This is right up the alley of any teen reader who enjoys Ellen Hopkins, especially Impulse. The story is about 5 teens in rehab, each unique and each...moreThis is right up the alley of any teen reader who enjoys Ellen Hopkins, especially Impulse. The story is about 5 teens in rehab, each unique and each with their own story and addictions. The narrative is broken up in between group therapy sessions where you get a bit from each person and their counselor Shirley. Then the rest of the time you mostly get the perspective of Kelly and Christopher. Kelly was addicted to cocaine and alcohol and Christopher was a meth addict. The other three teens are Jason (alcohol), Eva (pain killers and pot) and Olivia (diet pills and she has an eating disorder). I won't go into the details of each of their stories, but I will say that I really enjoyed how the story was told. At first of course everyone is really pissed off, with almost no hope left and very pessimistic about being able to "rehab" themselves. But as the story progresses, you see how the teens cling to one another and use this as a building block of strength in order to face their demons and themselves. I enjoyed Amy Reed's other novel, Beautiful, so I was definitely not disappointed by Clean. There are some pretty mature topics included (drug use, sex, profanity, etc...), but I think it was necessary in order to tell the story. I look forward to more from this author.(less)
3.5 stars. Again I enjoyed the writing in Glass, but was just so upset at the main character that I could not justify a higher rating than 3.5 stars....more3.5 stars. Again I enjoyed the writing in Glass, but was just so upset at the main character that I could not justify a higher rating than 3.5 stars. As much as Kristina Snow messed up her life in Crank, in Glass she goes even further. Her character is hell bent on getting attention and love at the hands of mainly guys when her family is trying to give her the love she deserves. She gives birth to her son Hunter, she gets off the meth, her family takes her back and supports her in every way, but soon enough she is devising a plan to score some more of the monster and lie to her family once again. And for what? For a few hours of high time, creepy meth-head guys that profess their love, and some coveted weight loss? I know that drug addiction is a disease and that basically Kristina is battling something far greater than a bad habit, but I still could not help getting super pissed off at her decisions and her rationalizations. She becomes an unfit mother, a drug dealer and a criminal. She has multiple opportunities to take the high road and for being such an intelligent young woman I was surprised again and again at her behavior. It was so sad when her son briefly came back into her life and he didn't even recall her or seem to want to be held by her. More than anything that is what this book brought out in me, sadness. Then fury, then frustration and then a tiny bit of hope. It ends sort of where Crank ended and now I have one book left in the series, but are things actually going to change for the better for her? I really hope so.(less)
3.5 stars. Now I won't deny that the author is an excellent, excellent writer. Her writing is so lyrical and well, beautiful. But that was part of the...more3.5 stars. Now I won't deny that the author is an excellent, excellent writer. Her writing is so lyrical and well, beautiful. But that was part of the problem for me during some parts of the story. She was talking about a young girl becoming addicted to meth, one of the hardest drugs to quit, and it sounded beautiful. I was so angry at Kristina/Bree for making such stupid choices and then the writing made her highs sounds like unicorns and care bears dancing on ribbons of copper in the sky. But I still respect the fact that the book offers up a pretty gritty look at how meth can destroy a girl's life - one who showed so much promise but sank to the lowest of low after only three weeks spent with her good for nothing father. That's how it all starts for Kristina and that's how Bree (her alter ego) emerges to court "the monster" (crank). From there Kristina returns home but is now tainted by having done drugs with her father, "falling in love" with another meth user and getting a tattoo from him, and inducing a neighboring girl to attempt suicide after Kristina practically steals her boyfriend away from her. All in the span of three weeks. Kristina's mom at first doesn't notice that she has started doing drugs, but soon enough as her drug use becomes a regular thing, it can't be denied that her behavior is not just your typical teenage rebellion. More than anything this book made me sad to think that a drug can ruin so many people's lives because although this is fiction, there are so many afflicted by meth, both users and the user's loved ones, and it's tragic to think that their lives are swallowed up by this horrendous substance. I'll see if the following books in the series can do a better job of putting a real monster face on the monster that is crank.(less)
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