Synopsis: {courtesy of amazon.com}:
Does it get better? The New York Times bestselling author of Crank and Tricks explores the highly charged landscapes of bullying and forgiveness with brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance.
Matthew Turner knows it doesn’t get better.
His younger brother Luke was bullied mercilessly after one of Matt’s friends outed Luke to the whole school, and when Luke called Matt—on the brink of suicide—Matt was too wrapped up in his new girlfriend to answer the phone. Now Luke is gone, and Matt’s family is falling apart.
No matter what his girlfriend Hayden says about forgiveness, there’s no way Matt’s letting those he blames off the hook—including himself. As Matt spirals further into bitterness, he risks losing Hayden, the love of his life. But when her father begins to pressure the school board into banning books because of their homosexual content, he begins to wonder if he and Hayden ever had anything in common.
With brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance, bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s Rumble explores bullying and suicide in a story that explores the worth of forgiveness and reconciliation.
{Review}: Ellen Hopkins was my first TRUE YA love.
Does it get better? The New York Times bestselling author of Crank and Tricks explores the highly charged landscapes of bullying and forgiveness with brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance.
Matthew Turner knows it doesn’t get better.
His younger brother Luke was bullied mercilessly after one of Matt’s friends outed Luke to the whole school, and when Luke called Matt—on the brink of suicide—Matt was too wrapped up in his new girlfriend to answer the phone. Now Luke is gone, and Matt’s family is falling apart.
No matter what his girlfriend Hayden says about forgiveness, there’s no way Matt’s letting those he blames off the hook—including himself. As Matt spirals further into bitterness, he risks losing Hayden, the love of his life. But when her father begins to pressure the school board into banning books because of their homosexual content, he begins to wonder if he and Hayden ever had anything in common.
With brilliant sensitivity and emotional resonance, bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s Rumble explores bullying and suicide in a story that explores the worth of forgiveness and reconciliation.
{Review}: Ellen Hopkins was my first TRUE YA love.
I’ll set the scene for you: I was in my local
B & N a number of years ago {I want to say 2-3 ish?}, and I noticed her
book “Crank” on the shelves. It looked intriguing, and I took a peek inside,
and knew I’d be through it in no time flat {for those who haven’t had the
pleasure, Hopkins does an amazing job of writing in prose—short, sweet
verses, that although don’t rhyme, almost feel like you’re reading a collection
of immensely moving short stories, which are all really intertwined. By the end of the weekend, I’d hibernated,
and read every one of the series {including Glass & Fallout}. I’ve picked
up almost every one since, and I’ve really enjoyed every single one.
Including Rumble.
We meet Matt, a highschooler who has just
recently lost his brother to suicide. His brother is a homosexual, and you
realize throughout the novel that he was bullied into making the
decision to end his life.
Matt also just happens to have an
ultra-conservative girlfriend {who is a bit of a Jesus freak}, and who seems
supportive at the beginning of this tale, but you have a feeling (even from the
first couple of pages), that it’s all going to end badly between them.
Matt’s parents are also mid-relationship
breakdown during this story.
I enjoyed this book for so many reasons.
Least of all that Ellen Hopkins isn’t afraid of tackling the vital issues of today’s teens—teenage suicide,
depression, divorce, cheating, bullying, PTSD, alcoholism, you name it… it’s in
this masterfully created YA novel.
And like most EH stories...this one went from TBR to finished in less than a day {3-4 hours to be exact}.
I couldn't put it away.
{Where can I buy this?}:
{What would I rate it?}: 4.9/5. Masterfully
done.
{Who would I recommend this book to?}: Anyone
who is handling any of the above issues in their own lives, and any/all teens.
It’s a great book not only about the issues, but also about forgiveness and
acceptance of the hand you’re dealt in life.
I would also suggest ANY of Hopkins' tales for young reluctant readers. She has a way of completely captivating you, and with the short verses...I feel as though this audience would be entranced at first glance.
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