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Target
Why had the men chosen him? Savagely violated by two strangers, sixteen-year-old Grady West retreats into silence. Some hells just can't be shared. Searing and powerful, Target shows that people can go through unspeakable things and emerge whole-- and sometimes your friends can save you. Another "provocative tale" ( Booklist ) by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson, author of The Parallel Universe of Liars .
175 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 20, 2016
Cross-posted at Shelf Inflicted and at Outlaw Reviews
After attending a school concert, 16-year-old Grady West decides to walk home by himself and is brutally beaten and raped by two men. I wasn’t sure I was ready for another story about teenage suffering, but after Mike's recommendation I went to the library, dug in immediately and barely came up for air.
Grady’s story is harrowing. Before the attack, he hung out with his Group, the six friends he’d known since grade school. After the attack, he has abandoned his old friends and starts over at a new school. His memories continue to haunt him, he is barely able to speak, he has trouble eating, and he is plagued with self-doubt and confusion. Enter Jess, an outgoing African-American with dreadlocks whose relentless teasing finally elicits one-word responses and occasional half-smiles from Grady, and Pearl, a shy and slightly overweight girl who eventually succeeds in penetrating his shell.
The author very realistically explores the effects of rape on a troubled young man and sensitively portrays his confusion over his sexuality, his fear, despair, anxiety and pain. With the help of friends old and new, Grady has some hope.
I was very moved by this powerful and disturbing story.
After attending a school concert, 16-year-old Grady West decides to walk home by himself and is brutally beaten and raped by two men. I wasn’t sure I was ready for another story about teenage suffering, but after Mike's recommendation I went to the library, dug in immediately and barely came up for air.
Grady’s story is harrowing. Before the attack, he hung out with his Group, the six friends he’d known since grade school. After the attack, he has abandoned his old friends and starts over at a new school. His memories continue to haunt him, he is barely able to speak, he has trouble eating, and he is plagued with self-doubt and confusion. Enter Jess, an outgoing African-American with dreadlocks whose relentless teasing finally elicits one-word responses and occasional half-smiles from Grady, and Pearl, a shy and slightly overweight girl who eventually succeeds in penetrating his shell.
The author very realistically explores the effects of rape on a troubled young man and sensitively portrays his confusion over his sexuality, his fear, despair, anxiety and pain. With the help of friends old and new, Grady has some hope.
I was very moved by this powerful and disturbing story.
May 16, 2014
It was a good book. I never understood how (in most cases I've heard about) boys could "turn" gay after being raped by men so violently, but...
This book helped me understand how it could happen. And see just how confused a boy could become. It was sad really, the doubts flooding Grady's mind.
I understood why he didn't want to talk about it, but I also understood why his friends would've wanted to know what had happened to him....why he had shut them out? Real friends want to be there for you.
I also like that he like a chubby girl haha
I'm sick of all these "beautiful/perfect" girls in movies and books. Some of us would like to know a guy can like us whether we're skinny or not, have blue eyes or not, etc. :)
After first Jess annoyed me with his whole "No one likes me cuz I'm black" attitude. I hate when people use that excuse for everything, but he turned out to be a decent guy, pretty funny, and I loved how he was with Charlie (though some words could hurt a poor kid for life).
Overall, it was a mind opening read, and funny at some points. I would recommend it.
This book helped me understand how it could happen. And see just how confused a boy could become. It was sad really, the doubts flooding Grady's mind.
I understood why he didn't want to talk about it, but I also understood why his friends would've wanted to know what had happened to him....why he had shut them out? Real friends want to be there for you.
I also like that he like a chubby girl haha
I'm sick of all these "beautiful/perfect" girls in movies and books. Some of us would like to know a guy can like us whether we're skinny or not, have blue eyes or not, etc. :)
After first Jess annoyed me with his whole "No one likes me cuz I'm black" attitude. I hate when people use that excuse for everything, but he turned out to be a decent guy, pretty funny, and I loved how he was with Charlie (though some words could hurt a poor kid for life).
Overall, it was a mind opening read, and funny at some points. I would recommend it.
June 7, 2023
Yeah, I have no idea how to rate this one.
On one hand, for as many YA "books about rape" that exist, I've never read one quite like this. It's extremely dark, harrowing, and well-written. Seriously, potentially one of the darkest and most painful books about sexual assault that I've read. The trauma of the situation is so well written that it's genuinely unpleasant to read at times, but visceral. Holy shit, is it ever visceral. It's also very unusual for making it clear that there's no justice for Grady, and for completely dismissing any possibility to punish the perpetrators, but dealing with the other stuff around it.
However, Grady is such a sympathetic character that it's so much worse that he is completely surrounded by idiots. His parents send him to group therapy once and, when he doesn't want to go again, they quit! Despite the fact that Grady is clearly (and unsurprisingly) falling apart. It literally takes one of the kids in Grady's class (who is gay. He knows about sexual assault against men because he's gay) to direct Grady towards individual therapy. It's surreal how all of the adults are supposed to be at least somewhat sympathetic characters but apparently, none of them are capable of doing the bare minimum and are all outmanoeuvred in both sympathy and mental health knowledge by a sixteen-year-old boy. Which is not surprising, because nobody has apparently bothered to read even a leaflet on rape and/or PTSD.
The problem with this book is just about every other character that isn't the protagonist. Grady is so sympathetic and well-drawn, but everyone else has one personality trait: Jess, Grady's new friend, is Black; Pearl is Fat (or is she? One of the frustrating things about 2000s YA novels is that it's never clear if an apparent "fat girl" is supposed to be fat, or if it's code for "not painfully skinny"); Fred is Gay. Some of you might say, correctly, that those are not personality traits. I agree! But you wouldn't know it from this book.
Did I mention Jess is Black and Pearl is Fat? Well, this book will remind you, just about as often as I did.
This is also an oddity of a book in that it ends so fast that it really feels incomplete. This is at once the book's best quality; because it's not interesting in crafting an optimistic or uplifting story, it doesn't have to narrativise Grady's pain. It's just allowed to exist. As a result, it can also really dig into some extremely uncomfortable and unusual topics for any novel, especially a YA one. But it also feels aimless and disturbing for the sake of it, and could never fully escape a cloying sense of shock value and horror for the sake of horror.
On one hand, for as many YA "books about rape" that exist, I've never read one quite like this. It's extremely dark, harrowing, and well-written. Seriously, potentially one of the darkest and most painful books about sexual assault that I've read. The trauma of the situation is so well written that it's genuinely unpleasant to read at times, but visceral. Holy shit, is it ever visceral. It's also very unusual for making it clear that there's no justice for Grady, and for completely dismissing any possibility to punish the perpetrators, but dealing with the other stuff around it.
However, Grady is such a sympathetic character that it's so much worse that he is completely surrounded by idiots. His parents send him to group therapy once and, when he doesn't want to go again, they quit! Despite the fact that Grady is clearly (and unsurprisingly) falling apart. It literally takes one of the kids in Grady's class (who is gay. He knows about sexual assault against men because he's gay) to direct Grady towards individual therapy. It's surreal how all of the adults are supposed to be at least somewhat sympathetic characters but apparently, none of them are capable of doing the bare minimum and are all outmanoeuvred in both sympathy and mental health knowledge by a sixteen-year-old boy. Which is not surprising, because nobody has apparently bothered to read even a leaflet on rape and/or PTSD.
The problem with this book is just about every other character that isn't the protagonist. Grady is so sympathetic and well-drawn, but everyone else has one personality trait: Jess, Grady's new friend, is Black; Pearl is Fat (or is she? One of the frustrating things about 2000s YA novels is that it's never clear if an apparent "fat girl" is supposed to be fat, or if it's code for "not painfully skinny"); Fred is Gay. Some of you might say, correctly, that those are not personality traits. I agree! But you wouldn't know it from this book.
Did I mention Jess is Black and Pearl is Fat? Well, this book will remind you, just about as often as I did.
This is also an oddity of a book in that it ends so fast that it really feels incomplete. This is at once the book's best quality; because it's not interesting in crafting an optimistic or uplifting story, it doesn't have to narrativise Grady's pain. It's just allowed to exist. As a result, it can also really dig into some extremely uncomfortable and unusual topics for any novel, especially a YA one. But it also feels aimless and disturbing for the sake of it, and could never fully escape a cloying sense of shock value and horror for the sake of horror.
February 6, 2016
"Why had the men chosen him? What had they seen about him that said, take me?...Grady couldn't bear the answer: They'd taken him because they could, because he was theirs to take. They'd known, somehow they'd known. target.
At sixteen years old, Grady West was savagely raped by two men after walking home from a concert. He struggles in his life trying to find answers for himself from both before and after the Night of as to why him? What led him to be the target of rape?
I knew going into this book the topic would be heavy, but I was not prepared for how much this book drew me in. The writing style--and Grady's voice--is refreshing, heart breaking, and flows in a natural way drawing me into his mind and at moments I was on the verge of tears or feeling anxiety along with him. For me that is very unusual when reading a book. The book greatly showed how our society hasn't been fair to male victims of rape, and how the mindset of it being their fault is increased by society's standards on men. At first I was a bit off put by some of the harsh words and view points of Jess, but as the book carried on I came to understand him better and his ignorant comments made him more real. He wasn't just the "rough-around-the-edges-but-underneath-softie" kind of guy, he had good moments and bad moments and wasn't two dimensional. As for Pearl, I liked her the best and found her and Grady's interactions cute, like when she would gave him food help his anxiety. The friendship surrounding Grady slowly helps him recover and mend his mental and social stability. Overall I highly recommend this book as it covers topics of eating disorder, depression, rape and how friendship is important as well as surrounding yourself with people who care about you.
At sixteen years old, Grady West was savagely raped by two men after walking home from a concert. He struggles in his life trying to find answers for himself from both before and after the Night of as to why him? What led him to be the target of rape?
I knew going into this book the topic would be heavy, but I was not prepared for how much this book drew me in. The writing style--and Grady's voice--is refreshing, heart breaking, and flows in a natural way drawing me into his mind and at moments I was on the verge of tears or feeling anxiety along with him. For me that is very unusual when reading a book. The book greatly showed how our society hasn't been fair to male victims of rape, and how the mindset of it being their fault is increased by society's standards on men. At first I was a bit off put by some of the harsh words and view points of Jess, but as the book carried on I came to understand him better and his ignorant comments made him more real. He wasn't just the "rough-around-the-edges-but-underneath-softie" kind of guy, he had good moments and bad moments and wasn't two dimensional. As for Pearl, I liked her the best and found her and Grady's interactions cute, like when she would gave him food help his anxiety. The friendship surrounding Grady slowly helps him recover and mend his mental and social stability. Overall I highly recommend this book as it covers topics of eating disorder, depression, rape and how friendship is important as well as surrounding yourself with people who care about you.
December 20, 2011
“But really, what could he have done a year ago? What could he have said? Grady closed his eyes. Some hells just can’t be shared.”
On his way home from a concert, Grady West is dragged into a van and brutally beaten/raped by two men. Skip forward to a year later, where we see an entirely different Grady making a fresh start at a new school. He won’t talk to anyone, is starting to look like a skeleton since he can’t keep food down, and can barely make it through the day without having vivid flashbacks of what happened to him. It is only when he’s forced to come out of his shell by outspoken Jess and shy Pearl that Grady begins to open up, deal with why he was targeted by his rapists, and reclaim bits of the life that was taken from him.
Male rape is a highly sensitive issue to tackle, especially in books for young adults. However, Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson has handled it excellently and honestly in “Target”. It is an intense and rather graphic story that takes us along on the slow but sure recovery of a male rape victim. In the book, Johnson touches on several problems that male victim’s go through, such as the double standards for males and females when it comes to rape. Multiple times throughout the book, Grady wonders why people believe he should have been able to fight off his attackers just because he’s a male when a female wouldn’t have been expected to in the same situation.
This is a rather important book for young males to read. Too often, males believe that rape is something that will never happen to them. “Target” might help them to understand that rape can happen to anybody, even males. Because of its controversial material, the book can’t be taught in classrooms since it would undoubtedly spark objections from parents. But, that doesn’t mean open-minded parents and teachers shouldn’t bring “Target” to the attention of young adults outside of school. The book is more appropriate for older teenagers who have the maturity to grasp to significance of the book’s topic.
I give “Target” four out of five stars. Not only is it an entertaining read. It is also thought-provoking. And those are the best kind of books anyone can read.
On his way home from a concert, Grady West is dragged into a van and brutally beaten/raped by two men. Skip forward to a year later, where we see an entirely different Grady making a fresh start at a new school. He won’t talk to anyone, is starting to look like a skeleton since he can’t keep food down, and can barely make it through the day without having vivid flashbacks of what happened to him. It is only when he’s forced to come out of his shell by outspoken Jess and shy Pearl that Grady begins to open up, deal with why he was targeted by his rapists, and reclaim bits of the life that was taken from him.
Male rape is a highly sensitive issue to tackle, especially in books for young adults. However, Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson has handled it excellently and honestly in “Target”. It is an intense and rather graphic story that takes us along on the slow but sure recovery of a male rape victim. In the book, Johnson touches on several problems that male victim’s go through, such as the double standards for males and females when it comes to rape. Multiple times throughout the book, Grady wonders why people believe he should have been able to fight off his attackers just because he’s a male when a female wouldn’t have been expected to in the same situation.
This is a rather important book for young males to read. Too often, males believe that rape is something that will never happen to them. “Target” might help them to understand that rape can happen to anybody, even males. Because of its controversial material, the book can’t be taught in classrooms since it would undoubtedly spark objections from parents. But, that doesn’t mean open-minded parents and teachers shouldn’t bring “Target” to the attention of young adults outside of school. The book is more appropriate for older teenagers who have the maturity to grasp to significance of the book’s topic.
I give “Target” four out of five stars. Not only is it an entertaining read. It is also thought-provoking. And those are the best kind of books anyone can read.
Read
October 9, 2013It’s not easy being raped. Not very nice either. It’s not one of the moments you look back on with a clear mind and a warm, fuzzy feeling in your middle. No, you try not to look back on it all, but when you must (and it seems like you must every day, every hour) there’s a cold ball of terror, fear, guilt and shame stuck somewhere smack dab in the middle of who you are - sometimes for a very, very, very long time.
Did I ask for it? Did I fight enough? Could I have done something differently?
If only I’d left the (party, concert, friend’s house) five minutes sooner or later than I did. Good grief, did my body really respond to that while my mind cowered in a corner trying to hide?
Was it my fault? Was I a target?
This is the story of Grady – and how as if dealing with a rape wasn’t tough enough, he now had to survive classes at a new High School. He was supposed to be a senior, but was repeating his junior year because he missed so much school after IT happened.
“Try to eat your lunch today, Grady,” his mom reminded him as she dropped him off.
He made it to homeroom – saw an empty seat in the back and flew through groups of kids to get to it. He plowed over a small black kid and threw himself down.
“You (bleep!)!” the black kid yelled, “so much for improved race relations honkey-butt!”
Great, Grady shook his head; his first day and he was already longing for 3 o’clock. How was he supposed to make it to 3? Heck, how was he supposed to make it at all?
It’s not easy being raped. It’s not very nice either. If you don’t believe me, spend a year with Grady at Thomas Jefferson High School in Target, by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson.
Did I ask for it? Did I fight enough? Could I have done something differently?
If only I’d left the (party, concert, friend’s house) five minutes sooner or later than I did. Good grief, did my body really respond to that while my mind cowered in a corner trying to hide?
Was it my fault? Was I a target?
This is the story of Grady – and how as if dealing with a rape wasn’t tough enough, he now had to survive classes at a new High School. He was supposed to be a senior, but was repeating his junior year because he missed so much school after IT happened.
“Try to eat your lunch today, Grady,” his mom reminded him as she dropped him off.
He made it to homeroom – saw an empty seat in the back and flew through groups of kids to get to it. He plowed over a small black kid and threw himself down.
“You (bleep!)!” the black kid yelled, “so much for improved race relations honkey-butt!”
Great, Grady shook his head; his first day and he was already longing for 3 o’clock. How was he supposed to make it to 3? Heck, how was he supposed to make it at all?
It’s not easy being raped. It’s not very nice either. If you don’t believe me, spend a year with Grady at Thomas Jefferson High School in Target, by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson.
April 28, 2016
This book is about Grady, a 16 year old boy who is haunted by the memory of being raped by 2 aggressive men. After that night, Grady becomes numb and hurt boy who is paranoid about others discovering his darkest secret and shuts down the world around him. I had high hopes for this book, because I thought reading another YA novel would cure my Looking For Alaska hangover, yet I'm still hungover. I'm glad this book allowed us to see the world from the perspective of a rape victim and the effects sexual abuse can have. I did, however, find Grady to be annoying. All of Grady's friends are pouring their hearts out and opening up to him, and he doesn't even respond. The least bit he could do is acknowledge them or nod. Every time he did respond, he would say "Um" followed by a yes or a no. Grady cannot sulk in his sadness forever, but he did in about 170 out of 174 pages and I felt like I was reading the same thing. maybe I am just lacking compassion and sympathy, but after a terrible attack, we need to move on and seek help, instead of letting it control our lives.I did not enjoy the writing and would not read this book again.
November 22, 2015
I wish Goodreads would add half-star ratings, because this would be a solid 3.5 stars for me... But I'll round it up.
In terms of the message, this book is important and insightful. I have not read anything about male rape victims before, and I think it did a really good job explaining how broken and confused Grady felt afterwards. It was heartbreaking to read that the police officers and doctor were skeptical about the assault being a "rape," because they found it so hard to believe that a strong, tall young man could be forcefully taken. Even his parents were unsure of how to treat him or think of him, and Grady feels confusion over his sexuality, why he was the one targeted, and whether he is weak because he didn't fight back against his attackers. Male rape is a topic that is not discussed enough, especially due to the stigma that men should always be strong and show no vulnerability.
Story-wise, it was short but not very eventful. I did not particularly like Grady as a character, but his thought process and struggle was portrayed realistically, in my opinion. The ending could have been extended, however, since after the climax it felt a bit rushed.
In terms of the message, this book is important and insightful. I have not read anything about male rape victims before, and I think it did a really good job explaining how broken and confused Grady felt afterwards. It was heartbreaking to read that the police officers and doctor were skeptical about the assault being a "rape," because they found it so hard to believe that a strong, tall young man could be forcefully taken. Even his parents were unsure of how to treat him or think of him, and Grady feels confusion over his sexuality, why he was the one targeted, and whether he is weak because he didn't fight back against his attackers. Male rape is a topic that is not discussed enough, especially due to the stigma that men should always be strong and show no vulnerability.
Story-wise, it was short but not very eventful. I did not particularly like Grady as a character, but his thought process and struggle was portrayed realistically, in my opinion. The ending could have been extended, however, since after the climax it felt a bit rushed.
April 15, 2008
I had to read this book as apart of a project I did exploring the issue of sexual abuse in young adult lit.
It features a male protagonist going through some very deep shit in a startling realistic way. No cheesy crap is pulled. If you aren't ready to deal with the ugly honest truth of something this terrible happening then don't read it.
The characters are fully alive and go through believable developments. If I didn't think it would make so many teenage boys uncomfortable, I would say it was their answer to Speak.
It features a male protagonist going through some very deep shit in a startling realistic way. No cheesy crap is pulled. If you aren't ready to deal with the ugly honest truth of something this terrible happening then don't read it.
The characters are fully alive and go through believable developments. If I didn't think it would make so many teenage boys uncomfortable, I would say it was their answer to Speak.
June 7, 2013
This book was assigned for my gender crime and justice class and i read it in one day! I must say the events that take place and how the characters reacted made me feel like I was there through it all
March 18, 2016
Wow! An intense novel.
May 28, 2017
this book was Published December 13th 2005 by Laurel Leaf
the book has 175 pages.
Kathleen is 67, she works as a library technician and is the author of Dumb Love, Gone, The Parallel Universe of Liars and A Fast and Brutal Wing.
the book is about a boy name grady, who was walking home one night when all of a sudden he gets taken into a van where he is raped and beaten up, by two men. grady is so traumatized after what has happened that he doesn't speak much anymore.
he doesn't want to talk about it. To anyone. So he changes schools, stops eating, speaks only when necessary and keeps himself to himself.
when he goes into the new school he makes a friend named jess that helps him speak more and stand up for himself.
then one day grady runs into his old friends. he feels that if they know what really happened to him, they wouldnt want to be his friend anymore. the opposite happens. when they find out what happened, its his friends that help him move past it.
i was so shocked by how descriptive this book was. every time something bad happened to grady i felt it too. i felt his shame, pain, and embarressment. it helped me understand what really happened to grady. People tend to forget that men can be raped too. at first Jess annoyed me. but he turned out to be a decent guy, pretty funny,
this book did remind me of a Male version of Speak
Overall, it was a mind opening read, and funny at some points.
I give it 4 out of 5
i did think it was a bit rushed, i think the book should be longer or have a 2nd book.
the book has 175 pages.
Kathleen is 67, she works as a library technician and is the author of Dumb Love, Gone, The Parallel Universe of Liars and A Fast and Brutal Wing.
the book is about a boy name grady, who was walking home one night when all of a sudden he gets taken into a van where he is raped and beaten up, by two men. grady is so traumatized after what has happened that he doesn't speak much anymore.
he doesn't want to talk about it. To anyone. So he changes schools, stops eating, speaks only when necessary and keeps himself to himself.
when he goes into the new school he makes a friend named jess that helps him speak more and stand up for himself.
then one day grady runs into his old friends. he feels that if they know what really happened to him, they wouldnt want to be his friend anymore. the opposite happens. when they find out what happened, its his friends that help him move past it.
i was so shocked by how descriptive this book was. every time something bad happened to grady i felt it too. i felt his shame, pain, and embarressment. it helped me understand what really happened to grady. People tend to forget that men can be raped too. at first Jess annoyed me. but he turned out to be a decent guy, pretty funny,
this book did remind me of a Male version of Speak
Overall, it was a mind opening read, and funny at some points.
I give it 4 out of 5
i did think it was a bit rushed, i think the book should be longer or have a 2nd book.
December 23, 2023
what....
Ok so, the premise is good, it's about the expectation that men and boys should "not let themselves be raped", especially big guys, even if they're only 16 like Grady. You really have to view this book through the lenses of the time it was published (2001), it reads like someone (the author) is slowly getting into a more progressive mindset about sexual assault victims, racism and even homophobia, however, if this was published today it would get cancelled a thousand times over. I actually like her writing, the book is very raw, it's full of cringy (EXTREME CRINGE) teenagers doing incredibly awkward things and making terrible decisions, but that's what makes it feel real. It feels like really bad things just happen sometimes, and there isn't always a fable to wrap everything up neatly in a bow, sometimes life is just ugly and you have to get up and keep going anyway. That was my favourite part of the book.
On the other hand, a lot of comments and language lay on this dangerous limbo between honest, raw writing and unecessary problematic remarks. There is also this weird obcession with Grady's sexuality, which by itself is interesting - the relationship a teenage boy has with sexuality after his only experience with it being heavy SA - but it kinda ends up going nowhere, so now it's just kind of creepy descriptions of masturbation and such...
Reading this can be really uncomfortable, the plot is kind of messy, and the book ends way to soon to get anywhere meaningful, but it does have it's merits, and I hope that, for the time, it helped people get over nasty prejudices.
Ok so, the premise is good, it's about the expectation that men and boys should "not let themselves be raped", especially big guys, even if they're only 16 like Grady. You really have to view this book through the lenses of the time it was published (2001), it reads like someone (the author) is slowly getting into a more progressive mindset about sexual assault victims, racism and even homophobia, however, if this was published today it would get cancelled a thousand times over. I actually like her writing, the book is very raw, it's full of cringy (EXTREME CRINGE) teenagers doing incredibly awkward things and making terrible decisions, but that's what makes it feel real. It feels like really bad things just happen sometimes, and there isn't always a fable to wrap everything up neatly in a bow, sometimes life is just ugly and you have to get up and keep going anyway. That was my favourite part of the book.
On the other hand, a lot of comments and language lay on this dangerous limbo between honest, raw writing and unecessary problematic remarks. There is also this weird obcession with Grady's sexuality, which by itself is interesting - the relationship a teenage boy has with sexuality after his only experience with it being heavy SA - but it kinda ends up going nowhere, so now it's just kind of creepy descriptions of masturbation and such...
Reading this can be really uncomfortable, the plot is kind of messy, and the book ends way to soon to get anywhere meaningful, but it does have it's merits, and I hope that, for the time, it helped people get over nasty prejudices.
May 5, 2025
Johnson's book for teens deals with a subject that doesn't get talked about nearly enough - male-on-male rape - and it's good that she covers this topic. The main character, Grady, asks himself a lot of questions - why did his attackers choose him? Why didn't he fight back? Is it because he might be gay, might (unknown to himself) secretly have wanted it to happen somehow, had sent some sort of signals that identified him as a likely target? Is he gay?
The author does a good job, in my opinion, of showing how this event has so severely affected Grady's life, his emotions, his core being. I just wish they had spent as much effort addressing some of the other issues - like how being a boy raped by men had nothing to do with Grady's sexuality (or the attackers' sexuality). I also wish they had addressed Jess's language - his use of gay slurs, fat jokes and other hateful language - in a more productive manner. Yes, they show that Jess is learning, and by the end of the book he controls his language better; but is it because he got in trouble for it, or because he truly realizes how hurtful his language is?
The author does a good job, in my opinion, of showing how this event has so severely affected Grady's life, his emotions, his core being. I just wish they had spent as much effort addressing some of the other issues - like how being a boy raped by men had nothing to do with Grady's sexuality (or the attackers' sexuality). I also wish they had addressed Jess's language - his use of gay slurs, fat jokes and other hateful language - in a more productive manner. Yes, they show that Jess is learning, and by the end of the book he controls his language better; but is it because he got in trouble for it, or because he truly realizes how hurtful his language is?
September 23, 2021
I thought this book was a fairly good read.
Jess was hard to like. I liked how talkative he was compared to Grady but I didn't like how much of an asshole he was (I can't see how someone can begin healing from the trauma they endured when they are constantly belittled by their friend). No one is perfect but it's hard to get through the story when you're dreading another insult to Grady. The ending also seemed rushed.
All this said, it's a good book for a look into how rape is treated among men and what the survivor struggles with afterwards. Grady was a great character to sympathize for and it's impossible not to root for his healing. Pearl was nicely written and everyone's outcome finished the story well.
All in all, if someone asked me if they should read it, I'd say yes.
Jess was hard to like. I liked how talkative he was compared to Grady but I didn't like how much of an asshole he was (I can't see how someone can begin healing from the trauma they endured when they are constantly belittled by their friend). No one is perfect but it's hard to get through the story when you're dreading another insult to Grady. The ending also seemed rushed.
All this said, it's a good book for a look into how rape is treated among men and what the survivor struggles with afterwards. Grady was a great character to sympathize for and it's impossible not to root for his healing. Pearl was nicely written and everyone's outcome finished the story well.
All in all, if someone asked me if they should read it, I'd say yes.
June 19, 2018
I enjoyed the realistically flawed characters. The ending felt a little rushed. I think this book could have benefited from being twice as long and stretching the last couple chapters as well as everything unwritten between them into the second half.
September 5, 2023
2.5 stars
I know this was published in 2003 but I found it difficult to overlook the homophobia, fatphobia, an sometimes offensive portrayal of a black teenager. Could have been good if there wasn't all of that.
I know this was published in 2003 but I found it difficult to overlook the homophobia, fatphobia, an sometimes offensive portrayal of a black teenager. Could have been good if there wasn't all of that.
September 24, 2025
this author has never ever met a black person before… or a teenager… also what was the need to mention pearl’s fat-or-not-so-fatness 100 times, i get this was written in the early 2000s but damn bruh this book is weird. i liked fred tho!
January 5, 2018
A powerful story with well-developed characters. My only complaint was how unrealistic it was that someone as deeply traumatized and non-functional as Grady would still be in public school.
June 18, 2018
Difficult to read.
Well written. Engaging characters. ...
Sometimes you don't come back. Sometimes you aren't all right.
Well written. Engaging characters. ...
Sometimes you don't come back. Sometimes you aren't all right.
January 16, 2024
full review here:
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
It's ugly, but it's cathartic.
https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...
It's ugly, but it's cathartic.
April 7, 2025
Def a product of its time but also lowkey ahead of its time? Only lowkey though
April 29, 2011
Adolescence can be a tough time for anyone. For young men its a time for them to define their masculinity and come to terms with what it means to be a man. This struggle is at the heart of the angst over coming out that so many gay men go through. It's also at the heart of much of the gay-bashing and homophobia that goes on as well.
This novel deals with those issues with the further complication of the young man's having been raped.
The novel is from the point of view of the young man as he struggles to deal with an event that has very painfully separated his life into the before and the after.
And yet by the end there is hope that with supportive friends and the help of profesionals he'll get his life back on track.
We all love to hear stories of adversity overcome and we all have that attraction to drama that compells us to look at car wrecks even though we know we shouldn't. This novel has that appeal as well but it deals with these things in an ulimately positive manner.
I would recommend this book to folks not only as an engrossing read but as an exercise in empathy and compassion.
This novel deals with those issues with the further complication of the young man's having been raped.
The novel is from the point of view of the young man as he struggles to deal with an event that has very painfully separated his life into the before and the after.
And yet by the end there is hope that with supportive friends and the help of profesionals he'll get his life back on track.
We all love to hear stories of adversity overcome and we all have that attraction to drama that compells us to look at car wrecks even though we know we shouldn't. This novel has that appeal as well but it deals with these things in an ulimately positive manner.
I would recommend this book to folks not only as an engrossing read but as an exercise in empathy and compassion.
July 26, 2012
Target deals with a taboo: male rape.
Grady west was viciously raped, as he was heading home, after a friend’s concert. Grady withdraws from everything believing it was his fault. He even switches from Delmont High to Thomas Jefferson High.
At his new school, he almost fights with Jess --a homophobic African American--for a seat on the back of the classroom. Quickly, Jess takes Grady under his wing. In art class, Jess points out Pearl (an overweight artistic girl), Gwendolyn (a writer for the school's journal and unofficial blackmailer), and Fred (the gay guy).
Grady rarely talks to anyone and sits by the dumpsters to avoid interaction. However, things change when Ms. Spencer -- the art teacher-- assigns Jess, Pearl, and Grady to partner up and create a combined portrait of themselves.
It then becomes a sink or swim situation for Grady. I enjoyed the characters, especially Pearl (who manages to break out of her shell). I loved the it wasn't a complete happily ever after. Nonetheless, it ended on a positive note.
Grady west was viciously raped, as he was heading home, after a friend’s concert. Grady withdraws from everything believing it was his fault. He even switches from Delmont High to Thomas Jefferson High.
At his new school, he almost fights with Jess --a homophobic African American--for a seat on the back of the classroom. Quickly, Jess takes Grady under his wing. In art class, Jess points out Pearl (an overweight artistic girl), Gwendolyn (a writer for the school's journal and unofficial blackmailer), and Fred (the gay guy).
Grady rarely talks to anyone and sits by the dumpsters to avoid interaction. However, things change when Ms. Spencer -- the art teacher-- assigns Jess, Pearl, and Grady to partner up and create a combined portrait of themselves.
It then becomes a sink or swim situation for Grady. I enjoyed the characters, especially Pearl (who manages to break out of her shell). I loved the it wasn't a complete happily ever after. Nonetheless, it ended on a positive note.
August 25, 2015
DNF at 70%.
I think the book started with a good message. Sadly, these things can happen to anyone no matter their age, their gender, their skin color. The book dealt with the shame, the humiliation, the helplessness that came with it pretty well.
But other parts were just cringe-worthy to read. Jess' sexism and homophobia was just too distracting, even though I could feel he was a good person underneath. Grady's fat-shaming and the way he thought about girls with anorexia/bulimia was equally horrible to read. I'm all for characters with faults and weaknesses, but these felt so immature and rude and pointless I couldn't accept them.
I don't know where the author was going with these personality traits, but they made it incredibly difficult for me to get through the story. The bluntness with which the attack on Grady was written felt more subtle than those parts. These were the problems that made it impossible for me to really connect with either of the two main leads and what made me put down this book. Maybe by the end things might have changed, but I wasn't going to suffer through any more of this no matter how short the book was.
I think the book started with a good message. Sadly, these things can happen to anyone no matter their age, their gender, their skin color. The book dealt with the shame, the humiliation, the helplessness that came with it pretty well.
But other parts were just cringe-worthy to read. Jess' sexism and homophobia was just too distracting, even though I could feel he was a good person underneath. Grady's fat-shaming and the way he thought about girls with anorexia/bulimia was equally horrible to read. I'm all for characters with faults and weaknesses, but these felt so immature and rude and pointless I couldn't accept them.
I don't know where the author was going with these personality traits, but they made it incredibly difficult for me to get through the story. The bluntness with which the attack on Grady was written felt more subtle than those parts. These were the problems that made it impossible for me to really connect with either of the two main leads and what made me put down this book. Maybe by the end things might have changed, but I wasn't going to suffer through any more of this no matter how short the book was.
December 13, 2010
Grady is in high school, but he keeps finding himself to be the "target" of so many actions ay other people. Most of the attacks are homosexual in nature, but this is not about the true meaning of being gay; it is about violence. So Grady, knowing he seems to have "target" written on him, decides to just go through high school in silence. Until he meets the two strangest people in his art class. Why would this black kid decide to try to be his friend? And what did this overweight girl have to do with anything?
This novel was one of the most powerful I have ever read. The writing by Kathleen Johnson is tight, concise and very clear in tis purpose and style. The concept of beiing a "target" is unforgettable and has the power to relate to so many teens who feel on the outside of school. Grady's silence, his inability to speak in whole sentences; his gradual awakening and opening is written with such tenderness and reality.
I highly recommend this novel to all YA readers.
This novel was one of the most powerful I have ever read. The writing by Kathleen Johnson is tight, concise and very clear in tis purpose and style. The concept of beiing a "target" is unforgettable and has the power to relate to so many teens who feel on the outside of school. Grady's silence, his inability to speak in whole sentences; his gradual awakening and opening is written with such tenderness and reality.
I highly recommend this novel to all YA readers.
August 6, 2011
Definetly not a book for everyone. I would recommend only to those who are really open to think about any issue even ones society as a whole is uncomfortable talking about like male rape. Yes, men get raped, and this tale, told my a women, is less about a man and more about a scared and confused boy who gets help for his confusion and ultimately comes out alright. Now this women knows how to end a story. I hate when I spend 200 pages getting ready for this awesome ending and being completely disappointed because the author decided to be a lazy a-hole and leave not an open ending, but an incomplete one. Johnson doesn't have this problem. She gives us enough to be satisfied with the ending, that's not completely predictable, but wished for, and leaves the audience, or at least me, content. I mean, why the hell would you want to walk away from a book thinking, what the hell just happenend? how the hell does it all end?
December 27, 2007
While other teen novels have explored rape, in this one the victim is a male. As in Speak, the main character (Grady) doesn't talk much, but there's a lot going on inside of his head. The incident has made him question everything about himself, and he's not sure of the answers. While the story is not told first person, readers get this character and these issues, and will understand why Grady hangs on the outside of his own life. There are some fun secondary characters, but this is the story about a kid going through life on the light side who gets attacked and his life turns into a dark ride.
February 17, 2012
The book starts with a 16 year-old named Grady starting at a new school. Almost exactly one year previously, he was violently raped by two men on the way home, and he has become withdrawn, barely eating, silent, and has developed an almost OCD like habit of feeling hard smooth surfaces, like pencils. He is majorly confused about his sexuality and constantly questions "Why him?" Like Speak but it's a male, narrated 3rd person, and much more violent/graphic. Also there are more developed characters, as Grady meets new people in his new school.
July 5, 2012
6"3' junior Grady West loves his friends & school life. But walking home late one night, he is abducted by 2 drunken men, who beat him up, rape him & leave him by the side of the road. Grady retreats into a shell & loses weight, doesn't want to talk to his family. Grady changes schools, so no one there will know about him. But the 1st day of the new school, he befriends Jess-one of the few black kids at school with his help-constant talking,Pearl-the fat girl and Fred-the fag they help Grady realize, he had been a target.
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