Monday, June 14, 2010

Recommended Reads: His 'n' Hers Rehab

I LOVE rehab books, ever since I read "Postcards From the Edge" by Carrie Fisher when I was in high school. Films like Girl, Interrupted and On the Edge also draw me in.

This past week I read two YA books set in rehab: "Cut" by Patricia McCormick and "Under the Wolf, Under the Dog" by Adam Rapp.

In both, the main character (male and female, respectively) doesn't want to talk, especially at group (that's "group therapy" for you rehab newbies), and isn't easily categorizable. Neither druggies nor a suicide risks, Callie and Steven fall somewhere in the middle and there's an element of secrecy surrounding how they ended up at their facilities. Coincidentally, both books feature a pivotal scene in a Dunkin' Donuts, which warmed my Midwest heart.

"Cut" is a lean, lovely 150 pages, and occasionally reminiscent of Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak," and "Wolf" clocks in at 310 pages, featuring a Holden Caulfield-esque narrator ("If you want to know the truth...") who has a series of breakdowns after his mother's death.

Both books were so well written that I'm already reading another book by McCormick, "Purple Heart," and I plan to read "33 Snowfish" by Rapp.

*Edited to add: Finished "Purple Heart," and it was so good I don't want to read any other fiction for a day or two because I don't want to move on from these characters yet.

Has anyone else read a book so good you hesitate to start a new one?

4 comments:

  1. I've actually had a few books where I've put it down, then picked it right back up again. Some writers can really touch my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Jemi. "Purple Heart"'s definitely weighing on me, in the best way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes - earlier this year, I read BEFORE I FALL, and after that, I didn't feel like reading anything new for a long time. I worried nothing could live up to that book!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, Miranda. I've got that book on my to-read list!

    ReplyDelete