Review: A Disturbing and Potentially Powerful Story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 21, 2013
This story exposed me to a lifestyle I've never known. My teenage years were filled with books and dogs so I missed out on much of what happened with some of my classmates. And I seriously doubt my parents would have been as complacent as Jane's. This lack of supervision provides an excellent backdrop for what goes on in this book. It's as if the lack of questioning on the part of what should be the guiding influences in Jane's life contribute to her own lack of introspectionI would strongly agree with the reviewer who called this a cautionary tale, and I hope it can serve that purpose for readers. But I look at this story from the distance of many years older, and not completely in touch with the youth of today, which is the major audience. And I wonder if the underlying message is the same for them.My recommendation would be to more fully develop the characters, but I'm not sure the starkness of this writing isn't part of the message being told. No frills, no padding, just reality slapping us between the eyes.This is not a book I would pick up for light reading but the message is well told, if disturbing and in many ways so sad.