Emotional level (least to most) - 2
TRIGGERS: Violence, substance abuse, drugs
TRIGGERS: Violence, substance abuse, drugs
Action (little to a lot) - 4
Tweaked is a fictitious novel published by Orca Book Publishers. I point out the publisher because I personally try to make a point of not purchasing Orca books. I picked up Tweaked because of the book description: "Sixteen-year-old Gordie Jessup is a good kid but he's living a nightmare. His eighteen-year-old brother Chase's two-year addiction to crystal meth has left their family emotionally and financially drained. And just when Gordie thinks he can no longer stand the manipulating, the lying and the stealing, things get even worse. Chase is arrested for aggravated assault, released on bail and sent home to his family. But his dealers are after him and Chase appeals to Gordie for help. Gordie, disgusted with his brother and fully aware that it's a gamble, risks everything he has in the hope of bringing his family some peace." - Amazon.ca
I am not a fan of Orca books because 1) they publish the reading level on the back cover (which is handy for some teachers, but when students know about reading levels, they usually try to stay away from those books to not be labelled); 2) the writing becomes strained and the pleasure of reading the book to hear the author's voice is lost (I attribute this to reading levels); and 3) the book simply tells a story, point-blank, without any emotion or character development - all of the characters are flat. These three personal issues I had really affected how I read this book.
All of that aside, Tweaked tells a story about drug abuse from the perspective of a drug addict's brother. All members of the family are directly effected, perhaps to an extreme. The story starts the same as every other book on this same topic: no one knows the signs, everyone notices something is going on, but they don't know exactly what. Finally, the family puts two and two together and some members do whatever they can to cover it up, while others come up with a bottom line.
Just like every other book, the drug abuser is a middle class white male, living in a suburban neighbourhood. The entire novel is predictable, which is unfortunate, because the story seems so promising! It seems as if a middle class white woman wrote the book, not knowing much about drugs, how it affects families, and very removed from that whole "scene".
I would recommend Tweaked to anyone who would like a quick read about drug abuse and how families can be affected, but understanding that this book is a stereotype.
Tweaked is a fictitious novel published by Orca Book Publishers. I point out the publisher because I personally try to make a point of not purchasing Orca books. I picked up Tweaked because of the book description: "Sixteen-year-old Gordie Jessup is a good kid but he's living a nightmare. His eighteen-year-old brother Chase's two-year addiction to crystal meth has left their family emotionally and financially drained. And just when Gordie thinks he can no longer stand the manipulating, the lying and the stealing, things get even worse. Chase is arrested for aggravated assault, released on bail and sent home to his family. But his dealers are after him and Chase appeals to Gordie for help. Gordie, disgusted with his brother and fully aware that it's a gamble, risks everything he has in the hope of bringing his family some peace." - Amazon.ca
I am not a fan of Orca books because 1) they publish the reading level on the back cover (which is handy for some teachers, but when students know about reading levels, they usually try to stay away from those books to not be labelled); 2) the writing becomes strained and the pleasure of reading the book to hear the author's voice is lost (I attribute this to reading levels); and 3) the book simply tells a story, point-blank, without any emotion or character development - all of the characters are flat. These three personal issues I had really affected how I read this book.
All of that aside, Tweaked tells a story about drug abuse from the perspective of a drug addict's brother. All members of the family are directly effected, perhaps to an extreme. The story starts the same as every other book on this same topic: no one knows the signs, everyone notices something is going on, but they don't know exactly what. Finally, the family puts two and two together and some members do whatever they can to cover it up, while others come up with a bottom line.
Just like every other book, the drug abuser is a middle class white male, living in a suburban neighbourhood. The entire novel is predictable, which is unfortunate, because the story seems so promising! It seems as if a middle class white woman wrote the book, not knowing much about drugs, how it affects families, and very removed from that whole "scene".
I would recommend Tweaked to anyone who would like a quick read about drug abuse and how families can be affected, but understanding that this book is a stereotype.
Overall rating (poor to excellent) - 1
Quotes from the novel:
Over the past two years, there have been many times what I have seen Chase like that. Hyped up, pupils flickering in his head like a pinball machine, skin yellow-gray, sores festering all over his face. Ready to fight anyone who comes near him because he’s suddenly got it in his head that everyone is out to get him: fists clenched, no muscle left in his 130-pound body; but every stringy sinew stretched taut.
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