When I first picked up the book Go Ask Alice I expected it to be dark and horrific, personal and interesting. Most of my expectations have been met, though the novel proves to be less satisfying than I wanted it to be. Within the first 70 pages we journey into the narrator's life as she goes from a innocent and naive young girl to a distraught, somewhat lifeless young woman. Her stories are interesting and personal, though I do not favor the way the book is written. I feel as though a lot of important information is lost between the diary entries. For example, it seems as though in an instant, she was hooked on drugs. As a reader, I fell as though the "man vs. self" struggle to remain clean was not present. The novel may seem more personal written as diary entries, but I believe it could still posses personal touch in addition to being more interesting if it were written like a normal novel with "connecting sentences" in between dialogue to further elaborate on her situation. Furthermore, I noticed that since the narrator began using drugs, her voice and vocabulary have changed as well. In the opening pages, she seemed happy and cheerful, using words like, "beautiful and exciting" to describe her life. As the book goes on and her addiction becomes worse, the narrator turns to curse words to describe her new and secret life. As seen in the first 70 pages, drugs, on and off of them make life lonely and miserable for those who dare to try them once more.
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Like Morgan, I too was expecting a grim, dark novel. What I found was a cheesy, flat main character and a predictable plot. Maybe I would be more accepting if I believed that the book was actually written by the subject. Nonetheless I am a bit disappointed. It seems as though a psychiatrist is trying to profile the rise (or fall rather) to addiction. The journalist blatantly tells of her problems: she and her mom don't have a very close relationship, she thinks she is fat, she likes to have control of her weight and other aspects of her life, she doesn't fit in like her siblings do, she is insecure in other areas of her life... It's like someone looked at a list of traits that candidates for addiction often possess, and spat those traits back out to create the novel, "Go Ask Alice". However, that did not make the book any less interesting. I couldn't stop reading! I predicted that her older boyfriend was cheating, and I could see her falling farther and farther over the edge; it's like a train wreck that you cannot tear your eyes away from!
ReplyDeleteOne last thing: Morgan, I totally noticed the change in vocabulary as well! When she's clean, she literally says, "It's holiday time and I'm elated all the livelong day and night!" (89) and other places she says "damn damn damn!". It just seems exaggerated, if not unrealistic.
Like many of my fellow Go Ask Alice readers, I was expecting something much different when I decided to read this book. Going in, I was aware that this was a book unlike what I normally read and from the descriptions I had been hearing, I was a bit scared of what this book would be “throwing down”. I was expecting a scary, dark and twisted novel but as I read the first few pages, this is not what I found to be true. It was such a happy story about a nice girl with a nice family living in a nice place. Then through the next 60 pages, a turn for the worst occurred, starting the downward spiral of life. The narrator’s addiction to various drugs has just begun, though her life has changed entirely. A huge contrast in plot, vocabulary and tone has been set forth by the author to lead into the darker coming of the novel. And contrary to my original belief, the novel has yet to be scary, but actually seemingly true. It really seems as if this life’s turn for the worst could happen with any other person, which is where the scare factor is brought in.
ReplyDeleteI too, along with Morgan, Fiona, and Katie; was somewhat dissapointed by the beginning of what I had thought would be an incredibly deep novel. Just as Fiona stated, the character Alice and her journey became completely predictable and boring after her first experience with LSD. As I began to read the book I almost felt a connection with the character, as the author attempted to make the teenage girl fairly relateable to the audience of the book. But then in one quick turn of the page, the once relateable 'I am somewhat angsty about my life but love it anyways' girl had been instantly morphed into a monster of drug abuse. That was the point at which this novel became unrealistic and not as suspenseful to read. Of course over the years we have been taught how drugs ruin one life, but after one use of LSD Alice's language suddenly seemed much to knowledgeable for a first time user. She had quickly learned all of the street names for drugs and began to rebel completely against her old life. Because this plot line seems so ridiculous I am not very motivated to read on, especially after the author writes that Alice dies in the end anyways, which isn't surprising for her sudden drug abusiveness.
ReplyDeleteWow. It is difficult to say more that just that. The novel, Go Ask Alice, written by “Anonymous”, leaves me thrilled and conflicted.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I adore how it is written in journal entries. Some are long, ranging several pages. Some short, being just a couple of lines. The main character, Alice, experiences this wild tale of accidentally falling and cocooning herself in the world of drug use, sex, and disappointment. The way she confides in her journal, her “best friend”, makes the reader feel as if they are getting the first hand story of her life. One almost builds a relationship with the character. It is easy to sympathize, be disgusted with, or in general care for Alice. A strong connection is built.
In Go Ask Alice, one can surprisingly feel inspired. One wouldn’t expect that from a book of a girl going “down hill”. The tragedy of her story makes me want to do well and not fall into the trap of drug use. But, counter to that, her descriptions of the lively and wonderful effect of acid (which could make someone feel curious and interested in trying drugs) makes me want to live my life to the fullest, almost experiencing all the intoxicating emotions without needing a drug to reach high points.
Now for the negatives. The more I think about it, I completely agree with the group members above. These moments of connection and motivation were short lived. Often times the story would get out of hand, spiraling into a tale that was ridiculous and unbelievable. Many a times I could get annoyed with Alice and not want to read on. Nonetheless the book tends to consume the reader then as quick as the next diary entry make it impossible to turn the page. I must admit, at some points I had to stop reading and take a nap—I was bored. The novel can be discouraging and repetitive, losing the readers interest.
DISCLAIMER: SORRY THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LATE, I MADE A TYPICAL TEENAGE CHOICE AND DECIDED TO PROCRASTINATE UNTIL YESTERDAY EVENING. THEN I REALIZED I LOST MY PASSWORD TO GET ON HERE, AND THE EMAIL SENDING ME THE PASSWORD DIDNT COME THROUGH UNTIL THIS MORNING. ANYWAYS...
ReplyDeleteThe five posts above took the words right out of my mouth. Based on the dark creepy book cover, the vague title, and the fact it was written anonymously, i was surprised to find it sounded like a ten-year-old had written it. The language was dull and basic. The plot was so predictable and cliche, I wanted to throw the book to the ground. It was the same plot as every book written for teenage girls: innocent little girl entering womanhood struggles with her weight, has problems with her best friend, doesn't relate to her parents, is hopelessly in love with a boy who doesn't know she exists, blah blah blah. I feel as if I've read this book 300 times before. What I wasn't expecting was the drugs. It came on so suddenly, but at the same time it was so subtle. The actual first time she tried drugs was slipped so seamlessly into the story, but the spiral into addiction was so sudden. One day, innocent little girl, next day, crazy drug monster who doesn't even recognize herself. Alice becomes shocked at her own actions. The other thing that surprised me was Alice's inability to keep any sort of relationship with anyone for very long. In the first 70 pages she is always bouncing from person to person, but never seems to develop a long, deep, trusting relationship. She bounces from friend to friend to friend, boyfriend to boyfriend to boyfriend, and seemingly doesn't connect with them on the level she should.
I finished the second section, and I want to write while it's still fresh in my mind, so here's my second post:
ReplyDeleteThis book gets a few songs stuck in my head in a big way. Almost every time I see the title, I get Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" stuck in my head. It's the same part each time: "One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the one that mother gives you won't do anything at all; go ask Alice when she's ten feet tall." I think I know where the "anonymous" author/ editors got the title, haha. I think that the era Alice grew up in played a huge role in the direction her life took. I love how the "Free Speech" era shows through in the writing. It would be unrealistic for a girl to grow up completely uninfluenced by the potent "stick it to the man" environment that was the 60's and 70's.
Another song that comes to mind goes like so:
"Be careful what you do, taking downs to get off to sleep and ups to start you on your way" -Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Paul Simon.
When you imagine this song is about Alice, the next line is eerily foreshadowing, as Simon sings, "After a while, they'll change your style." Alice showed early on, by her dieting, her need to be in control. She gets completely caught up in a patter of drug use, using different ones to control her every feeling. She said, "I have to take Dexies to stay high at school and at work and on dates and to do my homework, then I have to take tranquilizers to bear up at home" (55). She doesn't like feeling out of control (who does?), so she takes control of everything, even her energy.
Oh no! I’ve made a mistake in my last entry. Alice in not the main character, Alice is just a girl that the main character meets. It seems that we will never hear the main character’s name, possibly to make the story more mysterious and realistic? One would not normally put his/her name in their diary entries. For sanity of all who may be reading this post, I shall give the main character the name of Mindy so “main character” does not appear all over this blog.
ReplyDeleteI’ve decided the book is slightly more agreeable, the reading flows. I still am appreciating the fact that it is written in journal entry form. But it is difficult to get over how unrealistic it all sounds. It doesn’t completely sound as if it is written from a teenage girls point of view. Mindy is also so spontaneous it is unnatural. She continuously decides to leave her family and venture out into the world with nothing but drugs and doesn’t mention any feeling of guilt or missing her family. I feel that a teenage girl would feel at least slightly held back from abandoning his/her loving family. At one point Mindy mentions how she has become a BP (baby prostitute). This caught me totally off guard. How is that even possible? One day this girl is totally normal then the next day she’s selling herself. There are too many rapid changes, making any realism in this book begins to achieve disappear. At times I find the story ridiculous. To add to that, she also rapidly changes to be a girl who’s biggest dream is to become a housewife. This tears me 50/50, I can not decide whether all of the drugs and sadness have made her dreams be so small, compared to the attitude she held at the beginning of the story, or the author is simply made another ridiculous and unnecessary turn in the novel.
Overall, I’m feeling wishy washy about this book, and Mindy. As Fiona was saying, maybe her attitude is normal for the era she is in. But there are times in this novel that I just have trouble believing everything. I like it but I don’t. Maybe after mulling over it a little more, I’ll come up with a final opinion. As for now, I simply appreciate it.
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ReplyDeleteDue to the fact that this novel has proved to be one dimensional and unsatisfying, I feel as though I am beating a dead horse. As Mitra so brilliantly stated, in the beginning of the novel, the main character was carefree and somewhat happy-go-lucky. In a single night, after one intake of drugs, the main characters world turns upside down as she spirals downward into a rut of fear and depression. Though is this instant change realistic? The author fails to bridge the monotonous gap between a sweet and innocent girl to a hardcore addicted woman. Furthermore, although the main character experiences a whirlwind of new and different emotions, she remains a bleak and predictable character throughout the second section of the novel. The author fails to go deeper into any of the other aspects of the main character's life and this may be the reason she is so boring to read about. I believe the novel could be significantly enriched if the author had elaborated on the different sceneries or passing characters. For example, Alice, is not in fact the name of the narrator, but the name of some random girl the main character briefly talks to on the street. These things, most likely intended for a mysterious factor are simply portrayed as confusing and unnecessary. As Anna said, the predictable plot has often made me want to throw the book to the ground, or completely re-write it. It is so difficult to sit back and read a novel that has so much potential but fails to reach a point in which the reader is fully engaged in the text.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the next segment of "Go Ask Alice," I began to regain my confidence in the main character. (I, like Mitra, realized that Alice isn't the main character!) As Chris and the main character began their ambitious plan of opening up a shop in California, their lives started to fall into place. Suddenly they were meeting new neighbors and were invited to parties, and just like that they were back into a crazy night of drug use. Suddenly they were back home with they ever loyal families. Suddenly they are back at school, celebrating Christmas, eating lunch, going on vacations. Suddenly she was addicted again. Suddenly I lost my confidence, once again. As Mitra said, it just seems so unrealistic, this main character continuously falls in and out of drugs to the point where I am no longer anxious to turn the page. I figure after about ten flips or so she will be back on the streets addicted to pot this time, or maybe acid. Throughout this book there are only two aspects that have truly grasped my attention and give me hope that there will hopefully be other reasons for me to keep reading, besides just because I have to. The first was on page 103 after she has driven up to Oregon, "It was snowing in Denver, but it's so penetratingly damp here in Oregon it's a hell of sight worse" (Anonymous 103). This is the most relatable part of the novel, as I live in Oregon and can relate exactly to the statement that we live in a constant downpour. The second and final part of this story that has kept me interested is the diverse characters. Now it is not so much the drugs they are dealing, which is what the narrator focuses on, but their background stories. Whether it be those with a perfectly fine home-life who were looking for something exciting to try, or the rape victims, or the abused, or those too young to understand; it is the background of all these people, and the knowledge that there are many people in trouble like them right now, that make me want to read and see why someone would ever begin such a deadly habit and what can be done to prevent it.
ReplyDeleteLet me start off by saying, I am so glad that I am part of a group that has the same feelings towards it as I do. Like Claire pointed out, reading this book makes me feel like I'm on a roller coaster. These sudden changes confuse me ( I know that teenage girls are moody even without drugs but most don't hop on a train to some other city and then actually want to come back.) I was so surprised that by the end of this section, she had managed to stay out of drugs for some amount of time, as I thought the pattern of drugs to no drugs would once again be followed.
ReplyDeleteEvery prediction and expectation I have had for this book has seemed to fail, forcing me to believe that it is very unrealistic as some of this book should be predictable. One of the most unrealistic points of this book thus far has been her mindset during drug use. “Main character” unlike most, is able to realize what she is putting herself through and can easily stop using the drugs whenever she desires. Though just when she thinks life will fix itself the second she stops the drugs she writes, “It’s terrible not to have a friend. I’m so lonely and so alone” (133). Oh no! Without drugs she has no friends, so for my next prediction, I believe that she will get back on the drugs in an effort to “fix up her life (AGAIN).”
Once again, I don't have much to say that the rest of my group hasn't already said. I actually don't really care for this book much anymore. I think it's poorly written. At first, I loved how it was written by anonymous, it seemed intriguing and mysterious and lured me in. But now, i'm pretty sure this is NOT a real diary and some middle-aged author randomly made this stuff up trying to pass as a teenager. It just doesn't seem like any teenager could be this random and spontaneous. it's also hard to follow her ups and downs and when she's using drugs and when she isn't. She seems unhappy with drugs and without drugs. It's so back and forth it seems fake. it's such a good plot and idea for a book, but the execution is frustrating. I did appreciate the Oregon references though!
ReplyDeleteI can't help but somewhat re-state what has already been said above. The last pages of the novel are no different then the first, or middle. In fact, the last few pages are somewhat MORE disappointing than any other part. When I read that the "victim" had passed away, and that there was no account of her death, I wanted to throw the book across the room. I was so frustrated that we had all spent time reading this book, following this girls un-realistic life, only for her to suddenly die in the last pages. Like Anna stated previously, I liked the idea that the book was written anonymously, because it was mysterious and intriguing. But as we all did our research and found out this is not a real diary, and that the main character is fictitious, I was extremely disappointed. Furthermore, I am still confused about the significance of the title "Go Ask Alice" because I don't feel as though the minor character Alice had any real importance in the book at all. As I closed the final page, I was not left satisfied and wanting to more about this girl....especially because she's not real.
ReplyDeleteLike my fellow Go Ask Alice readers, I am thoroughly tired of reading this book. The ending was the worst part of the entire book as we follow addicted-to-drugs girl on the final stages of the rollercoaster. The reoccurring themes of being unrealistic, poorly written and bad storyline were steadily observed throughout the book. What I really despised in the final chunk of the book was that it suddenly became harder to follow along with the even rapider changes in place, date and mindset on drugs.
ReplyDeleteThe epilogue states something along the lines of: it is concerning that she died, but was only one of the thousands of drug related deaths that year. In any other drug-related book, that might have: caught my attention, made me question what I had just read or made me feel sad. But because I couldn’t even focus on the reality of this book, that last statement seemed irrelevant. (I would say that I thought that the last statement simply seemed unrealistic like the rest of the book; but after looking over it, I realized how big of a problem drug-related deaths are, even if this book wrongly displayed the issue.)
For once, I disagree with everyone else on this blog! I rather liked the ending. Yes, the ending was just like the rest of the book, fast-paced and confusing, but I found I came to like the character. Her relationship with Joel was so cute and pleasant. I loved how she was reconnecting with her family and made multiple mentions of how wonderful her mother is. She even went to the library everyday! The fact she was working hard at school and studying made me like her even more. I felt as if she was truly trying to change for the better, for her sake and her family's sake. That said, there were some aspects I HATED. For example, the asylum. Like really? I highly doubt that would ever happen. They don't send drug-users to insane asylums. That part just didn't make sense to me. Also the fact both her grandparents died within months of eachother bothered me. It seems that was put in there just to make the book more dramatic and interesting, but actually makes the book even more unbelievable. Towards the end of the book I also couldn't tell what age she was anymore. If I have everything straight she should be about 15. That fact makes the book even MORE unbelievable (is that even possible?)!
ReplyDeleteI also liked the ending statement about one of thousands of drug deaths that year. I felt like it brought all the non-sense and confusion a poignant meaning
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoy the end. I didn't hate it, but it was bland and predictable. How else could this diary end except in death? Yes, the relationship with Joel was very cute, and I was happy that she was getting back on track. But I learned early on in this book that her reaction to getting on track is getting bored and falling apart again. Every time something goes well, I know that the author is just setting up the story so she can mess up YET again. I know that that is her habit, the author has made it very clear. Couldn't the ending at least have some variation? I guess not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anna, i also liked the part about thousands of deaths. I know that sounds terribly morbid, but it made me enjoy the book, as a whole, a bit more. It made me see that the point of the novel was to personify that number that is otherwise meaningless. If you imagine that each person who died a drug-related death rode the roller coaster that "Alice" did, that they had a family and a few decent friends, it really makes the book seem more like a testament, or tribute, to those victims. It may not be a very realistic or well written tribute, but it did open my eyes to the realism of those "thousands" who died.
I have to agree with Fiona, I did not hate the end, but there was nothing really special about it either. I also agree with Anna, the epilogue was nice and put it all in perspective. It made me think about my own life and the people around me, and because of that the epilogue was probably the best part of the book (which is kind of sad).
ReplyDeleteBut lets be honest, all in all, the book felt like a runny soup. There was not a lot to it. Sure, a lot was said, the main character went through a lot of highs and lows, but they were all fairly predictable and unrealistic. There really were not a lot of tasty or meaningful pieces that got the reader to really care or think deeply.
The last section of the book went by in a flurry. There were rapid changes in this main girl’s attitude, which could be interesting to read about at times, but were fairly repetitive compared to what was read before. What I found to be frustrating was that right after becoming a seemingly normal and consistent person, who as Fiona described as “on track”, it is said that she commits suicide. The reader pretty much knows the ending all the way through the book, which I once again cannot decide if I liked. All the way through this book I’ve been feeling 50/50 between liking and disliking it as a whole, and of course the feeling of “undecided-ness” still continues.
I felt no spark of interest in this section, but I did feel some subtle urge to keep reading. Maybe it was the continuous twists in the story that compelled me? Or the hope that this girl’s life could go on happily? And with all honestly, I did like to read about her relationship with Joel. Those were decent tension-relieving moments. Yet, I think the one factor that must have really bothered me subconsciously and held me back from enjoying this book was the constant negativity and hopelessness. There may be a happy moment in the story, but it is always tainted by how the reader knows it will end--with suicide.
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ReplyDeleteI stand by my comments above, though I do agree with my peers above, that the relationship between the main character and Joel did make the story slightly more intriguing. The book could have been so much better if the story had continued on, to share the story of a woman who broke an addiction and fell in love with someone who actually cared about her. Overall, I was not left satisfied after reading "Go Ask Alice". The plot had so much potential, though the author did not achieve it. The story line became predictable, and there were many unanswered questions. Due to the fact that the novel was not a true story, the "anonymous author" could have developed the story much farther. For instance, the scenes and other characters could have been more thorough in their descriptions. The main character had no real personality, and her ups and downs were extreme highs and lows. Overall, I rate the novel 3/10. At points, I wanted to keep reading, but most of the time; I lost interest due to the fact that the ending was so predictable. I would be interested to read the male version of this book and see if it would be any better, but as far as this book goes, I would say, do not go ask Alice.
ReplyDeleteWhen the book ended everything in my head finally settled. I think back while I was reading the novel to all the events that the main character went through and rethink my immediate judgements of her. How many teenagers like to have fun? Alot of them, and who would choose to pass up a fun party with friends? Very few. When the main character went to her friends house she had no idea it would be anything more than a good time, and thus I no longer am disappointed in the plot of the story. This girl had her life perfectly in order, with her family, friends, and self; it was swiftly yanked from under her feet and the rest of the novel was focused on her trying to get her life back together. Her drug crutch of course returned throughout the book, to give it some flavor and make her addiction seem more realistic. By the end of the book, when she began to talk about the worms eating at her flesh, I just felt sorry for her. I felt sorry because she honestly didn't do anything wrong, and I think this book kind of toyed with my emotions. In the end though, after she most like died of a drug overdose, I almost found the book to be promoting/atleast not demoting drugs. It made me think that if I became addicted to drugs, it is not really my fault. The story of the main character was not suspenseful, but rich in stories and modern day issues; and in the end I sympathized for the main character, but somewhat scorned the author for the novel in its entirety.
ReplyDeleteOverall I would rate "Go Ask Alice" a five. This book was completely mediocre, and I would not encourage someone to read it nor would I discourage someone to. The novel has a very interesting plot, the it begins with a very relateable teenager and suddenly plunges her into the realms of an intense drug populated lifestyle. The stories of not only the main character, but the characters that she encounters add a more humanitarian aspect to the plot and were the main reason I continued to read. It was not a suspense thriller because the ending was fairly predicatable, but some of the situations she found herself in were not predictable. Overall the book had a fairly boring plot with some interesting tangents, and it would neither harm anyone nor incredible change someone's view on life, which is why I would rate "Go Ask Alice" a mediocre five out of ten.
ReplyDeleteAnd Go Ask Alice receives…a whopping 5.5 out of 10 star rating! Which some may actually consider fairly generous for this novel. Throughout entire book I had this feeling of mediocrity. It was supposed to be about the chilling and important topic of teen drug addiction, but instead was a repetitive, predictable, and unrealistic story with a few interesting points about a girl who could not get her life strait. Not to mention the entire time there was a general lack of connectivity between the reader and characters. I agree with Morgan and think the book had potential to be incredible, but the plot just could not hold my, and evidently many of my group’s, attention.
ReplyDeleteNow as you may have observed, I did not rate this book a mere 0 out of 10. Despite the disappointment, it does merit some acknowledgement. As I read I did feel a somewhat of a pull to continue turning those pages. Maybe it was the way it was written in a journal form, with quick direct thoughts to the main character’s head, or just a solid hope that the predictability would end and I would be surprised by a turn in the novel that kept my attention. It could have been the teenage troubles of friends and school social hierarchies that I found fascinating. Either way, the mix of these factors kept me reading. The book may have been a bit of a snooze and somewhat unfulfilling, but at least it was a motivational bore, in the way that the reader really wanted to finish it all. All in all, of you are looking for a book to simply pass the time, a “busy” read novel that can keep you fairly entertained, then Go Ask Alice is exactly what you are looking for.
Review of Go Ask Alice
ReplyDeleteThis is the perfect example of the saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover". At just one glance at the cover, I was instantly intrigued by the book Go Ask Alice. Not just the mysterious picture on the cover, but by the author. Anonymous. Now THAT sounds interesting. And I generally like books that are written like diary entries. All of that said, I had high expectations for this book. First few diary entries, the book was just okay. The author seemed like a normal, small-town teenager, not very interesting. I was waiting for things to get interesting. When they did, the book began to progressively go downhill. One day she's a nice innocent young girl, the next she's a drug user who's selling herself on the streets. I found the plot to be erratic and random and not easy to follow. The main character was not well developed. The scenarios were so unlikely I wanted to slam the book down. Im almost 99% sure this isn't a real diary. Whoever wrote it obviously doesn't know teenagers because this book is so unlikely. The only part I liked about the book was the end, I found the final statement to be very poignant. Overall, this book is a 6 out of 10. It has serious potential, but in the end fell short.
Go Ask Alice Review
ReplyDeleteRating: 3
The only reason this book receives a 3 is because it somehow got published and I admire that. The book was completely pointless and did not to justice to its message about teens and drug usage. The writing style, flow and content of the book was very "off" and was awkward to read. As the main character is followed, the most interesting thing about her is her voice, which sometimes is able to give the book a bit of a boost. I struggled with trying to keep reading the book as the plot was unexciting and jumped around way too much. Though it is said that the book is a true account, after reading, I was left with the feeling that I had just read a bad story that some creepy, 40 year old man came up with as a joke. So for every reader that picks up the small book with a creepy looking face on the cover: please put it down and walk away.
Final Review of "Go Ask Alice" By Anonymous:
ReplyDelete✮✮☆☆☆
I give this book a 2 out of 5 stars. The writing style and even plot makes the reader feel like they are reading a "Just Say No" brochure. The plot is predictable, as are the imminent downfalls. The reader is left annoyed and frustrated at the stupidity and naivety of the main character. While the idea of an anonymous diary is intriguing, all potential enjoyment is lost thanks to the unrealistic writing style. To a teen, this book can even be a bit insulting, as it gives the image that adolescents are fragile and impossibly susceptible to the intrigue of drugs.
The two stars it does receive are because of the fact that despite the frustration it induces, the novel is actually a fun and enjoyable read. Once one gives up hope for a realistic book, and simply enjoys the plot turns and fascinating 60's/70's setting, it can be much more bearable. Considering it is a quick and easy read, there is little harm in picking up this book when one is in-between books.
I just went on Wikipedia and looked this book up to see if the REAL author was ever found. There is no definite answer, but I did find a couple passages that prove people agree with us that the book is unrealistic.
ReplyDelete"The lengthy, detailed passages about the harmful effects of illicit drugs and the relatively small amount of space dedicated to relationships and social gossip seem uncharacteristic of a teenaged girl’s diary."
"There some errors of consistency. On page 16 the author has not "had time to write for two days". In the same paragraph she refers to the last entry as "yesterday" when she says, "I've apologized to every room about the way I felt last night" even though according to her first sentence she would have felt that way two nights ago, not "last night". On pages 79-80, the text describes the girl living with a friend in Coos Bay, Oregon, where she enthuses over the Diggers' Free Store and the Psychedelic Shop. Both establishments were in San Francisco."
Also, I found out that a movie was made for ABC in the 70's!
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Ask_Alice
ReplyDelete