Crank (Crank Series #1)

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Overview

Life was good
before I
met
the monster.

After,
life
was great.

At
least
for a little while.

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father Kristina disappears, and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless.

Through a boy Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic rid turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life.

This is Ellen Hopkins's first published work of fiction. Written in verse, Crank captures readers' attention from the first until the very last.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. On a court-ordered visit to see her slimy and long-absent dad, she meets-and is instantly attracted to-Adam, who sports a "tawny six pack,/ and a smile." Soon, Adam introduces her to "the monster" (there, she also unleashes a new personality, id-driven Bree). Her addiction grows, as does Bree's control. Readers get a vivid sense of the highs and lows involved with using crank ("I needed food, sleep,/ but the monster denied/ every bit of it"). Her life changes quickly: Soon she's dating two guys, both of whom use crank; says "Fuck you" to her mom, can't keep up with school, and loses her old friends. There are plenty of dramatic moments: The first time she does crank, for example, her dad joins her. That same night, she stumbles into a bad area and is almost raped, and Adam's girlfriend tries to kill herself. Later in the book, she does get raped and starts selling the drug for the Mexican Mafia. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug. Ages 14-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

KLIATT

This devastating story, told in poetry, is even more frightening because it is based on the author's own experiences with her addicted daughter. As the author says in a note at the beginning of the book: "It is hard to watch someone you love fall so deeply under the spell of a substance that turns him or her into a stranger. Someone you don't even want to know." That is what happens to the narrator, a teenager whose life deteriorates after she gets involved with friends who use drugs—she cannot resist crank even though she understands it is destroying her. She will do anything for more crank. She has casual sex, she gets drunk, and eventually she gets pregnant. She thinks she should get an abortion, but at the last minute she decides to have the baby. Her family helps her through the pregnancy and she tries to keep sober, but in the end, after the baby is safely born, she returns to what she calls "the monster." This horrific story is told in many pages, but actually not so many words. Hopkins uses various experiments with word placement on the page to extend the emotional power of the poetry. The last poem is called "Happy Endings," and the narrator says she would like to give us one—but the drugs are calling her away from her baby, out the door. We know there will probably be no happy ending, ever. And we aren't used to YA novels that end in such despair, but we have to face the truth that many addicts do not recover. I hope the author gets some comfort from sharing this story with others. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2004, Simon & Schuster, 539p., Ages 15 to adult.
—Claire Rosser

More Reviews (4) Fewer Reviews

VOYA

Various styles of free verse and shape poems tell the story of Kristina, a quiet high school junior who, as with many teens, often feels like a stranger to herself and wants to test her limits. While visiting her deadbeat dad in Albuquerque, Kristina meets Adam and feels something "stir, like a breeze blowing up off the evening sea." She says, "My wind had awakened." To deal with these new and alien feelings, Kristina calls herself Bree and begins to think of herself as two separate people: Kristina is perfect, smart, and in control, but Bree gives her the courage to be wild, spontaneous, and a risk-taker. Adam introduces Kristina to crank or crack for the first time, and of course, she falls under its addictive and dangerous spell. After returning home to Reno, she tries to hide Bree from her family, but late nights out partying and long days sleeping off the effects soon raise their suspicions. The story reaches its climax when Kristina becomes pregnant as a result of being date-raped under the influence. Deciding to keep the baby is a courageous choice, but readers understand that Kristina's eternal struggle will be against the temptation of using crack. Although novels in verse are not new anymore, this one still works. Hopkins delivers a gritty, fast-paced read while effectively portraying the dangers of substance abuse without sounding pedantic or preachy. Teens will relate to Kristina's desire to experiment as well as her difficulty balancing conflicting feelings. Similarities to Go Ask Alice (Simon & Schuster, 1971) are undeniable, but perhaps this more modern version will be more accessible to today's teens. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasionallapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, Simon & Schuster, 544p., Trade pb. Ages 12 to 18.
—Valerie Ott

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-Seventeen-year-old Kristina Snow is introduced to crank on a trip to visit her wayward father. Caught up in a fast-paced, frightening, and unfamiliar world, she morphs into "Bree" after she "shakes hands with the monster." Her fearless, risk-taking alter ego grows stronger, "convincing me to be someone I never dreamed I'd want to be." When Kristina goes home, things don't return to normal. Although she tries to reconnect with her mother and her former life as a good student, her drug use soon takes over, leaving her "starving for speed" and for boys who will soon leave her scarred and pregnant. Hopkins writes in free-verse poems that paint painfully sharp images of Kristina/Bree and those around her, detailing how powerful the "monster" can be. The poems are masterpieces of word, shape, and pacing, compelling readers on to the next chapter in Kristina's spiraling world. This is a topical page-turner and a stunning portrayal of a teen's loss of direction and realistically uncertain future.-Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Hypnotic and jagged free verse wrenchingly chronicles 16-year-old Kristina's addiction to crank. Kristina's daring alter ego, Bree, emerges when "gentle clouds of monotony" smother Kristina's life-when there's nothing to do and no one to connect with. Visiting her neglectful and druggy father for the first time in years, Bree meets a boy and snorts crank (methamphetamine). The rush is irresistible and she's hooked, despite a horrible crank-related incident with the boy's other girlfriend. Back home with her mother, Kristina feels both ignored and smothered, needing more drugs and more boys-in that order. One boy is wonderful and one's a rapist, but it's crank holding Bree up at this point. The author's sharp verse plays with spacing on the page, sometimes providing two alternate readings. In a too brief wrap-up, Kristina keeps her baby (a product of rape) while Hopkins-realistically-offers no real conclusion. Powerful and unsettling. (author's note) (Fiction. YA)

Children's Literature

Kristina is a good girl. She's shy, studious, and eager to be liked. But that's before she discovers meth. That's before Bree. Before Adam. Before addiction. This novel in verse depicts Kristina's descent into drug addiction. It starts because she was bored and wanted to impress a cute guy, but quickly morphed into a controlling influence on her every decision. Told from Kristina's point of view, the story lacks any kind of melodrama. There is no "poor me" type of language. The author does, however, create a complex character who alternately arouses the reader's empathy and dislike. When she tries to reconnect with her friends you hope she will succeed, but her lying and stealing to satisfy her addiction are despicable. There is little action in this story, no great climax, no major realization of her situation. The story consists only of Kristina's thoughts, sometimes self-reflective, sometimes calculating. While this shouldn't make for a great YA story, it is somehow fascinating and readers will be drawn into it. There are graphic and detailed scenes of drug use and sex, so be wary when recommending it to less mature readers, but for others, it earns a definite place on the shelf. Reviewer: Heather Robertson Mason

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780689865190
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date: 10/5/2004
Edition description: Original
Pages: 544
Sales rank: 29,676
Age range: 14 - 17 Years
Lexile: 720L (what's this?)
Series: Crank Series , #1
Product dimensions: 5.00 (w) x 6.90 (h) x 1.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, and Perfect, as well as the adult novel Triangles. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada. Visit her at EllenHopkins.com and on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsYA.

Read an Excerpt

Flirtin' with the Monster

Life was good

before I

met

the monster.

After,

life

was great.

least

for a little while.

Introduction

So you want to know all

about me. Who

I am.

What chance meeting of

brush and canvas painted

the face

you see? What made

me despise the girl

in the mirror

enough to transform her,

turn her into a stranger,

only not.

So you want to hear

the whole story. Why

I swerved

off the high road,

hard left to nowhere,

recklessly

indifferent to those

coughing my dust,

picked up speed

no limits, no top end,

just a high velocity rush

to madness.

Alone

everything changes.

Some might call it distorted reality,

but it's exactly the place I need to be:

no mom,

Marie, ever more distant,

in her midlife quest for fame

no stepfather,

Scott, stern and heavy-handed

with unattainable expectations

no big sister,

Leigh, caught up in a tempest

of uncertain sexuality

no little brother,

Jake, spoiled and shameless

in his thievery of my niche.

Alone,

there is only the person inside.

I've grown to like her better

than the stuck-up husk of me. She's

not quite silent,

shouts obscenities just because

they roll so well off the tongue

not quite straight-A,

but talented in oh-so-many

enviable ways

not quite sanitary,

farts with gusto, picks

her nose, spits like a guy

not quite sane,

sometimes, to tell you the truth,

even I wonder about her.

Alone,

there is no perfect daughter,

no gifted high-school junior,

no Kristina Georgia Snow.

There is only Bree.

On Bree

I suppose

she's always been

there, vague as a soft

copper pulse of moonlight

through blossoming seacoast

fog.

I wonder

when I first noticed

her, slipping in and out

of my pores, hide-and-seek

spider in fieldstone, red-bellied

phantom.

I summon

Bree when dreams

no longer satisfy, when

gentle clouds of monotony

smother thunder, when Kristina

cries.

I remember

the night I first

let her go, opened the

smeared glass, one thin pane,

cellophane between rules and sin,

freed.

Introduction

A Simon Pulse Guide for Reading Groups

Crank

About the Book

Maybe it wouldn't have happened if she had just stayed in Reno for the summer. Or if her father had turned out to be the man she had wanted him to be instead of the disappointment that she found. Or maybe if Adam hadn't been so beautiful and broken and in need of her love. Maybe then Kristina wouldn't have snorted her first line of crank and maybe then her life wouldn't be spiraling out of control. But maybe doesn't count in the real world, and it certainly won't save Kristina from the monster.

Discussion Questions

How would you describe Bree? Is this the same way that Kristina would describe her? Where did Bree come from?
For Kristina, what is the lure of crystal meth? What does it provide for her? What does it take away?

Describe Kristina's mother, father, and stepfather. Are they in any way responsible for her addiction? Do you think that there's anything else they could have — or should have — done to help her?

Why is Kristina drawn to Adam? To Chase? To Brendan? In what ways are these three similar and in what ways are they different? How does Kristina's relationship with each one affect her? Which boy is most harmful to her?

Why does Kristina decide to keep her baby? What reasons might she have had for giving it up? Do you think she made the right decision?

Why does Kristina always call crank "the monster"? How do you think her renaming of the drug affects her attitude toward it and her sense of responsibility regarding it? Are there other things or people in the story that get renamed? How does this affectthe way in which they are regarded?

Kristina sometimes refers to herself and her life before drugs as boring and worthless, yet at other times she seems to regard it as something very precious. What attitude do you think is closest to her true feelings? Do you think those around her would agree with her assessment?

The author chose to write this story in verse. Why do you think that she chose this format? What effect does this have on how you feel about the characters and events?

What is the overall message of this book? Do you think the story will act as a deterrent for teens who are considering drugs?

Activities

As we can see in Crank, poetry allows us to express ourselves in new and creative ways. Write a poem or series of poems about something that has happened in your life.
Choose a drug — crystal meth or some other drug that you've heard of — and research its effects on the user. Find out exactly what it does in the body, how long the side effects last, how much it typically costs, and any other pertinent facts.

Kristina has an alter ego who allows her to be more careless and daring. What would your alter ego be like? Choose a name, list all the character traits s/he would have, and list the things that s/he could help you do. Imagine what your life would be like if you acted more like your alter ego.

Kristina's baby, like many children of addicts, cries a lot and needs to be held more than other babies. Find out if your local hospital will allow you to volunteer to hold babies born addicted. If your community has no such programs, perhaps you could consider volunteering at a local drug clinic or an anti-drug program at your school.

Write a short story about what you think will happen to Kristina and her baby after the events depicted in the book.

There are several other books about teenage drug addiction, including Go Ask Alice and Smack. Read one of these other books and compare it to Crank.

About the Author

Ellen Hopkins is a poet, author, and freelance writer. She has published more than 300 articles in local, regional, and national publications and has written 20 nonfiction books for children. Crank is her first published work of fiction. Ellen lives near Carson City, Nevada, where she enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, and raising German Shepherds. She is currently at work on her second verse novel for Simon & Schuster.

Crank

By Ellen Hopkins

0-689-86519-8

Simon Pulse

Available wherever books are sold.

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

www.SimonSaysKids.com

This reading group guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.

Ellen Hopkins has been writing poetry for years. Her first novel, Crank, released in 2004 and quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation, garnering praise from teens and critics alike. Ellen's other bestselling novels include Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, and the upcoming Fallout, a companion to Crank and Glass. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada. Be sure to check out Ellen Hopkins online at ellenhopkins.com and myspace.com/ellenhopkins.

Reading Group Guide

A Simon Pulse Guide for Reading Groups

Crank

About the Book

Discussion Questions

How would you describe Bree? Is this the same way that Kristina would describe her? Where did Bree come from?
For Kristina, what is the lure of crystal meth? What does it provide for her? What does it take away?

Describe Kristina's mother, father, and stepfather. Are they in any way responsible for her addiction? Do you think that there's anything else they could have — or should have — done to help her?

Why is Kristina drawn to Adam? To Chase? To Brendan? In what ways are these three similar and in what ways are they different? How does Kristina's relationship with each one affect her? Which boy is most harmful to her?

Why does Kristina decide to keep her baby? What reasons might she have had for giving it up? Do you think she made the right decision?

Why does Kristina always call crank "the monster"? How do you think her renaming of the drug affects her attitude toward it and her sense of responsibility regarding it? Are there other things or people in the story that get renamed? How does this affect the way in which they are regarded?

Kristina sometimes refers to herself and her life before drugs as boring and worthless, yet at other times she seems to regard it as something very precious. What attitude do you think is closest to her true feelings? Do you think those around her would agree with her assessment?

The author chose to write this story in verse. Why do you think that she chose this format? What effect does this have on how you feel about the characters and events?

What is the overall message of this book? Do you think the story will act as a deterrent for teens who are considering drugs?

Activities

As we can see in Crank, poetry allows us to express ourselves in new and creative ways. Write a poem or series of poems about something that has happened in your life.
Choose a drug — crystal meth or some other drug that you've heard of — and research its effects on the user. Find out exactly what it does in the body, how long the side effects last, how much it typically costs, and any other pertinent facts.

Kristina has an alter ego who allows her to be more careless and daring. What would your alter ego be like? Choose a name, list all the character traits s/he would have, and list the things that s/he could help you do. Imagine what your life would be like if you acted more like your alter ego.

Kristina's baby, like many children of addicts, cries a lot and needs to be held more than other babies. Find out if your local hospital will allow you to volunteer to hold babies born addicted. If your community has no such programs, perhaps you could consider volunteering at a local drug clinic or an anti-drug program at your school.

Write a short story about what you think will happen to Kristina and her baby after the events depicted in the book.

There are several other books about teenage drug addiction, including Go Ask Alice and Smack. Read one of these other books and compare it to Crank.

About the Author

Crank

By Ellen Hopkins

0-689-86519-8

Simon Pulse

Available wherever books are sold.

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

www.SimonSaysKids.com

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5

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Anonymous

Posted February 23, 2009

I Also Recommend:

simply stunning.

it was written so beautifully,and as soon as i read this book,
i couldnt help but finish the other one following this book-glass.
her stories are beautiful and loosely based around her real life,
which makes this read all the more compelling. if you liked go ask alice this is a must have read.ever since i have read this book i have been hooked to her writting style.a great great great book.

27 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
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Jessica_Walker

Posted February 27, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Heart.

It's what it grabs when you hear the story of a wonderful girl who trudges down hill thanks to the likes of meth.

The story is fantastic and I may only be a sixteen year old, but when it comes to reading I am extremely picky. I read this book in less then a day. I couldn't put it down. I read it in class, through the halls, on the bus. It followed me everywhere the day I got it from my library.

11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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JESSZAMBRANO

Posted December 13, 2010

AMAZING!

There are no words to describe this book.
I think every teenager should read this. It's honest and brutal and really describes the horrors of the addiction without straight up describing it. Through Crank, Ellen Hopkins has created this astoundingly true world that exists right outside my door or yours; almost in a way regardless of age, and there is just no way to truly describe what this book did for me. Even though I've never touched drugs or wanted to, it just seemed to hit. I found myself deeply relating to Kristina, feeling the issues with parents but never saying a word, working to keep that A average, etc. But I also understood the allure of Bree because, no matter how smart a person is, sometimes the desire to just let everything go can start to overpower a person. Even not knowing the feelings and effects in which the drugs instill in Bree, the way Hopkins goes about describing her highs and lows, fall outs and blow ups it makes you feel as if your right in the same state of mind she is in. I also believe that the way in which she actually composed the book, through the short stories/ poems the thickness of the book dissolves much like you do into the pages. The way Hopkins writes about serious subjects like drug abuse and suicide, which make her a frequent target of book banners. One of her most popular books, Crank is based on her own daughter's struggle with drug addiction which leaves more doors open to the thought of "don't drag myself into something like that", rather than opening a door to experimenting.
If nothing else, I will continue reading the sequels and every other book by Ellen Hopkins I can get my hands on. Especially since they're not only wondrous, but very quick reads.

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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ElliePatterson

Posted November 8, 2008

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

Whoa.

It was so good.
I couldn't stop still I finished.

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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KoryPetersen

Posted December 1, 2011

Crank - Couldn't put it down.

This book was simply amazing. I couldn't put it down till I was finished with it. I was extremely pulled into the book because I felt for what Kristina was going through. Each thing that happened made we want to read more. I started to feel for her and realize the struggles she was going through were far worse than what words can describe. Crank is about a teenage girl that falls into substance addiction. The main character's name is Kristina. She heads over to Albuquerque to visit her dad and meets new friends that show her the wrong path. She becomes more and more addicted to crank. She had a great life during this time but it eventually caught up to her. She struggles to try to go without crank but the not having it eats her alive. This path lead her to a relationship that gave her an unwanted child. When the baby is born she sees how much she really does want her child. Kristina is a seventeen year old girl who is very shy and wasn't all that great with boys. She was a perfect and gifted student, straight A's and everything any parent wants from their child. At first the most important things to Kristina were good grades and perfection, but after her trip to Albuquerque she had some new things that are important to her. The most important thing to her after going to Albuquerque was drugs. Anything that she could use to get high was important to her. Drugs are also the thing that motivated her to do the things she did. While going through all these things she learned a lot. Kristina learned about the "dark side" and changed. Afterwards she tried to get rid of her addiction and tried to get better. She learned a lot of things through this experience and one of the most important things was that drugs affect your life and the lives of the people you know. The book is actually based on a true story. Ellen Hopkins' daughter was addicted to crystal meth and this book portrays the point of view of a teenager addicted to these types of drugs. These drugs not only affect the user but affect everyone around them. Everyone from family, friends, relatives, and just kids you know. This path can lead to serious injury or death in some cases. The theme of this book is that the choices you make not only affect you, but affect everyone around you. Kristina's parents knew what she was going through and it caused them to make different choices as well. The biggest things that Kristina did was having her child. That completely changed her life and her entire family's life. Her parents had to take care of her son because Kristina isn't old enough to know how to. Kristina's story is worth telling to prevent these sorts of things happening to more and more teenagers. Kristina is the perfect example of what happens when you continue down the wrong path and continue to do things that hurt yourself. This book definitely deserved its spot on the bestseller list because of how amazing it is. I could really feel what was happening to Kristina as if I was her. Ellen Hopkins did an amazing job portraying the life of a substance abusing teenager. Crank is beyond words. It tells a touching story, pulls you in, and you can't stop reading it.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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nessabutterflyzz

Posted September 30, 2010

more from this reviewer

Very Deep, Emotional Book

It took me a while to get used to the writers style of writing. Once I got used to it though, I finished these books pretty quickly. You become attached to the main character, Kristina/Bree, and wish you could stop her before she makes decisions. I'm going to download the 3rd book of this series today. I can't wait to see how it all ends.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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BOOKADDICT116

Posted April 9, 2011

more from this reviewer

BESTEST BOOK SINCE FRIGGIN TWILIGHT, BUT WWAAYY EDGYER (:

I loved this book. One of those types of books where at some parts you find ur mouth friggin drop. its awesome but i certinely wudnt let a lil kid read it lol (:

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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BrOwN15

Posted February 12, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Umm?

i didnt like it i tried and i just got bored with it.

3 out of 50 people found this review helpful.
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xogabby97

Posted April 3, 2011

Great books.

I love this writers style of writing. It didn't take me long to read these books because i couldn't put them down. I am reading the last book Fallout right now... I love these books. =]

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Rena_A

Posted November 30, 2010

more from this reviewer

I'm Addicted to Hopkins

I purchased this combo pack of Crank and Glass because someone purchased me Fallout by Ellen Hopkins as a gift. This series is AMAzingly addictive! I read all 1200 pages in 4 days. Recommend to anyone who wants an inside peek into a Meth addict.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Fossilman12

Posted September 5, 2010

Warning! Sexual content and drug use through the book.

Kristina is visiting her drug addicted dad's home for three weeks in the summer, when she meets the man of her dreams. His name is Adam, but he calls himself Buddy.Buddy is very similar to the Bree persona. Adam and Kristina go out for a little while, they are already deep in love. Soon, Buddy shows Kristina his secret life of snorting crank, or better known as "meth". Kristina tries some and it turns her entire life upside down once she becomes an addict. Before she leaves, Adam gives Kristina a tattoo on her thigh. when she comes home, her mother sees the tattoo and grounds her. But during the punishment, Bree takes over and meets two new guys for Kristina. Their names are Brendan and Chase. Brendan is the Bree of the two boys. All he wants is sex, but Chase loves Kristina up and down. Brendan eventually manages to sexually defile Kristina, which ends up in Kristna dumping him. Chase and Kristina then fall in a deep romance and Kristina ends up Pregnant. The baby however, is not Chase's son but Brendan's. Kristina's story was not finished because she was still a crank addict but she didn't end the story sorrowfully. She ends up with a healthy baby boy, and a marriage proposal from chase. Crank is a story that i found both suspenseful and somewhat impulsive. I highly suggest this book to those who like fast paced, yet complex reading.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 2, 2012

BAD BOOK

So inappropriate. Has a LOT of launguage. This is not a book for young children. I would not recemand this book if you have young people who will get into this. I started this book and could not finish it, because it was so "bad". I think it had a good outline, but there wasn't enough info throughout the story. I also did not like the way it was written( it was like a poem.)

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 30, 2011

Wow!

I totally was blown away by this!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 2, 2011

The style ruins it...

I'm sorry, but the style really ruins the experience for me. I like to get lost in books, in stories. Trying to make a fiction novel read like poetry really just took away from the immersion I desired and left me unwilling to even try finishing it. I don't know if the author considers herself a poet, but she isn't...

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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MicheleLeesBookLove

Posted December 5, 2010

more from this reviewer

Must read

Reviewed for Monster Librarian as part of Banned Books Week

Crank is Ellen Hopkins' quite controversial, but sorely needed poem-form novel about Kristina Snow, whose life changes forever when her father and the boy she's crushing introduce her to meth. Unlike Impulse, which is raw and shredding in its emotion, Crank is almost cold at times, brutally showing a girl on the edge of being a woman who should by all means have the kind of life that discourages drug use, time after time choosing to ride with the monster. Likewise the people in her life who should be able to step in, fail, leaving Kristina alone to fight a beast most adult are defeated by.
Crank is a difficult book to handle, but it's far closer to reality than any drug awareness program I went through in school. Hopkins books are strongly positioned to be of great value as fiction, as poetry, and for their education value, boldly stripping away pretenses and sensitivities to show addiction as the cruel master it is. Highly recommended for public collections as well as recommended reading material for those whose lives have been scarred by the real life monsters on our streets.

Contains: sex, drug use, rape, language

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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TwlohaMC

Posted March 22, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Great for 'TEENS'

this book was very intense and grabbing from the very first pages, do not be intimidated by the thickness of the book it is written i poem format and i read the book within a week. Very good book with real life situations

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted February 15, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Crank

Crank details the story of Kristina Georgia Snow, a typical 16 year old girl who lives in Reno, Nevada. When she asks her mother to visit her absent father, Kristina is thrown into a rollercoaster of a trip. She meets Adam, christens her new self as 'Bree' and becomes addicted to Methamphetamine also known as 'crank' or even by the nickname, 'the monster.' Once Kristina comes back home, she works hard to keep her addiction a secret from her family and tries to score more crank with her new friends, Chase and Brendan. While her new persona is more promiscuous and troublesome, Kristina's new life may finally catch up with her as she strives to get more crank. With terrible consequences that will come to play, Kristina's personal life spirals out of control as she tries to live with her addiction to the monster and letting Bree have full control over her life. The novel is written in verse form and flows very nicely with each situation in which the author is writing about. Ellen Hopkins writing is very unique to many other books, but the style helps depict a more personal connection with Kristina. With many examples of drugs, sex, underage drinking and rape, Crank may hit close to home for some of its readers. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and loved just how vivid Kristina's crashes were and how she viewed life while she was high. It is a very quick read and will become addicting to the reader. Overall, it is a great book to read and may be helpful to some who seriously consider doing illicit activities by showing them the real life effects that may happen.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Casey88

Posted January 31, 2010

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Crank by Ellen Hopkins

I'm not sure what I thought Crank was going to be about, but it wasn't what I expected. The description on the back of the book isn't too detailed, and I guess you could say that I assumed what "monster" meant. I was wrong though. Crank is about Kristina battling her drug addition and the fight going on within herself.

Kristina was just like any other teenager: good grades, good kid, and followed the rules. Then one day, she just got mixed up with the wrong kind of people, which led to her trying and getting hooked on crystal meth. The more she used it, the more she wanted it.

I love the idea of this being written in verses because it seemed to add more emotion to the story. Not that there isn't already enough emotion going on when it comes to drugs, because there is. But not only does drugs effect the user, but it also effects the user's loved ones, just in a different kind of way. I haven't ever been involved in drugs but I know some people that have, and no one wants to sit back and watch someone they care about slip farther and farther from reality - relying solely on their next high to get them through the day.

Crank is a very raw, and terrifyingly real story. It shows what someone's life will become like when addicted to drugs. Crank is just an amazing and so full of truth read that I recommend this to both teenagers and adults. Also, there is a sequel, Glass, which I will definitely be reading. And a third book, Fallout, which is due to release in 2010.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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bootzie_bday

Posted October 20, 2009

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

Parents giving Drugs, or Caring?

In Crank, this happens to be both. Kristina's father allows her to take drugs, as her mother deeply cares for her. Through out this novel, you will learn to understand that drugs can and WILL ruin a person's life. It's a journey, and Kristina is willing to take this ride of a lifetime. Written in only poetry, Ellen Hopkins perfectly words this story of a teenage girl's life. With many obstacles, Kristina has too many decisions. What would you decide?

I recommend reading the sequel, Glass, if you like Crank. (:

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 13, 2009

I Also Recommend:

CRANK by Ellen Hopkins is a great book~

I think Ellen Hopkins is an outstanding writer of poetry. I like the way she writes, but a lot of people say her writing is a waste of paper because of how little is on a page.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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simply stunning.

Heart.

AMAZING!

Whoa.

Crank - Couldn't put it down.

Very Deep, Emotional Book

BESTEST BOOK SINCE FRIGGIN TWILIGHT, BUT WWAAYY EDGYER (:

Umm?

Great books.

I'm Addicted to Hopkins

Warning! Sexual content and drug use through the book.

BAD BOOK

Wow!

The style ruins it...

Must read

Great for 'TEENS'

Crank

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Parents giving Drugs, or Caring?

CRANK by Ellen Hopkins is a great book~