LSSL 5385 YA Literature - Book Blogging

King, A. S. (2010). Please ignore Vera Dietz. NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

8. Requirement Met - Author A.S. King

 Summary - Vera Dietz has been taught to ignore. Ignore the abuse going on next door, ignore that her mother has left her and her dad, ignore that life can be difficult. When her best friend Charlie dies, she is left to struggle with the loss of their friendship, his death and the fact that people believe he died a criminal. The problem is Charlie is not letting her ignore any of those things. As Vera starts her senior year of high school she struggles with her alcoholic genes, her desperate need for friendship, her full time work and school schedule, and her crush on her 23 year old coworker. Occasionally we hear from Vera's dad, from Charlie, and from the town landmark but most of the story is told from Vera's mature and cynical perspective with a series of flashbacks. Despite the inconsistent timeline, the plot and suspense builds and captivates as Vera comes to terms with the fact that she will have to forgive Charlie in order to clear his name.

My take - King takes her time to tell this story, sometime belaboring the details of events. There is more explanation of pizza prep and delivery than was needed, but it does paint a picture of the repetition in Vera's daily life. Charlie is quite the complex character and is still a mystery to me, and to Vera as well. This is no light-hearted high school novel about friends or death. It is deep and asks some honest questions about what is both accepted and ignored in modern-day America.

Textbook tie-in - I would consider this book Young Adult and contemporary realistic fiction. The main character is highly independent and must make the decision whether or not to clear her friend's name. The story takes place is less than a year and we see Vera grow and move in a positive direction.

Themes                                                                                                            Other Books by A.S. King 

Loss and Abandonment.                    
Drugs and Alcohol
Choices
Duty
Coming of age

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