Scan barcode
A review by heykellyjensen
Honor Code by Kiersi Burkhart
There is a lot to like here -- it's a story about rape culture, about how men and women both perpetrate it and allow it to grow . And there's a "twist" here that brings the idea of an honor code to a whole different level.
There's also quite a bit that's weak here. I found the writing to be fine, though not especially memorable. Likewise, I didn't find it as intense or raw as other books that have done this. It's also a very white book, and the character who notes this in the book over and over feels like she's playing the role of a critical reader in stating it and...it doesn't feel authentic. I also felt that some of the reaction of students to what was going on to feel a little over the top; today's teens are far more aware of their world than I felt this book gave many of them credit for. And perhaps I'd have let that slide much easier WERE we given a more intense exploration of the school's culture.
Absolutely worth reading, particularly for those who enjoy books about small cultures and private schools and those who want to read more books with various angles toward rape culture.
There's also quite a bit that's weak here. I found the writing to be fine, though not especially memorable. Likewise, I didn't find it as intense or raw as other books that have done this. It's also a very white book, and the character who notes this in the book over and over feels like she's playing the role of a critical reader in stating it and...it doesn't feel authentic. I also felt that some of the reaction of students to what was going on to feel a little over the top; today's teens are far more aware of their world than I felt this book gave many of them credit for. And perhaps I'd have let that slide much easier WERE we given a more intense exploration of the school's culture.
Absolutely worth reading, particularly for those who enjoy books about small cultures and private schools and those who want to read more books with various angles toward rape culture.