Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intriguing thriller driven by teen girl's disaster visions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In the Chicago suburbs, the Demarcos and the Angottis have run rival restaurants for generations, and there's been bad blood between the families for years. Which is bad news for Julia (Jules) Demarco, who's been in love with Sawyer Angotti since they were in first grade. Now a sophomore in high school and working hard in the family business, Jules suddenly starts seeing a strange vision of a truck plowing into a crowded building, and a huge explosion; as she sees this CRASH over and over, she realizes that one of the people in the resulting body bags is Sawyer. Part of her worries that she's going insane, as mental illness seems to run in her family; the other part cares less about the consequences to herself than saving Sawyer and the other victims -- assuming this disaster is really going to happen.
Is It Any Good?
Author Lisa McCann is an engaging writer with a track record for creating interesting characters and putting them in unlikely situations. Crash is lively and contemporary, as kids exploit the full potential of smartphones, texting, and long-distance Internet romance. Jules has an appealing voice and a great eye for the social dynamics of high school. There's a lot of interest from the convoluted family dynamics, including Jules' father sinking into depression and hints of something having gone very wrong in the past. With much of the action necessarily happening in Jules' head, as it centers on something only she can see, the story bogs down and becomes repetitive in midstream as she revisits what she's seeing and tries to decide what to do about it. The ending resolves some issues, raises new ones, and leaves many open-ended for treatment in sequels.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why stories about seeing the future and trying to change it are so popular. Can you think of some others?
What would be difficult about trying to convince people about something only you can see?
Do you work in your family's business? Is your experience like Jules', or different?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon Pulse
- Publication date : January 8, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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