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| Harlequin Teen |
by Hannah Harrington
5 Stars
Chelsea loves secrets, precisely because she never keeps
them. In fact, sharing the secrets of other people has put her at the top of
the social food chain. Chelsea is one of the most popular girls at school after
all—everyone wants to bask in the spotlight with her and Kristen, Chelsea’s
best friend—so, she’s not planning to clam up any time soon. But one night at a
party Chelsea has too much to drink, and before she knows it she shares a
secret that threatens the life of a student at her school, and threatens to
make her a social outcast in the process.
The perspective in this edgy novel is what makes it so very
powerful. At first, the story seems to be told from a villain’s point of view; let’s
face it, Chelsea comes off as a heartless human being. Yet, it doesn’t take
long before the reader starts to sympathize with her—to imagine what she must
be going through. This story could take place in any high school, and we all
know high school is a warzone. Like most people, Chelsea would rather feed on
the misery of others than be a nobody, or worse, a meal for the social elite. And
let’s face it, Chelsea loves that she matters and that people are jealous of
her. Who doesn’t want to matter? So when Chelsea finally chooses to speak out
for the right reasons and is (ironically) punished for it, it’s hard not to
jump in her corner.
The secondary characters, Asha, Sam, Andy, and even Noah are
equally interesting; they all work at a local diner and have a tight bond. When
Chelsea meets Asha in detention and starts hanging out at the diner with her, each
of these characters begins to guide Chelsea without even realizing it, towards
much-needed healing. Through each meal served and dish washed, Chelsea learns
that forgiveness is a gift, “hate is easy,” and love “takes courage” especially
love for self. Perhaps most amazing of all is that Chelsea remains quiet (or “speechless”)
through the majority of the novel, and in her silence the author allows the
reader to become her voice, to speak, and
feel, for her as if by magic; it’s hard not to walk in Chelsea’s shoes and
want to be her advocate—to fight for her. This is the brilliantly crafted story
of a girl who learns from her mistakes and changes, really changes, by standing up for what is right. And while the message is important, this is
not simply a morality tale. Harrington takes the reader on an entertaining
journey with truly interesting and relatable characters, funny dialogue and a little
romance for seasoning –the message is just gravy.
Applause to Harlequin Teen for picking another winner!
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