Like others have said in their reviews, this is was one of the books that launched me out of young adult novels into the adult world of 'pretty much anything goes' fiction. The first book I ever read that had sex in it, and, 15 years later, I'm still disturbed by the incest (and the author's continuing theme of this circumstance throughout other of her novels). If a book hangs with you that long, especially with the poor writing style, someone did something right in creating the characters and situations. A page turner, but don't think it's going to change your life or make you a better person. I LOVED this book as a tween, but am sure I would have a completely different view of it if I read it now. So, probably a 5 when I was 12. No opinion now. If you haven't read it, it's a book that can be described as 'an experience'.