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reader4evr's review against another edition
3.0
This review is kind of going to be all over the place because I had a love/hate relationship with it.
This book hooked me right from the beginning which had me wanting to read on to figure out what happened to Alex. Speaking of Alex I thought she was just an ok main character. I wish she was stronger though because she always had her sister and her best friend/roommate always convincing her to make the right decision. I know I can't relate to Alex but if something like that happened to me, I would contact the police immediately.
I liked throughout the book she started to remember what happened to her and be able to piece together the night. I liked how the author had her memory in italics because then it showed the reader what was going on. I have to admit at times it had me confused because sometimes it just came out of no where in a chapter.
Throughout the whole book I was just waiting for the trial because I wanted to know what was going to happen with Alex. I felt when it finally got to that part is was so rushed.
I found out that this book is a series and I wish the author just ended it with this book, not sure why there has to be another one. probably won't read it but I think fans of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson will really like this book.
This book hooked me right from the beginning which had me wanting to read on to figure out what happened to Alex. Speaking of Alex I thought she was just an ok main character. I wish she was stronger though because she always had her sister and her best friend/roommate always convincing her to make the right decision. I know I can't relate to Alex but if something like that happened to me, I would contact the police immediately.
I liked throughout the book she started to remember what happened to her and be able to piece together the night. I liked how the author had her memory in italics because then it showed the reader what was going on. I have to admit at times it had me confused because sometimes it just came out of no where in a chapter.
Throughout the whole book I was just waiting for the trial because I wanted to know what was going to happen with Alex. I felt when it finally got to that part is was so rushed.
I found out that this book is a series and I wish the author just ended it with this book, not sure why there has to be another one. probably won't read it but I think fans of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson will really like this book.
swimmer120x's review against another edition
3.0
The storyline was decent. I kind of want to read the next one, but I don't know if it will be work it.
lastpaige111's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent treatment of the difficulties of surviving a date rape.
shorty_320's review against another edition
4.0
I almost gave up on this book. Did not know what the subject matter was when I picked it up, and if I had, I probably would not have read it.
What I liked:
~That it was written be someone who was date-raped and thus had first-hand knowledge
~That Alex remembered the night of the incident slowly, piece by piece, which seems true to life
~That there was a teacher that Alex could turn to for advice
~The honesty of the story
What I didn't like:
~That the majority of the faculty at Themis Academy did not care or acknowledge any wrongdoing on campus. Would that ever really happen?
~The punishment doled out by the Mockingbirds didn't seem to be harsh enough.
All in all, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished this book. Not a happy, enjoyable read, but extremely educational.
What I liked:
~That it was written be someone who was date-raped and thus had first-hand knowledge
~That Alex remembered the night of the incident slowly, piece by piece, which seems true to life
~That there was a teacher that Alex could turn to for advice
~The honesty of the story
What I didn't like:
~That the majority of the faculty at Themis Academy did not care or acknowledge any wrongdoing on campus. Would that ever really happen?
~The punishment doled out by the Mockingbirds didn't seem to be harsh enough.
All in all, I'm glad I stuck with it and finished this book. Not a happy, enjoyable read, but extremely educational.
zozobereading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
shhchar's review against another edition
5.0
The Mockingbirds isn't just a book; it's a message. Can you believe that in my entire reading life, I have never read a book about date rape? An honest, startling, and realistic book about date rape? I couldn't even name another YA book about it. I don't know what the reason is for this--that they aren't being written or they're not being published--but the Mockingbirds changed something for me.
The book opens fast and doesn't spare you any details. Alex goes back and forth, fighting internal and external battles. She may come across as annoying and unlikable to some people, but she isn't meant to be the sweet girl next door. She's meant to be the victim who's reclaiming herself, and in that aspect she is perfect. I loved that she questioned herself, even questioned the rape itself. Because that is more honest and more relatable than having a steely exterior. People break and people crack.
The Mockingbirds showed the best and worst of people. The worst: Carter, the faculty, etc. The best: T.S., Jones, Alex's friends. It also showed how indifferent some people can be to crimes like date rape in how half the students didn't even care enough to bother looking at the Mockingbird's bulletin board. They passed along and ignored it.
The best part is that this book changed my viewpoint. It made me want to stand up and fight.
The book opens fast and doesn't spare you any details. Alex goes back and forth, fighting internal and external battles. She may come across as annoying and unlikable to some people, but she isn't meant to be the sweet girl next door. She's meant to be the victim who's reclaiming herself, and in that aspect she is perfect. I loved that she questioned herself, even questioned the rape itself. Because that is more honest and more relatable than having a steely exterior. People break and people crack.
The Mockingbirds showed the best and worst of people. The worst: Carter, the faculty, etc. The best: T.S., Jones, Alex's friends. It also showed how indifferent some people can be to crimes like date rape in how half the students didn't even care enough to bother looking at the Mockingbird's bulletin board. They passed along and ignored it.
The best part is that this book changed my viewpoint. It made me want to stand up and fight.
stephxsu's review against another edition
4.0
A book as impactful as Daisy Whitney’s debut novel comes along only once every few years. THE MOCKINGBIRDS is at once tender and empowering, clear-cut and sensitive. It’s the kind of book that needs to be read by everyone, yet doesn’t scrimp in the important qualities that make up good literature.
I would say read this for the mere fact that EVERYONE should be educated about the personal and societal consequences of date rape, but it’s also more than that. Yes, the book’s subject is one that everyone should be aware of: through Alex’s story, we learn about the rights of the survivor, the emotional maelstrom in the aftermath, and even the guilt and self-hatred that survivors falsely put upon themselves. But all of this is done in a smart, non-preachy manner. It’s really Alex’s story, Themis Academy’s story, and not just a pedagogical tool with interchangeable characters and side plots. Everything comes together in a way that makes it cohesive not just within the story world.
THE MOCKINGBIRDS makes its impact not just by its important subject but also by Daisy Whitney’s writing style. All too often a book will try to make an impact with an explosive impact, forgetting, in the process, to still develop characters and write in a way that makes us readers care and invest. THE MOCKINGBIRDS does not force us to wade through unnecessary descriptions or artificial relationships: each and every character has a role, has a story, and helps Alex. The book deals with its difficult subject in a no-nonsense manner, and while this can sometimes make Alex feel a little underdeveloped, so all-encompassing her date-rape case seems to be, it also makes her the “everygirl,” one whom readers will be able to relate to and empathize with, regardless of our own experiences.
THE MOCKINGBIRDS is one of those books that should be assigned reading for all teens. If everyone could be educated about date rape through Alex’s experience, the world could truly be a better place.
I would say read this for the mere fact that EVERYONE should be educated about the personal and societal consequences of date rape, but it’s also more than that. Yes, the book’s subject is one that everyone should be aware of: through Alex’s story, we learn about the rights of the survivor, the emotional maelstrom in the aftermath, and even the guilt and self-hatred that survivors falsely put upon themselves. But all of this is done in a smart, non-preachy manner. It’s really Alex’s story, Themis Academy’s story, and not just a pedagogical tool with interchangeable characters and side plots. Everything comes together in a way that makes it cohesive not just within the story world.
THE MOCKINGBIRDS makes its impact not just by its important subject but also by Daisy Whitney’s writing style. All too often a book will try to make an impact with an explosive impact, forgetting, in the process, to still develop characters and write in a way that makes us readers care and invest. THE MOCKINGBIRDS does not force us to wade through unnecessary descriptions or artificial relationships: each and every character has a role, has a story, and helps Alex. The book deals with its difficult subject in a no-nonsense manner, and while this can sometimes make Alex feel a little underdeveloped, so all-encompassing her date-rape case seems to be, it also makes her the “everygirl,” one whom readers will be able to relate to and empathize with, regardless of our own experiences.
THE MOCKINGBIRDS is one of those books that should be assigned reading for all teens. If everyone could be educated about date rape through Alex’s experience, the world could truly be a better place.
christiana's review against another edition
5.0
The Mockingbirds is the whole reason why I don't give 5 stars to just any book I kind of liked. This book truly was amazing. I couldn't put it down. I kind of don't want to give it back to the library so I can just have it and watch over it and love it and take care of it. Also, I totally wrote the author a fangirl letter about how much I love this book WHAT OF IT.
But seriously, indescribably amazing. You should think about reading this one for sure.
But seriously, indescribably amazing. You should think about reading this one for sure.
that_kitten's review against another edition
3.0
I had a mixed reaction to The Mockingbirds, but ended up mostly toward the positive side. I found Alex's experience to be very realistic, which makes sense as the author's note indicates Whitney herself experienced a date rape while she was in school, so she's clearly writing from experience and doing it well. Alex struggles with a number of emotions, ranging from guilt to doubt to anger to sadness. The act itself and the fallout of her recovery and acceptance felt very true to me. Those passages left a knot in my stomach and tears in my eyes.
On the other side, I had a difficult time with some of the other characters in the story. Alex's friends were more or less universally supportive of her from the start, and that didn't ring quite true to me. I almost would have preferred it if at least one friend doubted or just flat-out didn't want to talk about it, at least at first. In my experience, universal and immediate support of a rape victim sadly isn't the case, even among their own friends and loved ones. It should be, but it isn't. So I had a little trouble with that. I also found the reiteration of what constitutes rape to be a little heavy handed, but I am absolutely willing to let that slide, as this is an issue novel and reiterating that date rape happens and that it's not okay was really the point of the novel. Other than that, most of my nitpicks had to do with certain writing elements the author chose to use, but those are mainly personal preferences.
Overall, I felt that this was a moving book, and while maybe not entirely realistic, it's at least realistic in its portrayal of a young woman who has been a victim of date rape and must deal with the fallout and eventual recovery that follows. Speak remains my go-to novel for a young woman dealing with acquaintance rape, but The Mockingbirds has earned a spot nearby.
On the other side, I had a difficult time with some of the other characters in the story. Alex's friends were more or less universally supportive of her from the start, and that didn't ring quite true to me. I almost would have preferred it if at least one friend doubted or just flat-out didn't want to talk about it, at least at first. In my experience, universal and immediate support of a rape victim sadly isn't the case, even among their own friends and loved ones. It should be, but it isn't. So I had a little trouble with that. I also found the reiteration of what constitutes rape to be a little heavy handed, but I am absolutely willing to let that slide, as this is an issue novel and reiterating that date rape happens and that it's not okay was really the point of the novel. Other than that, most of my nitpicks had to do with certain writing elements the author chose to use, but those are mainly personal preferences.
Overall, I felt that this was a moving book, and while maybe not entirely realistic, it's at least realistic in its portrayal of a young woman who has been a victim of date rape and must deal with the fallout and eventual recovery that follows. Speak remains my go-to novel for a young woman dealing with acquaintance rape, but The Mockingbirds has earned a spot nearby.