A review by gemmalaszlo
What a Wallflower Wants, by Maya Rodale
5.0
I really enjoyed this. Spoilers throughout.
*trigger warning*
There is a flashback scene of sexual assault that could be triggering for some.
I thought the author did an excellent job of showing what PTSD is like, especially in a time when it wasn't well understood. I also liked how she showed how the rules of society that were intended to keep women "safe" actually put the heroine in danger. For instance, the heroine immediately gets a bad feeling about the villain, yet when he asks her to waltz, she feels she can't say no, because ladies do not refuse offers to dance. When he drags her off the dance floor, she doesn't yell or wrench away because ladies do not cause a scene. After he assaults her, she tells no one (not even her two best friends) because a lady's value is in her virginity, and if anyone finds out she's been raped, society will consider her ruined and worthless. It was heartbreaking to read this. I cried a few times.
I also loved how the heroine didn't immediately "get over" the trauma of her attack when she meets the hero. The way he helped her discover herself again was one of the most powerful scenes I've ever read.
I was listening to an old podcast by Smart Bitch Trashy Books recently where they talked about this novel. I immediately thought, "I have to read this!" and then discovered I'd already bought it! Sweet!
*trigger warning*
There is a flashback scene of sexual assault that could be triggering for some.
I thought the author did an excellent job of showing what PTSD is like, especially in a time when it wasn't well understood. I also liked how she showed how the rules of society that were intended to keep women "safe" actually put the heroine in danger. For instance, the heroine immediately gets a bad feeling about the villain, yet when he asks her to waltz, she feels she can't say no, because ladies do not refuse offers to dance. When he drags her off the dance floor, she doesn't yell or wrench away because ladies do not cause a scene. After he assaults her, she tells no one (not even her two best friends) because a lady's value is in her virginity, and if anyone finds out she's been raped, society will consider her ruined and worthless. It was heartbreaking to read this. I cried a few times.
I also loved how the heroine didn't immediately "get over" the trauma of her attack when she meets the hero. The way he helped her discover herself again was one of the most powerful scenes I've ever read.
I was listening to an old podcast by Smart Bitch Trashy Books recently where they talked about this novel. I immediately thought, "I have to read this!" and then discovered I'd already bought it! Sweet!