Starred review from February 15, 2017
What begins as a dark comedy, with a viciously cruel cheerleader found dead (clad only in a coconut-shell bra and a grass miniskirt), takes a surprise flashback turn into raw emotional honesty.High school junior Emma is totally fine with her divorced mother's newly discovered bisexuality, but why does her mom's new girlfriend have to have such a complete hellbeast of a daughter? Quinn's not mean in the sense of petty or snarky but in the sense of "full-throttle mega-mean girl with acid spit and laser eyes." A hot, popular, white cheerleader, Quinn happily destroys lives; her homophobic, racist, fatphobic vitriol is the least of her nastiness. Emma--a fat, studious, white fan of comics and Doctor Who--wants to keep things civil for the sake of her mom and Quinn's, but she sees only two options: being complicit in Quinn's destructive behavior or becoming its prime target. Emma's blossoming in the face of her semistepsister's spite seems at first to be a straight-up Heathers-style bitch-clique comedy, but Quinn's death shocks her into some painful introspection. Without ever excusing Quinn's (or Emma's) sins, Darrow's dark novel forces its readers to see beyond character cliche. The macabre black humor is spot-on, while the subverted tropes rework edgy nihilism into a sniffle-inducing recognition of humanity. Another smart, savage winner from the author of The Awesome (2015). (Fiction. 13-16)
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May 1, 2017
Gr 6-10-Emma is having the hardest year of her life. Her parents divorced, her mother just came out as lesbian (not a problem, just new), and her mom's girlfriend has the worst daughter in the world. Plus, Emma has to deal with school and friends while dodging the ploys of her evil stepsister, Quinn Littleton, who seems to cause trouble wherever she goes. Quinn is always dressed in the finest clothes and is one of the most beautiful people in school. But it turns out that Quinn isn't as bad as she seems, and maybe Emma isn't that innocent herself. Too bad it takes the death of her mean girl stepsister to make Emma understand the hardships Quinn was experiencing. Though this is an accessible and easy read, it will leave readers with a lot to ponder. Darrows delves into the topic of bullying and goes further, asking the question, Why is the bullying going on in the first place? This YA novel will have teens thinking about how they can stop the cycle. VERDICT This nuanced portrayal of bullying and family drama would be a great choice for any antibullying campaign, especially in school or public libraries serving teens.-Rena Gibson, Ralph Ellison Library, Oklahoma City
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