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A review by tyler_j
Mean Little People by Paige Dearth
5.0
I wanted to run away, screaming in terror from this story so many times while reading it. It is the most difficult book to get through as well as review I have ever read. Nothing could have prepared me for this story and the horrors that awaited me within it. I can't even write this review without crying.
Tony was bullied at school as well as at home by his father. At just 13 years old he paid the price for a crime he didn't commit. He went to juvenile detention, where the adults are supposed to protect and help the kids there to do better, but instead that often isn't the case at all. Adults who should know better can be the biggest monsters of all. His father threw him out on the streets at 13 and his life just keeps getting worse from there. Are there some happy moments? Sure, but don't get used to them. When you think it couldn't possibly get worse, it does. When you think it couldn't get more heart-breaking, it will.
This story is horrific...but it's entirely realistic, which just adds to the horror. Real people live with these horrors. Real people go through this crap. It's a world gone wrong. A little love and caring could have gone a long way. It's about a boy abused and neglected at every turn, just trying to survive and in order to just survive he ends up having to do horrible things. This book takes you on his journey, through all the crap life throws at him, through all his feelings and thoughts. It made me feel so much for him, to cry so many ugly tears. And even typing this they keep coming...it's been nearly a day since I finished the story before writing this up, and I can't stop crying or thinking about it. I know this story will stay with me, and I will never look at anyone the same way again. You never know what they've been through to get to where they are today.
I get why this book is written the way it is, to tear your heart to shreds. It contains a very important message on bullying and where it can lead. How it CAN stop, these horrors don't need to happen. But it won't stop unless we look these stories in the eyes and take them in. Stories like this need to be told and listened to, no matter how hard it is. Because of how hard it is. If it's this hard to read it, imagine the kids living it.
Stuff that you might worry about while reading does get challenged and tackled in the book. It tackles so many things. And stuff is obviously ment to cause horror, to not be agreed with. I can see why it was written that way, if it wasn't the impact and meaning might be lost.
Tony gets PTSD from stuff he goes through, anyone that lives the life he did would. His nightmares, the way it affects daily life things, the feelings and shame he has from it all are talked about. As someone with PTSD I related so much. I related to several things in this story actually as well seeing stuff in it that i've seen in real life. I loved the way it handled Tony's PTSD. It talked about how it affected him. Kate, who if you read you will meet in the story, helps him through it. Nothing may ever be perfect but it talks about ways to help those with PTSD in a realistic way.
Themes include everything from bullying, abuse, rape (and when do you ever see a boy getting raped talked about or cared about? In fiction or real life, it's something that needs to be mentioned), love, kindness, sexism, toxic masculinity. To not be so quick to judge others, you never know their life story. The balance between good and evil. How a little kindness and love can mean a lot and even make a world of difference.
There is so much more I want to say but don't know how to say it or don't want to spoil the story. It's something you just have to experience for yourself. Read it when you are in a good headspace and keep the tissues close.
TW: Bullying, Abuse, Neglect, Violence, Rape, Murder, Depression, PTSD, homophobia, fatphobia, fire
Tony was bullied at school as well as at home by his father. At just 13 years old he paid the price for a crime he didn't commit. He went to juvenile detention, where the adults are supposed to protect and help the kids there to do better, but instead that often isn't the case at all. Adults who should know better can be the biggest monsters of all. His father threw him out on the streets at 13 and his life just keeps getting worse from there. Are there some happy moments? Sure, but don't get used to them. When you think it couldn't possibly get worse, it does. When you think it couldn't get more heart-breaking, it will.
This story is horrific...but it's entirely realistic, which just adds to the horror. Real people live with these horrors. Real people go through this crap. It's a world gone wrong. A little love and caring could have gone a long way. It's about a boy abused and neglected at every turn, just trying to survive and in order to just survive he ends up having to do horrible things. This book takes you on his journey, through all the crap life throws at him, through all his feelings and thoughts. It made me feel so much for him, to cry so many ugly tears. And even typing this they keep coming...it's been nearly a day since I finished the story before writing this up, and I can't stop crying or thinking about it. I know this story will stay with me, and I will never look at anyone the same way again. You never know what they've been through to get to where they are today.
I get why this book is written the way it is, to tear your heart to shreds. It contains a very important message on bullying and where it can lead. How it CAN stop, these horrors don't need to happen. But it won't stop unless we look these stories in the eyes and take them in. Stories like this need to be told and listened to, no matter how hard it is. Because of how hard it is. If it's this hard to read it, imagine the kids living it.
Stuff that you might worry about while reading does get challenged and tackled in the book. It tackles so many things. And stuff is obviously ment to cause horror, to not be agreed with. I can see why it was written that way, if it wasn't the impact and meaning might be lost.
Tony gets PTSD from stuff he goes through, anyone that lives the life he did would. His nightmares, the way it affects daily life things, the feelings and shame he has from it all are talked about. As someone with PTSD I related so much. I related to several things in this story actually as well seeing stuff in it that i've seen in real life. I loved the way it handled Tony's PTSD. It talked about how it affected him. Kate, who if you read you will meet in the story, helps him through it. Nothing may ever be perfect but it talks about ways to help those with PTSD in a realistic way.
Themes include everything from bullying, abuse, rape (and when do you ever see a boy getting raped talked about or cared about? In fiction or real life, it's something that needs to be mentioned), love, kindness, sexism, toxic masculinity. To not be so quick to judge others, you never know their life story. The balance between good and evil. How a little kindness and love can mean a lot and even make a world of difference.
There is so much more I want to say but don't know how to say it or don't want to spoil the story. It's something you just have to experience for yourself. Read it when you are in a good headspace and keep the tissues close.
TW: Bullying, Abuse, Neglect, Violence, Rape, Murder, Depression, PTSD, homophobia, fatphobia, fire