Crank

Most Recently Read Book:

Crank

By Ellen Hopkins

I have so many thoughts about this book I'm not sure where to begin! First of all, I thought the writing in this book was phenomenal. I didn't pick up this book sooner because it seemed soooo long...but I saw it on CD in the library and picked it up to find it was only 4 CDs...which is short. Confused, I flipped through the book to realize it's written in verse. I checked it out because it seemed like an intriguing book.

I didn't realize it's about a teen's experience with drugs. It was very intense and extremely well-written. Definitely for at least HS-age students because it is so intense.

My only complaints were that 1. the main character had an alternate personality...which I've seen more and more recently and I just struggle with that; and 2. it almost romanticized doing drugs too much without enough of a lesson in the end. I learned yesterday that it is loosely based on Hopkins' daughter's experience with drugs. It's hard to argue with real-life but I wish it had a stronger message about how it ruined her life. Don't get me wrong, the book strongly illustrates what someone on crank and sometimes other drugs is going through and thinking and helps someone understand what it might be like to be on drugs. And, I also found out this is the first in a trilogy so I'm going to have to read the other books to see if they further the message.

I truly enjoyed the amazing writing in this book but I'm wary of recommending it to anyone who isn't in high school yet...and even then, if it was my kid, I'd want to talk to him/her about it for sure.