Conflict with family is inevitable and can be incredibly difficult to deal with at times, especially if that conflict creates a rift between you and the ones you trust most. Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake is the story of bisexual teenager, Mara McHale, and her inseparable twin brother, Owen. Ever since they were little, they’ve spent nights together on their roof staring at the night sky and sharing stories based on the constellations. After one wild night of drinking and partying, Mara’s friend, and Owen’s girlfriend, Hannah accuses Owen of rape. Despite their parent’s convinced by Owen’s pleas of innocence and how much Mara wants to believe him, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s holding something back. This creates a rift between the two, as well as between Owen and his best friend Alex. Broken-hearted and desperate for comfort, Alex and Mara go from just friends to something more while trying to distract themselves. And to make matters more complicated, Mara’s relationship with her best friend, and former girlfriend, Charlie is strained. Navigating this new terrain, Mara must come to terms with her traumatic past, confront the difficulty of sexual assault, and decide where Charlie, Alex, and Owen fit into her future. Girl Made of Stars addresses the uncomfortable topic of sexual abuse while answering difficult questions surrounding it. However, the book brings so much more into perspective. It also addresses the subjects of complicated relationships, self-identity, and overcoming high school drama. When Owen is introduced, it’s easy to grow attached to him as Mara’s dorky, loveable twin brother. This made it harder for me as the reader to comprehend the possibility of him committing rape because it completely contrasts with his personality. Even so, this conflict allowed me to better understand Mara and the difficult position she’s in throughout the story. I chose to read Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake because I was interested in a book with an LGBT+ main character. The characters show wide varieties of diversity and I was fascinated by how similar yet different they all were. It was particularly interesting to read about Charlie, who struggles with accepting herself while interested in girls. Her parents are aware and supportive of her sexuality, but have no idea she’s questioning her gender identity. This was eye opening for me, as I haven’t thought much about people coming out more than once and how that can be just as difficult and just as scary as coming out the first time. I was also interested in the topic of sexual assault, as it’s sadly common in today’s society. Although being a female and knowing someone who’s been through sexual assault, like Mara, I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in that position. It was also eye opening to read about Hannah’s experience because it never occurred to me that rape could occur within a consensual relationship. This changed my viewpoint on how sexual assault can occur and that the situation isn’t always black and white. Despite the challenges Mara encounters, I admire her audacity and courage when it comes to facing those difficulties head on. Quote: “And I’m not sure I ever will recover from what Mr. Knoll did. Not fully. It’s changed me forever, but changed doesn’t have to mean broken. And I know my family will never be the same either. My brother’s and my connection has been altered, never broken but twisted into something I never expected, never wanted. We’re no longer the twins in the sky, and I have to figure out how to live with that,” (Blake, 270). by Jenna H.
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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November 2022
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