Whoa.

Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott

*No spoilers.

Whoa.
I think this is the most disturbing book I've ever read. I think so. I mean, I've read disturbing books before, but this is different for me, because it's contemporary and realistic fiction. It's raw and real and makes you see what is easier to ignore.

That's the message, I think - if there is one. That we/me/all of us ignore those things that are obvious and ugly and happening right before our very eyes. We go on about our business, though these atrocities happen every day. Tragically. This book makes you experience one such atrocity as it unfolds. It's rough.

The story is told in first person from the POV of a teenager who was abducted by a sick bastard as a little girl. I won't lie and tell you that this is easy to read. I like disturbing shit, I like dark shit, and I like sad shit. This was still hard for me to read. Not that I ever wanted to quit. Just that I would sometimes, seemingly unconsciously, turn away and try to busy myself with other things for a bit, because the content was hard to swallow. Despite how hard it is to read, it's harder to put down. I was completely riveted and anxious as the story progressed. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

Scott did a great job of portraying the worst of the abuse in a very real and honest way without resorting to anything that could be viewed as gratuitous. She didn't shy away from the ugliness, but it's done well.

The thing that baffles me is that this is considered YA. I don't get that. I'm all for teens reading mature content (I did), but I feel like there should have been some message here that was more obvious. I’m okay with stories that don’t have a message, but if you’re going to gear this type of super-dark story towards teens, I think there should be a more clear message. That’s just my personal preference in teen fiction, though.

Disturbing and heartbreaking as fuck, but very well-written and morbidly fascinating.




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