Since I’ve started blogging, I haven’t had much time for another one of my hobbies – reading. While, Willow is not a book I would have found on my own since it is targeted for young adults, I’m glad it was put in front of me. Once I started reading it, I could.not.put.it.down. It was a quick read for me but not an unemotional one.
Willow by Julia Hoban is about a 17 year old young woman who has recently lost both of her parents in a car accident. She is tormented by guilt and begins cutting herself to cope. Cutting is a disorder you rarely hear about and it was painful and sad to read about the cutting. A classmate named Guy discovers her secret and forces her to let someone “in.”
While the cutting was painful to read, it was more painful and raw to read about how Willow mistakenly believed her brother blamed her for her parent’s death. Again, this was another book I was bawling about when Willow said “She would never be anyone’s daughter again.” How she believed she would never be number one for anyone again like you are with your own parents. One would believe the author had experienced the pain of losing a parent at a young age.
Living with her brother and his wife, Willow hides her self mutilating secret from her family but can not hide it from her classmate. After Guy discovers her secret, he refuses to allow Willow to self destruct. He is there for her when she needs it no matter how uncomfortable it makes him. Guy and Willow share a bond with their love of eccentric books and their love story is intertwined with the grief and guilt Willow feels about the loss of her parents.
One thing this book did leave me with was desiring more information about Guy. Not much about his story is told. Why is he compassionate beyond a normal teenager?
This book is written in third person, which is my preferred narrative for reading fiction. It is also a book beyond cutting. Really, anyone with any kind of self destructive behavior can see some of themselves in Willow.
I recommend this book to mature teenagers because of the graphic scenes of the cutting throughout the book. It is available April 2nd from Dial Books. I look forward to more books from Julia Hoban.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I find reading before I go to bed and in the morning on my stationary bike. This book sounds interesting.
Wow, I am going to have to read this book…I work with the youth at our church and we actually have a few “cutters” – it is a heartbreaking problem that I sometimes feel at a loss on how to address with them. Thanks for the review.
Now that I am done with Twilight I would like another book to read.
I fit reading in just after the little one has dozed off while breastfeeding. And sometimes in the tub, when I’m hiding from the world. LOL
Wow sounds like a great book..I read while others watch TV or waiting for dr. appointments etc , mostly at night after everybody else went to bed..
Sounds interesting, I always try to keep a book in my car to read when taxi-ing my daughter to and from all activities/sports, ect.
I have found that a lot of the books targeted to young adults are very good books. I have a teenage daughter and I have read many of her books. Case in point…Twilight.
I also read many of the books they read in Elementary School. The Giver is one really good one, then there is always Harry Potter. Thanks for your review, I will look for
this one.
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I commented on your review.
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i love YA fiction! this one sounds good, so if i don’t win it in your contest, i’ll have to check it out from the library.
Wow! Sounds like a great book!
It sounds like a great book, from your review. I will def have to check it out!
I am a fan of YA fiction. This book has a really interesting storyline and I think I would enjoy it very much.
I read at bedtime for an hour or two before I go to sleep. Reading puts me to sleep. I think it is from my college days, whenever I stayed up late to study I would fall asleep and it still works today!
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This Sounds like a very good book for young ladies and i will definetely referr my friends to read.
This sounds wonderful. So glad you are doing a giveaway as well.
Thanks for the review. I think I will always love YA fiction.
Thanks for sharing your review.
I love reading. I usually read at bed time and while I am nursing my daughter.
Books like this make me kind of depressed for a while, even if there’s some hope. I might read it to see if it’s as good as people says.
Sounds like a good book, I’ll add it to my list at the library!
This sounds like one of those books that i won’t be able to put down! My niece used to cut herself but she never would talk about it. Actually, she never would hardly admint it. I would love to learn more about it. thanks
I read constantly. One trick is to keep a book I’ve started in every room, so I’m often reading 5 at once. Multibooktasking I’ve named it! As an insomniac, I also find that getting up in the middle of the night is a great time to have an undistracted reading session.
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This book was absolutely amazing, recommend it highly.