loveathena98's review against another edition
Probably going to purchase this book. The prose was good, and the characters relatable and not entirely unfathomable. The message it sends is good, and it reminds me a lot of If I Stay and also The Lovely Bones, which were other good books that changed me even if I have not experienced the actual experiences spoken upon in the book.
stefanilw's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book and I think should be made required reading for Young Adults. Very important message and I will definitely recommend it to others. The reason I did not give it 5 stras is because I felt the storline dragged out a little bit, but I guess that is pretty realistic in situations such as this.
kl_lovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Mockingbirds was partially inspired by Whitney's love for the timeless classic To Kill a Mockingbird and her own experiences in college. It follows the story of Alex Patrick, a junior student of Themis Academy who is striving to become an excelling pianist good enough to attend Juillard School. She is shattered when, one night, she is date-raped by a boy at her school. Not wanting to go to the willfully ignorant school administration, she decides to go to the Mockingbirds, an underground council of students dedicated to bringing justice to the student population.
I commend Daisy Whitney for an excellent first novel. The way she wrote out the perspective of a date rape victim was great although some aspects of Alex's voice I found to be a little unrealistic/not believable. Actually, the premise of Mockingbirds, from the system being run by high school students to the 'trials' (just a little spoiler!), requires the reader to suspend the reality of high school life just a bit, particularly when it is continually reinforced that Themis is a 'progressive' school. However, the procedure of the Mockingbirds in dealing with the issues and problems of the school was fascinating to read through. Alex's way of dealing with what happened to her would not necessarily be completely true for most victims in the real world, but she has a hopeful outlook that may be uplifting for readers.
Mockingbirds is an empowering novel for teenagers, most of whom often feel powerless themselves when dealing with family, peers, or school. It is a feel-good novel bent on reinforcing the ideas of social justice, as Atticus Finch did for Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird.
I commend Daisy Whitney for an excellent first novel. The way she wrote out the perspective of a date rape victim was great although some aspects of Alex's voice I found to be a little unrealistic/not believable. Actually, the premise of Mockingbirds, from the system being run by high school students to the 'trials' (just a little spoiler!), requires the reader to suspend the reality of high school life just a bit, particularly when it is continually reinforced that Themis is a 'progressive' school. However, the procedure of the Mockingbirds in dealing with the issues and problems of the school was fascinating to read through. Alex's way of dealing with what happened to her would not necessarily be completely true for most victims in the real world, but she has a hopeful outlook that may be uplifting for readers.
Mockingbirds is an empowering novel for teenagers, most of whom often feel powerless themselves when dealing with family, peers, or school. It is a feel-good novel bent on reinforcing the ideas of social justice, as Atticus Finch did for Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird.
thecozyreaderwbo's review against another edition
3.0
I only made one Goodreads status update on this one:
Finished: A powerful book.
And it most certainly is a powerful book. It's centered around a high school student's date rape experience. Her decision to not report it to the officials or police but instead enlisting the help of a student based group of "jurors" (Mockingjays) that put the accused on trial and if found guilty the accused is stripped of the thing they love most, usually a spot on the sports team they are associated with.
While I enjoyed the strong message this book sent out: that students can govern and penalize each other effectively in the end; I felt that the system that this jury used worked backwards; the accused was already guilty before the trial and received disciplinary actions against them prior to the trial, such as falsely marking the student tardy or absent for classes throughout the day, putting their name in a library book associated with students that were found guilty through the mockingjay system. These actions, while not severe, play a roll on how the student body perceived the student in question jeopardizing the accused students character. There's always a chance that the accused is not guily and these actions suggest that the mockingjay system is infallible and that simply cannot be.
I personally have never been given the date rape drug or been raped so I personally could not relate to the core of this book and the scenes that unfolded along the way.
I would not suggest this book be read by anyone under 14, unless they are sexually active or the victim of rape.
I received this as a review copy from the publisher: Little, Brown, while attending BEA 2010.
Finished: A powerful book.
And it most certainly is a powerful book. It's centered around a high school student's date rape experience. Her decision to not report it to the officials or police but instead enlisting the help of a student based group of "jurors" (Mockingjays) that put the accused on trial and if found guilty the accused is stripped of the thing they love most, usually a spot on the sports team they are associated with.
While I enjoyed the strong message this book sent out: that students can govern and penalize each other effectively in the end; I felt that the system that this jury used worked backwards; the accused was already guilty before the trial and received disciplinary actions against them prior to the trial, such as falsely marking the student tardy or absent for classes throughout the day, putting their name in a library book associated with students that were found guilty through the mockingjay system. These actions, while not severe, play a roll on how the student body perceived the student in question jeopardizing the accused students character. There's always a chance that the accused is not guily and these actions suggest that the mockingjay system is infallible and that simply cannot be.
I personally have never been given the date rape drug or been raped so I personally could not relate to the core of this book and the scenes that unfolded along the way.
I would not suggest this book be read by anyone under 14, unless they are sexually active or the victim of rape.
I received this as a review copy from the publisher: Little, Brown, while attending BEA 2010.
michellesantiago's review against another edition
5.0
The Mockingbirds tells the story of a girl named Alex who goes to Themis Academy, a top-notch boarding school who caters to an exceptional student body. The school's administration thinks their students were above any wrongdoing. When Alex woke up one morning naked next to Carter, she was horrified that she had sex with a virtual stranger and had no memory of what occurred the night before. She was date raped and going to the teachers and the headmistress will do her no good. At first Alex just wanted to put the whole incident behind her but as her memory of that night returns, Alex realized that she couldn't just forget. Then she also had to deal with the lies Carter was spreading about her. Her roommates urged her to enlist the help of the Mockingbirds--a secret club whose members were the school's own underground police, judge and jury, committed to righting whatever wrongs of their fellow classmates.
I wasn't planning on reading The Mockingbirds once I saw the words "date raped" in the blurb but I was in a contemporary young adults kick and I thought it time I step out of my reading comfort zone so I nervously began reading what I thought will be a very depressing book. Depressing this book was not because instead of focusing on the awful incident, it instead focused more on Alex's healing process. Yes, there parts that were really hard to read like the flashbacks of the night the rape occurred (if I was watching a movie I'd have my hands over my eyes) but it's not a sad book. The author didn't sugarcoat the consequences of date rape and Alex's feelings of confusion, guilt, self-blame and fear was painfully honest and I felt for her. But ultimately Alex's story of redemption was moving, even uplifting because with the support of her friends, her sisters, the Mockingbirds and Alex helping herself, she did stand up for herself and did not let the incident define who she was. She learned that she was not to blame and that not saying no doesn't equal consent. She came out a stronger person and for fighting for what was right, Themis Academy became a safer place for female students.
I loved Alex's character; she was smart, a passionate musician, talented, had great friends and everything going for her. Through her first-person narration, you're able to get to know her and her thoughts. She was a very relatable character and if put in the same situation my thoughts, emotions and actions will probably be similar to hers. The secondary characters--her friends, the members of the Mockingbirds, the romantic interest (yes, there's even a lovely little romance in this book)--were all fantastic and the idea of the Mockingbirds society itself was very clever. I absolutely loved the way the author's voice, the way she wrote the story, its tone and how it flowed. The Mockingbirds is an unputdownable read that I quickly devoured in a couple of days (if it wasn't for my job I would've read it straight through). I am not doing it justice in my review but this book is a definite must-read for everyone.
I wasn't planning on reading The Mockingbirds once I saw the words "date raped" in the blurb but I was in a contemporary young adults kick and I thought it time I step out of my reading comfort zone so I nervously began reading what I thought will be a very depressing book. Depressing this book was not because instead of focusing on the awful incident, it instead focused more on Alex's healing process. Yes, there parts that were really hard to read like the flashbacks of the night the rape occurred (if I was watching a movie I'd have my hands over my eyes) but it's not a sad book. The author didn't sugarcoat the consequences of date rape and Alex's feelings of confusion, guilt, self-blame and fear was painfully honest and I felt for her. But ultimately Alex's story of redemption was moving, even uplifting because with the support of her friends, her sisters, the Mockingbirds and Alex helping herself, she did stand up for herself and did not let the incident define who she was. She learned that she was not to blame and that not saying no doesn't equal consent. She came out a stronger person and for fighting for what was right, Themis Academy became a safer place for female students.
I loved Alex's character; she was smart, a passionate musician, talented, had great friends and everything going for her. Through her first-person narration, you're able to get to know her and her thoughts. She was a very relatable character and if put in the same situation my thoughts, emotions and actions will probably be similar to hers. The secondary characters--her friends, the members of the Mockingbirds, the romantic interest (yes, there's even a lovely little romance in this book)--were all fantastic and the idea of the Mockingbirds society itself was very clever. I absolutely loved the way the author's voice, the way she wrote the story, its tone and how it flowed. The Mockingbirds is an unputdownable read that I quickly devoured in a couple of days (if it wasn't for my job I would've read it straight through). I am not doing it justice in my review but this book is a definite must-read for everyone.
emiliebookworld's review against another edition
I first heard about The Mockingbirds in two ways: first through The Contemps, and second through everything that happened with Speak Loudly last September. Personally I’m all for reading a book that will get people talking, especially when it deals with a subject that isn’t talked about as openly as it could be. The Mockingbirds was a great read and dealt with the subject of date rape in a way that makes it so people shouldn’t be afraid of it and as something that happens a lot more than we would like to think.
It’s the start of a new semester and Alex barely remembers what happened on the first Friday night back. She wakes up in a bed that isn’t her own, in a room she doesn’t recognize and everything around her seems to be indicating that she had sex, but she has no recollection of it. Now she doesn’t know what she should do. Did she say yes? Was it date rape? Who knows, Alex just can’t remember anything. With the help of her friends and her older sister, Alex goes to The Mockingbirds, a group of students who rights the wrongs the school’s administration just chooses to ignore. With their help maybe Alex will be able to find out what really happened that night and even possibly overcome it.
I really liked Alex from the start. You always here stories about rape victims being afraid to come forward or even admit what happened to them but Alex came straight out and said it. Sure there were plenty of times where she doubted that it was rape, having flashbacks to that night and remembering only disconnected moments. What made Alex feel more real to me was that she went through a whole range of emotions following what happened to her. Just the fact that she doubted herself, wondered if she was doing the right thing, but despite everything she still made it through and came to terms with what happened. Her friends were also pretty great and had me laughing. The book dealt with a pretty dark subject matter but those moments of laughter were really welcome.
Carter on the other hand was a real jerk. Whenever he showed up I just wanted to chuck my book at the wall. I don’t think there is any way I could have ever liked him. As much as I tried I just couldn’t find he quality that would have sort of made him better. And when the “trial” finally took place, I just hated him that much more. Martin on the other hand I loved. He was your typical cute nerdy guy and I’ll admit I can easily fall for those guys. He was so good to Alex with everything that happened and because of that you just can’t help but like him. Sure there were some moments when I wasn’t too sure what was going on with him but the rest of the time totally made up for that.
Daisy Whitney wrote an amazing story about a subject that a lot of people are afraid to deal with. The way in which Alex’s story is told tells girls that date rape is something that happens a lot more than we would like to think and that it’s not your fault despite what some people like to say. The book is also written a way that makes it impossible to put down. I would always tell myself that I would stop after that chapter but then read on to the next one, and the next and so on.
Overall, The Mockingbirds is an amazing novel and I would never have been able to guess that it was a debut. Daisy Whitney is a wonderful writer and I can’t wait to read the sequel when it comes out.
It’s the start of a new semester and Alex barely remembers what happened on the first Friday night back. She wakes up in a bed that isn’t her own, in a room she doesn’t recognize and everything around her seems to be indicating that she had sex, but she has no recollection of it. Now she doesn’t know what she should do. Did she say yes? Was it date rape? Who knows, Alex just can’t remember anything. With the help of her friends and her older sister, Alex goes to The Mockingbirds, a group of students who rights the wrongs the school’s administration just chooses to ignore. With their help maybe Alex will be able to find out what really happened that night and even possibly overcome it.
I really liked Alex from the start. You always here stories about rape victims being afraid to come forward or even admit what happened to them but Alex came straight out and said it. Sure there were plenty of times where she doubted that it was rape, having flashbacks to that night and remembering only disconnected moments. What made Alex feel more real to me was that she went through a whole range of emotions following what happened to her. Just the fact that she doubted herself, wondered if she was doing the right thing, but despite everything she still made it through and came to terms with what happened. Her friends were also pretty great and had me laughing. The book dealt with a pretty dark subject matter but those moments of laughter were really welcome.
Carter on the other hand was a real jerk. Whenever he showed up I just wanted to chuck my book at the wall. I don’t think there is any way I could have ever liked him. As much as I tried I just couldn’t find he quality that would have sort of made him better. And when the “trial” finally took place, I just hated him that much more. Martin on the other hand I loved. He was your typical cute nerdy guy and I’ll admit I can easily fall for those guys. He was so good to Alex with everything that happened and because of that you just can’t help but like him. Sure there were some moments when I wasn’t too sure what was going on with him but the rest of the time totally made up for that.
Daisy Whitney wrote an amazing story about a subject that a lot of people are afraid to deal with. The way in which Alex’s story is told tells girls that date rape is something that happens a lot more than we would like to think and that it’s not your fault despite what some people like to say. The book is also written a way that makes it impossible to put down. I would always tell myself that I would stop after that chapter but then read on to the next one, and the next and so on.
Overall, The Mockingbirds is an amazing novel and I would never have been able to guess that it was a debut. Daisy Whitney is a wonderful writer and I can’t wait to read the sequel when it comes out.
theladygonzalez's review against another edition
5.0
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney is nothing short of phenomenal. This book has been on my radar for a while now, and I was eagerly anticipating the day when it would finally show up in my mailbox. Well, it came at last, I immediately starting reading it - putting my current read aside. I finished this book the day I began it - I could not put it own. I read it under my table during my Psychology, Children's Lit and Government classes - I read it walking to my car, walking from my car - I had to draw the line while I was actually driving.
The Mockingbirds is a story that absolutley sucks you in. It begins with a heart-wrenching scene; the morning after Alex's first time. The morning after Alex was date raped. From that point on you follow Alex on her quest to find out exactly what happened that horrifying night and then eventually as she seeks out justice. Fearful of her parents reactions, she decides not to go to the police, but instead to enlist the help of the elusive Mockingbirds. Now, being the dense person that I am - before I read the book, I did not get the reference to the beloved Harper Lee novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Somehow, I missed the image of the tree on the cover, the one from the cover of Lee's book. But alas, a light-bulb finally went off while reading. You see, the Mockingbirds are named after the book - they aim to right the injustices of Themis Academy - just like the injustice Tom Robinson faces in Lee's book when he is wrongfully accused and convicted of rape.
I honestly, cannot explain to you how much I enjoyed this book. The entire thing was beautifully written and was one heck of an emotional roller-coaster. You cannot help but identify with Alex as she tries to cope with things and tries to overcome everything. It is absolutely heartbreaking to read as she begins to hide from everyone - she stops going to the cafeteria, she takes the long route to all her classes, she hides in her room; all because she fears she will run into Carter. I would imagine that this is the same reaction I would have and I am sure many other girls would react similarly. We would all like to say that we would never hide - we would stand up and face things, but could we really? I don't know if I would be able to look at something that ugly head on. I would be frightened and unsure, just like Alex.
Alex's narrative is flawless; every thought that she has seems completely spot on with what I would imagine. She is terrified of the entire situation; at first she simply wants to forget it every happened, but as horrible details start coming back to her, she finally realizes that she has to take a stand. She is backed by her faithful group of friends, including her roommates, her music friends and the Mockingbirds. Everyone shows Alex support and it provides her with enough strength to do what is needed.
What makes this book so wonderful is that not only is the storyline remarkable, but it is conveyed is such a mesmerizing and beautiful way. With, The Mockingbirds Whitney pulls on all the right heartstrings and creates an exquisite heroine in Alex - she is a dynamic character who has a tremendous amount of heart and courage. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone - it should be added to everyone's reading list!
The Mockingbirds is a story that absolutley sucks you in. It begins with a heart-wrenching scene; the morning after Alex's first time. The morning after Alex was date raped. From that point on you follow Alex on her quest to find out exactly what happened that horrifying night and then eventually as she seeks out justice. Fearful of her parents reactions, she decides not to go to the police, but instead to enlist the help of the elusive Mockingbirds. Now, being the dense person that I am - before I read the book, I did not get the reference to the beloved Harper Lee novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Somehow, I missed the image of the tree on the cover, the one from the cover of Lee's book. But alas, a light-bulb finally went off while reading. You see, the Mockingbirds are named after the book - they aim to right the injustices of Themis Academy - just like the injustice Tom Robinson faces in Lee's book when he is wrongfully accused and convicted of rape.
I honestly, cannot explain to you how much I enjoyed this book. The entire thing was beautifully written and was one heck of an emotional roller-coaster. You cannot help but identify with Alex as she tries to cope with things and tries to overcome everything. It is absolutely heartbreaking to read as she begins to hide from everyone - she stops going to the cafeteria, she takes the long route to all her classes, she hides in her room; all because she fears she will run into Carter. I would imagine that this is the same reaction I would have and I am sure many other girls would react similarly. We would all like to say that we would never hide - we would stand up and face things, but could we really? I don't know if I would be able to look at something that ugly head on. I would be frightened and unsure, just like Alex.
Alex's narrative is flawless; every thought that she has seems completely spot on with what I would imagine. She is terrified of the entire situation; at first she simply wants to forget it every happened, but as horrible details start coming back to her, she finally realizes that she has to take a stand. She is backed by her faithful group of friends, including her roommates, her music friends and the Mockingbirds. Everyone shows Alex support and it provides her with enough strength to do what is needed.
What makes this book so wonderful is that not only is the storyline remarkable, but it is conveyed is such a mesmerizing and beautiful way. With, The Mockingbirds Whitney pulls on all the right heartstrings and creates an exquisite heroine in Alex - she is a dynamic character who has a tremendous amount of heart and courage. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone - it should be added to everyone's reading list!
froydis's review against another edition
4.0
VERY well done book on a difficult subject. I highly recommend it.