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Title: Crank
ISBN: 0689865198
Author:
Ellen Hopkins
Publicate Date: 2004-10-05
Publish: 2004-10-05
List Price: $9.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $5.53
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $4.91
Amazon Merchant Price: $9.99
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| Customer Review: |
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1: AMAZING BOOK
I picked this book up because of the interesting cover, and the weird style of writing I found inside when I flipped through it. I had absolutely no idea what crank was (I mean I had never heard it refered to as crank), and I dove in eagerly.
I must say I enjoyed the book. As I read the book I seriously started to feel sick. The addiction the girl has and the description of it literally made me feel sick. I had to put the book down and take a break a couple of times.
I wanted to point out H. Thompson's review. I HIGHLY disagree with it. I am seventeen. Ellen Hopkins did not "have fun" with the enter key. If you took the time to read it you would have noticed WHY she did that. Secondly, you say it has no plot. Seriously, does your life have a plot? I don't think so. Sure, Kristina in the book may only be interesting because of her addiction, but at least SHE'S interesting. Her story only made me think "What in the world do people see in this drug that's so good!?!?!?" I didn't read it because it had all the crap that it had in it, I read it because it's an honest story, based on a true story. The message is so clear it's not even funny, but apparently you were too interested in the rape scene to see it.
Next, you may THINK most teenagers aren't out there using drugs, getting raped, selling themselves, and commiting suicide, but you're wrong. Just the other day my family pulled up to a Hy-Vee, and my dad and brother went in to pick up milk. My mom, sister, and I were sitting in the car (this was later at night, we had just got done seeing a movie). Another car pulled up across from us. The music was blaring. There was a guy who looked somewhere between 17-20, and a girl who looked 14. He got out and went in. The girl immediately she turned the music off, which, in my opinion, is a sign she's just acting for him, for his attention. She's smoking, AND she's drinking. He comes back out, and she immediately turns the music back on. The guy's carying a small sack wadded up tightly, revealing the shape of a small box. Condoms. Don't tell me things like that don't happen every second of every day, because they do.
Ellen Hopkins gives us a glimpse of what addiction is like. And although it's no where near experiencing it, it doesn't leave you wanting to try it. So H. Thompson, shut up and throw the book away, but keep the talking to yourself.
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2: Crank by Ellen hopkins
This book took a hard look at a girls fight with crank ! And all the struggles and toll on family life! Very very well written book!
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3: Juvenile and unpolished
Ellen Hopkins attempts to break new ground with her book about a daughter's descent into crytal meth addiction and, while I grieve for her struggle, comes off as an untalented peddler of poor writing.
While the story is compelling, a once perfect daughter falls off and begins to use drugs, and speaks to fears bread into us all concerning drug use and addiction; her utilization of free-verse "poetry" is a mockery to poetry itself. Hopkins is able to leave the reader with sparse details in some areas, and extreme details in others; thus allowing herself as author to escape from the duty of conveying the story with any real sense of literary authority or authenticity. While she is heralded as a "ground breaker" and "experimental genius" her work pails in comparison to other experimental fiction, and is a poor use of the poetic form.
In the end this is a book for a high schooler to read for fun, it is low in literary value and an easy read that goes by quick and painlessly with no real impact besides from what a reader might experience have they not been exposed to fiction that succeeds where Hopkins fails.
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4: Great book for teens!
This book, a sort of biographical account of a daughter's descent into crystal meth addiction -- written by her mother -- is a very powerful story written in free verse. The simplicity of the words belies the terrible story of the immediate and irresistable hold that crank takes on the unwary victim. The fact that the drug is introduced to an honor student by her father during a custody visit makes it all the more scary. Her quick decline into the life of a loser meth addict is riveting and makes a compelling read. Crank is so beloved at our school library that it doesn't stay on the shelf and is read again and again. Highly recommended. Be sure to get the sequel Glass as well. The story will stay with you long after you have turned the last beautifully written page.
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5: very intense
I just finished "crank". The book belongs to my 14yr old daughter and as a parent it was a very hard read. I worry every day about drugs and my children.
I liked that the book was honest in the fact about how quickly this drug can hook you and about the terrible things an addict would go through to get their drug. I also like that it didn't gloss over the fact that date rape does happen and adding drugs to the mix just ups the chances. I do feel that it glamorizes drug use and goes even as far as explaining how to smoke crack using aluminum foil and a straw.
I want my daughter to be aware of the dangers but I don't want to raise her curiosity enough that she wants to try it.
The book was good. The poetry and the way it was written was very beautiful. The story hard to read because all I could think was that could be my daughter. I just want to recommend that parents should read the book before giving it to their teenager. Maybe even use the book to start a conversation about drugs.
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