All Things Considered…

I recently joined a critique group through the SCBWI which, it needs to be said, kicks ass.  From my first meeting, I could tell these were my people.  My group has a book discussion as part of each meeting; they dissect different genres, children’s, to analyze the effectiveness of such-and-such technique or clever device or character development, what have you.  My first book assignment was Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why.

Now, I didn’t particularly like this book.  Short version: I found the female protagonists motivations petty; I found she was unsympathetic enough to possibly be considered the antagonist; cliches a-plenty, too.  Basically, if I weren’t asked to read it for a discussion, if I were a teenager reading this book (it is a YA novel), I would have put it down before the second chapter.

BUT…

The technique is the thing.  The author chose to reveal to us the tragic end result in the beginning of the story.  He chose to drive us around, looking at landmarks - literal and metaphorical – along the way until we get around to the final destination.  And while I didn’t enjoy the story, I feel he was genius in his use of this technique.  With this, he’s saying, “Alright, this girl dies in the end.  I’ll give you that.  But wait, let me explain.”  And in that way, he’s telling a story – and not a primer on writing an effective suicide note.  If he’d have waited until the end to reveal her suicide, I feel that is what would have come across.  I would’ve felt alienated entirely.

Now,

I spoke with my niece, 16 – the target audience for this story – who agreed with me that this appeared to be a very detached and naive look at what teens think and feel.  Essentially, what a “grown-up” might imagine a given scenario to be.  And she suggested I take a look into another YA book, a memoir, entitled The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon; this was a more realistic voice of a teen boy.

I couldn’t be more pleased that my niece is so damn savvy.  The day after our conversation, I went to the library to pick up a copy of The Burn Journals which was, I should have suspected, already checked out.  It is summer reading for the YA demographic in these parts.  I placed a hold, picked it up last Tuesday, and finished it this morning.  And, let me say, wow.  WOW!

Erin, thank you for suggesting this book.  It was what you said it would be, throughout.  There wasn’t a boring bit in the whole book; it was casual and real and honest.  Couldn’t wait to read more.  In his account of his descent into and recovery from his suicidal tendencies, Runyon is dead-on (poor choice of words?)with his recall, his every word serving the story he has to tell.  The honesty comes from his not placing blame on any specific outside sources (in contrast to Thirteen Reasons Why), his openness to the idea that he’s neither in control of himself nor completely out of control.  I feel more related to this book, as a person who does remember what it was like to think like a teenager, than I did to Thirteen.  I have four children of my own:   When the time comes that they’re reading YA, I will recommend The Burn Journals.

Thanks again, Erin.  You rock!