A review by coco_lolo
Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert

4.0

This was one of the most difficult books I've read in a while because the topics it covers and the way they are presented nearly gutted me. Conviction wasn't an easy book to read, nor did it have that picturesque happy, hopeful ending that we often expect; rather, Loy told a story that was much more realistic in its highs and lows, and she didn't shy away from tackling subjects such as morality and abuse. I loved seeing Braden walk this line of trying to be everything he was expected to be, all while struggling with religion, his family situation, his love for baseball, and a sense of guilt that practically saturates the text. What really hit me about the book was the family dynamic and how dysfunctional it was. I loved seeing the nuance of the brothers' relationship and them trying to build something better, and Trey was such an interesting character who added another layer of depth to the story. As for the abuse, it was handled in a delicate and realistic way that made me ache for Braden. The dialogue between Braden and his abuser, as well as Loy's decision to make

Spoiler

his father

into a fully fleshed out character, were astounding; these passages were so painful to read, especially because of Braden's notion that he deserved whatever was done to him, that he'd asked for it—that hurt me more than anything else. I'm also amazed by the ending, because while I was emotionally wiped out by that point, it made me question if I would do the same thing were I in Braden's position.

I don't think the story needed any romance; instead, I would have liked to see Braden interact more with his friends on the baseball team. And from the synopsis, I thought the cop's nephew would play a bigger role—perhaps he and Braden would forge some sort of unlikely friendship, which clearly didn't happen. I enjoyed Loy's second novel Picture Us in the Light better, but Conviction was one of the strongest debut novels I've read from a contemporary YA author.