'Asking For It' Discussion Thread

[(Something Like) Lydia, Eternal Spinster]

Louise O'Neill's Asking For It is one of our reads for the month of October.

Feel free to discuss the issues, themes, and what you thought about the book, here!

[Em]

Anyone find this book insanely intense? I couldn't put it down either

[Hayley Sprout]

Em wrote: "Anyone find this book insanely intense? I couldn't put it down either"

I agree! I flew through it in a couple of sittings. I love it when a book makes me feel things and I've never felt so angry and upset at a book.

[Em]

I really wish she'd gone through with everything, including the examination and then the prosecution they don't deserve to have the lives they are heading for

[Allyson]

This book! This book guys! I wish she would have gone through with it too. I feel that it was what Emma would have really done though. I have never experienced anything that extreme before but when anything bad happens sometimes I don't want to acknowledge it and want it to go away.

The hurt she (and everyone else) was going through...

I think one of the things I take away from it is that people that were against her. The people that were saying she was asking for it. She made that decision to do such and such. Boys will be boys...

She might have made a choice to do whatever... It doesn't matter. After she was clearly 'gone', not capable of making choices. Those boys. Every one of them made A CHOICE to do what they did. Whether it be in the act or filming or whatever. I mean people get that 'point' thrown right back at them. Those girls and boys who commented, posted, re-posted made a choice.


Am I making sense here?

[Em]

Yeah I agree, they all made bad choices,and I don't think I ever completely believed she'd go through with it all, I was just hoping she would for her sake. I don't like happy endings, but this ending hurt me too much. Emma I wish you'd gone through with it and I loved you as a character.

[Em]

I don't think I phrased that right. Emma wasn't a nice person, I wouldn't like her if I knew her in real life, but however much I disliked her, I cared about her so much. I don't make sense. .

[Hayley Sprout]

Louise's afterword really made me think so much. It's unreal how many people don't report cases of rape because various reasons