Dazzled by Books

"The Word for Yes" by Claire Needell is an important read however I don't think it was executed as it should have been. This story is about a not stranger rape. Jan, Erika, and Melanie are three sisters that are going through a big change. The girl's parents are separating, Jan is off to college, Erika and Melanie are trying to figure out how to coexist. See the two of them have never gotten along. Melanie is always a bully to Erika, and it just gets worse when Melanie gets raped at a party. Erika and Jan have no idea how to deal with Melanie's rape.

I was disappointed in this book because I feel like rape is such a big topic. Instead on focusing how it was changing Melanie, it kind of skimmed over all of that. The author directs all the outcome of the rape as hate between Melanie and Erika. I can see this happening in real life but I think the story would have been more effective if instead of skimming over how much the rape affected Melanie. Melanie is this unlikable character in the story. I wanted to feel for her but I just couldn't. Granted I am not saying rape was okay. I hate that it happened to Melanie and I feel bad for that happening to her. She shouldn't have treated the people that were helping her the way that she was.

This story seems to focus more on Melanie's hate for Erika and the selfishness of Jan than it does on the even that happened to Melanie. Who treats people so horrible? I think Needell could have done a whole lot better with this book. The subject of rape was already brought up in the story why not work with that. instead the focus was on how hateful and selfish the characters are. Yes, rape was brought to the light in this book but nothing was really done with the information. I do like the fact that this story does show that it doesn't matter if a guy is nice or if he is a friend that does things for you, he is not entitled to anything. He doesn't get the right to do anything he wants with you. Though this story brings a sensitive topic to the light it could have been a much better book.