Asking For It in Anti Bullying Week Readathon

Jan 08, 2017 Fátima García rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5

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Jun 23, 2019 Claire-Rose rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Honestly. I get it. This book follows important subject matter that needs to be spoken about. I would normally be shouting the praises of this book from the rooftop. And yet... I absolutely LOATHE this book.

The one key message the ending of this book gave me was, it's easier and BETTER to curl into a ball and give up than to keep fighting.

The writing felt clunky, there are too many unlikable characters who all blend in together and I entirely forgot who was who half the time.

Emma is a horrible ...more

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Aug 10, 2015 Imogen rated it liked it

Shelves: 21, not-owned

Asking For It was an incredibly difficult book to read. I don't personally have triggers about the subject matter but I found myself increasingly uncomfortable, sick to my stomach, and anxious. I even needed to call a friend of mine half way through to talk about what I was reading because of how it was making me feel and in search of comfort. I think it hit me quite hard because I went to an all girls school like the characters, I've known girls exactly like this, and the first person narrative Asking For It was an incredibly difficult book to read. I don't personally have triggers about the subject matter but I found myself increasingly uncomfortable, sick to my stomach, and anxious. I even needed to call a friend of mine half way through to talk about what I was reading because of how it was making me feel and in search of comfort. I think it hit me quite hard because I went to an all girls school like the characters, I've known girls exactly like this, and the first person narrative just gets under your skin.

The story is also familiar because it's happened. The story is a pretty direct copy of several cases that have been well publicised over the last few years, but set in Ireland, rather than America. However, reading about it in the news and reading it in first person are two very different experiences.

The focus is very much on Emma and I think the other characters fall a little flat because of this, I struggled keeping all of her friends and family, even the rapists straight in my head because the narrative doesn't give them much personality beyond- this girl is rich, this girl has a boyfriend, this guy plays football, this guy has a crush on Emma. And even that was confusing. Like school on the first day, you don't know these people and you spend a lot of time putting faces to names.

The writing was very simplistic and direct, and while this put across the message very clearly, it made the whole book feel a little lacking. I missed beautiful sentences and turns of phrases that almost every other book I've read has managed, no matter the subject. There were lines where the same thing would be said over and over that I would skim whereas normally I'm not a skimmer at all.

I remember when I first picked up a copy of this book and saying to Daisy, "This is either going to be really well done or an complete nightmare." Now I've read it, I don't think it was either. I liked it well enough and I think it's going to be an interesting way of getting teens to think about sexual assault, rape culture and victim blaming but I wasn't blown away like some other readers were.

Review originally posted on Imogen’s Typewriter. ...more

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Feb 06, 2016 Nati rated it liked it

Shelves: ebooks

While this book didn't 'wow' me, I am still so happy that it was written and that it was written beautifully. I am of the stance that more YA books need to talk about rape and rape culture and everything that surrounds the issue. I think that everyone needs to read this book, because it's an important book to read. ...more

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