Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Realistic
Worldcat Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Valerie, whose boyfriend Nick committed a school shooting at the end of their junior year, struggles to cope with integrating herself back into high school life, unsure herself whether she was a hero or a villain.Bookskoetter Rating: 3/5
Bookskoetter Review:
I apparently need to read summaries of these books before I read them, because I unintentionally read two books in a row that not only featured protagonists whose best friends committed suicide in May, but also begin the novel with the protagonist facing the beginning of a new school year. I have to say, I preferred Hold Still because I felt better able to connect to the protagonist, and I felt that it was a bit more realistic. However, the protagonist in Hate List faced a much more intense and heartbreaking situation than the protagonist in Hold Still, and I found myself more emotionally affected by the storyline. Part of that, I am sure, is that the book deals with a school shooting, and I work at a high school. I predict that Hate List will be a favorite among students reading Gateway nominees this year, and that it will spark animated discussions among students about school shootings, bullying, and stereotypes. I would recommend it to any teen who enjoys realistic fiction, who has seen or felt the effects of bullying or school shootings, and who wants to be taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
I apparently need to read summaries of these books before I read them, because I unintentionally read two books in a row that not only featured protagonists whose best friends committed suicide in May, but also begin the novel with the protagonist facing the beginning of a new school year. I have to say, I preferred Hold Still because I felt better able to connect to the protagonist, and I felt that it was a bit more realistic. However, the protagonist in Hate List faced a much more intense and heartbreaking situation than the protagonist in Hold Still, and I found myself more emotionally affected by the storyline. Part of that, I am sure, is that the book deals with a school shooting, and I work at a high school. I predict that Hate List will be a favorite among students reading Gateway nominees this year, and that it will spark animated discussions among students about school shootings, bullying, and stereotypes. I would recommend it to any teen who enjoys realistic fiction, who has seen or felt the effects of bullying or school shootings, and who wants to be taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
1 comment:
I agree with your prediction that Hate List will be a favorite this year.
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