3 1/2 stars. I was confused by this book for a decent portion of the beginning, but I liked it enough to continue. The way it is constructed begins to make sense as the plot develops. The narrator has a powerful voice and the structure of the wording is put together well, including some good choices in wording and some awkward spellings and puns. It has the right personality for a ninth grade girl. Hulse is good at pointing out everyone's flaws and making it clear that there is some kind of personal development at work for every character in the book. This is one of those books that would be great for a preteen/early teenage read as a precautionary tale.