Alicia is sixteen. She is feeling alone, sad, and furious. She spends most of her time in ISAP (in-school suspension) because she falls asleep in class, uses inappropriate language, and skips art class. Her life is consumed with avoiding the Colonel. She thinks of him as the predator, the wolf, who took away her innocence and changed how she looks at the world.
It is clear from the beginning of Alicia's story that this teacher, beloved by many, crossed a line behind his closed door, and although she has told no one, the changes in her life have earned her nicknames like slut, hoe, and whore. When she isn't working at the fast-food restaurant Meat Palace, hiding out in her room, avoiding her mother and brother, she is meeting up with random boys/men and trying to feel normal.
When her best friend abandons her, Alicia wishes she could confide in someone, but her brother is distracted by his crappy friends and her mother is searching for the place she fits after her divorce. Alicia finds two new friends, Geneva who is the new girl, and Deja who spends just about as much time in ISAP as Alicia. It takes time, but eventually Alicia comes to trust these two and thinks she might have a chance to open up. She is also receiving mysterious notes in her locker that hint she is not the only victim of the Colonel.
Can she rise above the trauma that has taken over her life? Will she learn to use her voice to speak up loud enough to be heard over those who condemn her?
Author Olivia A. Cole unique, direct, no-nonsense verse takes readers on a journey with Alicia that is both frightening and courageous. I highly recommend DEAR MEDUSA for teen girls and adults whose lives are sometimes too busy to listen to voices clamoring to be heard.
No comments:
Post a Comment