; she’s committed to her studies, a faithful daughter, a girl who’s never been kissed. Until she visits her long-lost addict father in Albuquerque, and she’s introduced to the boy who will become her first relationship – along with the meth that is to become the monster that plagues her for life.
It’s difficult to describe Crank or find a quote that summarizes the slow decline that Kristina/Bree experiences, because the format of this book is as crucial to the plot as the harrowing details themselves. Written as a series of poems in first person perspective, the actual content of the narrative is quite sparse and told through figurative language and the physical structure of the poems themselves more than anything. This only makes it more impactful, though; often, the poem mirrors its content, such as “Snow Began to Fall”, written as though the words are slowly gliding down the page like snowflakes. The changing rhythms of the verse, the structure of the poems, and the accessible language Hopkins uses all combine to make this a page turner to the utmost degree.
It’s simultaneously painful and exhilarating to read Kristina’s story. Her addiction comes on slowly at first, with hope remaining that she might fight it off, but eventually, it becomes clear that the monster has her firmly in its grasp. The details here are sparse, as mentioned, but I can absolutely see why this is a challenged book. Nothing is too dark, and though the word count is low, the emotions Kristina experiences and the events she lives through are brutal. Rape, pregnancy, drug dealing – Kristina chooses the dark side at every turn, and the monster’s pull is so strong that I even felt it, sickening though it is, because I was so involved in Kristina’s head. This is a book that is unflinching, raw, and powerful in its unwillingness to brush over the truth of the draw of drugs and darkness. I fully understand why teens remain drawn to it, and why it would be such an important book for those who have been touched by addiction. It's addicting itself, and as difficult to put down as it is to read through.
Meth. The monster. It’s a bitch
on the body, but damn do you fly.”
4.5 stars. This is a hard book. But it's an important one, and one that I think the world is better off for having it in it.
Kristina is a good girl; she’s committed to her studies, a faithful daughter, a girl who’s never been kissed. Until she visits her long-lost addict father in Albuquerque, and she’s introduced to the boy who will become her first relationship – along with the meth that is to become the monster that plagues her for life.
It’s difficult to describe Crank or find a quote that summarizes the slow decline that Kristina/Bree experiences, because the format of this book is as crucial to the plot as the harrowing details themselves. Written as a series of poems in first person perspective, the actual content of the narrative is quite sparse and told through figurative language and the physical structure of the poems themselves more than anything. This only makes it more impactful, though; often, the poem mirrors its content, such as “Snow Began to Fall”, written as though the words are slowly gliding down the page like snowflakes. The changing rhythms of the verse, the structure of the poems, and the accessible language Hopkins uses all combine to make this a page turner to the utmost degree.
It’s simultaneously painful and exhilarating to read Kristina’s story. Her addiction comes on slowly at first, with hope remaining that she might fight it off, but eventually, it becomes clear that the monster has her firmly in its grasp. The details here are sparse, as mentioned, but I can absolutely see why this is a challenged book. Nothing is too dark, and though the word count is low, the emotions Kristina experiences and the events she lives through are brutal. Rape, pregnancy, drug dealing – Kristina chooses the dark side at every turn, and the monster’s pull is so strong that I even felt it, sickening though it is, because I was so involved in Kristina’s head. This is a book that is unflinching, raw, and powerful in its unwillingness to brush over the truth of the draw of drugs and darkness. I fully understand why teens remain drawn to it, and why it would be such an important book for those who have been touched by addiction. It's addicting itself, and as difficult to put down as it is to read through.
linnieq's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
amultitudeofdrops's review against another edition
2.0
i liked it, but it wasn't awesome. There really wasn't much to it. girl becomes addicted to meth and then all the stereotypical dramas that come with drug addiction happen. besides it being written in poems, there wasn't really anything original or special about it.
booshort's review against another edition
3.0
I've never really read a book like this. I loved the poetry, and I'm definitely picking up more of Hopkins' books, I did have to put it down for a while, hence the amount of time it took to finish it, but overall an amazing read.