What We Saw: Aaron Hartzler
Publication Date: September 22nd, 2015
Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.
But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?
But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?
What made me so, so angry is that all of the students in the school and the people in the town would mention that Stacey comes from a questionable family and the boys who are charged come from really good families. Sorry, why does that matter? I'm so glad Hartzler brings this point up because it happens so many times in cases like this. Instead of looking at the evidence they look at who the kids are: "straight A's, athletes, etc". I feel like before I took a lot of the psychology classes, it would have been hard for me to make that decision. It is actually a fact that it is easier for people to believe superficial things about people like in the case of this book! Like oh these people have been good people in the past, so they are probably good people now. I think this book should be mandatory for high school aged children because they definitely don't teach about these kind of things enough! This can happen to anyone and anyone can do things like this!
"Nothing is exactly as it appears
The closer you look, the more you see"
Kate is so brave and will defend her point to the point where she realizes she very well might lose everything she knows. I mean, high school can be cruel, right? It has been very hard to find a good female character for me lately. Kate is everything a great YA character should be. She isn't perfect - she wants what every high schooler wants! She wants to fit in, she wants her boyfriend to love her, she wants to be a good athlete, and she wants to have fun with her friends. She never asked for any of this. But when she was presented with this situation, I felt it showed how a level headed high schooler would react to it. I also am very satisfied with the ending, too many novels lately have been leaving me wanting more and not in a good way. I really was heart broken with Ben and Kate, though. I loved him.
"- For that matter, no one in the audience expects him to either.
- Jocelyn
Sadly, that is what really happens in reality. Despite concrete evidence, the slut shaming will still stick around as if the victim asked for it. Tsk. Reading books like this scare me so kudos to you for reading on. Wonderful review! :)
ReplyDeleteBlessie @ Mischievous Reads
Ugh it's seriously so sad. I understand not wanting to read it, though! It was a hard read to great through - definitely left you with a lump in your throat!
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