pebblespenguin1's review
5.0
‘Collateral’ was Ellen Hopkins second book in her adult series and oh my goodness was it fantastic.
Cole is a marine and Ashley is a college student who wants to be a social worker. They are in love but can their love survive the war?
‘Collateral’ was a bombshell of a novel. It was a hard hitting, dramatic, tear down your heart strings, action packed, page turner.
I loved this book, I have many members of my family who have served this country in the military so this book really hit home for me.
This book discusses what these soldiers really go through. Nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoia, substance abuse, you name it, soldiers suffer from it, they come back and they have nothing. They don’t have the jobs they were promised or the homes they had when they left.
Denial is a wide spread disease in this country, war is real, everyone realizes this fact but not many people realize the fact of what war really is and what it does to the soldiers.
Ironically the day after I finished ‘Collateral’ a marine showed up on my doorstep. He was doing a program for wounded soldiers. His story broke my heart, 23 years old, he was shot, lost his hearing in one ear, and had lost all of his memories from his junior year in high school back do to a blast that sent him flying, leaving a piece of remnant in his head. He also suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The horrible things he went through to serve his country and now the government won’t even pay for their tuition to go to school. It just breaks my heart.
Every time you see a soldier you should always give him or her, your thanks. A simple ‘Thank you for your service,’ will not cost you anything but it may have cost them more than you can ever understand so please just do this one simple thing, it is your civilian duty as far as I am concerned.
Everyone should really read this book, it is a big eye opener for many and it is beautifully written. I highly, highly recommend it.
This book really captured it. It was a truly amazing book, written brilliantly.
Ashley and Cole’s story was a really tragic one and sadly it happens around the world every day. A soldier returns home broken beyond repair.
A soldier sent back to his wife and children and a coffin never getting to say goodbye,
A mother getting nothing but her daughter’s dog tags, always wondering if there is a possibility that she somehow survived, when there were no remains.
A soldier losing her limbs before she is even 25 and can truly even begin her life.
That is war. War is ugly. War is real. War is and always will be Satan’s favorite form of entertainment,
Cole is a marine and Ashley is a college student who wants to be a social worker. They are in love but can their love survive the war?
‘Collateral’ was a bombshell of a novel. It was a hard hitting, dramatic, tear down your heart strings, action packed, page turner.
I loved this book, I have many members of my family who have served this country in the military so this book really hit home for me.
This book discusses what these soldiers really go through. Nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoia, substance abuse, you name it, soldiers suffer from it, they come back and they have nothing. They don’t have the jobs they were promised or the homes they had when they left.
Denial is a wide spread disease in this country, war is real, everyone realizes this fact but not many people realize the fact of what war really is and what it does to the soldiers.
Ironically the day after I finished ‘Collateral’ a marine showed up on my doorstep. He was doing a program for wounded soldiers. His story broke my heart, 23 years old, he was shot, lost his hearing in one ear, and had lost all of his memories from his junior year in high school back do to a blast that sent him flying, leaving a piece of remnant in his head. He also suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The horrible things he went through to serve his country and now the government won’t even pay for their tuition to go to school. It just breaks my heart.
Every time you see a soldier you should always give him or her, your thanks. A simple ‘Thank you for your service,’ will not cost you anything but it may have cost them more than you can ever understand so please just do this one simple thing, it is your civilian duty as far as I am concerned.
Everyone should really read this book, it is a big eye opener for many and it is beautifully written. I highly, highly recommend it.
This book really captured it. It was a truly amazing book, written brilliantly.
Ashley and Cole’s story was a really tragic one and sadly it happens around the world every day. A soldier returns home broken beyond repair.
A soldier sent back to his wife and children and a coffin never getting to say goodbye,
A mother getting nothing but her daughter’s dog tags, always wondering if there is a possibility that she somehow survived, when there were no remains.
A soldier losing her limbs before she is even 25 and can truly even begin her life.
That is war. War is ugly. War is real. War is and always will be Satan’s favorite form of entertainment,
glendaleereads's review
3.0
I love Ellen Hopkins young adult novels so I really though this was going to blow me away like her other books, but eh it fell short. Her other adult novel Triangles was good and I enjoyed reading Collateral but it seems like Hopkins rushed the ending. Yes I understand that this book is written in verse but she builds up this relationship between the main character Ashley and her marine boyfriend Cole and its this relationship that you know as a reader is probably not going to end well so throughout the whole story I am expecting this explosive conclusion to this five year relationship and all I got was a few stanzas of it.
Overall, the story line was interesting and the prose terrific as always with Hopkins but in my honest opinion, I think Hopkins should stick to the genre Young Adult, it just works better for her style of writing. Adult Fiction in verse? its just to hard to capture everything, especially with the topic of this book.
Overall, the story line was interesting and the prose terrific as always with Hopkins but in my honest opinion, I think Hopkins should stick to the genre Young Adult, it just works better for her style of writing. Adult Fiction in verse? its just to hard to capture everything, especially with the topic of this book.
kaylakaotik's review
2.0
Rating 2.5 stars
Ellen Hopkins is one of my favorite authors. To date, this has been the only novel of hers that disappointed me.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about Ellen Hopkins’s books has always been her ability to pull off stories done in verse. It didn’t happen here. While I want the story to be a complete story (and it was), it didn’t read like poetry to me. It read like a story that was cut up and formatted to look like poetry instead of being actual poetry. This was probably the biggest disappointment for me.
The story was frustrating. There were so many times when I wish Ashley would just get fed up with Cole’s BS and leave him. Ashley is supposed to be smart, but her actions prove otherwise. As someone that’s been in a relationship and refused to leave (even when I knew I should) because of love, I could understand to a certain extent. By the end of the book, though, I was irritated and fed up with Ashley. Instead of seeing a smart woman, I saw a weak, selfish, and naive girl. After everything she had been through with Cole, it was disappointing to see that she had grown little as a character. Cole’s character is hard to flesh out in the story as we don’t see very much from his point-of-view. We’re presented with certain facts about him and left to fill in the rest of it ourselves. Unfortunately, I feel like this paints Cole into a negative light that doesn’t necessarily do justice to who he really is. [Note, I'm not defending him or his actions.]
Overall, I didn’t care for Collateral very much. I was really looking forward to this book and I’m saddened that it didn’t live up to my expectations. That being said, I’m sure many people will love Collateral.
Ellen Hopkins is one of my favorite authors. To date, this has been the only novel of hers that disappointed me.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about Ellen Hopkins’s books has always been her ability to pull off stories done in verse. It didn’t happen here. While I want the story to be a complete story (and it was), it didn’t read like poetry to me. It read like a story that was cut up and formatted to look like poetry instead of being actual poetry. This was probably the biggest disappointment for me.
The story was frustrating. There were so many times when I wish Ashley would just get fed up with Cole’s BS and leave him. Ashley is supposed to be smart, but her actions prove otherwise. As someone that’s been in a relationship and refused to leave (even when I knew I should) because of love, I could understand to a certain extent. By the end of the book, though, I was irritated and fed up with Ashley. Instead of seeing a smart woman, I saw a weak, selfish, and naive girl. After everything she had been through with Cole, it was disappointing to see that she had grown little as a character. Cole’s character is hard to flesh out in the story as we don’t see very much from his point-of-view. We’re presented with certain facts about him and left to fill in the rest of it ourselves. Unfortunately, I feel like this paints Cole into a negative light that doesn’t necessarily do justice to who he really is. [Note, I'm not defending him or his actions.]
Overall, I didn’t care for Collateral very much. I was really looking forward to this book and I’m saddened that it didn’t live up to my expectations. That being said, I’m sure many people will love Collateral.
brgraves1992's review
4.0
This was a good book, but not great. It was definitely not Ellen Hopkins' best work. I think she does a decent job of exploring the trials of being involved with someone in the military, or even in general, someone who is simply not there with you in person all the time. I dislike how the story aims to showcase that only violence, death, infidelity, or trauma can result from being with a military man. I understand Ellen's goal with the novel, I simply wish she would have shown that some women are with a military man because they are strong enough, can handle it, can handle him, and that their man is not so incredibly screwed up from his involvement that he beats her or gets angry easily or can find easy validation in any act of violence. Thought-provoking story but with an expected ending, leaves an impression for sure. Worth the read, but it starts slow. I never really bought that Ashley and Cole made a good couple or were in love, so it was hard to get through the story quickly.
cbeghuin's review
5.0
This has been everything I expect in an Ellen Hopkins novel. Enticing, intriguing and educational. My expectations were high going into this book and I leave satisfied.
aprilmarius23's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Racism, and War
Minor: Homophobia and Animal cruelty
kaylaannsreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Physical abuse, and Drug use
samreadsalittle's review
2.0
2.5?
Really? Really? REALLY??
I literally rolled my eyes at the end of this book. The entire book was about their relationship, and to have it end in a matter of what 3 or 4 pages? Just ridiculous! I wanted more!
And why didn't he try to go after her?? Just seemed a little out of character for him. Idk... not my favorite from Ellen Hopkins
Really? Really? REALLY??
I literally rolled my eyes at the end of this book. The entire book was about their relationship, and to have it end in a matter of what 3 or 4 pages? Just ridiculous! I wanted more!
And why didn't he try to go after her?? Just seemed a little out of character for him. Idk... not my favorite from Ellen Hopkins
jslavensky's review
5.0
Best book I've ever read by far!! I love the light it sheds on the war and having a relationship with someone during active duty. My father was in the army and I've had close friends in high school enlist in the army, and Air Force, so this hits close to home. I wrote regularly to a friend once a few years back that wanted a relationship while he served in the Air Force but unfortunately I was with someone else. I couldn't imagine being with someone that served and risked their lives while their loved ones worried at home! God bless all of those that have served and are still serving and risking their lives for us! You all and your families hold a special place in my heart!