I don't think that any book I've ever read has caused me to reflect on society and my views and actions quite as much as this. It has made me look so damn hard at myself, my life and events that I usually keep under lock and key, it's made me uncomfortable, angry and a little bit sad. Because rape, bullying and blaming the victim doesn't just happen in books, it happens every fucking day. Maybe I'm just really negative but I feel like it is ingrained in society. It's easier to blame the victim so let's do that. If that person didn't want to have sex, they shouldn't have worn that outfit, if they didn't want to be hit on and groped they should never have let someone buy them a drink. What happened to make people think like this? Why the fuck do I hear "teach girls how to avoid putting themselves in danger and keep themselves safe"? You can do everything right, but it doesn't mean shit, because it still happens. You can say no, you can kick, you can scream, but at the end of the day you shouldn't have to. Because NO means NO, it means you aren't giving consent. it's one of the first words we learn as children, but at the end of the day it means nothing, because someone puts there needs before yours and has decided you don't mean as much as them.


This isn't a book that I can say I enjoyed reading, because I didn't, it hurt, but I think it's a book that should be read, because it isn't pretty and it makes you think. It doesn't wrap up all the horrible things neatly in a pretty bow and say "it's all okay now", it shows the subject matter for what it really is, ugly! And no, things aren't always ok in the end. It needs to be spoken about, in halls, at work, and with our kids. The shame needs to be taken away. People need to be held accountable.