Feb 28, 2011

Review: The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney


Title: The Mockingbirds
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Little, Brown
Publication Date: 11.2.2010
Pages: 332
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Yes (Mockingbirds #1)
Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):
Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

Review:
This book really is an all or nothing book. You either love it desperately or you put it aside and forget it. I, for one, fell head over heels in love. Not only does debut author Daisy Whitney tackle such a relevant and delicate matter as date rape, but she does it with beauty and grace. If there is one word I could use to describe this book it’s eloquent.

From the heart pounding, gut wrenching first moments of the book I was hooked. Whitney completely drew me into Alex’s story. You can sense Alex’s confusion and the horror of the realization of what happened. But, like almost any girl in this situation, Alex also questions her own guilt in the matter. The character of Alex is so real, so visceral, she jumps off the pages. Despite the grim subject matter, there is also a delicate love story unfolding in the midst of the turmoil that adds a glimmer of hope throughout the novel.

Whitney also succeeded in one thing my 9th grade English teacher couldn’t do – she inspired me to read To Kill A Mockingbird just so I could get all the references made. I cannot wait to see what this author does next.

3 comments:

  1. Yes!! Love this book so much. It was really beautiful. Great review. =)

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  2. I'm moving this up on my tbr list *-* Your review kind of makes me think of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and I loved that book so much. If this book is anything like it I will love it I know it :D I know the next book I'm ordering lol

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  3. I have had this book on my shelf for a while now and I think this is the first review I have read. I get really nervous about all or nothing books but I can't seem to resist! I will have to pick this up soon.

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