I have to admit there were some part in this book where it got really depressing and I wanted to stop reading but In the end I kept reading which I'm glad for because it got really interesting as I went ...
344339
This book completely threw me of guard I thought it was going to be a book about a horror or something and it did in the beginning but ends up being something completely different in the end but it still managed to capture me because there were some twists and turns. I have to admit there were some part in this book where it got really depressing and I wanted to stop reading but In the end I kept reading which I'm glad for because it got really interesting as I went trough the book.
4165507
This was a decent read and by the end of the book I came to like some of the characters, but many of the plot points were a stretch and caused me to almost stop reading early on. After the rough beginning, the book does get better I wasn't aggravated by characters saying "I shouldn't be doing this, but..." and was able to get wrapped up in the story.
576535
I agree that the first half or so of the "novel" was very depressing and difficult to get through but I, too, am glad that I stuck with it. It is quite amazing and intricate. I recently read in People Magazine that this book was loosely based on the life of either the author's mother or grandmother. It's hard to believe that someone could have lived this kind of life and suffered so much from this severe paranoia and insecurity.
1905673
I wasn't sure I was going to finish the book.  It was a little slow the first half of the book.  I'm glad I stuck with it though, the 2nd half was much better.  It brought out lots of emotions.  At first you don't care much for Hemmingway since he acts like such a stinker, but then  by the end of the book you feel sorry for the man because he never really found his place or happiness in the world.
4052991
This book depressed the hell out of me. It took me a good 2 hours after finishing it to feel my mood begin to rise again. Obviously the topic is heavy, but usually it's not such a struggle to regain my mood after a sad book. I never really felt like she was going to be happy again. And I don't think the ending really left me with that impression either.

There are some things about the novel that I questioned in terms of authenticity. What I mean is they felt more like plot devices to move the story forward, or intensify Melinda's state of being, rather than authentic reactions or actions of a rape victim. I also disliked Melinda at times, and I couldn't determine if that was done on purpose or not.

I think the thing that kept me going was knowing that this book is considered very important to survivors of sexual assault. I could really see that aspect of it while reading. I also really enjoyed the Q&A with Anderson in the back of the book (I have the 10th anniversary edition). I think it gave me a lot of insight into the novel and Anderson herself.
2067277
At it's core it is a terribly depressing story but I found myself crying more at the happy moments.  Beautifully written!
1150154
Toward the end I didn't want to put it down -- some books are like that.
1023249
The book started out slow and very depressing, but after reading a few chapters, I couldn't put it down.
374093
It started slow for me, but in the end I really liked it.
818883
Overall it was a good narrative and I'm glad I read it. Half of the book is very sad, but ends on a high note.
2102947
This book had dark parts but I though they were written in a realistic and interesting way. I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" it but I am glad I read it.
2205392
It was a very depressing story, but I needed to keep reading to know the out come. It was very well written.
4098717
This book did promise some interesting reading. The book is written in the perspective of a young teenage girl with some intersting issues. The story itself gave a "real life" view on something that could happen possibly to our world. I found the progression of the story interesting and feesible and all the while, kind of scary. I wanted to like this book but I found it just too depressing. I understand that not all things in life have happy endings but I found myself wishing for a resolution that I knew in my heart, wasn't going to happen. A sad book that left me feeling sad.
239363
Several times I thought about not finishing the book  but it's hard for me to give in and so I kept going.  It did get better and about 3/4 through it  finally became a good story.
1009496
I went back and forth on this one. As it turned out I actually speed through the last quarter or so of the book and the truth about what happened to Lise is not something I suspected until it started to get to that point and then I really wanted to finish.

The novel was really well written. I really felt for the Deenie character watching all of this go on and all of this happen to her friends. I think I personally just didn't like it because to me it was pretty obvious what was going on with the other girls at least. Plus even when I actually was a teenager I was never into that kind of drama. I also really didn't see the point of spending so much time with Deenie's father. It was interesting at first to look through the eyes of the one adult but also it was just depressing. I was thinking to myself- these are the adults... No wonder the kids are so messed up. I'm not sure there was any adult character in the book that I actually liked. Otherwise I thought his stuff was pretty pointless.

So I wound up liking the story in the end. Interesting premise (at least with what happened to the first girl). A bit of a boring middle. Good ending.
2147483
It took me a while to get into this book.  The first chapter introduces you to a somewhat dark, depressing character, some 4-letter words related to sex, and just generally read slow for several chapters.  I wasn't sure I was going to want to continue reading.

Then the story picks up, and the character seems to be coming into her own and she befriends the Senator's Wife.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book, despite the fact that I didn't like how sex seemed to be on everyone's minds much of the time and some of the author's choice of words were uncouth and a bit offensive.

But I did enjoy the story as it developed and it held my interest throughout.

However....the culmination left me disturbed. On so many levels.  Not only is "the surprise" so upsetting, but it sent me into this feeling of that awful haunting of guilt I imagined Meri was living with after that sinful act.  How depressing.  But then...the last few pages tells us that she seems perfectly comfortable with her decisions and wouldn't do them any differently.  That's even more disturbing as a book's ending.
3621027
I really liked parts of this book. The concept is great, the first section of the book was really good, and there were some really nice moments through out.
I also disliked some parts of this book. Its really sad, probably too sad. I actually almost stopped reading the book after the first part because I could tell that it was going to become really depressing. I put it down for a day but decided it would be worth finishing. I didn't regret my decision until the end, which was not at all pleasing. I was really not happy with the end. Two minor problems were ethnic stereotyping (it doesn't come off as racist but is sort of comical in a bad way) and an overabundance of sex.
I would probably recommend this book to others because I was really grabbed by it emotionally BUT I would be wary of doing so because there is a real possibility that a person wouldn't like this book at all.