Name: Cracked Up to Be
Author: Courtney Summers
On a hot summer night, Parker Fadley made a decision with consequences so horrible, her life was changed forever. Now the former head cheerleader and Honor Roll student is on academic probation, her family is on suicide watch, her friends are her enemies, and she has to spend every Friday afternoon with a guidance counselor. Making it worse is a new guy who keeps pestering her, trying to discover what made such a good girl go so bad. All she wants is to be left alone; but is that what she really needs?
Every once in a while a book comes along that is absolute awesomeness. As a reader, you plunge headfirst into the story, unable to come up for air until the last word has been read. As a writer, you wish like crazy that you could write that way. Cracked Up To Be is one of those books.
This is not an easy, light book to read. Summers tackles some heavy themes - suicide, alcoholism, guilt. She also centers the story squarely on the shoulders of Parker, a protagonist who is severely depressed, sort of rude, and mostly untrustworthy. The result? An unforgettable story of ramshackle redemption that will captivate readers with its blunt but powerful prose.
Characters are solidly developed, especially the complicated Parker. Using sarcasm and manipulative tricks, she pushes away anyone trying to help her, but little quirks, such as snapping her fingers when stressed, show how vulnerable she really is. Parker’s inability to handle her regret is realistically portrayed, as is the mixed reactions of pity, anger, and pain her friends and family display in response to her evasive maneuvers.
The plot moves swiftly with flashbacks sprinkled throughout the chapters that slowly reveal Parker’s secret, piece by piece, before reaching a startling ending that readers will not see coming. Not all loose ends are tied up, and a few questions remain regarding the true impact of the ending’s events on Parker. However, the mystery of what happened to lead Parker to dismantle her perfect life is satisfactorily resolved.
Cracked Up To Be is a quick 224 pages, but Summers makes every single word count, keeping the narrative honest and raw. She doesn’t hold anything back; the book has strong language, several sexual/drug references, and intense situations. Because of this, it is most appropriate for older teen and adult readers.
