Page Count: 78,421
Expected Completion Date: Apr. 12th, 2095
Book Page Count: 214
Title: Go Ask Alice
Author: "Anonymous"
This is a hard book to review as I have conflicting feelings about it. One review comes from my general sense about the topic along with the writing style itself. The other comes from the clear misrepresentation from the author (who is in fact not anonymous at all) of a story that is fiction, presented as fact.
For the first part, the book itself read really well. The subject matter (drug use by a teenager) is something that interests me as I believe that use itself is not an issue but lack of control over ones use is a problem. The author writes in a very edgy way, short sentences, good use of language, a bit chaotic which I appreciate. Character development is relatively straight forward as the book documents a little over a year of a 15 year old's life and struggle with drugs. A clear progression from a normal kid to a kid lost in the world of drugs (and of course sex, violence, etc...)and comes round to a girl who finds herself, cleans up and reunited with her family only to die 3 weeks later of an overdose. Writing as journal entries was effective for me, even if it was used to manipulate the reader.
Now the not so great part. This author is a proven liar. Multiple sources online show that she has this writing style of picking a subject and taking a very hardcore conservative stance on it. For instance, instead of just drug use of a teen, it's drug use which turns into a total and complete loss of control which leads to loss of life. Furthermore the author refuses to admit the book was written by herself (she is listed as an editor) and has refused to say the story is not true. Here is the really clever part by the publisher, in the opening credits along with the copyright is the following message:
This is a hard book to review as I have conflicting feelings about it. One review comes from my general sense about the topic along with the writing style itself. The other comes from the clear misrepresentation from the author (who is in fact not anonymous at all) of a story that is fiction, presented as fact.
For the first part, the book itself read really well. The subject matter (drug use by a teenager) is something that interests me as I believe that use itself is not an issue but lack of control over ones use is a problem. The author writes in a very edgy way, short sentences, good use of language, a bit chaotic which I appreciate. Character development is relatively straight forward as the book documents a little over a year of a 15 year old's life and struggle with drugs. A clear progression from a normal kid to a kid lost in the world of drugs (and of course sex, violence, etc...)and comes round to a girl who finds herself, cleans up and reunited with her family only to die 3 weeks later of an overdose. Writing as journal entries was effective for me, even if it was used to manipulate the reader.
Now the not so great part. This author is a proven liar. Multiple sources online show that she has this writing style of picking a subject and taking a very hardcore conservative stance on it. For instance, instead of just drug use of a teen, it's drug use which turns into a total and complete loss of control which leads to loss of life. Furthermore the author refuses to admit the book was written by herself (she is listed as an editor) and has refused to say the story is not true. Here is the really clever part by the publisher, in the opening credits along with the copyright is the following message:
This book is a work of fiction. Any reference to historical events, real people,
or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents
are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual
events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.*
*Copyright Simon &Schuster, Inc., 1971.
This is an unfortunate book, written by a liar. While the book itself portrays real things which happen to real people, portraying fiction as truth is under no circumstances acceptable.
No grade given to this book because of conflicting opinions
