Elle (ellexamines)'s Reviews > The Opposite of Innocent

I’ve always been in love with Luke. For as far back as I can remember.

3 1/2 stars. This is a very sad book in verse about a girl dragged into a relationship with a much, much older man.

Main strength: I found myself unable to look away. Lily’s story is so horrifying and feels strangely real, starting as if it could be an innocent unrequited crush by a 14-year-old and becoming more and more serious as Logan makes his interest clear. It perfectly mirrors the quick progression of events, and though Lily is very naive, her character consistency makes the entire book so much more horrifying.

Main con: I felt the ending was a little unsatisfying. We don’t see much of her journey to deciding to tell; I think that sometimes realizations and impulsess can come quickly, so this could have been totally fine, but the book ends… immediately upon Lily’s decision.

I don't know if this was the best thing I've ever read, but it was certainly an incredibly tense experience and an enrapturing way to spend my night. I think this will be marketed towards a younger audience - an audience just discovering the dangers in the world - and I'm down for it.

TW: pedophilia, rape via coercion, dissociation, forced alcohol consumption.

✨Arc received from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review. [ releases: 4 September 2018.]
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