Independent Reading Book

     The book Alice tells a story about three close friends and their highly dramatic summer. The girls are in 8th grade and with that new problems begin to sprout up, like the troubles Pamela expierences with her family after the rough divorce of her parents. Alice, the main character, seems to go through her own problems too, though she is the rock of their friendship when compared to her other buddy, Elizabeth. Elizabeth starves herself to get skinnier, with her own hatred of her body causing her to become anorexic.

     I chose to read this book because I thought it could be interesting to read a book that was trying to portray someone around my age, but honestly, I did not enjoy this book. It was odd and despite being relatable with family troubles and new relationships, it wasn't relevant to me. I have never gone through many of the things talked about in the book, and while I could relate to the descriptions of the girls' emotions, I didn't agree with their actions or choices. I thought it overly tried to portray teenagers as stereotypes, with irrelevant moments that bored me. Looking back, I probably should have chosen a more difficult book, with a more interesting plot line and conflict. The book was basically just about being a kid, and while I guess some people could find that thought-provoking, I did not.

     I think this book relates to American culture because in America, especially in the older generation, people tend to stereotype teens as a moody, dramatic, and overly sensitive group that only cares about themselves. Many do not view teenagers' problems as real, and I believe this book propogates that belief through its sad representation of a teenager's life.