If you’ve read any of her other books, you might notice that Summers has returned to telling a novel about a schoolgirl. Except this time, the return is even sadder, even more beautiful. Content wise, All the Rage will break your heart before giving you a symbol of hope at the very end. If you want a book that will make you think and cry and smile, definitely read this book.
No one believes Romy Grey. She’s lost everything as a result — friends, family, and her entire life— yet the sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, has lost nothing. Even the diner where she works is tainted; she can’t act the way she wants to anymore. When a girl connected to both Romy and Kellan goes missing, Romy must make a choice. Either she carries the burden of knowledge and remains silent or she speaks up, at the risk of no one believing her. Neither choice is satisfactory, but the cost of silence may be deadly.
Courtney Summers can write. Her writing style is gritty and raw and just beautiful. She draws readers in, rendering them speechless. While other authors simply tell a story, she weaves a masterpiece with her words. Every word builds upon the previous, and the result is a book impossible to be put down.
Yet even beautiful things have flaws. Like in Summers’ other books, she neglects plausible character development in favor of the grand story she weaves. Although it’s hard to criticize books about sensitive topics like rape, it’s impossible to ignore the glaringly unbelievable development Romy undergoes. Up until the very end, she remains the same — scared and distant. My issue isn’t with her actions; it’s with the sudden change she undergoes. Yes, it’s a powerful moment, but the moment is artificially constructed and thus, almost meaningless.
Courtney Summers trekked where few authors dare to explore. She tells a story that desperately needs to be told, and though the ending is unrealistic at best, All The Rage succeeds in its purpose – to show how painful silence is and how much more painful speaking up can be. Courtney Summers isn’t asking for the reader to like Romy or any other character in the book; she’s asking for the reader to finish the book as a changed person. And in that she succeeds.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (April 14th, 2015)
ISBN #: 9781250021915
Length: 336 pages
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