Posse

August 1, 2010

Gr 9 Up-Amy and her friends are suffering through the Australian heat at the Methodist School for Girls camp, sneaking away to cool off in the dam whenever they get the chance. Clare has been spending a good deal of time flirting with Bevan, camp leader and a future minister, which has been making Amy jealous despite her preference for girls. When she finally has had enough of the flirting, Amy pays a late-night visit to Bevan and is sexually assaulted. When Amy tells Clare and the rest of the posse, Clare disappears. When she returns, it seems that she, too, has been taken advantage of by Bevan without her consent. Amy and her friends fight to stop the school from burying the truth and from protecting Bevan from the law. As it turns out, Clare was not raped by Bevan but engaged him in a physical fight because he did not find her attractive. Nearly all characters are self-obsessed, mean spirited, and unsympathetic. While having "flawed" characters is no flaw in itself, not one of them is the least bit likable. While Amy does reflect upon the events and make some positive changes in her life, her turnaround comes late in the book, and most readers will be turned off by her lack of goodwill toward anyone but her girlfriend. Pass on this one.-Emily Chornomaz, West Orange Public Library, NJ

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