Crank

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Crank explores the life of a crank addict, from start to not quite finished. Somewhat based on the story of her own daughter, Hopkins writes from the point of view of Kristina as she first discovers the world of drugs.

Hopkin's writing style is very unique and though Crank is not a hard read it's extremely intriguing. Some entries are concrete; the words form a picture associated with the topic of entry, others can be read both from left to right as well as top to bottom.

The invention of Bree is an excellent way of describing the split in Kristina's mind. Part of her (Bree) is desperate to party with the monster while the sensible Kristina knows she's losing friends and family and wishes to go back. However Bree's confidence is extremely appealing to Kristina and is constantly victorious. I don't have any personal experience on the subject, but through the use of the almost separate characters I better understand what Kristina is thinking and her reasons for drug use are much more tangible to me.

Of course the fact that Crank is written from Kristina's point of view goes a long way in helping the reader understand her motives. I honestly could not put this book down as I rooted for Kristina to break-up with the monster. If you are looking for a happy-ending Hollywood novel, this isn't the one for you, though you may just enjoy it anyway. Then again it doesn't truly end since Glass is the sequel and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Streetcar

To start I'd like to just say that anyone reading this feel free to agree or disagree with me in the comments as long as its appropriate. Also anyone is welcome to leave a book suggestion that if I have time I may read and review.

So for everyone that doesn't know, 'Stella for Star' comes from the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Blanche DuBois calls her sister Stella Kowalski that affectionately several times in Act 1.

Well since I'm already on the topic of Streetcar I'm going to make it my first review.

Author: Tennessee Williams
Main Cast:
    Stanley Kowalski
    Stella Kowalski
    Blanche DuBois
    Eunice Hubbell
    Harold Mitchell (Mitch)

SND starts in May of 1947 with Blanche arriving at her sister's house in New Orleans. The reader/audience follows the lives of Blanche, Stella and, her husband, Stanley as Blanche attempts to steal Stella away from the life she leads with Stanley.

Blanche and Stanley continuously butt heads-being of different backgrounds-and throughout Stella acts as a mediator towards the two. Stella's upbringing allows her to connect with Blanche, but at the same time she's been living a much less luxurious life with Stanley and is therefore caught in between the two.

I love the way Williams uses Stanley's prying nature to slowly knock down Blanche's front and give the reader insight to what's really going on in her head. Sometimes it takes the walls crumbling down around a character in order to know what they're truly like.

My only grievance is that I wish Stella had a little more backbone, being that she is my favorite character. But I do feel that if you take a second look you can see that shes a women caught up in love and stuck in the middle of her husband and sister. Her choices can then be understood though whether she makes the right ones is up to the reader to decide.