Status
Available
Call number
Publication
HarperTempest (HarperCollins)
Pages
263
Description
Sent to counseling for hitting his girlfriend, Caitlin, and ordered to keep a journal, sixteen-year-old Nick recounts his relationship with Caitlin, examines his controlling behavior and anger, and describes living with his abusive father.
Description
Like father, like son.
Intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteen-year-old Nick Andreas is pretty much perfect--on the outside, at least. What no one knows--not even his best friend--is the terror that Nick faces every time he is alone with his father. Then he and Caitlin fall in love, and Nick thinks his problems are over. Caitlin is the one person who he can confide in. But when things start to spiral out of control, Nick must face the fact that he's gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.
Intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteen-year-old Nick Andreas is pretty much perfect--on the outside, at least. What no one knows--not even his best friend--is the terror that Nick faces every time he is alone with his father. Then he and Caitlin fall in love, and Nick thinks his problems are over. Caitlin is the one person who he can confide in. But when things start to spiral out of control, Nick must face the fact that he's gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2000
Physical description
263 p.; 7.2 inches
ISBN
0064472574 / 9780064472579
Similar in this library
Lexile
510L
User reviews
LibraryThing member ausie7
Good story and interesting way of telling/showing what happened in the past. Causes reader to think how the situation relates to them. Never boring and never just rattles on. It is realistic and isn't just a fairy tale meant to make the reader happy. It leaves you thinking.
LibraryThing member clif_hiker
My introduction to Alex Flinn, who, as it turns out is a female author. I was halfway through this book (hardback library copy) when I opened the back cover to find information about the author... and discovered that it was a woman. Since the story itself is about an angry young man, and since I
Nonsense of course and I found that I learned some things about myself from the experience. Nice.
The book itself is strictly YA and not terrifically original, however Ms. Flinn, much like another favorite of mine, Chris Crutcher, is able to capture teenage angst and emotion in her images and dialogue.
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was seeing a lot of myself in the protagonist... unsurprisingly (but surprising me with its intensity) I became angry. "How dare a woman try to write about and understand how an angry young man feels" ...Nonsense of course and I found that I learned some things about myself from the experience. Nice.
The book itself is strictly YA and not terrifically original, however Ms. Flinn, much like another favorite of mine, Chris Crutcher, is able to capture teenage angst and emotion in her images and dialogue.
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LibraryThing member mattsya
This book follows the YA tragedy formula well, but spins it differently telling the story from the "bad guy's" point of view. Nick Andreas is given a restraining order to stay away from his ex-girlfriend Caitlin. The book follows Nick's anger therapy, while he writes a journal detailing the events
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that led up the events. The book's relatively happy ending (Nick realizes how wrong he was, stands up to his abusive father and makes up with his best friend) is slightly unearned, but probably works for its genre. Well written, it could be read by inexperienced to advanced readers. The anger therapy sessions are informative and well-done. The Miami setting of the book is well defined. Show Less
LibraryThing member habeiam
I just finished this book and loved it. I couldn't put it down. The topic is definitely one that is more mature as it deals with a teenager who is going through court required anger management due to the restraining order that was awarded to his girlfriend.
LibraryThing member MrsHillReads
This book should be required reading for all high school students...even though not all students are abused or abusive, they know someone in the situation. I recommend this book often and the students (mostly girls) love it.
LibraryThing member franoscar
Young Adult book. First person narration by a young man who is abused & abuses his girlfriend. He writes a journal and realizes he can change. It is a well-done book; maybe the ending is too positive to be realistic.
LibraryThing member 4sarad
I thought it was interesting to get into the mind of an abusive boyfriend to see what he was thinking and what caused the seemingly senseless anger. While the book was interesting and the character grew and learned from his mistakes, I just wasn't drawn into the characters enough to truly CARE or
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to truly feel anything from the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member kpickett
Nick has been sentence to an anger managment class because he hit his girlfriend. As Nick fights against this class and Caitlyn he beings to see their relationship for what it really was, and see himself for who he really is. A great book for reluctant reader, it is short and fast paced with
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interesting topics like relationship abuse, alcoholism and anger management. Show Less
LibraryThing member ERMSMediaCenter
Sent to counseling for hitting his firlfriend, Caitlin, and ordered to keep a journal, sixteen-year-old Nick recounts his relationship with Caitlin, examies his controlling behavior and anger, and describes living with his abusive father.
LibraryThing member KarriesKorner
Caitlin's relationship with her boyfriend, Nick, takes a terrible turn violent one night when he slaps her. While they both want to believe that it was an isolated event, the abuse continues until Caitlin's parents take out a restraining order against Nick.
Nick's journey into counseling and group
When this book first came out it was cutting edge. It was a topic that was not discussed in young adult books. Recently authors have taken on the task of bringing this problem to the forefront of teen literature. Recently Janet Tashjian's recent book Fault Line, the subject of teen domestic violence really brings home that the teens of today are not immune from this horrendous problem.
Nick's journey into counseling and group
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therapy is painful and frustrating at times because he does not believe he has a problem with his anger. As Nick explores the darker side of his nature he discovers the root of his anger and what he must do to control it.When this book first came out it was cutting edge. It was a topic that was not discussed in young adult books. Recently authors have taken on the task of bringing this problem to the forefront of teen literature. Recently Janet Tashjian's recent book Fault Line, the subject of teen domestic violence really brings home that the teens of today are not immune from this horrendous problem.
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LibraryThing member meggyweg
I like this book a lot less now than when I first read it. When I first read it, at the age of sixteen or so, I found it excellent and unique. However, having read more about battered women and batterers and the way the "system" treats them (The Stalking of Kristin is a good nonfiction treatment of
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the subject) I know that group therapy for batterers does not work out so wonderfully as Alex Flinn shows in this book. At the end of this book, Nick is practically cured and so are the other people in his group. But it usually doesn't work that way in real life. I've felt disillusioned towards this book since I found that out. Show Less
LibraryThing member anniecase
I really, really enjoyed this book. Not only was it easy to read and hard to put down, but the issues were perfectly expressed. You found yourself hating and sympathizing with the protagonist. It raises some great questions and it feels real, never forced or cheesy. A great teen book.
LibraryThing member chairshotxl
The second best YA novel on dating violence (joke)
LibraryThing member Heather19
very well-written book about a teenager who realizes he has his father's violent nature, and tries to curb that nature by attending group classes and keeping a journal.
LibraryThing member Wombat
Lady Wombat says:
Competent but not convincing -- I never felt that the protagonist was more than a collection of characteristics about a typical abuser.
Competent but not convincing -- I never felt that the protagonist was more than a collection of characteristics about a typical abuser.
LibraryThing member Ashlem
I absolutely loved this book.
LibraryThing member HollyRae
I really enjoyed this book. It really was written very well. I would definitely recommend reading this.
LibraryThing member ABookVacation
Good book for young adults who are in the dating scene. Young people, especially females, need to know that abuse takes many different forms, and they need to take care of themselves above all else. Wish I had read this when I was younger. Could have saved me two years in an abusive relationship.
LibraryThing member sshadoan
Emotional, powerful, at times terrifying. Interesting perspective: abuse from an abuser's standpoint.
LibraryThing member MagdaAju
Nick Andreas is a 16 year old boy that pretends to have a perfect life and he doesn't tell anyone about how his real life is until he meets Caitlin. Nick fall in love with Caitlin and doesn't want to lose her but because of all the trouble and the abuse that he suffers in his house he ends losing
I believe this book has a lot of potential in a class. This book can help teacher introduce concerns such as family violence, unhealthy relationships, and bullying. I think that the book touches in all this subjects that can be of interest to the students, especially to the ones that might be going through this situation.
I can honestly say that I really liked this book because there is a lot to learn from it. This is the first book that I read from a guy’s perspective which I found very interesting. I do believe that students can learn a lot from it. The one thing that I didn't really like was the ending; I think it should have ended differently.
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her. Now Nick has to attend an anger management class where he finally understands that what he did to Caitlin was wrong.I believe this book has a lot of potential in a class. This book can help teacher introduce concerns such as family violence, unhealthy relationships, and bullying. I think that the book touches in all this subjects that can be of interest to the students, especially to the ones that might be going through this situation.
I can honestly say that I really liked this book because there is a lot to learn from it. This is the first book that I read from a guy’s perspective which I found very interesting. I do believe that students can learn a lot from it. The one thing that I didn't really like was the ending; I think it should have ended differently.
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LibraryThing member ABShepherd
This novel precedes Diva although I did not know that when I read either of them. In my opinion this story is better and more in depth into Nick's character than Diva was into Caitlyn's. I like the way we learned about Nick and his point of view through his journal.
LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
I was not crazy about this book. The narrator is a jerk and is supposed to be. I'm not sure I buy his miraculous epiphany. Recommended for teens wants an angsty, realistic fiction read in the vein of Ellen Hopkins.
LibraryThing member embarnes
Nick is a sixteen year old boy who seems to have it all. He is popular, handsome, and lives a charmed life. But when Nick starts to date Caitlin his friends see a different side of him. He has to attend anger management classes after he and Caitlin break up. It takes Nick a while to see that he
I loved this book. It was a very fast read. The court orders Nick to go to anger management classes and to keep a journal of how he got to this place in his life. The book is written from his point of view and in present and past. There are many different conflict throughout the story; Nick and his father, Nick and Caitlin and Nick and his best friend. The setting is modern times in Miami and at school and the anger management class. This book would be great for high school student’s boys or girls. I love the message in the book and how we see Nick come to terms with his problem.
I would have the students write a poem about something personal that they have never told anyone before much like the Poem Nick write for his English class. I would have the students keep a journal and write what they thought about what Nick or another character was going through in the book. They would have to write after every chapter too.
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does have a serious problem with controlling his emotions and not taking them out on other people. I loved this book. It was a very fast read. The court orders Nick to go to anger management classes and to keep a journal of how he got to this place in his life. The book is written from his point of view and in present and past. There are many different conflict throughout the story; Nick and his father, Nick and Caitlin and Nick and his best friend. The setting is modern times in Miami and at school and the anger management class. This book would be great for high school student’s boys or girls. I love the message in the book and how we see Nick come to terms with his problem.
I would have the students write a poem about something personal that they have never told anyone before much like the Poem Nick write for his English class. I would have the students keep a journal and write what they thought about what Nick or another character was going through in the book. They would have to write after every chapter too.
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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Narrated by Jon Cryer (yes, that Jon Cryer). Throughout the first disc this came off as a ho-hum standard romance. But when Nick's violent tendencies first appear, I was shocked to realize I had been sympathizing with Nick up to that point. From then on, I was interested in the working mind of this
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young abuser and seeing his perspective. His perspective and actions are unacceptable, of course. Nick comes around thanks to his anger management class, his introspective journal writing, and the tragedy of Leo. His turnaround seemed to fall in line almost too easily. Still, a valuable book for teens who might be in similar situations, whatever their side. Show Less
LibraryThing member xofelf
This book should really be a required reading for English in high school. It has great lessons to learn from it.
Subjects
Awards
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2004)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2005)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 9-12 — 2004)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2nd Place — 2004)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2005)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2002)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2004)
Evergreen Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2004)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Honor Book — 2005)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2002)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee — Young Adult Book Award — 2004)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2002)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2002)
Young Adult Favorites Award (2003)
Call number
YA A Fli