Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Vau
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bloomsbury USA Childrens (2006), Edition: 1st, 292 pages
Description
Teenager Jersey Hatch must work through his extensive brain damage to figure out why he decided to shoot himself.
Subjects
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User reviews
LibraryThing member yourotherleft
There are a lot of things that Jersey Hatch doesn't know. He doesn't know why exactly his best friend can't stand the sight of him, why his parents are acting so strangely, and he can't figure out just what must have happened that made him shoot himself. Everything he once knew about the year
We meet Jersey upon his release from his final brain injury hospital. He's headed home to the real world, where life will be much harder. Immediately, we're captured by Jersey's sardonic narration that shows through the pieces of his personality that survived his injury at the same time as it shows how his thought patterns are terribly altered and difficult to focus after the fact. He mocks his mom and his doctor and their favorite repeated phrases, is haunted by the ghost of his former overachieving self, "Jersey Before," and rails against his minder at school, the unfortunately named Ms. Wenchel who he quickly nicknames "the Wench." Despite the brain damage that alters his way of thinking and makes his mind cluttered with all sorts of unrelated words that seem to get stuck in his thoughts and repeat over and over, Jersey's narration is clear-eyed and revealing of himself and of the people around him.
Vaught, a neuropsychologist by trade, has used her experience and expertise to write a terribly convincing story. Jersey is a compelling narrator and a sympathetic one. Despite the people he has hurt by trying to take his own life, Jersey's frustrations in bridging the thought to speech divide, his humiliation at his limitations, as well as his quest for the answers that don't come easily make it impossible for us not to feel his unbearable pain. Jersey's search for answers creates suspense that makes Trigger difficult to put down. Yet even as the plot moves toward its climax, Trigger asks us to consider suicide and its far-reaching repercussions and even forces us to consider, by way of Jersey's interactions, the variety of wrongheaded ways we "normal" people view and interact with the mentally handicapped ranging from fear and awkwardness to laughter to downright cruelty. So vivid and penetrating is this theme that cuts to the heart of our insecurities about our behavior around those that are "different" that even as I read it, I was unsure whether it was "right" or not to giggle at the absurd things that get stuck in Jersey's head that he repeats ceaselessly without meaning to, and whether I should feel bad if I did giggle.
Overall, Trigger is a profound, powerful, fast-moving story that asks all the right questions without ever resorting to preaching at us. Though marketed as YA, this book is well-worth reading for young and old alike.
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previous was wiped clean on the day that Jersey shot himself in the head with his father's gun. All Jersey knows now is that it's a challenge to walk, to talk, to think. He knows he has scars, that things will never be the same, and that he needs some answers to the questions no one will ask. We meet Jersey upon his release from his final brain injury hospital. He's headed home to the real world, where life will be much harder. Immediately, we're captured by Jersey's sardonic narration that shows through the pieces of his personality that survived his injury at the same time as it shows how his thought patterns are terribly altered and difficult to focus after the fact. He mocks his mom and his doctor and their favorite repeated phrases, is haunted by the ghost of his former overachieving self, "Jersey Before," and rails against his minder at school, the unfortunately named Ms. Wenchel who he quickly nicknames "the Wench." Despite the brain damage that alters his way of thinking and makes his mind cluttered with all sorts of unrelated words that seem to get stuck in his thoughts and repeat over and over, Jersey's narration is clear-eyed and revealing of himself and of the people around him.
Vaught, a neuropsychologist by trade, has used her experience and expertise to write a terribly convincing story. Jersey is a compelling narrator and a sympathetic one. Despite the people he has hurt by trying to take his own life, Jersey's frustrations in bridging the thought to speech divide, his humiliation at his limitations, as well as his quest for the answers that don't come easily make it impossible for us not to feel his unbearable pain. Jersey's search for answers creates suspense that makes Trigger difficult to put down. Yet even as the plot moves toward its climax, Trigger asks us to consider suicide and its far-reaching repercussions and even forces us to consider, by way of Jersey's interactions, the variety of wrongheaded ways we "normal" people view and interact with the mentally handicapped ranging from fear and awkwardness to laughter to downright cruelty. So vivid and penetrating is this theme that cuts to the heart of our insecurities about our behavior around those that are "different" that even as I read it, I was unsure whether it was "right" or not to giggle at the absurd things that get stuck in Jersey's head that he repeats ceaselessly without meaning to, and whether I should feel bad if I did giggle.
Overall, Trigger is a profound, powerful, fast-moving story that asks all the right questions without ever resorting to preaching at us. Though marketed as YA, this book is well-worth reading for young and old alike.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Alirambles
This book is intense. The author has worked with brain-injured teens and her character's story of recovery from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head is realistic and heartbreaking.
Well, that doesn't make you really want to read it, does it?
Read it because the writing is brilliant. (Ever
Well, that doesn't make you really want to read it, does it?
Read it because the writing is brilliant. (Ever
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wondered what it would be like to think with a brain injury?) Read it because you'll connect with this character in a way that you might not have thought possible. Read it because you'll likely never forget this kid. One day you'll see someone acting a little odd, and you'll think of Jersey Hatch, and you'll see the person behind the odd behavior. Read it if you're a parent, and if there's a teenaged boy in your life, give it to him to read, too. Show Less
LibraryThing member DF1A_ArielleM
Trigger is about a teenager that has lost part of his memory. He is trying to remember why his best friend isn't talking to him and why he even shot himself in the head. I really liked this book but some parts were kind of confusing, espically when he was talking to himself. I can understand with
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some of the things he is going through but not taking it that far and shoting someone. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrsdwilliams
We first meet Jersey Hatch on the day he comes home after a year in the hospital. Jersey tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head. Not only does he not remember pulling the trigger, but he has also forgotten the year leading up to the event. Jersey, who had once been a star athlete
With the help of the outspoken, no-nonsense Mama Rush and her granddaughter, Leza, Jersey sets out to unravel the mystery of Before to discover why he tried to kill himself.
Finally, he is left with a choice that no one can make for him. Is it better to end it all or to go on living in the hope that life will get better?
This is not a happy book or an easy one to read, but it is absolutely stunning. And so realistic that I felt like I was inside Jersey's damaged head. If you're a teen, or if you've ever been one, read this book! Frog farts! Hoochie mama!
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and honor student, now struggles with physical and mental difficulties. His old friends shun him and his parents don't want to talk about anything important. With the help of the outspoken, no-nonsense Mama Rush and her granddaughter, Leza, Jersey sets out to unravel the mystery of Before to discover why he tried to kill himself.
Finally, he is left with a choice that no one can make for him. Is it better to end it all or to go on living in the hope that life will get better?
This is not a happy book or an easy one to read, but it is absolutely stunning. And so realistic that I felt like I was inside Jersey's damaged head. If you're a teen, or if you've ever been one, read this book! Frog farts! Hoochie mama!
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LibraryThing member df1aemilyr
this was one of the best books ive read.. it is so interesting and you always want to know whats going to happen next... the suspention is amazing. i felt really bad for jersey for everything that happened to him.. life was kinf of hard for him.. thats what really attracted me to the book because i
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wanted to know if they would ever treat him nicely ever again.. i loved it the fact that knowing someone could help him and leza tried was amazing. Show Less
LibraryThing member anissaannalise
It's been a while since I've read a YA novel & I'm glad I picked this one up. While not a YA full of romance & relationship angst, it was full of real emotional depth & dealt with the subject of suicide in a thoughtful & poignant manner. Jersey was a great character & I felt quite a lot of empathy
I must admit that while I understood Jersey's mother was scarred from what he'd done, I found that I understood & empathized with her the least. I kept wanting more explanation from her to get a better handle on her but in the end, I just had to accept that it wasn't coming & be content with that. I did think Jersey's father was portrayed very well & I found that I only found one thing that he didn't do highly questionable but the way the story proceeds was entirely necessary. It was frustrating that often Jersey would ask a question about Before & the reaction he received from others was basically, "Really? How can you even ask that?" Many times, I just wanted to scream "Why doesn't anyone just tell him what he did or how he was already?! Don't you know he doesn't remember?!" I get that he had to work it out & that was the point of his journey but I honestly felt like someone would have just told him. I suppose the case could be made that all those he asked had their own fallout from his attempt so they were of course, dealing with their own feelings as well. I also felt desperately that his family should have had a nearer therapy date than six months out from his rehab hospital discharge. That struck me as woefully inadequate given the situation. I hope that isn't true to life & was just done to maintain the story structure of Jersey & his family working out some important things.
I won't give up the major plot points but suffice it to say, it's a page turner to the very end. There isn't a neat tie up of happy endings for each story thread but it is hopeful & believable.
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for him as he tried to figure out what led him to the fateful moment when he attempted suicide. I was on pins & needles with him as he made lists, asked people about himself before & he and his parents tiptoed around each other & what had happened. He basically has one friend left, Mama Rush, the grandmother of his former best friend, Todd & their relationship is one of my favorites in the story. Also in Jersey's corner is Leza, Todd's younger sister & I'll just admit right now that I was pulling for a mutual crush situation. It was nice to see that for all he'd been through, being a teenager still remained & he was concerned about his appearance, making a fool of himself in front of girls & having just enough autonomy & independence from his parents. Nothing about resuming a regular life was easy from family to school & not everyone was nice either.I must admit that while I understood Jersey's mother was scarred from what he'd done, I found that I understood & empathized with her the least. I kept wanting more explanation from her to get a better handle on her but in the end, I just had to accept that it wasn't coming & be content with that. I did think Jersey's father was portrayed very well & I found that I only found one thing that he didn't do highly questionable but the way the story proceeds was entirely necessary. It was frustrating that often Jersey would ask a question about Before & the reaction he received from others was basically, "Really? How can you even ask that?" Many times, I just wanted to scream "Why doesn't anyone just tell him what he did or how he was already?! Don't you know he doesn't remember?!" I get that he had to work it out & that was the point of his journey but I honestly felt like someone would have just told him. I suppose the case could be made that all those he asked had their own fallout from his attempt so they were of course, dealing with their own feelings as well. I also felt desperately that his family should have had a nearer therapy date than six months out from his rehab hospital discharge. That struck me as woefully inadequate given the situation. I hope that isn't true to life & was just done to maintain the story structure of Jersey & his family working out some important things.
I won't give up the major plot points but suffice it to say, it's a page turner to the very end. There isn't a neat tie up of happy endings for each story thread but it is hopeful & believable.
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LibraryThing member mjspear
Jersey is recuperating from a gunshot to the head... he can't talk very well, he walks with a limp, and his brain keeps repeating words and thoughts. Worst of all: the gunshot was fired by himself. This is a hard-hitting look at attempted suicide and the long road back.
Could be intense for the
Could be intense for the
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sensitive reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member Serenity_Tigerlily
I really enjoyed this book. I only wish that the “WHY” factor was explored more; we were given a bunch of “maybe reasons” as to why Jersey tried to kill himself (like the girl, something with the house, etc.). However, we never learned what exactly happened before Jersey lost his memory as
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a result of the suicide attempt. Show Less
LibraryThing member susan259
Powerful writing that drives home a worthy message without being preachy or didactic.
LibraryThing member RobertaLea
Jersey Hatch tried to commit suicide. Except he didn't succeed. The story begins about a year after his attempt. He is going home after months of rehab. His parents try. They try hard, but the Jersey of now is not the golden boy of 'before'. Jersey, haunted by the 'ghost' of his former self tries
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to remember what actually happened. Jersey is such a likable person, as is Leza, the girl next door and her grandma who genuinely loves and cares about Jersey and tries to help him through this difficult time. Excellent read. Show Less
Pages
292