4*
In this timely novel that speaks to the rape culture pervasive in our society, 19-year-old college student Maggie is assaulted at a fraternity party and leaves school and her hometown to escape the vicious backlash by fans of the college football team after several players are expelled. She goes to live with her Aunt Wren, a famous artist who left her family at 18 and remained estranged from both parents and her twin sister, Maggie’s mother Min. Although it’s meant as an escape and a chance to heal from the PTSD she has suffered as the result of the trauma, Maggie struggles to put the past behind her because of the drama surrounding her aunt and the neighbors. When she begins receiving emails from another student who has been raped and is looking to Maggie for help, she wonders if she will able to heal or if the reminders of that night will continue to haunt her.
Unleaving is a worthy successor to Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. Ostrom successfully navigates not only the issues of rape, shame and victim-blaming, but also the damage done by abusive parents and the foster care system and the inadvisability of trying to bury the past rather than work through it. Through Maggie, she also demonstrates that many people have two faces, and that those who love them often don’t see the dark side. Characters such as Linnie who bears the emotional scars of an abusive childhood, Sam who has never truly mourned his mother’s death, their five-year-old daughter Kate, and Aunt Wren and Min who won’t address the reason for the estrangement are well-developed and ultimately serve as catalysts for Maggie to face her fears and return to the scene of the crime. The only criticism is that the ending was abrupt, leaving several unanswered questions.Trigger warning for rape and other kinds of abuse. Highly recommended for libraries that serve young adults.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Unleaving is a worthy successor to Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. Ostrom successfully navigates not only the issues of rape, shame and victim-blaming, but also the damage done by abusive parents and the foster care system and the inadvisability of trying to bury the past rather than work through it. Through Maggie, she also demonstrates that many people have two faces, and that those who love them often don’t see the dark side. Characters such as Linnie who bears the emotional scars of an abusive childhood, Sam who has never truly mourned his mother’s death, their five-year-old daughter Kate, and Aunt Wren and Min who won’t address the reason for the estrangement are well-developed and ultimately serve as catalysts for Maggie to face her fears and return to the scene of the crime. The only criticism is that the ending was abrupt, leaving several unanswered questions.Trigger warning for rape and other kinds of abuse. Highly recommended for libraries that serve young adults.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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