A review by akissforcatullus
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

!! This review contains spoilers !!

In the first 60 or so pages, I was enjoying this book. I enjoyed the concept of the MC and love interest sending letters to one another, however, I felt its potential was lost.

We have Misha, a connoisseur of inflicting non-consensual physical contact and thinking all his unsettling behaviour is justified because he’s alone and morose and because his dear old friend turns out to be the opposite of what he expected. Misha think’s it’s his God-given right to bring down Ryen’s mean-girl personality, or just bring her down in general. He feels like her saviour in that regard, when in truth, his actions are primarily sadistic. This man, in the beginning, ADMITS to enjoying treating her like absolute shit, and he calls her so many horrendous names. (Even if momentary, his reasonings for doing so are inexcusable—like I get it, she doesn’t act like a very great person, but the way he goes about it is aggressive and his actions and choices make her seem like an angel in comparison.)

Misha is a giant walking red flag. He’s incredibly controlling right off the bat. Example: he thinks of the bottom half of the clothes Ryen has on during swimming lessons as something “not as conservative as I would like”. He said this when they were hardly acquaintances. He also, from my recollection, never asks if Ryen is okay with anything he does to her, she just ‘implies’ that she is. Which??? No. 

With Misha’s behaviour, it feels quite like him saying/doing an intolerable amount of bad things, but then it’s all forgiven because he “misses her everyday” and because “she’s his favourite place”. With several insults comes one compliment. It totally balances out.

And then we have our girl, Ryen. Ryen isn’t... brainless, however, her background and interests weren’t really delved into enough. She had, at some points, called Misha out on his bullshit, though the few times she defended herself towards Misha, he reacted venomously.

A prime example:
Ryen: “You called me a cunt and cut my hair. You think I’d actually trust you to protect me? (…)”

One would hope Misha would think ‘hm, yeah, she’s got a point.’ NOPE. NO. He just decides to throw her into a POOL.

“Before I know what I’m doing, I sweep her up into my arms and carry her to the side of the pool.” (…) “And I throw her into the pool, hearing her scream as her entire body hits the water, and she completely submerges.”

Let us emphasise the bit where he says ‘Before I know what I’m doing’. Um??? Therapy sounds great. And this moment is simply forgotten! I’d like to add that this is an irrational and RED-FLAG reaction to her stating facts and recalling his crazy actions—where he broke into her house, threatened and assaulted her. Like, why is HE mad?? She stumbled upon his room unknowingly because it was underneath a theme park but, in my opinion, it’s technically not the same as what he did, for he was breaking and entering with intent to do something.   

Some of the twists in this book were predictable, but I was still engaged when reading how it was handled. Misha and Ryen became less insufferable later on in the book. And though I was having to trudge through moments that were played as romantic when they were far from it, I did find myself unable to put this book down. 

I’d like to point out that this story is set in the last few months of high-school, so both characters are 18. I’m close in age as them, however, even I found it, at times, ridiculous (i.e prom is more or less the cornerstone of this book). I would’ve much preferred if it was set in college, or just anything else but highschool. It all felt less substantial and more naïve, which if the actions of both characters didn’t establish that already, then their age and setting does, and solidifies it, too.

Adding onto the naïveté of the characters was how they acted on the basis of their feelings for the other, and how I, as a reader, was supposed to see such acts as serious expressions of love, i.e “heartfelt” music lyrics, dedicated songs, writing on the walls, forceful actions, dialogue consisting of controlling language, and tattoos (I don't wanna talk about it).

Also, I just have to say, the characters’ music taste in this book was hilariously bad. 

Apart from this book holding my attention, the only other kindly thing I can say is that it could’ve been worse, and that in the end it became less abhorrent, for Ryen began to deprioritise popularity and denounce the bad influences in her life. I have to add though, the ending of this book was very very cringe and I disliked it very very much (particularly the last part where she’s in the bathtub). I don’t know how the author thought that was a decent scene to write.

Misha, though he’s much more settled later on, is not the good guy. Misha helping Ryen see some sense doesn’t excuse his aggressive, harmful, and creepy acts despite the outcome. I understand that they’re young and foolish, however, unhealthy behaviour shouldn’t be romanticised nor excused in the way this book does.

In other words, there is nothing beneficial or romantic about Misha and Ryen’s relationship. (i.e Ryen puts it well into words here: “I kissed you. I went to bed with you! The whole time you knew me, and I had no idea. You humiliated me! You’ve been right here in front of me this whole time. Do you have any idea how fucking creepy that is?”)

Another thing that’s extremely disconcerting is that this was a really popular book a while back. In other words, people were sharing this book to other people and RECOMMENDING it???? I shudder at the thought of anyone but especially high-school children reading this and thinking this is how they should treat someone/this is how they should be treated.
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