A review by megmccreery
Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas
1.0
Anyone who recommends this book is absolutely fucking delusional.
This was written like a 2013 Wattpad fanfic, and while After was a problem, I would beg that this book was 100 percent more of a problem. The girls that say Misha is their dream dude-- do you need help? Are you okay?
Misha and Ryen's relationship is the most toxic and absolutely insane thing I've ever read. Somehow this is marketed as a romance, but it's really just gaslighting, manipulating, and bullying each other into somehow thinking they work together and should stay together. All of the other plot lines that weren't about their relationship are equally insane and so stupid. Ryen's fourth grade thing where she ditched her friend is so dumb. Misha's whole fake identity plot was obscene. And all of this is happening in HIGH SCHOOL. I think people are so blinded by the spice to remember everything else that happened in the actual plot, and the fact that it's all around high schoolers is BAD.
Like 50 pages in, Misha breaks into Ryen's house, steals her journal, threatens to spread the pages around the school, basically attacks her and threatens her with scissors, and then he just leaves. Sir! That's breaking and entering! And assault! Crimes! And Ryen's like not even phased and still continues to interact with him for the rest of the book. I'll leave this review with some of the just ~iconic in such a bad way~ quotes from this book.
"But I have to admit, fucking with her in class today was the first time I've smiled in a while. It's hard to resist." -Misha about Ryen
"What a double-edged sword. Am I angry she's a fake, weak-assed, little liar? Yes. But am I happy she's got the body of a 🌽⭐️? Hell yes. She doesn't have to talk for me to look." - Misha
"I want my deliquent." -Misha
"'You're all over Facebook, shaking your ass and doing body shots. I'm not happy.'" - Misha
"I'm sick of her defiance and how she won't give me an inch." - Misha
"'I wish we would have met in grade school,' I say quietly, smiling to myself. 'We would've played well together. On the playground, I mean.'" - Misha
"He hurt me, and I hurt him, but shit happens and love doesn't change. He makes me happier, he makes me stronger, and he knows everything and still wants me. If he can say the same, then this is it. The real thing. This is us together." -Ryen (YOU'RE DELUSIONAL)
Also, the epilogue is TERRIBLE. Five years later is 23, and they're married and Ryen is pregnant. And somehow Misha is a rockstar with the band even though his lyrics suck so bad.
This was written like a 2013 Wattpad fanfic, and while After was a problem, I would beg that this book was 100 percent more of a problem. The girls that say Misha is their dream dude-- do you need help? Are you okay?
Misha and Ryen's relationship is the most toxic and absolutely insane thing I've ever read. Somehow this is marketed as a romance, but it's really just gaslighting, manipulating, and bullying each other into somehow thinking they work together and should stay together. All of the other plot lines that weren't about their relationship are equally insane and so stupid. Ryen's fourth grade thing where she ditched her friend is so dumb. Misha's whole fake identity plot was obscene. And all of this is happening in HIGH SCHOOL. I think people are so blinded by the spice to remember everything else that happened in the actual plot, and the fact that it's all around high schoolers is BAD.
Like 50 pages in, Misha breaks into Ryen's house, steals her journal, threatens to spread the pages around the school, basically attacks her and threatens her with scissors, and then he just leaves. Sir! That's breaking and entering! And assault! Crimes! And Ryen's like not even phased and still continues to interact with him for the rest of the book. I'll leave this review with some of the just ~iconic in such a bad way~ quotes from this book.
"But I have to admit, fucking with her in class today was the first time I've smiled in a while. It's hard to resist." -Misha about Ryen
"What a double-edged sword. Am I angry she's a fake, weak-assed, little liar? Yes. But am I happy she's got the body of a 🌽⭐️? Hell yes. She doesn't have to talk for me to look." - Misha
"I want my deliquent." -Misha
"'You're all over Facebook, shaking your ass and doing body shots. I'm not happy.'" - Misha
"I'm sick of her defiance and how she won't give me an inch." - Misha
"'I wish we would have met in grade school,' I say quietly, smiling to myself. 'We would've played well together. On the playground, I mean.'" - Misha
"He hurt me, and I hurt him, but shit happens and love doesn't change. He makes me happier, he makes me stronger, and he knows everything and still wants me. If he can say the same, then this is it. The real thing. This is us together." -Ryen (YOU'RE DELUSIONAL)
Also, the epilogue is TERRIBLE. Five years later is 23, and they're married and Ryen is pregnant. And somehow Misha is a rockstar with the band even though his lyrics suck so bad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder and Hate crime