Rage: A Love Story (by Julie Anne Peters)
common sense media says
Intense read about an abusive lesbian relationship.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a very intense book about an abusive lesbian relationship. The main characters, Reeve and her twin brother, live with the daily horrors of all kinds of abuse by their mother's boyfriend. Their mother is an addict and they live in abject poverty. The violence and language are not gratuitous but they are intense and adult. There are too many serious issues in the book for them all to be treated as sensitively as they could be: The cycle of domestic violence, the traumatic effects on abused children, gender issues, the loss of parents, hospice life, mental health counseling, cutting, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and more are all thrown into the pot. What readers will most likely come away with is a picture of kids growing up in a violent world, where love is hard to find and perhaps impossible to give. The issue of why Johanna, the abused partner in this "romance," puts up with the abuse, and why the abuser takes out her rage on others, is not dealt with until the very end of the book, and then it is wrapped up too neatly.
Educational value:
Some educational value in this portrayal of physical abuse in a teen relationship, in this case a lesbian teen relationship.
Positive role models:
Johanna holds down a job and works hard to keep it. She also volunteers
at a hospice. She has her own apartment over the garage of the house
where her estranged older sister lives. Explanations of why she is so
willing to stay in an abusive and dangerous relationship are not
clearly revealed until the end of the book.
at a hospice. She has her own apartment over the garage of the house
where her estranged older sister lives. Explanations of why she is so
willing to stay in an abusive and dangerous relationship are not
clearly revealed until the end of the book.
Violence:
Uses graphic descriptions of spousal abuse, physical abuse including burning with cigarettes, and sexual abuse of children; the main teen character physically assaults her brother, friends, her girlfriend, and nearly beats her girlfriend's best friend to death. A murder.
Sex:
Johanna has erotic fantasies about her crush long before they begin dating. Some descriptions of their sexual acts. Johanna's best friend uses her apartment to have sex with her boyfriend on several occasions. Reeve's mother has sex for drugs and drug money.
Language:
Language ranges from "f--k," "c--t," "a--tard," "piss," "dick," "bull dyke," "hell," "whore," and "slut."
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Johanna and her friends drink; Johanna and Reeve go to a hookah bar. Reeve's mother is addicted to heroin and uses meth. Reeve's mother and her boyfriends heavily abuse alcohol.
More on Rage: A Love Story
Review It
Most useful reviews by all members
OhaiMorgan
teen, 17 years old
teen, 17 years old
I loved this book. It was heartbreaking at times, but was funny at the same time. When I was reading this, I didn't want to put the book down. The characters relationships were hard because you'd always want them to be together, but something always got in the way.
Overall, it was a great book.
Flag as inappropriate
was this review useful?
|
|
witwit
teen, 16 years old
teen, 16 years old
i loved it it was a great book
Flag as inappropriate
was this review useful?
|
|
An independent voice for families
Advice on the big issues
Already read it? What do you think?
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
