Synopses & Reviews
In the raw was how the world felt now. My feelings were raw, my thoughts were raw and hurtful like knife blades....In the blue had been my place to hide, now In the raw there was nowhere to hide.
Jenna Abbott separates her life into two categories: before the wreck and after the wreck. Before the wreck, she was leading a normal life with her mom in suburban New York. After the wreck, Jenna is alone, trying desperately to forget what happened that day on the bridge. She's determined not to let anyone get close to her she never wants to feel so broken and fragile again.
Then Jenna meets Crow. He is a powerfully seductive enigma, and Jenna is instantly drawn to him. Crow is able to break down the wall that Jenna has built around her emotions, and she surprises herself by telling him things she hasn't told anyone else. Can Jenna bring herself to face the memories she's tried so hard to erase?
Review
"...Oates gets the contemporary teen voice just right....[T]he shocking surprise conclusion grows organically from the story and makes everything new." Booklist
Review
"Throughout this intense novel, the author offers keen insight into the cause and effect of a teen's self-destructive behavior. Readers distraught by Jenna's downward spiral...will find solace in the book's inspiring conclusion." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Oates's style makes for a compelling reading experience, and although Jenna is not necessarily a likable girl, readers will care what happens to her as she finds her way back after the tragedy." KLIATT
Synopsis
Jenna Abbott has separated her life into two categories: before the wreck and after the wreck. Can she bring herself to face the memories she's tried so hard to erase?
From the powerhouse author of Big Mouth and Ugly Girl comes an emotionally inspiring story of selfandndash;discovery and hope.
Ages: 14+
Synopsis
Jenna Abbott has separated her life into two categories: before the wreck and after the wreck. Can she bring herself to face the memories she's tried so hard to erase?
From the powerhouse author of Big Mouth & Ugly Girl comes an emotionally inspiring story of self–discovery and hope.
Ages: 14+
About the Author
Joyce Carol Oates is the author of the forthcoming novel The Gravedigger's Daughter. She is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. She is also the recipient of the 2005 Prix Femina for The Falls. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and she has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978.