Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, GLBT, Realistic Fiction
Rate: 3.5/5
Rate: 3.5/5
Mattie shouldn’t be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason. But now Mattie is a senior, and she’s sick of missing things. So here she is. And there’s Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know; she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson. But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can’t figure out where Jolene ends and she begins. Because there’s something Mattie hasn’t told anyone—she walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left. Poignant and provocative, Marcy Beller Paul’s debut novel tells the story of an intoxicating—and toxic—relationship that blurs the boundary between reality and fantasy, love and loyalty, friendship and obsession.
Let's play a game. You know the rules, right?
I never liked books.
I never wrote stories.
I never took karate.
I never almost killed my best friend
This book was supposed to be about a toxic friendship, and I sure got that. I was continually stunned by what Jolene did. She went too far. She always went too far. I don't care if she said she wouldn't hurt Mattie. It's wrong. I don't care if Mattie got a rush from it. Suffocating someone is not a good way to show love. What Jolene did was dangerous, risky. I'm a normally cautious person, so what she did really freaked me out.
Admittedly, reading the things Jolene did gave me a little bit of a rush. Not that I'd ever do those things to any of my friends. I consider my friends my family. But I felt like I was experiencing those things. The author made me feel Mattie's fear and panic. But don't think I want to be suffocated or tied up. I'll stick to my books and whatnots. Thanks but no thanks.
I actually felt like Jolene had some sort of mental disorder. I'm not trying to categorize her; I'm trying to understand her. I'm not sure which mental disorder, though.
Jolene always pushed things too far. She coated Mattie in stories and drowned her in fantasy. I feel like it's actually Jolene that is drowning in fantasy. She acted as if she was superior, but it was all an act. For this, I started to hate Jolene. I truly, vehemently hated her. She was putting people in danger. All for the thrills. All for Mattie. That's not right.
Mattie felt so boring. I know that's probably really vague. I wanted Mattie to change. I wanted her to become someone else or at least experience a final conclusion. She really ended up at the same place as in the start of the book. She didn't learn much. She didn't realize things. I was disappointed in her. You didn't learn anything from your experiences? Seriously?
Now, I want to take a moment to talk about Hudson. He's truly a nice guy. Truly. I don't think he'd hurt a fly. But he was pushed around and hurt. I would love to make him a match. I think he doesn't deserve any of the things that both Mattie and Jolene put through. He deserves happiness.
Does this mean I approve of the romance? Nope. Do I still want happiness for Hudson? Yes. Does that mean his happiness will come from being with Mattie? Nope.
BOOK LINKS:
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/
Barnes & Noble (B&N): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
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Marcy Beller Paul is a young adult author, former editor, and full-time mom
who still has all the notes she passed in seventh grade (and knows how to fold
them)
She graduated from Harvard University and lives in New Jersey with her husband
and two children. Underneath Everything will be published by Balzer + Bray, an
imprint of HarperCollins, in Fall 2015. It is her first novel.
AUTHOR LINKS:
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