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shidoburrito 's review for:
The Initial Insult
by Mindy McGinnis
3.5 stars. Read as an audiobook, which I think was a great choice. I enjoyed the 3 different voices as the POV would switch based on the chapter.
This made me think of Veronica Mars with the theme of teen who used to live the life of the rich and famous but lost it all and is now the school pariah. Old friends are enemies, the town shuns the family, etc,. Only thank goodness Veronica had her dad (who is, BTW, one of my favorite fictional dads), because Tress's grandpa Cecil is utter trash. Worse than trash. That man should be arrested and just thrown in jail for child AND animal abuse and neglect. So Tress has to raise herself, make her own money (selling drugs) or steal what she can't afford (which are the bare basics of used clothes from Goodwill and tampons since Cecil tells her to "just hold it"). All the while still going to the same high school as the other richie rich kids of Amontillado, OH (I'm guessing her parents paid for it all before disappearing? How is she affording this tuition right now?)
And then you have her former best friend, now a big bitch not really doing much to help her former best friend who is OBVIOUSLY in a terrible home. (Quick aside: like seriously, why is no one helping Tress? They all just brush her off as white trash now that she lives with her grandpa, steals shit, smells like animals and is totally not getting the attention she needs. Is there not ONE concerned parent or guidance councilor or teacher in this town? Did I miss something??)
So when Tress starts to brick up her former best friend Felicity to try and learn what happened the night of her parents' disappearance, where Felicity was a witness, I honestly don't blame her. Sure we get some redeeming qualities from Felicities side of the story but I'm all about revenge. Brick her up, I say!
This is why I can't read much YA these days. Everyone is just so... catty and bitchy in these high school settings. I get very angry and just can't quite suspend my disbelief enough that there isn't a single halfway-decent adult in this town. I need books with redeeming characters. Luckily this book had Hugh. And a giant panther.
This made me think of Veronica Mars with the theme of teen who used to live the life of the rich and famous but lost it all and is now the school pariah. Old friends are enemies, the town shuns the family, etc,. Only thank goodness Veronica had her dad (who is, BTW, one of my favorite fictional dads), because Tress's grandpa Cecil is utter trash. Worse than trash. That man should be arrested and just thrown in jail for child AND animal abuse and neglect. So Tress has to raise herself, make her own money (selling drugs) or steal what she can't afford (which are the bare basics of used clothes from Goodwill and tampons since Cecil tells her to "just hold it"). All the while still going to the same high school as the other richie rich kids of Amontillado, OH (I'm guessing her parents paid for it all before disappearing? How is she affording this tuition right now?)
And then you have her former best friend, now a big bitch not really doing much to help her former best friend who is OBVIOUSLY in a terrible home. (Quick aside: like seriously, why is no one helping Tress? They all just brush her off as white trash now that she lives with her grandpa, steals shit, smells like animals and is totally not getting the attention she needs. Is there not ONE concerned parent or guidance councilor or teacher in this town? Did I miss something??)
So when Tress starts to brick up her former best friend Felicity to try and learn what happened the night of her parents' disappearance, where Felicity was a witness, I honestly don't blame her. Sure we get some redeeming qualities from Felicities side of the story but I'm all about revenge. Brick her up, I say!
This is why I can't read much YA these days. Everyone is just so... catty and bitchy in these high school settings. I get very angry and just can't quite suspend my disbelief enough that there isn't a single halfway-decent adult in this town. I need books with redeeming characters. Luckily this book had Hugh. And a giant panther.