All the Rage by Courtney Summers (ARC) Review

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Abuse, Thriller

Release Date: April 14, 2015

Pages: 336

Goodreads Summary

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

My Review

I don't read that much realistic fiction and it's not because I don't like the genre, its just that I never really felt the urge or the want to read one. And that's why All the Rage completely caught me off guard, it was just sitting on my shelf and I don't even know what compelled me to read it but as soon as I read the first page I knew there was no going back. I can't quite put into words how this book made me feel as a whole. How POWERFUL the words that this book contains are. The pain and the darkness that Romy goes through its so much, too much and yet I can't help but continue to read it. 

Romy knows what hell is like, she's living it. She's ostracized over something she had no control over, the horrific things that happened to her are thrown back in her face every day but she bares with it because she thinks that its inevitable for being who she is and what she is...a girl. All her thoughts and feelings were so heart-wrenching and painful that just reading them made me want to do something, anything for her. 

All the Rage is one dark and gritty book full of such raw and painful scene's that will show you the harsh reality and repercussions of what happens when an act of sexual violence occurs. Courtney Summers is not afraid to show just how cruel and horrific high school kids can be, and her depiction of living in a small town where nothing is kept secret and yet everyone turns a blind eye to it because there are those who have more power over other's is truly appalling. All the things happening in this town all the skeleton's in the closet screaming to be let out but can't be. It's all just so much more than I expected and yet, I couldn't stop reading.

Sexual violence is something no one in this world deserves to go through but it happens to Romy and they shame her for it, as if it's her fault. It made me so angry for her because she couldn't do anything about it. She was powerless and even the adults who are supposed to be watching out for her and everyone else force her to become silent or straight out call her a liar even when they know the truth. 

This book left me feeling so much that it took me a long time before I could organize my thoughts and it still doesn't feel like enough. This book is harsh and isn't afraid to show it. This is not a light read, it's a dark and dreary book and is not for the faint of heart. It will make you feel uncomfortable, angry, disgusted, and horrified. I had to put this book down a couple of times and take a breather before continuing because it's that powerful. There's no other way to put it.

All the Rage will get in your head and leave you thinking long after you've turned the last page. 

Rating: 4 stars