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Sunday, April 06, 2008

Almost Home, by Jessica Blank


Elly has been molested for the past year by her stepbrother. After an unrelated sexual assault at school, she latches on to a mysterious girl who hangs out outside her school. This girl introduces Elly to the street, giving her a new name (Eeyore) and bringing her in touch with other kids getting by on the streets of LA. A harrowing, but realistic narrative unfolds, told from a shifting perspective as each teen tells their story of survival.

Shocking and immensely depressing, I would have to be a bit sadistic to rate this high (I can't see myself picking it up for a casual re-read), but that does not mean it is bad. Rather, this is a very powerful work with engaging characters (who you would still probably not want to be in the same room with). A fascinating view of this other world.

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