My Friend Dahmer

Backderf, Derf. My Friend Dahmer. New York: Abrams ComicArts, 2012. 224 p.

 

With expressive black and while  cartoons, My Friend Dahmer details information about Jeffrey Dahmer’s middle school and high school life.  Information was gathered through news sources, Dahmer’s own jailhouse interviews, and the author searching his and his friends’ memories for the details about the famed serial killer that they had tucked away.  Without being gory, author Derf Backderf manages to recount the years leading up to the murders and that first one that led Dahmer down such a dark and twisted path.

The strength of My Friend Dahmer is the level of intimate detail that the author provides about Dahmer’s life and thoughts during middle and high school.  The reader feels like (s)he is truly in his head, which certainly leaves an impression on a person.  The book creates a level of understanding on how a truly sympathetic creature like (pre-murderous) Jeffrey Dahmer could ultimately become a twisted serial killer.  The author makes clear that his sympathy for Dahmer ends the moment the first murder is committed, and clear statements like that allow the reader to open up to the fact that Dahmer was pitiful, without having conflicting emotions over  having sympathy for a murderer.

Perhaps the only weakness in the novel is the understanding that as a graphic novel, the actual drawing style may not appeal to all readers.  It has a very specific style to the drawings.  The black and white drawings are stark and when paired with the dark undertones of the book, it is one that could be off-putting for younger readers or those that are sensitive.  While the author skirts around the gory aspects of the murders, there is no denying that readers are watching as a young man takes a journey from being an isolated, bullied teen to tortured, obsessed adult who ultimately will be known as one of the most prolific serial killers of all time.

For young adult readers, My Friend Dahmer is an excellent choice when it comes to reading a non-fiction work.  Non-fiction can be daunting, conjuring up memories of textbooks and mind-numbing lectures in school.  This work allows readers to really learn the background of Jeffrey Dahmer and to even challenge their beliefs of right and wrong, and the role society plays in one’s development.

Three Rivers Rising

Richards, Jame. Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood. New York: Knopf Books for Young Adults, 2010. 306 p.

 

Setting in 1888-1889, Three Rivers Rising follows 16-year-old Celestia as she stumbles into love with Peter, a hired hand from Johnstown and a world away from Celestia’s high-society lifestyle.  Knowing she would be disowned, Celestia and Peter keep their love secret, for as long as they can.  But late 19^th Century women at the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club are known gossipers and soon she and Peter are making tough decisions.  Meanwhile, readers are introduced to Moira, a young girl with a husband and young children, Kate, a widow-turned-nurse, and love-struck Peter, through alternating point-of-view chapters. It is not until the dam breaks due to torrential rain and man’s own hubris that the cities in the valley south of the hunting club enter the history books as being the site of one of the worst man-caused floods in American history.

Written in verse form with alternating chapters, Three Rivers Rising has, structurally, built-in positives and negatives.  For readers that enjoy verse form or reading chapters from various characters’ point-of-view, Jame Richards’ book is a true delight.  With plenty of details related to the time period and the culture of both Celestia’s social class and Peter’s are made clear to the reader.  Delightfully romantic, readers care about all the characters in the novel, even if they are less involved like Celestia’s older sister.

A weakness within the novel is that the romantic storyline and verse usage is seen as traditionally female.  With all of these romantic undertones, it may be difficult to get YA boys interested in the work.  While historically accurate (Notes and references are located at the end of the novel), it may not be enough to get the boys to pick up the novel and stick with it.

For young adults, Three Rivers Rising is an enjoyable read that highlights a piece of history that is often forgotten for those outside the Johnstown, Pennsylvania area.  The characters are relatable, and that gives the novel power.  For a genre that can be difficult to sell young adults on, Three Rivers Rising has a lot of elements that may make it a winner amongst the younger crowd.

The Girls of No Return

Saladin, Erin. The Girls of No Return. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2012. 348p.

 

Set deep into the wilderness, The Alice Marshall School resides.  A place for disturbed teenage girls, the school’s mission is to rehabilitate the troubled youth through living-off-the-land existence, group therapy, and solo wilderness survival.  The school is teeming with girls who struggle with anger, regret, and self-loathing. It is into this environment that Lida Wallace is placed.  As Lida comes to terms with her past, she struggles to interact and understand the girls at the school, particularly the extremely callous Boone and Gia, who intrigues Lida with her exotic lifestyle.  When secrets are revealed however, Lida makes a fateful choice- a mistake that she can never take back.

 The strength of The Girls of No Return is its raw emotions that come through the pages. These girls are wounded and the reader can feel it. It’s palpable.  Erin Saladin has done a terrific job of capturing the helplessness and confusion that is often felt during teenage years.  Many times throughout my reading, I couldn’t help but think “Oh Lida.” With just a few more years of maturity and life experience, she would not have to torment herself as she does. 

A weakness in the novel is that it is rather slow-paced.  As the girls are subjected to dull therapy at Alice Marshall, I felt as though I was too. Lida’s feelings are real, they’re powerful, but they don’t seem overwhelming enough to have the entire novel centered around.  Add into the mix a rather one-dimensional set of secondary characters, the novel tends to be a bit stagnant.

While The Girls of No Return is not necessarily the most powerful novel available, it was still a work that got underneath the skin of the reader.  For young adult readers, who may be feeling acutely the demons Lida faces, this novel may be a lifeline for them.  It is certainly worth the time it took to read and may make readers think twice about the dark secrets of the unassuming teenage girl. Happy camping everyone.

Blood Red Road

Young, Moira. Blood Red Road. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011. 457p.

 

A civilization built on the bones of The Wreckers and their ancient technology, is reminiscent of the Wild West of yore.  Saba lives on a dried up lake with her twin brother Lugh, her pesky little sister Emmi, and her father.  When cloaked men come and abduct Lugh, it is up to Saba to get him back, regardless of the danger she faces.  Soon, Saba is struggling to survive, and the fate of Lugh depends on her staying alive.

The strength of the novel lies in the creative storyline that is woven throughout the pages.  The dystopian society that has been created includes a number of extremely cruel and bewildering characters, and twisting plot lines that surprise the reader at every turn.  Even elements that can be guessed at are still satisfying when the full story is revealed.

A weakness of the novel is the vernacular of the main characters.  Written in a “country-folk” dialect, it can be tiresome to read after a substantial number of pages.  Affer a’spell, er, after a while, it gets into the reader’s head and is hard to get rid of.  For some readers, this substantial style choice may take away from the power of the novel.

For a young adult reader, Blood Red Road combines adventure, with strong characters, and a desire to find out how the quest will end.  Many readers will see themselves in Saba or one of the others involved in the book. They may discover, as Saba does, that they are stronger than they believe and deserving of the good things in life.  And certainly, the journey that tests Saba’s will to survive and fight will leave the reader tuckered out and maybe looking for some grub, to boot.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Green, John and David Levithan. Will Grayson, Will Grayson. New York: Dutton, 2010. 336 p. eBook.

 

Will Grayson lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where he leads a quiet, fearful existence of “shut up and stay invisible.”

Will Grayson also lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where he leads a clinically depressed, lonely, homosexual existence of “what’s the point?”

Through a series of serendipitous coincidences, the Will Graysons meet one night.  One Will Grayson begins to date the other Will Grayson’s best friend, Tiny Cooper. Tiny who is, by and by, exceedingly large and VERY open about his homosexuality, becomes central in the lives of the Will Graysons, as they discover who they truly are.  If that weren’t enough, Tiny Cooper has captivated the school by creating a musical about himself, his homosexuality, and the people who encompass his world.  There are even lyrics in the book, so the reader can sing along with the epic-ness that is Tiny Cooper.

Fans of John Green and/or David Levithan will not need much convincing to pick up the novel.  True to form, fans can pick out the chapters that are chock-full of Greenery, as compared to the chapters covered by Levithan.  In addition to the all-star writing team that draws in loyal readers, the characters that are created by these two literary geniuses are truly powerful.  Tiny Cooper is almost a caricature of himself, with his over-the-top personality and openly, unquestionably proud attitude toward homosexuality.  Described as a “refrigerator of a person,” readers have plenty of personality to visualize through the mind’s eye. 

And perhaps strong characters like Tiny lead to a weakness of the novel, which is a lack of connection with the other romantic venture in the novel between Jane and Will Grayson.  Jane never seems quite real, especially next to the Will Graysons and Tiny Cooper, all of which seem so flesh-and-bone that I keep checking my phone for a text message from one of them.  This may be because there was not enough room in the novel for another strong character or because the focus on romantic ventures was placed firmly on Will and Tiny, rather than on the done-so-many-times-before boy meets girl relationships that Will and Jane represent. 

Whether hetero or homosexual, teens will find a character that they can relate to, revile in, or be revolted by in Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  A sulky teen may find comfort in the fact that Will Grayson has such a depression-filled, bad morning that he finds solace in being able to drown his Cocoa Puffs in milk.   One may understand how Will can love and loathe his best friend, all at once.  And all readers may learn, as the other Will Grayson found out, that sometimes things need to be said aloud, rather than staying silent and invisible.