Party
-
- €4.49
-
- €4.49
Publisher Description
I'm the girl nobody knows until she commits suicide. Then suddenly everyone had a class with her.
Tonight's the night. Everyone will be there. Will you?
Graduation in Santa Barbara, a house near the beach, and no parents! That can mean only one thing: PARTY! But not everyone's in a partying mood. Beckett is only going to confirm she is invisible after having spent two years caring for her mother; Morrigan seeks revenge on her ex- for having the gall to NOT sleep with her; Azize is trying to make a friend -- any friend; and Anthony's ready to pop off on anyone who mentions his maimed, combat-veteran brother.
As the night quickly spirals out of control, eleven unique characters -- all of whom are familiar to anyone who's been a high school student -- crash, collide, and recombine in ways none of them saw coming when a brutal act of xenophobic violence brings the party to a halt.
Graduation is a time of change. But after tonight, no one will ever be the same.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Leveen's debut follows one wild evening in Santa Barbara through the eyes of 11 teenagers on their way to a party. Attention-seeker Morrigan has just dumped Josh for not sleeping with her and is determined to find someone else; Josh's friends want to get his mind off the breakup. Morrigan's best friend, Ashley, plans to supervise her, but is distracted by the distant behavior of an old friend, Beckett, who desperately wants someone to notice her. Max is secretly in love with Beckett, and Azize is a Turkish immigrant taking the opportunity to meet new people. The story has the feel of a raucous SoCal soap opera, with abundant drinking, fighting, and plot twists (also, plenty of cliffhangers). Readers spend only one chapter with each character, which is effective in building suspense and getting to know the characters (and view events) from different angles, yet feels emotionally reductive it's not quite enough time inside their heads. While the dialogue is realistic and voices and personalities well differentiated, despite all the drama the story feels too tidy. Ages 14 up.
