Everything changed on that rainy March night seven months ago. Willow's parents were tipsy and asked her to drive home, a decision that would cost them their lives. Ever since then, Willow has felt disconnected from the world. Her only reprieve is in mutilating her own body, one cut at a time. But everything changes when she meets Guy, the only one with whom she can possibly share her secret.

I did not like Willow. Not the book, the character. She was a whiny little biotch. I understand that I probably should pity her, her being responsible for her parents deaths and all, but she makes it so damn hard. It's not the cutting that makes her so unlikable. Even though I am not a cutter myself, I understand the concept and have friends who indulge in it. It's just her view of the world. She expected the whole damn universe to revolve around her. She whined about people being inconsiderate around her and about how no one "got her". But Willow was always wrong about others. She judged them before they could judge her. I didn't understand her logic most of the time. And I hate how she would always go "well, I killed my parents." You're not the only who has ever lost anyone, Willow. You are not the only person in the world who is grieving. I just wanted her to get over herself. Though admittedly, I did like her considerably more by the novel's end.

Based on the character of Willow alone, this book would have gotten two stars. Thankfully, the intense writing and topic made me really like it. The writing flowed really well, and its interesting how this book was in third person instead of the expected first person. Of course, cutting is an always disturbing, intriguing topic, as much as you wish that it wasn't.

And Guy might have been too perfect, but he was sweet and sensitive without being gay (glances at her copy of Shiver). But I felt sorry for the poor guy (hehe, pun). He was stuck with Willow. And I also liked David and all the literary references.

One more thing that didn't quite fly with me was the end. A spoiler is coming up, so AVERT YOUR EYES. Okay, so teenage sex. It happens a lot. A lot a lot. So why encourage it? "Guy, we need to sleep together because I'm sad." "Okay then." *they do it* "Okay, I'm all better." "Okay, then." Just a little bit of WTF.

Overall, parts of this book and others parts I didn't like at all (aka Willow). But it is a good book, no doubt about that. It has a powerful, intense theme that I'm sure teenagers (especially cutters looking to relate) will eat up.