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pikasqueaks's review
1.0
I don't get put off books easily for "dark" content, but this one was over the top and tried its hardest to be as edgy as humanly possible.
The older brother's disturbing misogyny was actually the final straw. I can only sit through a character calling women sluts, whores, skanks, hos, etc so many times. I can only sit through the caricature mother telling the younger daughter she was fat and ugly too many times.
I didn't care about any of them, or anything that happened to them.
The older brother's disturbing misogyny was actually the final straw. I can only sit through a character calling women sluts, whores, skanks, hos, etc so many times. I can only sit through the caricature mother telling the younger daughter she was fat and ugly too many times.
I didn't care about any of them, or anything that happened to them.
charmaineac's review
5.0
This book was gruesome. It physically pained me to read. I ached from deep within. I cried.
I don't even know how to feel about it. It paints almost all men in a really disgusting light. It paints almost all women as fickle creatures -- as if a true friend is impossible to find.
Every character is a victim. Alex is haunted by his own actions. He couldn't save his father from death. He couldn't save Katie from her demons, despite loving her. He couldn't save himself. At the same time, they never dealt with him -- he was a loose end. Yes, he was described to cry out for Katie at night. But he never made steps to be a better person. He dated Julie. He even said himself, "What kind of person does that?"
Katie broke. Why didn't she say anything? During that first time. After that first time. Ethan and Chris lorded "her" actions over her, as if getting raped was her fault and something for her to be ashamed of. That disgusted me. If anything, those boys should have been the ones ostracized, the ones punished, the ones who got threatened. This book killed me because it amplified the problems with the perception of rape in the world. It was not Katie's fault. She did nothing wrong. She deserved none of the hate and shame sent her way. This book amplifies the issue, but gives no hope. We see Katie healing, but the only way for her to do that is at a facility that she does not want to leave. What will happen when she's recovered? The world in the book is not a happy or constructive place. Neither her father nor Kyle can save her from the hungry, selfish men and petty women described. Is this really what our world is like, too? If you think about it, people should stop teaching their daughters to be careful, and instead, they should teach their sons to be better people. Kyle and Alex's mother tried desperately to save Julie, when really, she should've tried to save Alex instead.
Likewise, Kyle needed saving. Katie reached out to him. His tale may be the only one with hope at the end. Perhaps that's because he was dead inside for the duration of the whole novel. He spoke in second person, as if he was one-step detached from himself. It was disconcerting. More than that, it was heartbreaking. He understood that Katie wasn't at fault. And he made the right decision to step away from Julie. I feel that his story was closed up perfectly. Finally, someone reached out to him. Finally, he learned to embrace the idea of himself.
Julie's hate was so deep-rooted, and yet not without a cause. Her mother never paid attention to her, so of course she felt second best. Of course she grew to hate her sister. But at some point, that hatred got twisted around so much that it became unfounded and honestly, disgusting. Kyle liked her at first, but she turned him away because she was so obsessed with the idea of being better than her sister. She needs saving too. Her mother and Alex won't do that -- they'll temporarily placate her by making her feel better, but she won't BE better from the attention. She's selfish and self-serving. I wish the story saw her coming to terms with her sister's problems, and coming to terms with herself. She shouldn't finally receive the attention she was always deprived of as a reward for finally being less "shameful" than her sister. That wasn't a constructive way to end the story.
I have a lot of mixed emotions about Pieces of Us. I feel tired and broken by the fact that almost all of these characters end off at a point of unhappiness, distraught, or no glimpse of change; of becoming a better person. Kyle warded off his demons, but that's because his main issue was with himself. What about the rest of them? And from the way the book described the world, what about the rest of us?
I don't even know how to feel about it. It paints almost all men in a really disgusting light. It paints almost all women as fickle creatures -- as if a true friend is impossible to find.
Every character is a victim. Alex is haunted by his own actions. He couldn't save his father from death. He couldn't save Katie from her demons, despite loving her. He couldn't save himself. At the same time, they never dealt with him -- he was a loose end. Yes, he was described to cry out for Katie at night. But he never made steps to be a better person. He dated Julie. He even said himself, "What kind of person does that?"
Katie broke. Why didn't she say anything? During that first time. After that first time. Ethan and Chris lorded "her" actions over her, as if getting raped was her fault and something for her to be ashamed of. That disgusted me. If anything, those boys should have been the ones ostracized, the ones punished, the ones who got threatened. This book killed me because it amplified the problems with the perception of rape in the world. It was not Katie's fault. She did nothing wrong. She deserved none of the hate and shame sent her way. This book amplifies the issue, but gives no hope. We see Katie healing, but the only way for her to do that is at a facility that she does not want to leave. What will happen when she's recovered? The world in the book is not a happy or constructive place. Neither her father nor Kyle can save her from the hungry, selfish men and petty women described. Is this really what our world is like, too? If you think about it, people should stop teaching their daughters to be careful, and instead, they should teach their sons to be better people. Kyle and Alex's mother tried desperately to save Julie, when really, she should've tried to save Alex instead.
Likewise, Kyle needed saving. Katie reached out to him. His tale may be the only one with hope at the end. Perhaps that's because he was dead inside for the duration of the whole novel. He spoke in second person, as if he was one-step detached from himself. It was disconcerting. More than that, it was heartbreaking. He understood that Katie wasn't at fault. And he made the right decision to step away from Julie. I feel that his story was closed up perfectly. Finally, someone reached out to him. Finally, he learned to embrace the idea of himself.
Julie's hate was so deep-rooted, and yet not without a cause. Her mother never paid attention to her, so of course she felt second best. Of course she grew to hate her sister. But at some point, that hatred got twisted around so much that it became unfounded and honestly, disgusting. Kyle liked her at first, but she turned him away because she was so obsessed with the idea of being better than her sister. She needs saving too. Her mother and Alex won't do that -- they'll temporarily placate her by making her feel better, but she won't BE better from the attention. She's selfish and self-serving. I wish the story saw her coming to terms with her sister's problems, and coming to terms with herself. She shouldn't finally receive the attention she was always deprived of as a reward for finally being less "shameful" than her sister. That wasn't a constructive way to end the story.
I have a lot of mixed emotions about Pieces of Us. I feel tired and broken by the fact that almost all of these characters end off at a point of unhappiness, distraught, or no glimpse of change; of becoming a better person. Kyle warded off his demons, but that's because his main issue was with himself. What about the rest of them? And from the way the book described the world, what about the rest of us?
janmel77's review
4.0
Very disturbing book. Kind of like a trainwreck.... don't want to watch but can't help yourself. Words cannot express how this book made me feel. Cannot recommend it enough. Not for you if you prefer fuzzy, warm feel good books.
livadventurously's review
4.0
This is not a normal book I would read. I tend to go for books where things end happily and everyone is okay, but this is not that type of book. However, I read the whole thing in one sitting because I was riveted by what I was reading. The events that happen in the book are horrific, but there's so much reality to what is happening. You will not like several of the characters by the end of the book. In fact, you may hate them.
I didn't initially mind Julie, but by the end of the book I wanted to smack her. She is the one character that I feel had no growth whatsoever throughout the novel. Even Alex at least had some discussions with himself, even if they didn't really change him. But Julie, she ended up just how she wanted, showing no change in character, in fact I thought she regressed a bit. I did love seeing the bond that formed between Katie and Kyle, even if it came out of something horrible.
Overall I would definitely recommend the book, but if you are sensitive to abuse storylines you may want to skip this one because it gets very graphic at certain points and is hard to read. This book isn't an escape from reality, but is instead a look into a reality that is becoming more and more present today.
I didn't initially mind Julie, but by the end of the book I wanted to smack her. She is the one character that I feel had no growth whatsoever throughout the novel. Even Alex at least had some discussions with himself, even if they didn't really change him. But Julie, she ended up just how she wanted, showing no change in character, in fact I thought she regressed a bit. I did love seeing the bond that formed between Katie and Kyle, even if it came out of something horrible.
Overall I would definitely recommend the book, but if you are sensitive to abuse storylines you may want to skip this one because it gets very graphic at certain points and is hard to read. This book isn't an escape from reality, but is instead a look into a reality that is becoming more and more present today.
divingintobooks_'s review
4.0
this book will pull at your heart strings and make you cry. lots of sexual content but so amazing that it will definitely stay with you for a while after reading it.
christinamk88's review
3.0
This was a hard book to read. Disturbing. Graphic. So many books wrap up everything in pretty bows, this book did not. It is raw and disheartening to read into all of the damaged characters in this book. The sad part is life usually does not have storybook endings. I am glad the author included the listing of resources for digital abuse & sexual assault/abuse. I think this book could be used as a teaching tool for older teens and if my child reads it, it most definitely will be discussed.
heykellyjensen's review
4.0
Let's talk about a disturbing book. Let's talk about a book that made me uncomfortable. Let's talk about a book without likable characters.
Gelbwasser somehow makes you care about four teens who are all so broken and abused/abusive (I'd argue they all abuse and are abused equally). Little by little they continue to fall apart and it looks like there's no redemption to be had at all. I walked away pretty unsettled, and I mean that in a good way. That is successful storytelling.
This is a book that's very frank with sex and how it is a tool of power. And there is a lot of power wielding here.
There are some pretty big writing issues for me, including weak pacing, passage of time problems, distracting tense changes (especially with Kyle, though arguably he talks to himself in second person for a reason), and it took a long time to hear four distinct voices in the characters. But the story and the goal of the story were so successful and so painful and so powerful that the mechanics are worth overlooking.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/03/pieces-of-us-by-margie-gelbwasser.html
Gelbwasser somehow makes you care about four teens who are all so broken and abused/abusive (I'd argue they all abuse and are abused equally). Little by little they continue to fall apart and it looks like there's no redemption to be had at all. I walked away pretty unsettled, and I mean that in a good way. That is successful storytelling.
This is a book that's very frank with sex and how it is a tool of power. And there is a lot of power wielding here.
There are some pretty big writing issues for me, including weak pacing, passage of time problems, distracting tense changes (especially with Kyle, though arguably he talks to himself in second person for a reason), and it took a long time to hear four distinct voices in the characters. But the story and the goal of the story were so successful and so painful and so powerful that the mechanics are worth overlooking.
Full review here: http://www.stackedbooks.org/2012/03/pieces-of-us-by-margie-gelbwasser.html
thejay2xa's review
1.0
This book has been sitting on my reading list for quite sometime now... after reading 50% of the book I don't think I can get the hang of it. Four different POVs is really new to me but it's really HARD to bare.
deecolfs's review
4.0
Okay, first of all, let me tell you that while I don't really have a problem with this sort of thing, and even after reading some of the reviews here, I didn't expect this book to get that dark.
So if you're one of those people who read the reviews so you can get a feel for a book before actually committing to reading it, know that there are many triggers here. There's a lot of abuse here, in the form of violence and non consensual sexual situations. There is also an overall negative feel around the victim and many slurs, and also a lot of misunderstandings regarding these sensitive situations.
You get 4 POVs from 2 brothers, Alex and Kyle, from Philadelphia and 2 sisters, Katie and Julie, from New Jersey. During the summer, they all go to this place with their Russian families and that's basically where they meet. They sort of lead double lives. During these summers, they all pretend to be someone they're not during the other three seasons, back home.
Obviously, these lies never stick, and something happens that will eventually - and inevitably - ruin the painting. When it does, it goes bad. Really bad.
I have to say that I only really liked one character from beginning to end, and that was Kyle. I wasn't too big on Katie in the beginning, but then things happened and I wanted to hug her forever and stop her from making bad choices and just find her some help, really. Julie was okay in the beginning, but I ended up the book feeling such a deep hatred for her, you have no idea. Alex was ups and downs. In the beginning, I liked the summer version of Alex (or Sasha, as they called him), but eventually, it all crumbled down and he only made things worse for Katie in the end. I sort of understand how he thinks about things a certain way, given what happened at home after his father died, but still... Either way, I hate Julie more. She made everything about her when she wasn't even close to the real problem.
Anyway, it was definitely a heavy and emotionally dark thing to read. I punched a cushion a few times because certain characters were driving me up the wall, but it was so... raw at the same time. I'd find myself conflicted most times. I'd think "don't worry, Dina, this is all fictional, this never happened". But then again, another part of me would go "actually, although this particular story is fictional, this happened (and still happens) to so many people out there in the real world" and it would make me sick to my stomach considering this harsh truth.
I particularly liked the last pages with resources for people needing help fighting these situations. That was a nice touch.
All in all, it was a really good book, a solid 4.5 stars, even if I can't give it that. It really got to me. I kept going from anger to sadness between pages, and would occasionally yell a victorious "yes!" whenever a character got to hear some really hard and well-deserved truths. A lot of people in this book could do with a few reality slaps. Or punches. But, yeah, I'm going to cool off a bit now. This book messed me up.
So if you're one of those people who read the reviews so you can get a feel for a book before actually committing to reading it, know that there are many triggers here. There's a lot of abuse here, in the form of violence and non consensual sexual situations. There is also an overall negative feel around the victim and many slurs, and also a lot of misunderstandings regarding these sensitive situations.
You get 4 POVs from 2 brothers, Alex and Kyle, from Philadelphia and 2 sisters, Katie and Julie, from New Jersey. During the summer, they all go to this place with their Russian families and that's basically where they meet. They sort of lead double lives. During these summers, they all pretend to be someone they're not during the other three seasons, back home.
Obviously, these lies never stick, and something happens that will eventually - and inevitably - ruin the painting. When it does, it goes bad. Really bad.
I have to say that I only really liked one character from beginning to end, and that was Kyle. I wasn't too big on Katie in the beginning, but then things happened and I wanted to hug her forever and stop her from making bad choices and just find her some help, really. Julie was okay in the beginning, but I ended up the book feeling such a deep hatred for her, you have no idea. Alex was ups and downs. In the beginning, I liked the summer version of Alex (or Sasha, as they called him), but eventually, it all crumbled down and he only made things worse for Katie in the end. I sort of understand how he thinks about things a certain way, given what happened at home after his father died, but still... Either way, I hate Julie more. She made everything about her when she wasn't even close to the real problem.
Anyway, it was definitely a heavy and emotionally dark thing to read. I punched a cushion a few times because certain characters were driving me up the wall, but it was so... raw at the same time. I'd find myself conflicted most times. I'd think "don't worry, Dina, this is all fictional, this never happened". But then again, another part of me would go "actually, although this particular story is fictional, this happened (and still happens) to so many people out there in the real world" and it would make me sick to my stomach considering this harsh truth.
I particularly liked the last pages with resources for people needing help fighting these situations. That was a nice touch.
All in all, it was a really good book, a solid 4.5 stars, even if I can't give it that. It really got to me. I kept going from anger to sadness between pages, and would occasionally yell a victorious "yes!" whenever a character got to hear some really hard and well-deserved truths. A lot of people in this book could do with a few reality slaps. Or punches. But, yeah, I'm going to cool off a bit now. This book messed me up.
foreveryoungadult's review
Graded By: Meghan
Cover Story: Role Model
BFF Charm: A WORLD OF NO (But Here's A Pamphlet From A Counseling Facility)
Swoonworthy Scale: 0 Minus Infinity x A Trillion
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said, He Said, She Said
Bonus Factor: Summer At The Lake
Anti-Bonus Factors: The Patti Chase Awful Mom Award
Relationship Status: Mandatory Reporter
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Role Model
BFF Charm: A WORLD OF NO (But Here's A Pamphlet From A Counseling Facility)
Swoonworthy Scale: 0 Minus Infinity x A Trillion
Talky Talk: He Said, She Said, He Said, She Said
Bonus Factor: Summer At The Lake
Anti-Bonus Factors: The Patti Chase Awful Mom Award
Relationship Status: Mandatory Reporter
Read the full book report here.