Jenn Crowell

Etched on Me deserves a round of applause. Honestly, it does. It deals with situations that most of us shy away from talking about, but it does it in a blindly honest and raw way. Things like childhood sexual abuse, depression, self-destructive behaviors, and just plain loneliness are all touched on. Lesley Holloway's story may be fiction, but the book speaks to those who know these feelings are real. Jenn Crowell shows that traumas like these have both the power to break us down, and to push us into the arms of the people we need to build us back up. It shows the reality of the long, hard climb back into the light.

In terms of the fictional side of it all, Lesley was a brilliantly written character. Sexually abused from a young age, we meet her as she has finally had the courage to escape from her abuser, and find the help she needs. What I loved about Lesley was how realistic her character felt. She isn't perfect. She's petty, jealous, loving, confused, hate-filled, and every other emotion there is out there. I eagerly followed her journey as she fought to make a life she could believe in. I cried with her, laughed with her, and felt all the bumps along the road as if I were her. Jenn Crowell has written one amazing character in Etched on Me.

In fact, that's what I loved about this whole story. The raw, gritty feel that it has to it. Lesley's recovery is brutal. It's filled with people who both lift her up, and dash her back down to the ground. She makes mistakes, stumbles and falls, yet still manages to pick herself back up. Everything about her journey made me feel like I was right there with her. This story shows us how much strength we all possess inside us. It reminds us that hope is out there. That help can be sought if you know where to look. That no one is perfect, but we can damn sure try to be our best selves. That fighting your way out of the darkness isn't easy.

I'm so glad I agreed to read Etched on Me. While I haven't had to deal with anything of this magnitude in my own life, I had no problem feeling everything Lesley felt. I honestly feel that Crowell's book has the power to change lives. To remind those out there who might be silently dealing with abuse, self-harm, or anything of that nature, that there is a voice for us all. Even if it's one told through fiction. Huge applause for this book. Highly recommended.… (mehr)

Review originally published on my blog, Musings of a Bookish Kitty: http://www.literaryfeline.com/2017/06/bookish-thoughts-etched-on-me-by-jenn.html


Etched On Me by Jenn Crowell
Washington Square Press, 2014
Fiction; 336 pgs

At sixteen, Lesley Holloway is trying to fit in and make good grades like any other girl at Hawthorn Hill, an all-girl prep school in London. She hadn't been sure she would be able to attend after making the decision to runaway from an abusive home and seek help from the local child welfare agency. Feeling alone and abandoned by a mother that should have protected her, Lesley is surviving as best she can. In an effort to cope, she turns to cutting, a form of self-harm, that soon becomes an obsession. One day at school, she goes too far and it lands her in the hospital. From then on, Lesley is in and out of hospitals, trying to heal from past psychological wounds as well as the physical ones. It is not an easy road for her, but she proves to be quite resilient.

The novel opens with Lesley in the hospital giving birth to her own child. She had made it to the university as a stellar student, and after a one night stand became pregnant. Despite all the strides she has made to get herself together, her past comes back to haunt her. Suddenly her ability to parent is called into question. Talk about gut-wrenching.

Lesley is an amazingly strong young woman. finding the courage to runaway from home and get help. She is an example that someone in the worst of circumstances can make it out on top with perseverance and the will.

Lesley is very lucky to have a good support system to help her through even the worst of times. Her social worker and a high school teacher would do anything for Lesley. They see what a courageous and strong young woman she is. They know what she is capable of if she sets her mind to it. They never give up on her and continue advocating for her, even when Lesley considers giving up on herself. I wish every child or youth in Lesley's situation were so lucky. Many do not have that support or do not know where to look to get help. Or perhaps they are too afraid. Some do not think they are worth it.

Cutting has become more widespread in recent years, unfortunately and occurs for many reasons. It is a behavior that is often misunderstood and is hard to stop. It is a coping mechanism, however harmful it may be. I liked the way the author addressed cutting in the novel. She handles the subject matter in a very sensitive manner, but also in a very real and raw way.

It was interesting to see the differences in how the child welfare system works in England as compared to the United States. Of course, there are so many variations even here in the U.S. that it is can even be different from one county to another in the same state. I also found it interesting to read about the various treatment models Lesley was exposed to throughout her hospitalizations. The treatment and care for mental disorders is ever evolving.

Etched On Me sounds like a terribly depressing novel, and it certainly is a sad one in many respects. Author Jenn Crowell, however, has infused it with hope, and it really is an inspirational novel. I did cry. And one character in particular made me want to throw the book at him (just the thought of him now gets my blood boiling). But by the end I was smiling.… (mehr)

3.5

Etched on Me is dark, gritty, and emotional. It had me completely crushed, and rooting, for the Lesley throughout the entire book.

Lesley has to overcome so many things in her past. The events that she went through are terrible. I think this character is incredibly strong because she is still mostly present. Lesley goes through ups and downs as she figures out what she needs to do to make sure she will be able to keep her daughter.

Etched on Me starts off little slow, but you get caught up in the whirlwind that has become her life. I love the importance put on family, even if they aren’t your blood relatives. Lesley has an amazing support system, and I wish more teens that deal with the same hardships had that. I also liked getting to see her stays in the different facilities. Each one had their own way of teaching how to handle the things that went wrong in Lesley’s life. Something can be learned in each facility.

If you are ready for an emotional rollercoaster, this book is for you. Get ready to cry, laugh, and want to fight for Lesley.… (mehr)