ALL THE RAGE by Courtney Summers

ALL THE RAGE

by Courtney Summers

published in April 2014 by St. Martin's Press

_____

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out,All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

_____

You should read this book.

Don't think you can handle it?

You should still read it.

Think it'll be too intense?

You should still read it.

Don't have enough time?

You should still read it.

Don't like reading?

You should still read it.

Don't know how you found yourself on this page?

Hey, here's an excellent book for you to read. It's called All the Rage, by Courtney Summers. More information about it can be found in the summary above. Yeah, you should totally read it.

Yes, it is a brutal look at rape culture in today's society. Yes, it draws our attentions to things most of us would rather not think about. Yes, it is dark, disturbing, able to burrow into the most hidden recesses of your mind and stay there long after you put it down. But it is such an important story, one that has needed to be told.

Not only is it thematically important, but it is of such high quality. Summers's prose is crackling and vibrant: the story will draw you in, and the writing will keep you hooked. Romy may not be the most likable character in all of young adult literature, but she is a realistic look at the effect of trauma on human behavior. Some of her reactions are unreasonable, some of her choices irrational, but it just makes her story that much more heartbreaking.

This book has been boiling inside of Courtney Summers for years. Do me a favor--do us all a favor--and read it. Take breaks if you have to, cry if you are inspired to. But read it. You won't regret the experience.