- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (April 1 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1554690773
- ISBN-13: 978-1554690770
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 318 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #364,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
Quill & Quire
Forget cutting class and mouthing off: for a kid who doesn’t fit in, just surviving high school may be the gutsiest act of all. Still struggling with her family’s move from the city to the cookie-cutter suburbs, Dante Griffin hasn’t managed to make more than one friend at Glen Ridge Secondary School – and that one just moved away. Plus, her independent thinking (which often involves taunting her bully of an English teacher) is landing Dante in the principal’s office with increasing frequency. And then there’s her constant, painful heartbreak over Beth, the lost friend, something she can barely admit to herself, let alone her homophobic peers. Into her confusing life strides Parker, a girl with penetrating eyes and a love of chaos. She and her gang of high school dropouts are bent on challenging society’s power structures, starting with the soul-crushing schools themselves. Soon Dante is skipping class to join them on their protest missions, but it isn’t long before she starts to wonder how far they’ll go to make their point (and what, exactly, that point is). In her sixth book for young adults, Robin Stevenson’s writing is sharp and her plot tidy and briskly paced, making for a quick, engaging read. Even her integration of the tough themes of relationship abuse and the alienation of queer teens is seamless – not to mention free of heavy-handed lessons. Smart and sarcastic, Dante is a convincing narrator, and Parker and her friends are equally well-drawn, though authority figures don’t get the same nuanced development. Driving the action is both the escalating plans of the countercultural clique and the emerging backstories of the central characters. But while Stevenson details their difficult family lives and social pressures, she avoids a connect-the-dots approach to teen behaviour, laying responsibility for the actions of even her most deeply troubled characters at their own feet. In the end, this emphasis on personal responsibility isn’t a vehicle for blame. Rather, for Dante it becomes an empowering invitation to effect change, even in suburbia – a place where doing things differently can seem impossible.
Review
"Teens will identify with the plot which is full of rebellion and reaction to the "Life is not fair!" mantra that the characters convey through actions and events." (Southwestern Ohio Young Adult Materials Review Group 20090408)
"An exceptional book that captures the angst and ennui of the teenager that just does not fit well into any group...A well written novel that had me gripped to the final page. Highly recommended." (Resource Links 20090701)
"The clear and thoughtful discussions between characters make the plot meaningful and intriguing...A fantastic read for teenagers or adults. Inferno is an inspiring book that motivates readers to stand up for what they believe in, take risks, and dream big." (What If? Magazine 20090601)
"If you are a librarian serving teenagers, you should have this book in your collection. It seems so many good books about gay themes are about boys—this has a wonderful female lead. Dante is strong, smart, and has integrity." (Elisabeth Abarbanel, Librarian, Los Angeles 20090426)
"Stevenson's writing is sharp and her plot tidy and briskly paced, making for a quick, engaging read. Even her integration of the tough themes of relationship abuse and the alienation of queer teens is seamless—not to mention free of heavy-handed lessons." (Quill & Quire )
"Stevenson creates a compelling portrait of autonomy vs. conformity...Dante's sexuality is refreshingly not a problem, just a fact of life. Readers will recognize themselves and many of their peers in Stevenson's complex, likeable characters." (Booklist )
"[Stevenson] does a terrific job, capturing the impossibly large emotion and the power that propels teenage girls...This is skillful writing featuring a strong female protagonist. A good story well told." (January Magazine )
"An exceptional book that captures the angst and ennui of the teenager that just does not fit well into any group...A well written novel that had me gripped to the final page. Highly recommended." (Resource Links 20090701)
"The clear and thoughtful discussions between characters make the plot meaningful and intriguing...A fantastic read for teenagers or adults. Inferno is an inspiring book that motivates readers to stand up for what they believe in, take risks, and dream big." (What If? Magazine 20090601)
"If you are a librarian serving teenagers, you should have this book in your collection. It seems so many good books about gay themes are about boys—this has a wonderful female lead. Dante is strong, smart, and has integrity." (Elisabeth Abarbanel, Librarian, Los Angeles 20090426)
"Stevenson's writing is sharp and her plot tidy and briskly paced, making for a quick, engaging read. Even her integration of the tough themes of relationship abuse and the alienation of queer teens is seamless—not to mention free of heavy-handed lessons." (Quill & Quire )
"Stevenson creates a compelling portrait of autonomy vs. conformity...Dante's sexuality is refreshingly not a problem, just a fact of life. Readers will recognize themselves and many of their peers in Stevenson's complex, likeable characters." (Booklist )
"[Stevenson] does a terrific job, capturing the impossibly large emotion and the power that propels teenage girls...This is skillful writing featuring a strong female protagonist. A good story well told." (January Magazine )
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.ca
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Children's Books > Literature > Action & Adventure
- Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Abuse
- Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Issues > Dysfunctional Relationships
- Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Situations > Friendship
- Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Adventure & Thrillers
- Books > Teens > Social Issues > Dating & Intimacy > Fiction
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
