Hardcover, 290 pages
Published July 31st 2012 by Reagan Arthur Books
Rating: ★★★★
Rating: ★★★★
This book was recommended to me and as such I went in with very few expectations and with absolutely no knowledge of anything that happened within it. As such, it was a bit of a surprise when I found myself riveted, compulsively turning pages, unable to stop.
Dare Me's protagonist, Addy, has a rich inner monologue, her naively cruel narration does well to bring the reader into the story. Abbott manages to capture the paradoxes of being a teen girl, the nuances of young sexuality and the almost innocent corruption that results.
Dare Me features three rather complex characters, filtered through Addy's narration: Addy herself, her aggressively popular best friend Beth, and the new cheerleading coach, Colette French. Addy's waxing and waning obsessions with Beth and Colette drive much of the plot, even when a suspicious suicide brings attention to them.
I found the language lush and dangerous, capturing the cherry-red aggressiveness of cheerleading and the burgeoning intelligence of teenagers exploring their boundaries in ways they shouldn't. Darkly beautiful and highly recommended.
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