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A review by mon_ique
Poison Ivy by Amy Goldman Koss
This was a horrible book.
I guess for any book delving into bullying, it's quite horrifying to read.
Ivy's word play was witty! The constant feeling and comparison to underwater activity was entertaining, if a little concerning.
"It was the end of the day, so all the fish swam in the same direction: out to the breeding grounds. Moving together as the connected scales of one cold, single-minded sea beast. I'd lost track of my binder, however, so I swam upstream, alone against the current. Way off course, like those whales who end up panting in terror, waiting to die on dry sand. Seagulls shriek and circle. Flies appear out of nowhere to swarm. To a whale, flies and gulls are bizarre, nightmarish beings from an alien dimension; air creatures!"
I would definitely read a book featuring Marco and his life; he was maybe the only fleshed out character, family mentioned and intriguing. Although his reaction to Ann was at times unnecessary and annoying...
I guess for any book delving into bullying, it's quite horrifying to read.
Spoiler
At first I thought this book just ended, quite unexplained. One of the last things Ivy says was: "Actually, it was almost satisfyingly nightmarish. It proved it hadn't been all in my head. I hadn't imagined I was alone on earth- I really was alone." And then the book ends! What was the whole point of this? I was distraught, but it wasn't until I reread Bryce's story that the underlying result of the "court case" was fully explained. Still calling her "Poison Ivy" he heard someone say she was in the "nuthouse for trying to ice herself." There was so much left unsaid, but that line made this whole story collection make sense. Someone was investigating this "court case" because a student almost killed herself. How responsible was the teacher to exploit the situation without reporting to proper authorities? The fact that permission slips were signed obviously made the situation clear to parents... but was it not taken as seriously because bullying became part of the curriculum? Ms. Gold wasn't likable in the least, but I'm curious what happened to her.Ivy's word play was witty! The constant feeling and comparison to underwater activity was entertaining, if a little concerning.
"It was the end of the day, so all the fish swam in the same direction: out to the breeding grounds. Moving together as the connected scales of one cold, single-minded sea beast. I'd lost track of my binder, however, so I swam upstream, alone against the current. Way off course, like those whales who end up panting in terror, waiting to die on dry sand. Seagulls shriek and circle. Flies appear out of nowhere to swarm. To a whale, flies and gulls are bizarre, nightmarish beings from an alien dimension; air creatures!"
I would definitely read a book featuring Marco and his life; he was maybe the only fleshed out character, family mentioned and intriguing. Although his reaction to Ann was at times unnecessary and annoying...