Fair Game [Mass Market Paperback]

Erika Tamar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 1993

A sordid incident on a humid spring afternoon in the affluent suburb of Shorehaven leads to accusations that a group of popular high-school athletes sexually assaulted a retarded teenage girl. But was it gang rape, or was the girl a willing participant? “Meticulously rendered and narrated in speedy, staccato language, this novel is a must-read for any teen who has considered the implications of foul play.”--Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With frankness, insight and imagination, Tamar translates a headline-making New Jersey crime into a thoughtful and gripping novel about a mildly retarded girl in a Long Island community who is gang-raped and otherwise molested by a group of high school athletes, all-American boys with bright futures. Three diverse yet equally credible characters alternate as narrators: Cara Snowden, the boys' victim, a special-ed student who wants nothing more than to be a "regular girl"; Laura Jean Kettering, girlfriend of one of the rapists, blinded by loyalty and unable to acknowledge the horrific truth until it almost literally stares her in the face; and Julio "Joe" Lopez, an athlete who refuses to take part in the assault on Cara. Tamar is careful not to tell the story in black and white--although the assailants are squarely blamed, she emphasizes the characters' confusion, allowing the reader to see the interplay of Cara's limitations and the boys' rationalizations of their own behavior. Meticulously rendered and narrated in speedy, staccato language, this novel is a must-read for any teen who has considered the implications of foul play. Ages 14-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9-12-Prepare for a trip into the suburban American heart of darkness. The horrifying sexual assault of a mildly retarded teenage girl by a group of popular high school athletes who have known her since childhood polarizes the residents of an affluent community and gains national-media coverage. Told from three varying perspectives, a disturbing portrait emerges of unconscionable violence. Laura Jean Kettering, girlfriend of one of the accused, defends her boyfriend and berates the victim. Childlike and trusting Cara performs what ever acts the boys ask of her and is unable to imagine that anyone would exploit her. Joe Lopez is a Hispanic American from a low-income family; his athletic skill gives him entry into the inner circle, but he remains an outsider. He witnesses the beginning of Cara's degradation and leaves the scene, unwilling to participate in the vile events that he knows are about to happen. The novel ends with Laura Jean's break-up with Scott, and with the names of the boys involved in the incident missing from the roster of graduates. Unlike the figures in Norma Fox Mazer's seamlessly written, well-controlled Out of Control (Morrow, 1993), Tamar's participants never assume responsibility for their actions. The narrative is choppy and disjointed, the characters uneven and often one-dimensional, and the ending anticlimactic. The story, based on the much-publicized 1989 Glen Ridge, New Jersey, case, doesn't work as literature.
Alice Casey Smith, Lakewood Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Graphia (October 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152270655
• ISBN-13: 978-0152270650
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,662,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hard to Read, February 17, 2007

By 

A. Luciano (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fair Game (Hardcover)

The accusation is horrifying--a group of high-school athletes in a small suburban town gang-raped a mentally retarded high-school girl. The athletes, always considered a good group of guys by those in town, deny that they did anything wrong.

Laura Jean, the girlfriend of one of the leaders, is a solid defender of the guys. She can't believe that her boyfriend, Scott, would ever rape any girl, and she is furious when the media won't let go of the story. But as she finds out more information, will she still be so sure her boyfriend is an angel?

Joe, an athlete and friend of the accused guys, was there the day the alleged rape took place, but he left the house before it happened. He struggles with his own involvement, trying to distance himself from his friends while at the same time trying to decide if he should feel any guilt about what happened.

Cara, the alleged victim, desperately wants to be liked. When the athlete boys start paying attention to her, she thinks it's because they are her friends, and even when she doesn't understand what is going on and what they are saying, she is willing to do anything in order to be included in their popular group.

Is it rape if one of the participants has no idea what is going on? Did Cara have the mental capacity to consent to sex?

I liked that this story was told from three different points of view; I felt like I had a much more well-rounded view of the characters and what actually happened. This was an unflinching story of the cruelty of teenagers, especially teenagers in groups. This made it very hard to read in parts, but it also forced the reader to think carefully about what had happened. It seems like this same story could have happened anywhere. The character of Laura Jean was incredibly shallow and stupid, though. She refused to see what was obvious, and she stood by her boyfriend even when it became obvious he was a sleaze. It was hard to believe that any girl would be that pathetic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An intensely realistic and interesting novel!, May 2, 2002

By 

Alexis Kapanek (Ny, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fair Game (Mass Market Paperback)

Faire game demonstrates a realistic down-to-earth and yet scary view of highschool. As most people know highschool can be a terrifing expirience and this novel shows the extent of this. A mildy retarded girl longs to belong in a group of popular kids and goes to many lenghts to achieve that. Until one day she follows the boys around and as the boys already know,she will do many things to be accepted and they decide to take advantage of this. I dont want to give away what happens but the varied vew points provide an intense and detailed look at the feelings of the girl that was taken advantage of, a girlfriend to one of the boys involved and a friend to all of the boys. This book is harsh and shocking although Tamar is a great writer and can really show the terrible side of highschool. Not being able to put it down for 3 days straight I agree that this book deserves 5 stars!

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, November 21, 2003

By 

rachel (australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fair Game (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book a while ago, but I still will always remember it as one of my favourite books. I loved it and it had such a powerful effect on me that I made all my friends read it too. It's disturbing, but amazing. I recommend it.