Teen realistic fiction. As I was browsing what to listen to as I was working I saw this title and remembered reading another book by the same author, Fat Cat, that I enjoyed and so I downloaded it and started to listen. This story starts out with some major fallout that is happening to a freshman girl, Mena. All of her friends from the church she attends hate her and her own parents are very upset with her. It takes at least halfway through the book to find out why, although there are hints thrown along the way. Without spoiling the plot Mena and her family attend a church whose tenets are very restrictive to the point of bullying those who do not follow said tenets. This comes to a head when the high school science teacher starts the unit on evolution. The pastor of Mena's church and the youth stage a protest against the curriculum. Mena ends up in the middle of it all and for most of the book is completely at a loss as to how to fix her life and find happiness again with her faith, her church, her parents, her friends.
This narrative was frustrating to listen to at times as I was trying to see each situation from multiple points of view, i.e. Mena's former friends in her church, her parents, her science teacher, her new friends, and Mena herself. The situation seemed impossible to resolve, but did somewhat in the end, although not completely. It had me thinking how I react to different viewpoints as Mena seemed to give everyone the benefit of the doubt even when she herself was being bullied. Many of the characters beliefs where complicated and multi-layered, which is how all of us are I believe.
Recommend: Yes
No comments:
Post a Comment