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.
“My drinking club has a book problem.” It’s cute because it’s true. And it’s true because it was in the New York Times. If your “book” club has turned into “fifteen-minute discussion about character arc and then how many bottles of mid-priced California pinot we can polish off?” club, then you are not alone. And […]
Young adult books and poetry go together like bacon and grilled cheese, a combination that’s consistently delicious. There are entire YA reads written in verse, like Ellen Hopkins’ Crank series or Cordelia Jensen’s recent novel Skyscraping, giving us wonderfully unique, moving reading experiences. But not all YA poetry books are simply told in verse. Some […]