Synopsis:
Poignant and chilling by turns, The Opposite of Innocent is award-winning author Sonya Sones’s most gripping novel in verse yet. It’s the story of a girl named Lily, who’s been crushing on a man named Luke, a friend of her parents, ever since she can remember.
Luke has been away for two endless years, but he’s finally returning today. Lily was only twelve when he left. But now, at fourteen, she feels transformed. She can’t wait to see how Luke will react when he sees the new her. And when her mother tells her that Luke will be staying with them for a while, in the bedroom right next to hers, her heart nearly stops.
Having Luke back is better than Lily could have ever dreamed. His lingering looks set Lily on fire. Is she just imagining them? But then, when they’re alone, he kisses her. Then he kisses her again. Lily’s friends think anyone his age who wants to be with a fourteen-year-old must be really messed up. Maybe even dangerous. But Luke would never do anything to hurt her…would he?
In this powerful tale of a terrifying leap into young adulthood, readers will accompany Lily on her harrowing journey from hopelessness to hope.
My Review:
“But now-
it’s too late.
I’m
in
way
over
my
head.
I was left deep in thought after reading this book. Before I review let me tell you how I came across this novel. I have a very good friend that lends me books and arcs and this was in the pile. I opened it and saw that verse-like pages and I looked at the back and my eyes picked up words like “sexual abuse” and “man twice her age” I figured this would be a poetry book since they’re similar and they’re really common at the time. Boy, how wrong I was.
I started reading this book and realized it was about a young girl. A fourteen year old, to be exact and at that moment my heart dropped. This book is about pedophilia. A hard thing to hear about to many. I read this book with a heavy heart and the NEED to put this book away but I finished it because I wanted to know the outcome. Yes, I felt Lily’s giddiness over her crush and kisses, but when I was reminded of Luke’s age? I just felt so light-headed, sad, and angry.
Sones hits every note of sexual abuse. The characters in this book and the story had me sucked in from the very beginning. Lilly’s fascination and crush with Luke. Luke grooming Lilly and subtly hinting and later boldly acting on his sick acts left me visually shaking with anger and tears streaming my eyes. My heart hurts.
This book shows how Lilly is tricked and manipulated into this horrendous secretive act. The threats she is told and how her life quickly spirals down. How she is groomed into the role she is forced to take part of. The friends and their worry. The bookstore keeper and her suspicions. Lilly and Alice with their innocence. The parent naivety to the whole situation.
This book opened my eyes to this topic more than what I am comfortable with but knowing, I too, can do something to help those in this situation. This book made me think of my 13-year-old sister, to whom I rushed home to and talked with after this. It made me think of the silly school girl crushes most of us have as children and that there are people out in the world that can manipulate that. It made me realize that we are not as safe as we think we are. That there are children and adults out there with this secret and feeling like they’re the only ones and I want to save everyone single one of them.
“His words
Are chains,
Binding my cleched fists together.”
This book left me shocked and disgusted but I realize now that it was the whole point. I feel like many should read the book to now the signs and if they are part of this sick and twisted act that they aren’t alone. That even though help seems to be out of reach, that it is there. Sorry if this came out to be more of a rant than a review but it pushed buttons I never knew would be pushed.
I am ok with the verse like pages. They weren’t an issue once you turn pages to read more of the story.
My Review:
Three Quarter Moon
Chapters After Chapters 