Oh god, this book. This poor book. This poor girl. I know I’m a grown adult reading this YA novel about a teenager and revelling in all of the typical YA tropes, but this book broke my soul.
I read the “What Happened” section towards the end last night, and it had me in tears for nearly an hour because it triggered my own memories of my own rape. Which I guess was kind of why I’d read it in the first place, because I was struggling with emotional numbness towards the event and was spiralling with PTSD symptoms, and I needed to trigger myself in order to cry. I don’t know why I feel the need to do that, but yeah.
God, I identify with so much of the post-trauma behaviours listed in the book. I barely recognise myself and the person that I’ve become in the aftermath is unrecognisable from the way I used to be, just like the crisis that Eden struggled with.
Has anyone else read the book? How did it make you feel? Anyone identified with the book as well and found it cathartic to read it? I probably sound like a crazy person haha.
by throw-x-awayz
4 Comments
I haven’t read it but you dont sound crazy!! I enjoy YA, it can be very cathartic in its simplicity.
I just finished reading the book and damn what a sad book. I would never be able to relate to it completely. The last few pages were difficult for me to read and I cant even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for you.
I read somewhere that it felt like a drag to them but it I never felt so. The author made sure that the reader was always kept in touch with Eden’s thoughts and emotions. This will never help me understand what someone might go through after they’re exposed to such a situation but I felt it at least gave me a window into how it must feel for someone.
I loved this book so much. I mean I read this book like 3 times I cried every single time. I relate to Eden so much. Whenever I feel numb, or get triggered by something I feel numb and I thought I shouldn’t feel like it you know. But, reading it gave me comfort and I feel better like maybe it’s okay to feel numb. I can have this reaction. It’s not my fault it happened to me.
Then I searched so many similar books, I came across a single book that touched me. It’s {Faking normal by Courtney C Stevens}. I think this is a must read.
It’s such a good book, it’s my favorite book because I can relate so much and also because it’s so well written, but I would’ve needed a comfort scene at the end