Dare Me

As I delved into Dare Me by Megan Abbott, it was almost like I was transformed back to my highschool days, one of the worst times of my entire life. I had a very hard time in high school and got bullied and picked on alot. So, right of the bat, this book was about a topic that hit really close to home for me. It was almost like a nightmare but at the same time I couldn't stop reading it because it was exhilirating and had many twists and turns I really didn't see coming at all.

One of the things that drew me in most about this book, was that it approached the high school topic from a different angle, a different perspective. Instead of being from the side of the “good girl”, who gets picked on and made fun of, we get a glimpse into the world of the “bad girl”, or the one who does the making fun. I got a very good look into the downside of being the popular girl and all the negatives that come with that. Nice to know that everybody has their challenges in high school and that I was not alone.

Megan Abbott writes in a very unique style, that is a little harder to get used to but is very addictive once you get used to it. For a little while, I actually thought that I would be giving this book four stars and not five, for this exact reason. However, after a few chapters, the writing style didn't bother me at all and the rest of the book flowed smoothly and effortlessly. I also loved the shortness of the chapters, because this kept the book moving and prevented it from dragging. I think most of the action actually happens towards the end of the book, but because the chapters were so short and the topic was one I was really interested in getting a better understanding of, I didn't mind this one bit.

Characterization speaks for itself here because any author that manages to get the reader to sympathize with a “bad” character is a master in that area. I didn't want to like Addy, or even Beth, but I couldn't help but feel for them or even with them. And Coach, I could never forget Coach, a prime example of money not being able to buy happiness. I understood all of them, even when I didn't want to admit it and this made them all the more realistic.

Another amazing thing is how this book had a little bit of everything. It had romance, mystery, crime, drama and many other genre categories, all packed into one terrific book. For this reason, I think anybody would enjoy this book, because they would never get bored.

All in all, even though I originally expected to be disappointed in this book because it seemed to me like something that you would read in a Middle School literature class, I was highly impressed. Not only does this book have a very intense and exhilirating plot, but it is also packed with larger-than-life characters, all of whom are flowed in many ways. For this reason, I recommend this book to anyone who can appreciate a good novel.