Glass - Ellen Hopkins

Read Kari's review of Crank, Hopkin's first book in the series.

Summary:  One little bit, my heart revs
high, then settles into quick-
step mode.  How I've missed
that race and pound.  How
I've missed the lack of control

Crank.  Glass. Ice.  Crystal.  Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster.  Kristina thinks she can control it.  Now with a baby to care for, she is determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots.  But the Monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grip...and it won't let go.  (Summary from back of the book and image from http://www.examiner.com/)

My Review:  The second book in Hopkins' train-wreck addicting series, steps further, much further into the vile world of drug abuse, addiction, and desperation.  It was obvious where Kristina would end up, but what surprised me and probably shouldn't have, was her loss of values and morals.  Things she used to hold sacred and questioned herself doing in the first book were hardly thought of and then cast aside very quickly in this book.

Crank felt like an accurate portrayal of what happens to the brain and decision making abilities of someone addicted to hard drugs.  Throughout the story, Kristina makes one poor decision after another, leading her further and further away from the person she used to be -- a person most of society would understand and love.  As long as you value the things she is giving up, it was easy to dislike her, disdain her decisions, and shun her lifestyle.   

I hope this book is a cautionary tale to anyone considering hard drug use, particularly meth.  If it's not, I worry for the world we're a part of and the future generations who will be plagued by the rot that meth creates of human beings. 

I find Hopkins writings to be thoughtful, compelling, with a firm anti-drug message, and therefore I see value in the books.  It's not for the average reader and definitely not for just any teen, but I do believe there is an audience and an authentic message that would be valuable for teens who need this kind of drug awareness education.  Simply telling some teens that drugs are bad is not enough.  This book, and series, may be what finally convinces them not to traipse down the path of no return.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

For the sensitive reader:  Lots of swearing, drug use, and law infractions--although all of it written in a way to dissuade the reader from ever using meth.

Sum it up:  The next installment of Kristina's demise into meth addiction.