Tease

Reviewed by: Brooke Faulkner - McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 5, 2014

Review

A complex, emotionally taut novel about a young woman who commits suicide after being bullied by a group of her high school classmates, this debut is narrated by Sara, one of the teens accused of being one of the bullies in a lawsuit brought the girl's family. Chapters set in the present detail Sara's current existence as one of a social pariah in a sort of holding pattern between summer school classes where she meets Carmichael, a boy who eventually becomes a source of support for her, her lawyer's office, her therapist and her strained family life. These alternate with flashbacks to the school year before, when Sara and her best friend, Queen Bee Brielle viciously targeted newcomer Emma Putnam, calling her a slut, stalking her in person and online and even physically assaulting her because they resented her hooking up with many of the boys in their social circle, including with Dylan, Sara's boyfriend. Sara is not a likable character, at the onset angrily rejecting that her behavior was in any way to blame for Emma's suicide. However, she is ultimately able to grasp how she may have contributed to the other girl's struggle and the development of her character unfolds with nuance and intelligence, and includes a heartbreaking portrayal of how reliant she was on Brielle's much stronger personality to buoy her dismal self image. Likewise, this novel allows for a very realistic window into the feelings of powerlessness many young women experience about sex and their romantic relationships. Secondary characters are not as strong, including Brielle, who is very much popular and wealthy 'mean girl' prototype and little else; Carmichael, a misfit with a heart of gold; and Emma herself, about whom little is revealed other than her physical beauty and tendency toward relationships with guys at school. Despite this and an overly tidy ending, this is still a powerful, worthwhile read inspired by the 2010 case of Massachusetts teen Phoebe Prince. Author's note and a list of anti-bullying resources are included.

Overall Book Score: very good