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forrestlaur's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is so important because it represents the sad reality of rape culture in our society and how it allows women to be at fault and repetitively victimized at the same time. The line from the newscast at the end of the book talking about how “His life is ruined and I barely have a sense of who he is. I want to know his story—” felt like a punch to the stomach.
Well done on writing a provocative, insightful and heartbreakingly honest portrayal of such a hard subject!
Well done on writing a provocative, insightful and heartbreakingly honest portrayal of such a hard subject!
bookph1le's review against another edition
5.0
The hardest thing about reviewing a book like this is how raw it left me feeling, so raw that the words just want to explode out of me faster than I could possibly type them. This is a book that will rip you apart from the inside out, a book that will definitely make you feel all the rage. So many lines from this book resonate with me, but in so many ways this one encapsulates everything this book is about: "Because it was easier." Because it's easier to blame the victim than it is to face up to the fact that we, as a society, have a serious problem that's devastating about one out of every five women. Because it's easier to throw words like "legitimate" in front of one of the most heinous crimes one human being can commit against another than it is to accept that humans are capable of committing such crimes. Because it's easier to lament the "promising" young man whose life is ruined by such accusations than it is to think about the lasting psychological damage done to his victim. This is a book that everyone who's taken the easier route need to read, because maybe if they put themselves in the shoes of the victim, they might learn what empathy and compassion look like. This is not an easy book to read, and it shouldn't be. This is not an easy topic to discuss, but it must be discussed. Some spoilers to follow.
What impresses me most about this book is the virtuosity of Summers's prose. This book is nothing short of visceral. I could feel everything Romy felt, and Summers does a terrifyingly convincing job of portraying Romy's struggles to move on in the aftermath of her assault. She portrays with brutal detail the ways in which Romy is spiraling downward. It hurt me on two levels. One, because I'm a woman, and like every woman I know, there are few things I fear more than the thought of being violated the way Romy was violated. The second is because I am a mother, and throughout my reading I never ceased to be horrified at the thought of Romy suffering without telling her mother, without letting her mother try to help her. I think this book could do a lot of good, but it would be especially good if it could convince even one reader not to keep a crime like this to herself, not to suffer in silence without reaching out to others for help. Our justice system fails girls like Romy far too frequently, but no one should have to go through something like this alone, and if a girl or a woman doesn't have friends or family members who will help, there are organizations that will.
There's an undeniable strain of feminism that runs through this novel. In some ways it's confrontational, but not in a sensational way. It's confrontational in the way that the reality of a sexist world is confrontational to the women who must maneuver through it every single day. Summers deftly touches on a range of issues, from the everyday harassment so many girls face while simply walking through the halls of their school, to the men who just won't take no for an answer, to the indignity of the many, many forms of judgement women face--not only from men, but from other women too. Not every woman's experience will have been like Romy's. I wish no woman's experience would be like hers. But plenty of women will find a great deal of truth in this novel, will find themselves nodding and thinking of times they've faced similar situations.
The imagery in this book is so powerful. Romy's careful descriptions of the minutiae of how she applies her nail polish, her philosophy of how lipstick should properly be applied, has all the resonance of any scene of men putting on war paint before heading off to battle. This is one image that's sure to stick with me for a very long time. Everyone wears masks at times, that's true, but women head out into the world without their armor at their own peril. It's excruciatingly painful to watch Romy try to maintain an image, try to split off the various parts of herself, stuff them in boxes and lock them up so that she can simply survive. Her world may not be an actual battlefield, but it's a literal battlefield, and I found myself wondering how she found the strength to go on, to get up every day and have crimes committed against her again and again, as if the first crime hadn't been far more punishment than anyone deserves.
I cried when I finished this book. I read a great deal and I enjoy many books, but very few of them deeply affect me. Very few of them fill me with the sense of anger that this book did. And yet I don't think it ends on a completely depressing note. What Romy wants more than anything is for someone to look at her. What women need more than perhaps anything else is for someone to look at them. By writing this book, Summers is contributing to a conversation it's imperative that we have, a conversation that has started to gain more and more attention in both the media and the collective social consciousness. It is this fact that gives me hope that someday we may never need books like this one.
What impresses me most about this book is the virtuosity of Summers's prose. This book is nothing short of visceral. I could feel everything Romy felt, and Summers does a terrifyingly convincing job of portraying Romy's struggles to move on in the aftermath of her assault. She portrays with brutal detail the ways in which Romy is spiraling downward. It hurt me on two levels. One, because I'm a woman, and like every woman I know, there are few things I fear more than the thought of being violated the way Romy was violated. The second is because I am a mother, and throughout my reading I never ceased to be horrified at the thought of Romy suffering without telling her mother, without letting her mother try to help her. I think this book could do a lot of good, but it would be especially good if it could convince even one reader not to keep a crime like this to herself, not to suffer in silence without reaching out to others for help. Our justice system fails girls like Romy far too frequently, but no one should have to go through something like this alone, and if a girl or a woman doesn't have friends or family members who will help, there are organizations that will.
There's an undeniable strain of feminism that runs through this novel. In some ways it's confrontational, but not in a sensational way. It's confrontational in the way that the reality of a sexist world is confrontational to the women who must maneuver through it every single day. Summers deftly touches on a range of issues, from the everyday harassment so many girls face while simply walking through the halls of their school, to the men who just won't take no for an answer, to the indignity of the many, many forms of judgement women face--not only from men, but from other women too. Not every woman's experience will have been like Romy's. I wish no woman's experience would be like hers. But plenty of women will find a great deal of truth in this novel, will find themselves nodding and thinking of times they've faced similar situations.
The imagery in this book is so powerful. Romy's careful descriptions of the minutiae of how she applies her nail polish, her philosophy of how lipstick should properly be applied, has all the resonance of any scene of men putting on war paint before heading off to battle. This is one image that's sure to stick with me for a very long time. Everyone wears masks at times, that's true, but women head out into the world without their armor at their own peril. It's excruciatingly painful to watch Romy try to maintain an image, try to split off the various parts of herself, stuff them in boxes and lock them up so that she can simply survive. Her world may not be an actual battlefield, but it's a literal battlefield, and I found myself wondering how she found the strength to go on, to get up every day and have crimes committed against her again and again, as if the first crime hadn't been far more punishment than anyone deserves.
I cried when I finished this book. I read a great deal and I enjoy many books, but very few of them deeply affect me. Very few of them fill me with the sense of anger that this book did. And yet I don't think it ends on a completely depressing note. What Romy wants more than anything is for someone to look at her. What women need more than perhaps anything else is for someone to look at them. By writing this book, Summers is contributing to a conversation it's imperative that we have, a conversation that has started to gain more and more attention in both the media and the collective social consciousness. It is this fact that gives me hope that someday we may never need books like this one.
nikolinaza's review against another edition
4.0
Trigger warning: rape, misogyny, bullying, PTSD
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐
Reading the blurb provided in the dust jacket, I thought All The Rage would tell a story of Romy's journey to bring justice for herself and also the girl(s) involved with the sheriff's son, Kellan Turner. But it apparently isn't. All The Rage showed us how Romy dealt with her very own fear, heartbreak, and trauma while almost everyone in the town hated her because she was "spreading filthy lies" about the golden boy.
Well... It's safe to say that the blurb is a bit--if not, a lot--misleading. I expected the story would have the same trope as 'Sadie' (by the same author, if you're reading this go check it out because it's hella awesome). I expected to see how Romy would face Kellan after that cursed night. I expected things to get better in the end, people who bullied her got ashamed and asking for her apologies because they have been acting inhumanly towards her, but no. Everything stayed the same. Everyone is still on the same wrong side and I don't like that, because that's what happened in reality. And I don't like the reality and I don't want to see them in my world of fiction.
But apparently I couldn't have everything, right.
Aside from that, I found myself enjoying the story. Courtney Summers' writing has always been so close, so personal, and so feminine. It bares us the cruelness of the real world to the girls in an almost comforting but painful way. I love how Romy was so strong, so resilient despite everything that happened to her. I love how brave she is to face the world that's been so cruel to her, and I love how she stood up for herself in front of her bullies. My girl. I wish I could take her in my embrace and I would love to make her some comfort food. She's been through a lot and she's still kicking it. I also love how her mother and Todd has been so supportive and loving towards her. I've read enough stories where the parents ignored their child's suffering after being harassed sexually.
I think this book needs a sequel. A better closure when my girl Romy is finally happy would do no harm.
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐
Reading the blurb provided in the dust jacket, I thought All The Rage would tell a story of Romy's journey to bring justice for herself and also the girl(s) involved with the sheriff's son, Kellan Turner. But it apparently isn't. All The Rage showed us how Romy dealt with her very own fear, heartbreak, and trauma while almost everyone in the town hated her because she was "spreading filthy lies" about the golden boy.
Well... It's safe to say that the blurb is a bit--if not, a lot--misleading. I expected the story would have the same trope as 'Sadie' (by the same author, if you're reading this go check it out because it's hella awesome). I expected to see how Romy would face Kellan after that cursed night. I expected things to get better in the end, people who bullied her got ashamed and asking for her apologies because they have been acting inhumanly towards her, but no. Everything stayed the same. Everyone is still on the same wrong side and I don't like that, because that's what happened in reality. And I don't like the reality and I don't want to see them in my world of fiction.
But apparently I couldn't have everything, right.
Aside from that, I found myself enjoying the story. Courtney Summers' writing has always been so close, so personal, and so feminine. It bares us the cruelness of the real world to the girls in an almost comforting but painful way. I love how Romy was so strong, so resilient despite everything that happened to her. I love how brave she is to face the world that's been so cruel to her, and I love how she stood up for herself in front of her bullies. My girl. I wish I could take her in my embrace and I would love to make her some comfort food. She's been through a lot and she's still kicking it. I also love how her mother and Todd has been so supportive and loving towards her. I've read enough stories where the parents ignored their child's suffering after being harassed sexually.
I think this book needs a sequel. A better closure when my girl Romy is finally happy would do no harm.
emmalina_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
carleighdipasquale's review against another edition
4.0
All the Rage was definitely unlike any other book I have ever read. The novel deals with very dark and deep material that I don't find often in YA fiction. The main character, Romy, had a very unique thought process, and was very frustrating for me because of her choices, but in hindsight I'm starting to realize why she made them. It was hard for me to read this because of all the difficult hard times Romy faces and I had to reconstruct the mind set I use since Romy is such a complex character who has experienced horrible things that some women unfortunately have to experience even now as you read this review. I would not say this book was perfect-there was barely an ending- but it is definitely a book that all women should read.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I've read a few books on the subject of violence towards women recently (Asking for It, NIna is Not Ok, TattleTale - out Feb 2017). It's an important, relevant and controversial subject. For women AND men.
As much of the above also focuses on, All the Rage tells the story of a young woman, a teenager. Romy accused the sheriff's son of rape and, already not a popular student at school, she is treated with contempt and not believed
Another girl from school later goes missing, a beautiful, popular one. We see the difference in treatment (think 'Heathers') as Romy tries to help in the search for her missing classmate.
Rape is a difficult subject to discuss - do you believe the victim unquestioningly? Is the accused innocent until riven guilty? Was the victim entirely blameless? The treatment of Romy is hard to watch, but the story does pull you in as you search for clues as to what happened. She is clearly armouring herself against something, and there's the question of the missing girl...
It doesn't quite pan out the way you expect it to, and you will question yourself reading this.
Frankly, there probably can't be enough books written on the subject, it's something that should be discussed before students leave school, we all need to have our preconceptions challenged.
This is best suited to older teens, though any sexual scenes are not graphic or prolonged.
As much of the above also focuses on, All the Rage tells the story of a young woman, a teenager. Romy accused the sheriff's son of rape and, already not a popular student at school, she is treated with contempt and not believed
Another girl from school later goes missing, a beautiful, popular one. We see the difference in treatment (think 'Heathers') as Romy tries to help in the search for her missing classmate.
Rape is a difficult subject to discuss - do you believe the victim unquestioningly? Is the accused innocent until riven guilty? Was the victim entirely blameless? The treatment of Romy is hard to watch, but the story does pull you in as you search for clues as to what happened. She is clearly armouring herself against something, and there's the question of the missing girl...
It doesn't quite pan out the way you expect it to, and you will question yourself reading this.
Frankly, there probably can't be enough books written on the subject, it's something that should be discussed before students leave school, we all need to have our preconceptions challenged.
This is best suited to older teens, though any sexual scenes are not graphic or prolonged.
mollye123's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! Stories like these especially non fiction are so important and hard hitting. The reveal was a little bit anticlimactic and I don’t know how I felt about the main character but this story hit me hard….
hibashakes's review against another edition
5.0
"You're not better off dead"
Mesmerizing, spellbounding, powerful.
One of the best books I've ever read. Absolutely phenominal. The wait was worth it.
A true triumph of a girl against all odds. The message is powerful: you're never alone and no matter what someone tells you, your life is important.
The journey of Romy Grey was a rocky and tumultuous journey. I cried A LOT. Never give up on life, because it gets better.
Thank you, Courtney Summers, for writing this wonderful story.
If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend picking it up and reading this!!
Mesmerizing, spellbounding, powerful.
One of the best books I've ever read. Absolutely phenominal. The wait was worth it.
A true triumph of a girl against all odds. The message is powerful: you're never alone and no matter what someone tells you, your life is important.
The journey of Romy Grey was a rocky and tumultuous journey. I cried A LOT. Never give up on life, because it gets better.
Thank you, Courtney Summers, for writing this wonderful story.
If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend picking it up and reading this!!
halynah's review against another edition
3.0
What kind of ending is that?????? I even contemplated to rate the book 2 stars only, because you just don't torture readers with confusing, hard to read plot and don't even resolve everything in the end. I wouldn't recommend this book, I feel cheated after reading it.
babs_reviews's review against another edition
5.0
Read the synopsis FIRST...it describes exactly what this book is about. There are no illusions or misleading. It is what it is.
Raw. Rough. Real.
This is a gripping read that will fill you with All the Rage and a wide range of emotions as you struggle to find your breath.
This story is about a girl. A girl who was raped. A girl who was lost. A girl who struggles. A girl who fights. A girl who survives.
It's hard to put into words the amount of things you will feel throughout Romy's journey, but what makes it extra scary is how real the story is. How you know it's happening in the world today and being inside the journey of someone experiencing it was pretty...gut wrenching.
Ever heard the saying "The truth shall set you free." In Romy's world the truth did the exact opposite. It caged her, weighed her down and broke her. It takes bravery to stand up and tell the truth and for no one to believe it...well that can damage your soul.
As a result Romy paints on her armor one nail or one lip at a time. She creates a barrier.
The damage was deep and the backlash of the truth was brutal. As if it isn't bad enough for the other teenagers to bully but the whole friggin town does! Including the POLICE. I can't even imagine living through what Romy did.
It doesn't stop though, she meets Leon and tries, oh how she tries to keep her world apart from him. I could feel my heart racing with the fear she felt at the thought of Leon knowing the truth. She wanted to keep him and so far the truth had done nothing but push people away from her. How sad is that? Incredibly.
Romy's journey's shows the struggle of trying to survive after what happened and how she fights to do the right thing when everything in her screams to do anything but that.
Summers' writing pulls you screaming through a maze of a story that will undoubtedly hurt you. Will it pierce your heart and make you grit your teeth just to make it to the ending? YES. Will it be worth it? ABSOLUTELY
Raw. Rough. Real.
This is a gripping read that will fill you with All the Rage and a wide range of emotions as you struggle to find your breath.
he covers her mouth.
That’s how you get a girl to stop crying; you cover her mouth until the sound dies against your palm.
This story is about a girl. A girl who was raped. A girl who was lost. A girl who struggles. A girl who fights. A girl who survives.
It's hard to put into words the amount of things you will feel throughout Romy's journey, but what makes it extra scary is how real the story is. How you know it's happening in the world today and being inside the journey of someone experiencing it was pretty...gut wrenching.
Ever heard the saying "The truth shall set you free." In Romy's world the truth did the exact opposite. It caged her, weighed her down and broke her. It takes bravery to stand up and tell the truth and for no one to believe it...well that can damage your soul.
As a result Romy paints on her armor one nail or one lip at a time. She creates a barrier.
The damage was deep and the backlash of the truth was brutal. As if it isn't bad enough for the other teenagers to bully but the whole friggin town does! Including the POLICE. I can't even imagine living through what Romy did.
It doesn't stop though, she meets Leon and tries, oh how she tries to keep her world apart from him. I could feel my heart racing with the fear she felt at the thought of Leon knowing the truth. She wanted to keep him and so far the truth had done nothing but push people away from her. How sad is that? Incredibly.
Romy's journey's shows the struggle of trying to survive after what happened and how she fights to do the right thing when everything in her screams to do anything but that.
Summers' writing pulls you screaming through a maze of a story that will undoubtedly hurt you. Will it pierce your heart and make you grit your teeth just to make it to the ending? YES. Will it be worth it? ABSOLUTELY