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Summary
When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter's exclusive private school, she's shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter.
If this book really showcases the behavior of teenagers, it's truly disheartening. I worry about the state of private schools that feed into top universities if this is the norm.
When did parents and teachers become indulgent and lenient towards unruly, undisciplined, offensive, impolite, and promiscuous children? When did they relinquish their right, and yes, their duty to discipline and educate?
Certainly, social media poses a dangerous weapon in the hands of careless children, but where are the responsible adults?
Children, including teenagers, are still minors and should not be solely responsible for their lives. That's what parents and teachers are there for. In this book, both groups appear to be fearful of the teenagers, and perhaps rightfully so, as their behavior is completely out of control.
Clearly defined rules and appropriate consequences, without causing harm to the young, are necessary. Young people can differentiate between fair and deserved punishments. Parents and teachers are meant to protect, nurture, and educate the youth in any society, enabling them to become responsible and capable adults who can thrive and support themselves. Unfortunately, we seem to be failing in that.
The book 'Reconstructing Amelia' was filled with repetitive elements that became quite tiresome. It had all the characteristics commonly found in soap operas, which may or may not be appealing to some readers. The story seemed to drag on indefinitely and only concluded with a rather absurd, yet neatly tied-up ending.
Reconstructing Amelia was marketed as "this year's Gone Girl," but it falls short by a long shot. Unlike Gillian Flynn, who skillfully made Gone Girl's somewhat implausible plot believable through a captivating exploration of her main characters, especially Amy, author Kimberly McCreight lacks subtlety. She subjects Amelia, the human pinata, to every imaginable form of peer harassment and bullying, making it hard to believe that the entire student body is aware of her struggles yet no adult intervenes, even those who have some idea of what's going on.
Plausibility takes another hit after Amelia's death. It's hard to fathom why a homicide detective investigating a possible murder would allow the victim's mother to participate in witness interviews and questioning potential suspects.
At first, readers may sympathize with Amelia's pain and suffering and understand why she doesn't seek help. However, that sympathy wanes as clueless mom Kate uncovers the extent of her daughter's torment in the months leading up to her death. Instead of taking responsibility, Kate resorts to screaming and blaming everyone but herself, coming across as an annoying harpy.
The topic of school and cyberbullying has the potential to be a compelling story in the hands of a more skilled author than McCreight.
This book is seriously amazing! I was completely hooked and didn't want to stop reading for a second. I've heard people compare it to Gossip Girl and Gone Girl, and I totally get why. It definitely has a Gossip Girl vibe because it's set in a fancy high school, but it's not as superficial as Gossip Girl. It's more like Gossip Girl meets Body of Proof. And the comparisons to Gone Girl are because of the storytelling style. The book jumps between two timelines: one where the mother is trying to find out what happened to her daughter, and the other where we get to see the daughter's perspective through her texts, emails, and her own story. I really liked how the author mixed things up like that. It kept the story fast-paced and kept me on my toes. The plot is so juicy that I couldn't help but want to talk about it with my friends. It's full of secrets and absolutely delicious!
I decided to give this author a shot, even though I hadn't heard of them before, and I was pleasantly surprised with every aspect of this novel. The storytelling and narration were top-notch, truly captivating and holding my attention throughout.
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