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by Peyton Garver

Circle Nine

Heltzel, A. (2011). Circle nine. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
YA Mystery / Contemporary /Psychological Thriller

QuickNEasy*, 260 pages, ages15+

I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

It is hard for me to say this is a good story, as it's really pretty disturbing what the mind will allow when it is traumatized.  The brain will allow and accept alternate truths and delusions so that it doesn't have to deal with reality and repress anything disturbing. 

But it is a good story, intelligently written with good characterization where it was important. I pretty much read it straight through because the pieces of the puzzle were enticing me to want to see the whole, completed picture.  There were enough hints that I knew the complete picture was going to be ugly, but I had to know.  I desperately needed an explanation.

Our main character, seventeen-year-old Abby, lives in utter bliss.  She doesn't remember anything except Sam, and Sam is everything to her and she everything to him.  Their life seems like a fairy tale, but there is blurring at the edges to signal something's terribly off.  Abby's reality is richly descriptive, and like Abby, the reader wants to believe in the decadent life Abby is living.

Abby's complete and utter dependence on Sam is frustrating, and Sam's complete and utter control over Abby even more so; but there is so much below the surface and neither is truly completely in control or completely controlled. Again, running beneath the surface was this NEED for me to find out why Abby was so passive and easily manipulated. . . I kept on reading.

Recently, the books I've been reading haven't had satisfactory resolutions at the end, but that is not the case for Circle Nine.  Though we don't have all the answers, and we don't know exactly what happens around the bend, the direction the story leads makes sense.  There is some hope for Abby, even after the dire and depressing life she's lived.

I could definitely see this being made into a movie. . . 

So, the Clean-O-Meter is tough on this one.  There is abuse -- serious, ongoing psychological and sexual abuse.  The sex isn't graphic or detailed, but it's there and the context makes it sickening.  There is some mild vulgar language -- though a day later, I can't remember specifically which ones, indicating they were apropos for the situations.  There are references to underage drinking and drug use, and drug addiction is a major component of the story though not blatantly so.  So, maybe a 6.5 because it's done so well.

*I initially read this because due to the length, I thought it might appeal to reader who has little patience for lengthy stories; however, this isn't written at a low-level. The vocabulary is better than I'd expected, and there are plenty of literary references that the average reader may not know. Having said that, I don't think the vocab or references are show-stoppers to those who don't understand them, and they definitely enrich the story.

Blood Wounds

Pfeffer, S.B. (2011). Blood Wounds. NY: Harcourt Children's Books
YA / Realistic Fiction / Contemporary

QuickNEasy, 256 pages, ages 14+

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I really wanted to like this more, but it became too scattered with just too many heavy, heavy issues to cover in less than 300 pages. I have to give it snaps for some unexpected twists, though; however, some of those twists were because I thought this book was about one thing when it's actually about another.

With the jacket blurb about the murderous father on the run, it seems like it's going to be a thriller! And you keep waiting and waiting, and guess what -- it's not.  And if you're looking to dissect the father and his motives and intentions, you can't. Oh! But you can if. . . . you want to believe the main character, Willa, who hasn't had any contact with her father in ten years, can zone-out and "connect" to what her father was going through because his blood courses through her.  Rrrright.

Willa has serious psychological problems that are not really given much consideration, which is a concern. Her blended family is highly dysfunctional, though not on the surface.  The characters aren't well-constructed and truly, I couldn't feel too much towards any of them -- there just wasn't enough time given all the other drama.  That was unfortunate, as their were some indications that several of the characters were worth getting to know.

On the Clean-O-Meter, the book is pretty violent with fairly graphic descriptions of blood splatters and vicious wounds.  I don't recall any vulgarity (should have written right when I was done, so if there are some words I missed, apologies), and there certainly weren't any sexual references or situations - I can't imagine if that had been thrown into the mix as well.  So, for violence and disturbing subject matter, it rates a 6 out of 10.

Now, I must say. . . 
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Did anyone else do the math on the insurance policy pay-out and think, "no way!" Willa gets $750k, and divides it 3 ways.   With her $250,000, she pays the mortgage, has money to pay for college, and will take voice lessons, etc. ?  If the step-sisters' mom was as well-to-do as she sounded, that money won't cover the mortgage, much less anything else.  These numbers just don't work and it really bothered me. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.
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