Exit, Pursued by a Bear – Book Review

TW: Rape

Title: Exit, Pursued by a Bear

Author: E.K. Johnston

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 15, 2016

Purchase: Thriftbooks//Amazon

My Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Veronica Mars meets William Shakespeare in E.K. Johnston’s latest brave and unforgettable heroine.

Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, this doesn’t mean what you think it means. At PHHS, the cheerleaders don’t cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team—the pride and joy of a tiny town. The team’s summer training camp is Hermione’s last and marks the beginning of the end of… she’s not sure what. She does know this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something in her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there’s a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They’re never supposed to be the same person. Hermione struggles to regain the control she’s always had and faces a wrenching decision about how to move on. The assault wasn’t the beginning of Hermione Winter’s story and she’s not going to let it be the end. She won’t be anyone’s cautionary tale.

My Thoughts:

There is going to be quite a few people who have an issue with this book and I can understand why but this story is so important to read because of how different the telling is. This shows a different perspective that does not have a whole lot of representation in the YA genre. It takes a different verse on victim blaming and showing that impact especially when one comes from a small town where everyone knows everyone and everything. I wish this book had been a little bit longer because there was room for certain aspects to be expanded on. This story is about a girl who is trying to work through the aftermath of a rape while keeping control of her life.

I loved Polly. Polly is the best friend that every girl needs in her life. Polly stands by her side and is ready to cut anyone down who hurts Hermione but she knows when to let Hermione handle the situation.

I gave it a low rating because at the end of the day it was a short and very average story. There are so many other YA books that tackle rape that shows where this book is lacking. I want to give it a higher rating but there was too many factors to take into consideration.

I do not want anyone to walk away from reading this because of a low rating. This is an important story to read so I do recommend it.

What books are you trying to tackle this summer? Any recommendations?