FlumeAward – Hate List Discussion page for Hate List.
I really liked this book. It centered around the aftermath of a school shooting told from the perspective of the shooter’s girlfriend. The reader follows the main character’s transition from victim (because she claims she never saw it coming) to self awareness of the role she played in the event whether intentional or not. It was interesting trying to decide if you thought the main character was a victim or partially at fault. I found it refreshing that even though she developed new friendships after the shooting, they weren’t artificial. I liked this story better than "Nineteen Minutes", however the concept of a school shooting was on the list recently. Jenn Hosking
I liked this book, too. I think it shows that even the perpetrators of horrible crimes have a human side. And makes you wonder how seriously to take somebody’s "harmless" remarks or actions. Did this girl ignore major warning signs in her boyfriend that could have prevented tragedy, was she complicit in this school shooting, or was she as much of a victim as everbody else? Even at the book’s end I felt conflicted about the issues presented, but I think that was the author’s purpose. I did not read Nineteen Minutes, so I cannot compare the two. (I don’t like Jodi. I’m sorry, JP fans.) -Diane @ Laconia.
I LOVED this book. I also loved Nineteen Minutes and I don’t think books about violence in American school are overdone yet. The characters drew me in because the author didn’t let you just like or dislike them. She did a good job of showing how people are not one dimensional. I strongly suggest this is a keeper for Flume.
~Kathy Watson, Kimball Library