Told in an arresting, fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.”
My Thoughts:
I’m not quite sure where to begin with this review. This book is about a teenager named Willow who feels responsible for her parents’ tragic death. To cope with the emotional pain, Willow begins cutting herself. Cutting is a topic that I know very little about. Before reading this book, I couldn’t understand why someone would want to mutilate their body by cutting themselves. It seemed more like suicidal behavior than anything else. After reading this book, I have a greater understanding of the emotional pain and turmoil that leads someone to cutting – and it’s not suicidal behavior at all.
Willow was behind the wheel when a tragic accident took the lives of her parents. Stumbling through life post-accident, Willow becomes estranged from her older brother, David, whom she finds herself living with after the accident. Feeling that he blames her for their parents’ deaths, Willow retreats into herself, trying to deal with the emotions the best way she knows how – through cutting.
One day at her job at the library, Willow meets Guy. He soon discovers her secret, but instead of running the other way, he does everything he can to help her. The development of this relationship is very sweet and I really enjoyed reading it. Through this relationship, we see the healing power of love.
This book is so much more than a young adult novel of teenage angst. It is not an easy book to read. It is raw and emotional and the cutting scenes were hard to read (for me, anyway!). I know this review isn’t doing the book justice, but I just don’t know how to describe the emotions this book brought out in me. It’s definitely a book I would recommend.
That one sounds heavy duty. Cutting is something I don't quite understand either but I know it's pretty common among young girls. This is a great review.
This does sound like a heavy read, but I am curious about how the author handles with a teenager learning new skills as an alternative to cutting. Cutting is not suicidal, it's more about self-mutilation to cope with emotions. Thanks for the review!
I saw some documentary about people "cutting" themselves long time ago on TV, it's usually a behavior that was engaged to numb the emotional pain… It made sense cause if your body is too busy feeling the physical pain, it is then distracted from the emotional pain that is tormented you. When someone feels physically painful because of a wound, he / she temporary forgets about the unhappy things that are bothering the mind and heart… This is the exact same things with people who can't stop plugging their own hair, not until the heads bald and bleed can they stop plugging…I will recommend this book to one of my friends who lost her parents lot time ago the same way. Her sister survived the accident on her way to her dance lesson. My friend who was 13at the time wasn't in the accident cause she was at home…. There is lots of unresolved feelings, anger, guilt, blame, and pain I'm sure, etc, etc..I hope she can read this book and find closure and peace.
Beautiful review…this is a very powerful book, I just loved it…but it's a tough book to read
Very nice review, I really need to pick this one up!
Very nice review, I really need to pick this one up!
Like you, I'd never understood cutting either, but the way you describe this book makes me really feel Willow's turmoil. I think this book will be very enlightening and touching. I really liked that you admitted you weren't sure how to describe this novel – it actually gave me a pretty clear feeling of the emotional response of the story because I've been in the same boat, being unable to adequately put into words my feelings about a book. Thank you for reviewing it – I'll definitely have to check it out.
Like you, I'd never understood cutting either, but the way you describe this book makes me really feel Willow's turmoil. I think this book will be very enlightening and touching. I really liked that you admitted you weren't sure how to describe this novel – it actually gave me a pretty clear feeling of the emotional response of the story because I've been in the same boat, being unable to adequately put into words my feelings about a book. Thank you for reviewing it – I'll definitely have to check it out.