After reading several reviews, I was impelled to read this book to decide for myself if it was worth the intense criticism and strong negative response from parents. I found this book offensive, but not for the reason most shared. As a teacher, I was offended by how badly the book is written! Many reviewers complained that this was graphic, voyeuristic, perverted, etc. I agree. There are definitely sexual inferences and some explicit content...but no more than would be in many movies that kids are watching. What I dislike is the lack of a storyline, resolution, character growth, or point to the whole thing. Saying this is a story that proves a person can survive anything is like saying the movie "Jackass" is a story that proves a person can survive anything. Both show lots of suffering. Both lack the most integral part of any story worth investing in…a point. The author writes this book in a poorly executed stream of consciousness format. The biggest problem with this format is that, in order for it to be successful, one must care about the character and find some connection with him or her. I found the narrator to be unrealistic, dry, and quite frankly, it was hard for me to really feel bad for the things happening to her because she was never made real. This book lacked the emotional connection and authenticity that books such as Push by Sapphire and A Million Little Pieces by James Frey excelled at. These books are equally or more graphic, but the content makes the graphic nature acceptable, even necessary to the story. Scott does not capture this necessary element to a story of suffering. Instead, she spends the 100plus pages robotically depicting sexual abuse of a "tortured" man and vaguely depicting the relationship between kidnapper and kidnapped. The end does nothing to justify the means. The part of the story where we could finally come to care about Alice is destroyed when Scott abruptly ends the novel. Overall, I would not recommend this book. Not because a teen couldn't handle it, but because it is a waste of time. There are a lot of books that would satisfy a teens desire to read of human suffering, abuse, torture and hopefully, triumph in a much more worthwhile way. Keep this one on the shelf.

I am a 23 year old librarian and I loved the book. It was well written and I couldn't put it down. That being said...it is not appropriate for teenagers. It is way to graphic and there is no happy ending or uplifting moral. Certainly a book for mature audiences and even then, the content could be very disturbing to some.

i loved it...im a 19 year old and im in my senior year in a vocational school. this book, it does not matter how old you are, your always gathering information an tho it may hurt you still need it so that you may stop a bad situation before it begins. this book has all the makings. it shows that even if the person seems kind and helpful they may really have bad intentions and that you really have the power. that you CAN get away, and that ultimately you have to trust yourself yes family is there for you but really its you who lives your life so you need to learn all you can to keep yourself safe. i loved this book, and i would reccomend it to anyone who is of an age that rape is possible rape and abuse...cuz there is never an age limit on it

I love this book. honestly i think anything teen needs to read this book. in my opinion, i should teach teens not to go away with strangers even if they look safe. it helped me i'm only 16 and i feel like this book taught me something.

I love this book becouse i can react to the same things that has happened i have felt the same way about life, and also the book has became quite adictive!!!!

I read this book and loved it!!! It was amazing!!! There are a couple of not so good stuff like sexual behavior. But over all if you are mature enough you will be ok on reading this book. I really believe you should read this book.

i love this book. its really good and interesting. i say it could be good for 13 years and older

I thought this book was a little disturbing, but I would still let a younger teen read it if they wanted to. I also think that it was very well written.