Synopses & Reviews
Date rapeand#8212;from the accusedand#8217;s point of viewand#8212;is the subject of this and#8220;finely crafted and thought-provoking page-turnerand#8221; (andlt;I andgt;SLJandlt;/Iandgt;), a National Book Award Finalist from Printz Honorand#8211;winning author Chris Lynch. Now available in a tenth-anniversary edition.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Keir Sarafian may not know much, but he knows himself. And the one thing he knows about himself is that he is a good guy. A guy whoand#8217;s a devoted son and brother, a loyal friend, and a reliable teammate. And, maybe most important of all, Keir is a guy who understands that when a girl says no, she means it.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;But that is not what Gigi Boudakian, childhood friend and Keirand#8217;s lifelong love, says at all. What Gigi says seems impossible to Keirand#8212;something inexcusableand#8212;the worst thing he can imagine, the very opposite of everything he wants to be.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;As Keir recalls the events leading up to his fateful night with Gigi, he realizes that the way things look are definitely not the way they really areand#8230;and that it may be all too easy for a good guy to do something terribly wrong.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Chris Lynch has written a no-holds-barred story about truth, lies, and responsibilityand#8212;a story that every good guy needs to hear.
Review
"This raw and powerful book will hammer its way into your heart and haunt you. The world needs this story. And you want to read it -- trust me."
Review
"Chris Lynch is the best pure YA writer we have -- he has the guts, he has the chops, and like his readers, he'll take a close look at anything. Inexcusable is irresistible, in its limning of the spaces between brutality and grace, between the soul and the law. Start at page one -- you'll never stop."
Review
"Inexcusable is a not-to-be-missed chapter in the anthropology of ritual male dating behavior. From the first phrase to the last phrase, Chris Lynch creates a character with such flawless self-deception that the reader mistakes being seduced with being stalked. In the end you become the books trophy, and you'll find your head mounted on the cover."
Review
*"A finely crafted and thought-provoking page-turner"
Review
*"Expertly drawn...A nuanced, wholly believable character that will leave many readers shaking with recognition...Unforgettable."
Review
*"Lynch hits a home run with this provocative, important read."
Review
"An interesting companion piece to Laurie Halse Anderson's andlt;Iandgt;Speakandlt;/Iandgt;."
Review
*"With his portrait of Keir, Lynch makes it nearly impossible for readers to see the world in black-and-white terms. This book is guaranteed to prompt heated discussions."
Review
*"Lynch's masterful exploration of the difference between perception and reality is fascinating. Teens will reread this short but complex story debating the issues of violence and responsibility."
Synopsis
Date rape--from the accused's point of view--is the subject of this "finely crafted and thought-provoking page-turner" (SLJ), a National Book Award Finalist from Printz Honor-winning author Chris Lynch. Now available in a tenth-anniversary edition.
Keir Sarafian may not know much, but he knows himself. And the one thing he knows about himself is that he is a good guy. A guy who's a devoted son and brother, a loyal friend, and a reliable teammate. And, maybe most important of all, Keir is a guy who understands that when a girl says no, she means it.
But that is not what Gigi Boudakian, childhood friend and Keir's lifelong love, says at all. What Gigi says seems impossible to Keir--something inexcusable--the worst thing he can imagine, the very opposite of everything he wants to be.
As Keir recalls the events leading up to his fateful night with Gigi, he realizes that the way things look are definitely not the way they really are...and that it may be all too easy for a good guy to do something terribly wrong.
Chris Lynch has written a no-holds-barred story about truth, lies, and responsibility--a story that every good guy needs to hear.
About the Author
Chris Lynch is the Printz Honor Awardandndash;winning author of several highly acclaimed young adult novels, including Printz Honor Book andlt;iandgt;Freewillandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Icemanandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Gypsy Davyandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Shadow Boxerandlt;/iandgt;andmdash;all ALA Best Books for Young Adultsandmdash;as well as andlt;iandgt;Killing Time in Crystal Cityandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Little Blue Liesandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Piecesandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Kill Switchandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Angry Young Manandlt;/iandgt;, and andlt;iandgt;Inexcusableandlt;/iandgt;, which was a National Book Award finalist and the recipient of six starred reviews. He holds an MA from the writing program at Emerson College. He teaches in the Creative Writing MFA program at Lesley University. He lives in Boston and in Scotland.