Review: You Against Me

Book: You Against Me
Author: Jenny Downham
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Pages: 416
Source: Bought in UK - Yes it's out already (buy)
Date Read: March 24, 2011

Summary:

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother's been accused of a terrible crime and you're the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn't that what families do? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn't do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skillfulness and almost unbearable tension. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love - for one's family and for another.

Yani's Analysis:
I read an ARC copy of Before I Die many years ago, and I was amazed by how open Jenny Downham is with her writing. With such a sad story as that one it hard to convey any hope or happiness, but she did. And while that story isn't one of the saddest I have ever read, it didn't leave me drowning in a depression. Actually after enjoying this book so much, I might go back and reread that one.

You Against Me has one of my favorite type of love premises, the love/hate family rivalry Romeo and Juliet type background. Rich vs poor, both parents vs one parent, Mickey and Ellie couldn't be more different. As much as the try not to like each other, they can't help to be drawn to one another. I loved their chemisty, I loved Ellie, I loved Mickey... that aspect of the story was just perfection. And if you have read some of my other reviews you all know how much I LOVE alternating viewpoints!

The other aspect of the story, Mickey's sister's rape, was a deep lock in to today's society and whether being drunk gives guys consent to do as they please. At first it was all very gray, you see Ellie and her love and admiration for her brother and think how could someone like him do that.... and then your thrown into Mickey's house with his sister locked in her room and avoiding any human connections. As the story progresses it becomes clear what happened that night.

The book is very enjoyable even with such sad and deep topics such as rape. There where only two things I didn't like: one I didn't understand some of the English terminology (but that I got used to and in the end learned some new words) and it felt a little long. But those things are so miniscule compared to the greatness of this book! I highly recommend!!

Ratings:

Plot: 4/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Characters: 5/5

Other Memorable Quotes:

"She'd emerged as Phoenix from X-Men movie - the one with the red eyes, so angry that she's off the scale, able to destroy the universe with the power of her mind.

And if she was Phoenix, then anything could happen next."