Title: What Kind of Girl
Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: February 1, 2020
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Summary
When Mike Parker’s girlfriend shows up to school with a black eye, she gets everyone talking. Mike Parker is the star of the track team at school, all set to go to college on a running scholarship. He’s a good guy, so how could he ever do something to hurt the girl that he loved? Some of the student body believes her, some of the student body doesn’t. After all, why did she wait so long to report him, if he was hurting her? What really went on behind closed doors?
As more of the story starts to come to light, everyone in the school takes sides. Some want to rally for Mike’s expulsion; others want to protect him. All the girls involved have different investments in the story. But how will it all end?
Review: What Kind of Girl
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an early copy of this book to review! I was lucky enough to review A Danger to Herself and Others back when it came out, and I was super excited to review this book. And it didn’t disappoint! It’s a timely topic, done in a way that I haven’t seen before.
This book is slightly difficult to summarize due to the way it’s written. There are two main narrators, but you don’t learn their names until halfway into the book. In the beginning, they’re defined by titles, like “the activist,” “the worrier,” “the popular girl,” etc. At first, it’s a bit difficult to follow, but once you learn the voice of each of the characters, it’s actually quite a clever way to tell this story. Since a lot of women are reduced to these titles when these kinds of stories are told in the news, it’s great commentary on these issues.
Sheinmel’s book speaks to the complexity surrounding these issues as well. How women in abuse situations are viewed and how we deal with them in a high school setting, especially. This subject isn’t always breached in YA books, and I’m glad that she did. It needs to be talked about as well.
There are also good discussions about putting too much pressure on teens, mental health, and best ways to deal with these things. There’s so much to like about this book; I’ll definitely be recommending it when it comes out in February.
4.5/5 stars
I’ve seen this book floating around the sites and it does look interesting. It’s definitely an issue that’s not spoken a lot about and it can hopefully reach a couple of people who need it.
It really is! The book itself was well done; I hope it reaches someone that needs it, too!