Format: Paperback
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Release Date: October 19th 2017
Buy The Book: Amazon
The powerful companion to NO VIRGIN.
From the author of the critically acclaimed, LOOKING FOR JJ, shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize in 2004 and the Carnegie Medal in 2005.
Stacey Woods has been raped and now she has to go through a different ordeal - the court trial. But nothing in life it seems is black and white and life is not always fair or just. Suddenly it seems that she may not be believed and that the man who attacked her may be found not guilty . . . if so Stacey will ned to find a way to rebuild her life again . . .
A tautly told and important book, perfect for readers of Asking for It by Louise O'Neill.
My Thoughts:
Note: This review touches upon the rape
of the main character, Stacey.
After reading No Virgin last year, I
was moved by Stacey's story, but I was also a little saddened by the
way things had ended. Although we hear how Stacey, a
seventeen-year-old girl, was raped by a much older man whose brother
had earned her trust and lulled her into a sense of false security,
we never got to see the fallout from Stacey deciding to come forward.
But then I discovered that there was going to be a sequel that dealt
with the court case and the long battle that is trying to get
justice.
I'd been looking forward to reading
this one because it's topic I don't see much of in YA, and it's
something that needs to be discussed openly to provide encouragement
to the girls and women who have to face these horrible situations in
reality. What I loved about this book is how true the title of No
Shame really is. Cassidy gave us the journey of a young woman
realising that she was not in the wrong and, whilst she might have
been naive, she was in no way to blame for what had happened to her.
Not only that, but we were also given characters who didn't want to
come forward about rape for their own reasons, and we were allowed to
understand why they didn't speak up. This book showed a lot of
respect for the personal decisions of victims.
The court case and the process of
Stacey trying to get justice was the main focus of this book, and it
was written openly and truthfully, without sugar-coating any part of
it. And god, did it make me furious at times. To see what levels
people stoop to in order to get out of something they're guilty of
doing. Was this system fair to Stacey? No it wasn't. But it's the
harsh reality that people in her situation can face and I'm grateful
that No Shame provided an in-depth look at how that process can go,
both good and bad.
Whilst this book was tough to read at
times, it's an exceptionally important one. Stacey's emotions were so
honest, and her story was powerful. I couldn't help but feel proud of
how she managed to deal with everything that was thrown in front of
her. She had moments of doubt, but she fought through them and came
out stronger. I love that YA stories like this one are out there and,
whilst the ending was bittersweet for me, I'm happy that Cassidy told
Stacey's story in the way that she did.
Quick Note: I absolutely loved that this book included useful links and contact details for helplines in the back!
Royal Rating:
I really want to read this duology; they sound phenomenal. Love your review, and your ratings image is fab x
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