Mini-Review: ALL THE RAGE by Courtney Summers

Title: All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers (@courtney_s)
Published: April 14th, 2015
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
POV: 1st person, past |  present
Pages: 321
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: electronic ARC | hardcover
Source: Netgalley + Publisher |  Purchased
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out,All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

All the Rage features Courtney Summers usual writing style, and that's a compliment. Unflinchingly honest, this book throws harsh truths in your face and dares you to acknowledge them. Nothing is simple or easy when it comes to Romy's story, and this is not an easy read when it comes to your emotions. The novel throws all the ways we fail one another out into the open, and demands a changes in ourselves and in society when it comes to sexual assault victims. Powerful, heartbreaking, and disconcerting, All the Rage is an important story, and it's one that everyone should read. Borrow or buy it, but please, read this book. 

Highlights: Summers' previous novels end feature complex characters and invoke strong emotions, and this book continues that trend. Romy is a flawed protagonist, and she doesn't shy away from that side of herself. Instead, she embraces her reputation, and she demands attention while also trying to fade into the background. Her relationship with her family was nicely portrayed, and I especially loved the budding romance. 

Lowlights: The timeline is admittedly perplexing, but perhaps that was intentional (or maybe the ARC I read was incorrect). I was expecting Kellan to play a larger role in this story, but it has more do with Romy and the residents of the town.

Note: This is a rape story. It's the aftermath of rape, featuring the psychological effects of such horror. It features plenty of bullying and abuse. It's a bit jarring at times, but it's an important story. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf: Loved, 5 out of 5. Courtney Summers never disappoints. Her work is daring, honest, and forces you to take a hard look at your life and society. All the Rage is a powerful story, and I cannot wait to see what Summers writes next. 

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher for review consideration. 

This is no way affected my opinion of the novel. 

DISCUSSION: Elements of an Excellent Story

I've been wondering lately what exactly it is that makes a story excellent. Is it the plot? The world? The characters? Finally, I settled on two elements:

COMPLEX CHARACTERS

Cookie-cutter characters are quite dull, and they show up all over the place. You know them when you see them. They have one or two relatable aspects to their characters, but they have no distinct qualities to make them memorable or interesting. 

Instead of cookie-cutter characters, I look for people. I look for the type of characters who have multiple defining qualities, who are not purely good or bad, but are a mixture. Real. Authentic. I look for a character I haven't read before. A voice that is distinct, honest, and opinionated. A voice that is or is not like my own. 

Examples:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (review): Celaena grows and changes throughout this book – she’s fierce, but still girly. An assassin who is still vulnerable. Brave but sometimes afraid. She’s not either / or, she’s a complicated, multifaceted person.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab (review): I don’t think there’s a single 100% good character in this novel, and I adore it for that reason. The bad guys have a good side, the good guys have a bad side, and it’s easy to find yourself rooting for the supposed villain.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (review): Narrated by Tinker Bell, Tink makes this story feel like a 3rd person narrative due to her focus on Tiger Lily. Yet, both Tiger Lily and Tink end up being developed as fascinating girls with messy personalities.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy by Rae Carson: I kind of hated Elisa in the first novel. She was always whining, a bit dull, and difficult to like. But in the second novel? I adored her. Third novel? Loved her even more. If you want to see a character develop and change, Elisa is a good example.

A UNIQUE HOOK

By hook, I merely mean something that makes this book stand out from all the others. If it’s contemporary, what makes it unique from all the other contemporary stories? If it’s fantasy, what makes the world different?

It does not necessarily have to be never-been-done-before. It does not have to be entirely unique, even a slightly different hook will suffice. It just needs to have an element of interest and intrigue to the story or character. I need something to grasp, something different, something to make me eager to read, and curious to know more. A story with a unique hook is a story that makes readers pay attention by taking the familiar and giving it a twist. 

Examples:

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (review): A contemporary novel where the main characters’ love letters are accidentally mailed to the guys. It’s a simple, cute, awkward concept, and Han pulls it off wonderfully.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (review): Traveling to Central America, plus the author’s artwork is included. Both act as excellent hooks, and they are the reason I picked this book up (and so glad I did because the words, the art, and the descriptions are wonderful).

The Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy by Rae Carson (review): While the princess / chosen one concept is popular, Elisa has something different about her that I hadn’t read before – Godstone. Very strange and peculiar, but it was enough to intrigue me.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King (review): Lucky Linderman and his dreams - I'm not going to say anything more, but the magical realism of this story is well done. 

What do you think are the elements of a good story? What elements make you love your favorite stories? Let me know what you think in the comments! 

Review: SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo

Title: SIEGE AND STORM
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Published: June 4th, 2013
Series: The Grisha #2
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
POV: 1st, past
Pages: 448
Format: ARC
Source: Requested from Publicist
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm."

Darker and more dangerous than ever, SIEGE AND STORM is a simply outstanding sequel. Beginning a few weeks after SHADOW AND BONE's startling conclusion, readers find Mal and Alina on the run as they attempt to stay out of the Darkling's ever-expanding reach. Safety, of course, is an impossible hope for the two of them. After a bloody reunion with the Darkling and his new and terrifying creatures¹, Alina finds that some wounds come with strange side effects. Battling her mind and her growing desire for power, Alina struggles as she decides what role she will play in the coming war. As both Alina and the Darkling push to obtain more power, each suffer consequence for everything that is gained. With new allies and enemies, Alina will have to find the strength to win, no matter the cost.

While book one focused heavily on the Darkling's character and on Alina's new abilities, this sequel gives readers a chance to learn more about Mal and it also delves into the cruel realities of exactly what gaining more Grisha power means for all of these characters. Relationships form, mend, and shatter as the characters either evolve or fall to pieces – nothing and no one remains untouched by the coming war. Bardugo sets the stage with a terror-filled and action-packed beginning, and that tension never fades as the story continues. SIEGE AND STORM gives readers an exciting and surprising story that will leave you begging for more. 

Highlights: I enjoy how the Darkling's new abilities come with a price, and how even Alina becomes slightly corrupted by the power she gains. Nothing is easy for these characters. Sturmhond was a welcome addition, since his character lit up every scene with his sharp wit and overall devilishly charming personality². Old characters reemerge along with the new ones, as well as a few revelations that are important to this story and the next. The best part about this story is that I didn't know what was going to happen next – Bardugo kept me curious as she took Alina and this story in directions I genuinely did not expect. This book has earned a spot on my favorites bookshelf. 

Lowlights: Very little of the Darkling. And silly Mal and his silly, boyish moods. I adore you, Mal, but you really need to pull it together.

1 The nichevo'ya may or may not give me goosebumps. Creepy creatures. *hides*
2 Oh, Sturmhond. He's a very intriguing character, and one that I quite adore.