This is one of those books that I felt like everyone had read as a teenager except me, and I had no clue what it was even about.

 

You know, given the title and the fact that I'm familiar with the song that uses the same reference, I really ought to have known.

 

I have to admit that this was kind of blatantly fake for me from the get-go. I could tell it was not real, and the writing kind of bothered me, because it read not like a diary of a teenager, but like the diaries adults think teenagers keep, if you know what I mean.

 

The main character herself was a bit over-the-top as well. The whole addiction aspect of her story was a bit overplayed (it seriously took her one time to get so wildly addicted she dug a hole for herself?), but was probably more of an important thing to discuss at the time, given how long ago this book was written (okay, it's not ancient, but drugs were in a different place than they are now, certainly.)

 

It read a bit like one of those made-for-tv-specials I watched when I was very young about teenagers and drugs. There is an awful lot of space dedicated to the effects of the various drugs, all written much more clinically than it seems like a teenager actually addicted would manage, and comparatively little space dedicated to the more normal social aspect of her life, which is apparently a large chunk of what drives her to drugs.

 

In the end, I did enjoy it enough to read straight through it, and it is a quick, easy read with an interesting storyline. I didn't feel any less desire to do drugs after reading it, but given I've never felt one to begin with, your mileage may vary on that. It's perhaps worth picking up as a period piece, explaining what it is that was causing so much concern in adults of the 70's for those of us who were not there at the time, and as that it does succeed. 

 

I have somehow avoided seeing or even really hearing anything at all about the tv series (except "It's about a serial killer"), despite having several family members that are moderately obsessed, so it was interesting walking into this with no real understanding of what on earth I was going to find.

 

It was interesting.

 

I'm not sure I get the huge hubbub surrounding the show and books, but it was an enjoyable read. Dexter is certainly an intriguing character, and has quite a few demons to fight, including several even he didn't know about.

 

His cleverness and the fact that he is very aware of what he is and what that means and how he needs to handle things makes everything he does and is a little more bearable, given he's kind of the hero. It does raise questions of what makes a genuine hero, though, because I kind of feel like maybe he should not qualify, but I can't exactly sort out how to explain why.

 

The mystery was intriguing, and I didn't actually see the ending at all until quite late in the game, so that was a bit of a surprise. I do love that. The book has some mystery, but is pretty disturbing both for imagery and psychological reasons, so I'd almost consider it less of a thriller and more of a horror novel. Debating the semantics of where to place novels is moderately moot, though: it's a book about a serial killer, and he's the good guy. Make your judgment on whether it is a good fit for you or not based on that.

 

I'll probably pick up a few more of the series at some point, but I'm not in a huge rush (and I'm certainly not up for devoting myself to the series, which is probably a much bigger time investment). I can't make comparisons between the two, but if you like the idea or enjoy the series, this is probably worth picking up and trying. 

 

I'm not generally a fan of poetry (all the blank space just...distracts me or something? Or I was forced to read and "admire" too much in school--take your pick there), but something about this collection touched me.

 

Given I don't read poetry AND love dogs, you can probably take anything I say on the matter with a grain of salt (and don't even begin to ask me regarding rhyme or meter or anything that smacks of a proper understanding of poetry), but I thought these were sweet and rather heartfelt expressions of a live-long love of dogs.

 

I definitely had to snuggle mine after finishing it, and wipe away a few tears, and I'm considering the fact that a poem actually got me to tear up to be a huge score.