Emma is eighteen years old, she’s confident, she’s beautiful. One day she wakes up after a party, unable to remember much of what happened. There are photos, however – photos on snapchat and facebook, showing in explicit detail what happened. Emma has been raped – but the reactions this event brings are not what you expect.
Emma is a complex character, and to be honest, in the opening of the book she’s not very likeable. By the end though, my heart was breaking for her. Louise avoids the easier route, of focusing on the court case, or using different narrators – everything is seen through Emma’s eyes, and we feel everything she feels. I read some of the reactions, and realised I knew people who would probably think and say the same.
You’ll find lots of detailed reviews out there, but all I’m going to say is that this should be recommended reading for every teenager – it’s a difficult book to read, but these issues of rape, blame and consent need to be highlighted and talked about.
This powerful, important book is published 3rd Sept 2015 by Quercus – read it!
BCF Book Reviews 