Book Review: Clean

I need to read more realistic fiction.  I took a chance with a seemingly interesting book...I wasn't disappointed.

Clean

Amy Reed

Olivia, Christopher, Jason, Kelly, and Eva are all addicts.  Each teenager has their own vice, and they are all now in rehab to try to face their addictions.  From alcohol to drugs to diet pills, the teens meet with their therapy group leader, form relationships, relapse, and struggle to find the answers to life and what they need to get better--and how to feel important.

Told from multiple perspectives and through personal essays by the teens, this heart-wrenching tale tells of teens going through real issues, and they must now face themselves.

When beginning books told in this manner, I start out confused...there are multiple perspectives and different styles of writing.  But I grew to love this approach to this story.  It makes sense.  All the teens are different--from different cultures, mannerisms, and mindsets.  Eva, the goth poet has a more musical narrative than Jason who is angry and swears a lot.  

I don't know how many teens go through these sorts of things in small town Indiana, but I DO know teens get into drugs and alcohol and anorexia.  It's not a joke. And this book, while maybe to the extreme, tells teens and adults that these are real things and we need to be conscious of these situations.  How can we help people going through this? How did they get to this point? Basically, no matter color or money or popularity makes a person immune to this sort of trouble.

Reed paints a beautiful, disturbing story that I think all teens will get SOMEthing out of.  Come get the book!!