Customer Reviews

Lessons from a Dead Girl

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Laine is an ordinary teenager with a gut-wrenching secret that haunts her from the very first page of LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL and haunts readers long after the last page is turned. The "dead girl" in the title is Laine's friend Leah -- a friend who steals away Laine's childhood through an abusive relationship that escalates so painfully that you want desperately to step into the book and shout, "NO!"

This book is definitely an older YA -- one I'd recommend for high school rather than middle school readers. It made me feel anxious and uncomfortable, but it also made me reflect on the nature of friendship and kids -- why some of our kids' friendships can become so frighteningly destructive, and why they don't turn away.

What makes this book remarkable is the way is portrays the fear, guilt, and confusion of abuse, without completely demonizing the antagonist. At the end of this gut-wrenching story, there remains room for forgiveness and for hope. LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL has a rare gift of being a compelling page-turner and an important novel all at once -- a book that teens will tear through in a sitting or two and then think about for years.

With every turn of the page, Jo Knowles twists the knife yet again. Lessons From a Dead Girl was one of those books that spirals down, down, down, but still you have to read on. The relationship between Leah and Laine reminds us that there is very little black or white--that things are mostly shades of grey. And that we can sometimes find light in the darkest of places. It's rare for a book like this to grab me so forcefully, yet Knowles does it here. I highly recommend this novel and am looking forward to her next!

The title suggests this novel won't be a happy-happy read, and the partly closed door on the cover suggests we might want to enter carefully, but who can resist? And once inside this book, the pages turn as fast as that old wooden door. Lessons from a Dead Girl deals with a variety of friendships, but the one at the center, between Laine and Leah, is one complicated by issues of power. Knowles bravely shows the hazards of control and submission played out by some little girls, and how those patterns can haunt their years as teens. She shows the courage it takes to try to break the patterns and the inevitable set backs as one girl grows into knowing herself better, and another stumbles. The writing is pared to what's beautifully necessary. Not one word feels out of place. This novel made me cringe and cry a bit, but also exult. I'll never, ever forget it.

I loved this book so much! i have read it 3 times and still cry at the end. Im a 8th grader and i think every 8th grade girl should read this book. AMAZING BOOK! all of my friends love it also!!

this book is about a girl names lainey who has sexually abused by her best friend, leah, when they were younger. leah controlled lainey's life and ruined everything that was good in her life. even after they grew up and drifted apart, leah still controlled lainey and made sure she never forgot what she did.

this book is so heartbreaking and a tear jerker as well. this book was written so perfectly that you can feel the emotions of the character.

i think that anyone who has had a friend that treated them badly, can relate to this book. its an easy read and very worthwhile. i recommend it to everyone.

If I had to make a list of books that I would highly recommend to anybody, regardless of the age, this would be one of those. And if I had to make another list of books that made an impact that stayed long after I read them, this would most definitely be part of that.

Synopsis: Leah and Laney were best friends since childhood. During the younger years of their friendship, Leah would sexually abuse Lainey to "practice." As they both get older, Lainey starts to wonder more about Leah's real intentions. Feeling betrayed and hurt by her actions in the past, Lainey pulls away from their relationship, which causes Leah to become self-destructive.
Now, Leah Greene is dead. Will Lainey ever find the will to find Leah's reasons and understand them? And along the way, will she ever find a way to forgive her and to forgive, ultimately, herself?

Review: This is a young adult book, but like I said, I highly recommend this to anyone, no matter how old you are.

This story really made me reflect a lot after almost every chapter that I finish. It's not that often that I do that. But this one really made that kind of impact. The theme of abuse comes up often in a lot of novels, but it's rare that the people involved are 1) in the same gender and 2) are even close friends. This was a different nature of friendship and children, showing the destructive side of it.
I can't dwell on it more and talk about how much I liked the book, I just think you should read it. It is not only a page-turner and a fast read, it also deals with a very important issue, often overlooked by many.
Written with clarity and compassion, this is a heart breaking story of betrayal, forgiveness, and growth between friends; neither of them protagonists nor antagonists. Because at the end of the day, we all are somewhat of both after all.

Having read the first chapter of LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL before it was published as one of the panel of judges of the PEN New England Discovery Contest (which the book won!), I knew it was well-written. What I didn't expect when I sat down to read the entire novel in its published form was that it would be a page-turner. I started reading and couldn't stop.

Jo Knowles has done the near impossible: written a novel with a gripping, fast-paced storyline, well-developed characters, important themes, and finally a surprising, yet satisfying ending.

I look forward to reading Jo's next novel. She is a writer to watch!

This is a beautifully written book. At first I was hit by pure emotion, but then I couldn't stop thinking about Laine's story. Sure to be thought-provoking, this is a great choice for any discussion group, but especially for teens.

This story is profound and touching, the main character grabs you by the collar and pulls you into her world, and shows you every part of her emotional thought process through her experiences.

This is another fast read that made me want to keep turning the pages, even when I found myself right there with Laine embarrassed and wanting to look away.

Jo Knowles crafts a brilliant story about the friendship of two young girls. It explores the life of the teenagers; and the relationship between Laine and Leah is so filled with emotion that the reader will want to laugh and cry simultaneously.

I was absolutely floored by the amazing story and found I could connect to the characters in more ways than I ever would have thought. This is a book for both teens and parents and everyone in between.