Customer Reviews

Possessing Jessie

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I believe this book is targeted towards reluctant high school age readers; definitely not a group that includes me. Having said that, I still found this book enjoyable in a creepy sort of way, and think that it will have great appeal for it's target group. I found some things incredibly frustrating. I felt at the beginning like I was being dropped into the middle of a story. I wasn't sure of Jessie's motivations and found her behavior very disturbing. There's not a lot of character development here and the story is told in a "bare bones" manner that some will find odd. It's a very fast read and a very simple story - perfect to entice any middle or high school student who normally won't pick up a more involved tale.

Ultimately, I think the author did a good job here. The story ended in a sort of "Twilight Zone" finish that gave me a chill. A solid recommend for reluctant readers with a taste for the supernatural.

Listed on the back cover of this book, there is a list of awards. The first is from the ALA (American Library Association) as their Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Though it says 128 pages in the description above, mine has 88. In other words, it's not a chunky book to struggle through.

The story begins with Jesse morning the loss of her brother, Jason. Her parents are divorced and they lived with their mother. Jason was Mom's favorite. Jesse feels she is to blame for what happened, that she should have stopped her brother from going around the dangerous curb that ended his life. To deal, she cuts her hair and dresses in his clothes. When her mother responds positively to this new change in her, she continues, even though her classmates and the school staff are telling her to stop.

The story turns sinister and there won't be a happily-ever after ending, which was a total shocker for me. I liked that and there's a message I'm hoping all girls will pick up on. The only reason I didn't give this a five star--it was after all, a serious page-turner for me. Once I started, I didn't want to stop. Anyway, the reason was in the tiny details. For example, when Jason was in his car speeding and Jesse reached over and turned off the engine and took the key out. It's been a long time since I've driven a standard, but can you do that? Without putting it in gear? That detail bothered me for days. Okay, let's say you can and move on. There's more.

The insurance from the accident, it was enough to pay for that brand new hot-rod of a mustang? And what about the Mom's income? She couldn't work. How were they making it? These small details ate away at the story.

Even with these petty complaints, I highly recommend this one. I also think readers who aren't reluctant will enjoy this story. It written in a power voice. I look forward to reading more books by Nancy Springer.