What the Hell did I just read?! I don't even know where to begin! Finally a good book in the trail of bad ones that have found their way in front of me recently. Where do I even begin?
I enjoyed the gritty realism of this book. So many f-bombs and very real teenage reactions to things.
Maise, the MC, I totally identify with. Her life was chaotic and scary, a lot like mine was. My mom was an alcoholic who was pretty verbally abusive, so I immediately felt for Maise and her raising herself. Been there. She goes at life with sarcasm and a wall around her. Pretty much telling everyone "fuck you!"
(And yes, that is a literal flying fuck.)
I enjoyed hearing Maise talk about herself like a real teen. She knew she was pretty, she controlled her own sexuality, and she uses it to her advantage. Her emotional scars are clear as day, and she owns them. Even she will admit she has daddy issues and hates her drug-addict mom. I respect any character that knows herself and doesn't really hide it.
Evan was kinda pervy, kinda hot, all the way around a fucked-up but nice guy. I feel bad for him on some occasions, but mostly I think of him as someone who doesn't know what he really wants. The fact Maise isn't his first mistake didn't surprise me in the least, and I lost a bit of pity and respect for him. You would think he'd learned from his mistakes. But nope.....
Wesley was a bit of a creepy prick, so I have mixed emotions about him. He did Maise so wrong on more than one occasion. I would have blacked his eye.
Yeah, he was that kind of creep. Apparently a stalker and a emo freak. The fact Maise forgave him shows she's a better person than I. I would have stomped him into the mud when I found out he was stalking me and watching me and my boyfriend getting freaky. That's a douche move. He's obviously in "like" with Maise, not really love. And his jealousy is sickening. But it's real. that's how teens really behave.
Hiyam should have gotten a lot more than she ended up getting, being the spoiled cokehead she was. And I kept expecting Park to make some sort of move on Maise every time she showed up.
This book is vulgar and dark, full of things no teenager should have to deal with. The love story is so strange and weirdly fitting that by the end, I was cheering. I was thoroughly surprised we had a relative HEA. I didn't think something like this could possibly end well, but it did. As well as anything this fucked up can end.
What a great read. I'm not sure if I would want a sequel. I kind of like this sense of no closure. It leaves everything open to possibilities. Like watching them ride off into the sunset.
If you like lots of swearing and fucked-up-ary, you'll love this.
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