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Torn
Alice King isn't expecting the holiday of her dreams when she sets off on a trip to the wilderness with her mates. But when her best friend Cass decides to teach mean girl Tara a lesson, Alice finds herself in a nightmare she can't escape.
Now Alice is the guardian of a secret too horrific to tell; and a secret too terrible to keep. A secret that will change all of their lives for ever...
Now Alice is the guardian of a secret too horrific to tell; and a secret too terrible to keep. A secret that will change all of their lives for ever...
372 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2011
About the author
Cat Clarke
17 books1,155 followersCat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.
Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
July 1, 2012
Having previously read Entangled, I was aware that Cat Clarke is unafraid to take readers to very difficult places in her confronting, intense novels. I knew that Torn would be an emotionally complicated book. But perhaps I wasn’t quite prepared for what a position of discomfort it was about to place me in, or the deeply disturbing implications it would force me to contemplate.
In Torn, Clarke skilfully taps into the emotional cesspit that accompanies guilt: the consuming dread, self-loathing and anxiety. By burdening the reader early on with a dark secret, Clarke effectively forces them into the position of her protagonist, caught between guilt and the instinct for self-preservation. This sense of complicity with the main character is a powerful tool, and it makes her mental and emotional unravelling all the more compelling as the story unfolds.
It would be easy to label Torn as a book about bullying and the terrible consequences, but it’s far less clear-cut than simply documenting the actions of perpetrators and victims, or a case of cruelty and revenge. The story is about the complex dynamic between the central characters, and it is made abundantly clear that black and white labels cannot be applied to each individual. Almost all of the characters do horrible things, and the roots of their issues go deep. While the results of their actions may be extreme, the inciting incidents aren’t. The tensions and conflict between the girls are all too familiar and believable, and they are all culpable in some way for its escalation.
This is possibly the strongest element of the novel – that while none of the girls are really “likeable” characters (nor do I require this in a book), they’re still compelling. Clarke manages to take a group of people who engage in unsympathetic behaviour, and still make their story emotionally engaging. As each of these flawed characters are more fully revealed, the truth of the situation becomes more muddied, and attributing blame a more complicated exercise. In a way, Torn breaks down the stereotypical concept of the ‘mean girl’, implying rather sinisterly that the capacity for cruelty exists within everyone.
This is a difficult book to read. I’ve deliberately avoided discussing the plot, but I can tell you that I felt deeply unsettled throughout, even occasionally nauseous, as I was drawn into the story. While I never fully sympathised with Alice, the protagonist, the vicarious experience of her story was intense. Clarke has an exceptional ability to take disturbing situations, and force the reader to consider the viewpoints of her characters, whether we personally believe them to be right or wrong. It’s almost a feeling of being manipulated, though in an effective, thought-provoking manner, forcing the reader to question everything. Even themselves.
In some ways, this reading experience is reminiscent of Stolen, especially its atmosphere of mounting anxiety and moral ambiguity. It’s uncomfortable and challenging, a powerful examination of the destructive nature of guilt.
In Torn, Clarke skilfully taps into the emotional cesspit that accompanies guilt: the consuming dread, self-loathing and anxiety. By burdening the reader early on with a dark secret, Clarke effectively forces them into the position of her protagonist, caught between guilt and the instinct for self-preservation. This sense of complicity with the main character is a powerful tool, and it makes her mental and emotional unravelling all the more compelling as the story unfolds.
It would be easy to label Torn as a book about bullying and the terrible consequences, but it’s far less clear-cut than simply documenting the actions of perpetrators and victims, or a case of cruelty and revenge. The story is about the complex dynamic between the central characters, and it is made abundantly clear that black and white labels cannot be applied to each individual. Almost all of the characters do horrible things, and the roots of their issues go deep. While the results of their actions may be extreme, the inciting incidents aren’t. The tensions and conflict between the girls are all too familiar and believable, and they are all culpable in some way for its escalation.
This is possibly the strongest element of the novel – that while none of the girls are really “likeable” characters (nor do I require this in a book), they’re still compelling. Clarke manages to take a group of people who engage in unsympathetic behaviour, and still make their story emotionally engaging. As each of these flawed characters are more fully revealed, the truth of the situation becomes more muddied, and attributing blame a more complicated exercise. In a way, Torn breaks down the stereotypical concept of the ‘mean girl’, implying rather sinisterly that the capacity for cruelty exists within everyone.
This is a difficult book to read. I’ve deliberately avoided discussing the plot, but I can tell you that I felt deeply unsettled throughout, even occasionally nauseous, as I was drawn into the story. While I never fully sympathised with Alice, the protagonist, the vicarious experience of her story was intense. Clarke has an exceptional ability to take disturbing situations, and force the reader to consider the viewpoints of her characters, whether we personally believe them to be right or wrong. It’s almost a feeling of being manipulated, though in an effective, thought-provoking manner, forcing the reader to question everything. Even themselves.
In some ways, this reading experience is reminiscent of Stolen, especially its atmosphere of mounting anxiety and moral ambiguity. It’s uncomfortable and challenging, a powerful examination of the destructive nature of guilt.
September 18, 2011
Wow, I really dislike Cat Clarke. Not only is she funny and intelligent, but she writes wonderful books that keep you glued to the page until the bitter end. Damn her and her incredible talent. Her characters are both wonderfully real, and credibly flawed, and you find youself relating to them much as you would a friend of a friend. After reading Entangled, with its much loathed protagonist (that i actually loved), Torn was such a change, but equally compelling. I dont like to compare Cat's novels to anything else, but when someone asked me about this, I said it was "Mean Girls meets The Secret History". Doesn't quite do it justice, but my subsequent rave about Torn made it a must read. If you have had enough of the paranormal/supernatural/afterlife/dystopian teen fiction crowding up shelves, Torn is a welcome breath of fresh air. This takes me back to the books I read as a teen, before Edward and Bella and Harry and Ron spawned so many copycats that they created an entire genre. Back to the days when authors recognised that people like to read stories about real characters in real situations. Well done again Cat. Can not wait for book three.
December 29, 2014
Alice has a secret.
She has a big secret that is eating her up inside.
She knows something but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Something happened to Tara Chambers.
Tara is dead.
Alice knows how she died.
She knows.
But she and three other girls swore that they’ll keep their mouth shut about what happened.
Then Tara’s brother Jack enters the picture.
Alice likes Jack.
Her conscience is killing her.
Jack told her he likes her.
Alice was restless and confused.
Will her conscience win her over and tell Tara’s brother the truth or will she keep the truth hidden forever so that they wouldn’t get in trouble?
Torn was simple and direct to the point.
This book tackled not only the human nature of self preservation but also how human conscience works.
The main character Alice was torn between doing the right thing and protecting herself and her friends.
She knew that if she opens her mouth they all would get in trouble.
Someone ending up dead because of a stupid prank was serious stuff even if what happened was an accident.
Alice was the perfect example of how the author used both the human’s concept of self-preservation and the power of the human conscience.
I mentioned earlier that this book tackled self-preservation.
Alice and her friends kept silent on what really happened to Tara because they needed to protect themselves.
They needed to stir the spotlight away from themselves.
They needed to not let people know that they had something to do with it because if it happens they were going to be facing a major major problem.
They wanted to preserve themselves even if it means that they have to lie to everyone about what happened.
I wanted to slap Alice a couple of times throughout this book because she was a total pushover.
She knew that what Cass and Polly were planning was wrong but she didn’t argue strong enough.
She doesn’t know how to stand up for herself.
There were a lot of things I didn’t like about Alice which is why I loved this book.
It shows us how a teenager would react if given the same situation.
She was imperfectly perfect for this book.
It felt real.
Alice felt real.
Tara felt real.
All the characters seemed so real to me.
Reading this book was like watching a movie.
All the characters have dimension and meaning.
The book was not all about Alice and Tara and what happened.
All the characters had their part to play and they made this book great.
All of them were flawed but great.
Torn was written in a way that you’ll relate to each and every one of the characters.
The emotions were raw and powerful.
This book has so much going on in it.
There are tons of things to learn from this book one of which is to make sure you treat other people in a way you’d like to be treated.
I honestly don’t blame them for wanting to get back at Tara because I feel that she deserved it too but what happened here was just too wrong.
Tara was not all that bad.
I actually felt sorry for her not because she died but because she got carried away with popularity that she threw away a good friendship.
Lies, Secret, Guilt, Love and Friendship made this book.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely!
I give this 4.5 stars!
She has a big secret that is eating her up inside.
She knows something but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Something happened to Tara Chambers.
Tara is dead.
Alice knows how she died.
She knows.
But she and three other girls swore that they’ll keep their mouth shut about what happened.
Then Tara’s brother Jack enters the picture.
Alice likes Jack.
Her conscience is killing her.
Jack told her he likes her.
Alice was restless and confused.
Will her conscience win her over and tell Tara’s brother the truth or will she keep the truth hidden forever so that they wouldn’t get in trouble?
Torn was simple and direct to the point.
This book tackled not only the human nature of self preservation but also how human conscience works.
The main character Alice was torn between doing the right thing and protecting herself and her friends.
She knew that if she opens her mouth they all would get in trouble.
Someone ending up dead because of a stupid prank was serious stuff even if what happened was an accident.
Alice was the perfect example of how the author used both the human’s concept of self-preservation and the power of the human conscience.
I mentioned earlier that this book tackled self-preservation.
Alice and her friends kept silent on what really happened to Tara because they needed to protect themselves.
They needed to stir the spotlight away from themselves.
They needed to not let people know that they had something to do with it because if it happens they were going to be facing a major major problem.
They wanted to preserve themselves even if it means that they have to lie to everyone about what happened.
I wanted to slap Alice a couple of times throughout this book because she was a total pushover.
She knew that what Cass and Polly were planning was wrong but she didn’t argue strong enough.
She doesn’t know how to stand up for herself.
There were a lot of things I didn’t like about Alice which is why I loved this book.
It shows us how a teenager would react if given the same situation.
She was imperfectly perfect for this book.
It felt real.
Alice felt real.
Tara felt real.
All the characters seemed so real to me.
Reading this book was like watching a movie.
All the characters have dimension and meaning.
The book was not all about Alice and Tara and what happened.
All the characters had their part to play and they made this book great.
All of them were flawed but great.
Torn was written in a way that you’ll relate to each and every one of the characters.
The emotions were raw and powerful.
This book has so much going on in it.
There are tons of things to learn from this book one of which is to make sure you treat other people in a way you’d like to be treated.
I honestly don’t blame them for wanting to get back at Tara because I feel that she deserved it too but what happened here was just too wrong.
Tara was not all that bad.
I actually felt sorry for her not because she died but because she got carried away with popularity that she threw away a good friendship.
Lies, Secret, Guilt, Love and Friendship made this book.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely!
I give this 4.5 stars!
June 9, 2012
Got a secret
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then I know you
Won't tell what I said
Cause two can keep a secret
If one of them is dead...
Sounds familiar? No shit!
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then I know you
Won't tell what I said
Cause two can keep a secret
If one of them is dead...
Sounds familiar? No shit!
August 22, 2011
Okay, Cat Clarke. I don't know whether to fall at your feet and worship you, or hunt you down and punch you in the face! But to explain why I'm feeling so torn (he he... that was unintentional but see what I did there?) would be very spoilerific. So let's get back to the whole reviewing part of this review.
I read and reviewed Clarke's first book, Entangled, a short while back. You can read my gushy praise of that incredible book here. I adored it. I adored it so much I gave it five stars (after a brief hostage situation with one of the stars anyway... For the record, Cat Clarke does not negotiate with blogorrists!). So, when I saw that Clarke was having a little competition on her blog and the prize would be the very first ARC of Torn, I had to enter.
As luck would have it, I won! I did a proper little happy dance around my kitchen when I found out (though it seems half of Twitter knew before I did, as it was through them that I heard the good news) and proceeded to sit by my mailbox and await my delivery. It arrived and I squeeled a li'l bit.
Then life, as it does, got in the way for a little while. You know how it is. Shit happens and sometimes the rug get whipped out from under our feet. Have I ever mentioned that I have the ugliest feet in the universe? But anyway... After I got the rug back in place beneath my hooves and nailed it down for good measure, I finally got around to reading Torn this afternoon. I finished it about ten minutes ago and just had to review it as soon as I possibly could. But how to do this without spoiling the ride for the rest of you?!
Let me begin by saying this: Cat Clarke is the best author of YA I have read this year. In Torn, just like in Entangled, she creates characters who you will recognise. I could see aspects of Alice in myself. The way she remembers fishing for parental compliments after parents' evenings. The way she gets annoyed if someone uses more than three dots in an ellipsis. But it wasn't just the protagonist that was painted with these evocative hues of realism.
- The "queen bee-atch", Tara, and the best-buddy Cass, both reminded me of times when my tongue was, perhaps, a little too sharp.
- The adorable Jack had trouble expressing the emotions most important to him in just the same verbally-vomiting way that I do.
- Emo, music-obsessed and antisocial Rae had a few familiar traits.
- But most of all, Alice's English teacher, Daley, reminds me a lot of me! A fairly newbie teacher who wants to save her pupils and who hopefully, remembers school well enough to see through the charades that the young-uns like to put on.
Cat Clarke is really good at creating flawed characters. I don't just mean the trivial flaws that are often prevalent in YA, (you know what I mean: "My hair is too frizzy...", "My boobs are too small", "I'm a social outcast..."). No no no. Clarke goes for the big flaws which are far more real. She creates characters who act in all the wrong and improper ways when faced with drama and calamity. They fu...dge up. They don't just mess up because it's good for the story, or because it adds necessary conflict. Her characters mess up in all the ways that real people mess up. We chicken out. We swear and get horny. We act selfishly. We hurt people to console ourselves. We bitch. We get jealous. We lie.
We do all of these things and yet whenever we read a story, don't we see ourselves as the hero? Despite all our own flaws, we all want to be the one to save the Nakatomi Towers, or defeat the Alien, or take on the Terminators. Clarke gives us protagonists who sometimes do bad things but who also want their "Yippy-ki-yay-Get-away-from-her-you-bitch-Come-with-me-if-you-want-to-live" moment. This, to me, is real and it therefore makes me really care about and empathise with her characters.
Which is great. Except Cat Clarke likes her realistic narratives so much that sometimes she has to go and put her characters in painful and impossible situations. She hurts them and, through her razor sharp prose, cuts us too! Deeply.
So darn you, Cat Clarke! You've made me cry for the second time, and for that I kind of want to throttle you and beg you to take it easy on your poor protagonists. At the same time, you've made damn sure that I will go out and buy every single book you ever write, because you're bloody terrific! Ours is to be a love-hate relationship, I think! He he he.
Lx
I read and reviewed Clarke's first book, Entangled, a short while back. You can read my gushy praise of that incredible book here. I adored it. I adored it so much I gave it five stars (after a brief hostage situation with one of the stars anyway... For the record, Cat Clarke does not negotiate with blogorrists!). So, when I saw that Clarke was having a little competition on her blog and the prize would be the very first ARC of Torn, I had to enter.
As luck would have it, I won! I did a proper little happy dance around my kitchen when I found out (though it seems half of Twitter knew before I did, as it was through them that I heard the good news) and proceeded to sit by my mailbox and await my delivery. It arrived and I squeeled a li'l bit.
Then life, as it does, got in the way for a little while. You know how it is. Shit happens and sometimes the rug get whipped out from under our feet. Have I ever mentioned that I have the ugliest feet in the universe? But anyway... After I got the rug back in place beneath my hooves and nailed it down for good measure, I finally got around to reading Torn this afternoon. I finished it about ten minutes ago and just had to review it as soon as I possibly could. But how to do this without spoiling the ride for the rest of you?!
Let me begin by saying this: Cat Clarke is the best author of YA I have read this year. In Torn, just like in Entangled, she creates characters who you will recognise. I could see aspects of Alice in myself. The way she remembers fishing for parental compliments after parents' evenings. The way she gets annoyed if someone uses more than three dots in an ellipsis. But it wasn't just the protagonist that was painted with these evocative hues of realism.
- The "queen bee-atch", Tara, and the best-buddy Cass, both reminded me of times when my tongue was, perhaps, a little too sharp.
- The adorable Jack had trouble expressing the emotions most important to him in just the same verbally-vomiting way that I do.
- Emo, music-obsessed and antisocial Rae had a few familiar traits.
- But most of all, Alice's English teacher, Daley, reminds me a lot of me! A fairly newbie teacher who wants to save her pupils and who hopefully, remembers school well enough to see through the charades that the young-uns like to put on.
Cat Clarke is really good at creating flawed characters. I don't just mean the trivial flaws that are often prevalent in YA, (you know what I mean: "My hair is too frizzy...", "My boobs are too small", "I'm a social outcast..."). No no no. Clarke goes for the big flaws which are far more real. She creates characters who act in all the wrong and improper ways when faced with drama and calamity. They fu...dge up. They don't just mess up because it's good for the story, or because it adds necessary conflict. Her characters mess up in all the ways that real people mess up. We chicken out. We swear and get horny. We act selfishly. We hurt people to console ourselves. We bitch. We get jealous. We lie.
We do all of these things and yet whenever we read a story, don't we see ourselves as the hero? Despite all our own flaws, we all want to be the one to save the Nakatomi Towers, or defeat the Alien, or take on the Terminators. Clarke gives us protagonists who sometimes do bad things but who also want their "Yippy-ki-yay-Get-away-from-her-you-bitch-Come-with-me-if-you-want-to-live" moment. This, to me, is real and it therefore makes me really care about and empathise with her characters.
Which is great. Except Cat Clarke likes her realistic narratives so much that sometimes she has to go and put her characters in painful and impossible situations. She hurts them and, through her razor sharp prose, cuts us too! Deeply.
So darn you, Cat Clarke! You've made me cry for the second time, and for that I kind of want to throttle you and beg you to take it easy on your poor protagonists. At the same time, you've made damn sure that I will go out and buy every single book you ever write, because you're bloody terrific! Ours is to be a love-hate relationship, I think! He he he.
Lx
December 10, 2018
Four girls. One dead body.
If that doesn't sell you immediately, then I don't know what will.
This is such and underhyped book. I was completely blown away the first time I read this at thirteen and it has aged remarkably well - I am still in awe of just how insanely gripping it is and how convincingly Cat Clarke writes as a contemporary teenager.
Torn is as deeply disturbing as it is heartfelt with an enthralling plot, a sarcastic bite and a bloody good twist. Clark holds the suspense taut until the very last word and the resonance is stunning. This is one of those books that is just begging to be adapted into a movie and Cat Clarke is most definitely an author to invest in.
'This is the real way a friendship ends. Not with some huge screaming row, but with a gradual withdrawal. You’d think it would be less painful this way.'
If that doesn't sell you immediately, then I don't know what will.
This is such and underhyped book. I was completely blown away the first time I read this at thirteen and it has aged remarkably well - I am still in awe of just how insanely gripping it is and how convincingly Cat Clarke writes as a contemporary teenager.
Torn is as deeply disturbing as it is heartfelt with an enthralling plot, a sarcastic bite and a bloody good twist. Clark holds the suspense taut until the very last word and the resonance is stunning. This is one of those books that is just begging to be adapted into a movie and Cat Clarke is most definitely an author to invest in.
'This is the real way a friendship ends. Not with some huge screaming row, but with a gradual withdrawal. You’d think it would be less painful this way.'
June 21, 2013
I really don't know how to sum up this book. I truly, truly hated it. The main reason for me giving this book 1 star was the complete lack of plot and any kind of build up, a very weak romantic sub-plot, no originality and total predictability, and the single most frustrating, selfish and weak characters I've probably ever read about. I think 'cringey dialogue' and 'weak plot' probably sum up this book for me, and I honestly wanted to throw the main character and her equally dull romantic counter-part into the fiery depths. The one thing really that kept me reading was the conclusion that this book would inevitably come to, and I actually would be intrigued to read about, but alas, the book ended just as it was about to happen. What a surprise. Really would not recommend to anyone.
July 11, 2013
I wanted to read this so much that I ordered it from the UK. Not one single library near me owned it. I think I was drawn in by the very pretty cover and the blurb on the back. Unfortunately, the blurb on the back is only about one quarter of the book. I expected a "We Know What you Did Last Summer" type read, and what this is.....well, it's kind of a messed up love story.
I think they should have called this book "How Not to Be A Friend", and it had the potential to be an awesome book of realistic fiction with a tinge of horror and instead it is filled with four girls who are so unbelievable in their actions that the reader cringes.
How is one supposed to understand someone who plays a part in killing a girl, pretends she is innocent, and then dates the dead girl's brother? Is the reader to believe that a character would be MORE upset over her father dating again than killing a person? I wanted to reach into this book and smack the hell out of Alice.
I wanted Polly to dangerous and Cass to have a real reason to do what they did. I wanted closure.
I think it's me. I grew up on Heathers, and thought this was going to have more meat to it.
At the same time, Cat Clarke can write. The proof is in the fact that I didn't stop reading. I just didn't like where this story went (or rather, where it didn't go). I wanted depth. I also, after getting to the very end wanted to see some sort of punishment for what was terrible, terrible behavior.
So future Torn readers, be advised that this is not a thriller.
I think they should have called this book "How Not to Be A Friend", and it had the potential to be an awesome book of realistic fiction with a tinge of horror and instead it is filled with four girls who are so unbelievable in their actions that the reader cringes.
How is one supposed to understand someone who plays a part in killing a girl, pretends she is innocent, and then dates the dead girl's brother? Is the reader to believe that a character would be MORE upset over her father dating again than killing a person? I wanted to reach into this book and smack the hell out of Alice.
I wanted Polly to dangerous and Cass to have a real reason to do what they did. I wanted closure.
I think it's me. I grew up on Heathers, and thought this was going to have more meat to it.
At the same time, Cat Clarke can write. The proof is in the fact that I didn't stop reading. I just didn't like where this story went (or rather, where it didn't go). I wanted depth. I also, after getting to the very end wanted to see some sort of punishment for what was terrible, terrible behavior.
So future Torn readers, be advised that this is not a thriller.
December 30, 2011
I FEEL ALL THE FEELINGS.
January 19, 2020
Je sais pas trop quoi dire de ce livre. C'est juste bof. J'accroche toujours pas avec Cat Clarke.
April 29, 2022
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
February 16, 2024
i did not enjoy this book, was not a fan of the writing or the story. i would have loved this as a teenager but it wasn’t for me
January 19, 2015
"Four girls. One dead body." I was so intrigued by these two sentences. I had to read it. It sounded so different from any YA book I'd read before. Four girls caught up in a murder, who wouldn't want to read that? Sadly it didn't live up to what I thought it would be.
The first part of the book was good. I loved the setting in the beginning at the funeral. The mystery at the beginning was played out well. It made you want to read on and find out what happened and how exactly these four girls were involved. However, after we find out what happened the plot line started to get really weak. I expected there be more. But no, it got turned into a very weak love story. The whole idea of "Tara's ghost" to kick start the story was weak. It was just so dull. There was no climax. By the middle of the book I just didn't care anymore. I hated that it was turned into a "romantic story." That's not what I wanted to get from this story. I felt like the romance was the main plot of the book, and Tara's whole death was gradually put to the side and used as a way to move on Jack and Alice's relationship.
The ending, for me felt like it was rushed. It's almost as if Cat Clarke was so focused on Jack and Alice, that she forget she had a murder to deal with, like "oh yes, let me just cram this in there quickly." I wanted to know more. What happened after Alice did what she did? What were the consequences on all the other girls?
I wasn't particularly a huge fan of the writing either. The short, choppy sentences, I did not like. It was like walking through honey. It didn't do anything for me. It just made the story drag out even more.
As for the characters, I felt nothing towards them. I understand they're not meant to be likeable, but I would have at least like to felt just a little ounce of emotion. I felt there was nothing there. Their grief and guilt didn't feel real to me. They were all just a bit bland, expect Rae. The only one I liked, who hardly said anything in the entire book. So much more could have been there with her, instead of just giving her the ending she had.
Overall, the idea for the plot was irresistible. Sadly, it lacked the potential of being such a great and interesting story. So much more could have been done.
The first part of the book was good. I loved the setting in the beginning at the funeral. The mystery at the beginning was played out well. It made you want to read on and find out what happened and how exactly these four girls were involved. However, after we find out what happened the plot line started to get really weak. I expected there be more. But no, it got turned into a very weak love story. The whole idea of "Tara's ghost" to kick start the story was weak. It was just so dull. There was no climax. By the middle of the book I just didn't care anymore. I hated that it was turned into a "romantic story." That's not what I wanted to get from this story. I felt like the romance was the main plot of the book, and Tara's whole death was gradually put to the side and used as a way to move on Jack and Alice's relationship.
The ending, for me felt like it was rushed. It's almost as if Cat Clarke was so focused on Jack and Alice, that she forget she had a murder to deal with, like "oh yes, let me just cram this in there quickly." I wanted to know more. What happened after Alice did what she did? What were the consequences on all the other girls?
I wasn't particularly a huge fan of the writing either. The short, choppy sentences, I did not like. It was like walking through honey. It didn't do anything for me. It just made the story drag out even more.
As for the characters, I felt nothing towards them. I understand they're not meant to be likeable, but I would have at least like to felt just a little ounce of emotion. I felt there was nothing there. Their grief and guilt didn't feel real to me. They were all just a bit bland, expect Rae. The only one I liked, who hardly said anything in the entire book. So much more could have been there with her, instead of just giving her the ending she had.
Overall, the idea for the plot was irresistible. Sadly, it lacked the potential of being such a great and interesting story. So much more could have been done.
April 6, 2014
Actual rating 4.5
Pre-reading:
I added this to my wishlist because I am a visual person :D
Had the cover saved on my laptop for weeks now as "beautiful cover" and I thought I might check the blurb today - absolutely INTRIGUING! Can't wait to buy this babe...
Post-reading.
Okay whew.
I stayed up till way past midnight to finish this and that's something that hasn't happened quite often lately.
I love it when books mess with my feelings, when I physically feel something whilst reading, that way I know I've been really sucked up into the story and somewhat emotionally attached. yay.
I think Cat Clarke's writing style is perfect for this kind of story as it's not distracting in itself but pushes to the point (does that make sense) and she let's actions speak, not words.
The whole plot is just so genius really, simple things happening that have devastating consequences, but it's all logic still and well-thought through, loose ends all got tied up in my opinion.
I never thought a book basically about guilt could be this mesmerizing but yes, it is, and I even felt uneasy simply reading about the happenings.
A very solid read, if you ask me.
I'd like to go into more detail really, but I fear that would be too spoilery.
I recommend this if you enjoy books by Sara Shepard and emotional suspense.
If you've read this: I always feel like Alice has probably least to do with it all (and Rae maybe too) but that she blames herself just as much but really it is sooooo not her fault because she had basically no clue about anything going on. grmphf.
Pre-reading:
I added this to my wishlist because I am a visual person :D
Had the cover saved on my laptop for weeks now as "beautiful cover" and I thought I might check the blurb today - absolutely INTRIGUING! Can't wait to buy this babe...
Post-reading.
Okay whew.
I stayed up till way past midnight to finish this and that's something that hasn't happened quite often lately.
I love it when books mess with my feelings, when I physically feel something whilst reading, that way I know I've been really sucked up into the story and somewhat emotionally attached. yay.
I think Cat Clarke's writing style is perfect for this kind of story as it's not distracting in itself but pushes to the point (does that make sense) and she let's actions speak, not words.
The whole plot is just so genius really, simple things happening that have devastating consequences, but it's all logic still and well-thought through, loose ends all got tied up in my opinion.
I never thought a book basically about guilt could be this mesmerizing but yes, it is, and I even felt uneasy simply reading about the happenings.
A very solid read, if you ask me.
I'd like to go into more detail really, but I fear that would be too spoilery.
I recommend this if you enjoy books by Sara Shepard and emotional suspense.
If you've read this: I always feel like Alice has probably least to do with it all (and Rae maybe too) but that she blames herself just as much but really it is sooooo not her fault because she had basically no clue about anything going on. grmphf.
August 7, 2012
I don't really know how to assess this book. It was very complex... It's got me into a right mess, it's like someone took the inside of my head and shook it like a tube of M&M's. Countless moments while reading I put the book down and just bathed in my shock. My favorite thing about this book is the fact that it's not predictable. I can normally sniff out the ending a mile off, but this book is definitely in a league of it's own in that venue. However, one of my least favorite things about this book is how Clarke would make it seem like these heavy issues were not that big of a deal. Like when Rae died, no one seemed to batter an eyelid, for some reason that death disturbed me more. I also found the 'romance' in this book incredibly annoying and the 'ghost' too. I also feel like the author took the easy way out by just randomly cutting it towards the end, like a cliffhanger effect; I feel it would've been too difficult to write a proper full ending, since there's no happy way to finish things. Although, it does give you a good think about popularity, so-called friendships and revenge.
Should we judge people by the good in their hearts or the horror of their acts?
Should we judge people by the good in their hearts or the horror of their acts?
November 8, 2021
Cruelles est mon premier Cat Clarke et je ne suis pas déçue. Je compte lire d’autres livres de cet auteur!
Le titre « Cruelles » m’a fait avant ma lecture, soupçonner un tas de théories sur ce livre. En fait, le titre m’es tellement resté dans la tête que à chaque fois qu’un personnage disait ou faisait quelque chose je me disais « haaaa mais cruel c’est donc pour ça » et cela, tout le long du roman. Le titre se transforme en véritable concept. Même si ce n’était pas forcément cruel j’avais l’impression que ça l’était.
J’appréhendais aussi ma lecture à cause du résumé qui sonne vraiment cliché, Américain etc. Et pourtant…
J’ai adoré l’ambiance général du roman. Il ne se passe pas grand chose, mais psychologiquement ça cogite beaucoup. J’ai adoré Alice et les autres personnages, même si plus on avance dans l’histoire, plus ils sont malaisants. Il n’y a pas de bons ou de mauvais personnages, ils sont tous cruels à leur manière.
La suite de ma chronique: https://uneplumedetrop.wordpress.com/...
Le titre « Cruelles » m’a fait avant ma lecture, soupçonner un tas de théories sur ce livre. En fait, le titre m’es tellement resté dans la tête que à chaque fois qu’un personnage disait ou faisait quelque chose je me disais « haaaa mais cruel c’est donc pour ça » et cela, tout le long du roman. Le titre se transforme en véritable concept. Même si ce n’était pas forcément cruel j’avais l’impression que ça l’était.
J’appréhendais aussi ma lecture à cause du résumé qui sonne vraiment cliché, Américain etc. Et pourtant…
J’ai adoré l’ambiance général du roman. Il ne se passe pas grand chose, mais psychologiquement ça cogite beaucoup. J’ai adoré Alice et les autres personnages, même si plus on avance dans l’histoire, plus ils sont malaisants. Il n’y a pas de bons ou de mauvais personnages, ils sont tous cruels à leur manière.
La suite de ma chronique: https://uneplumedetrop.wordpress.com/...
February 22, 2019
Une histoire agréable à suivre, aussi bien au niveau de la psychologisation des personnages qu’au niveau de la narration mise en place. Alice est au départ un personnage semblant beaucoup trop lisse, innocent et ennuyeux, pour finalement se relever de plus en plus Cruelles, tout comme ses amies. J’aurais peut-être aimé voir plus de cruauté et avoir une conclusion plus adaptée, mais il est clair que la fin nous laisse sur un suspens insoutenable.
May 19, 2017
I just LOVE Cat Clarke. I love that she takes us to such dark places and makes us feel everything! I loved this one particularly because she talks about something close to my heart and something I struggle with daily.
I always fly through her books because I just can't get enough of them her writing style is so easy to get in to and keep you there.
Can't wait for another one :)
I always fly through her books because I just can't get enough of them her writing style is so easy to get in to and keep you there.
Can't wait for another one :)
August 20, 2022
I think I have found my new favourite author ❤️
yay🎉
yay🎉
February 27, 2017
A Magical World Of WordsOoooh *shivers*
I really enjoyed this book.
It wasn't a nice story in the slightest, but it was decently written and constantly entertaining. I literally could not put the book down. I was utterly gripped, terrified, and freaked out. It was vividly and intimately haunting, and the subject matter was agonising. It was a probing look into the lives of school girls made even more horrifying by the fact that they were my age. It was creepy and frightening for me to read about their experiences all the while knowing I could be in their place. It was chilling and real, and it was gut-wrenching.
On a side note, suicide and murder were mentioned frequently. This was a very dark story.
The plot wasn't original. And the characters - while vivid - were stereotypical and predictable. Yet they moved me, and they felt real to me, and in the end the stereotypes weren't as annoying as they might have been.
.The dialogue wasn't great, and the story took predictable and unoriginal turns. Still, I thought it drastically improved after the incident of Tara's death; before her death, it was much more cliche and the foreshadowing seemed forced. Afterwards, the characters became much more fully realised, and I loved seeing all their secrets come to light. It allowed me to better understand their previous actions, and I loved watching them as they revealed their true colours.
.I didn't like any of the characters. I could relate to Alice a bit, and at first I rather liked the teacher, Daley, but ultimately there was no one I was rooting for; if you can put it like that. Towards the end, however, I did really grow to like Danni. She was strong and interesting, and I enjoyed seeing her true character show itself after Tara's death.
I wasn't a big fan of the romance. It was predictable, lukewarm, and boring.
I feel like I should explain to you why this review is largely negative but I'm still giving the book 4 flowers ;)
Well, I enjoyed reading it.
Torn was gripping, terrifying, entertaining and tragic. It certainly had its flaws, but I really "enjoyed" getting lost in the horrifying, gut-wrenching, dark world of teenage lies, love, insecurities, and fears.
March 29, 2021
4 stars.
(Here are some trigger warnings. Nothing in depth in this review, only mentions of a teenager's death).
Cat Clarke out here impressing me again.
A school trip to a Scottish lake in the middle of nowhere isn't exactly Alice's idea of fun. And if squeezing through tiny caves wasn't bad enough, Alice has to share a cabin with Tara Chambers - her ex-bestfriend who now runs the school. Tara is even more mad about it than Alice and the others in their cabin, and the queen bee doesn't bother hiding her feelings. Eventually, Tara takes things too far and Alice and her friends decide it's about time someone taught the mean girl a lesson. But when their plan goes horribly wrong, the girls are burdened with a terrible secret that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. With Tara out of the picture, things were bound to change back at school. But whilst the teachers are optimistic, for Alice and the others in the cabin, the world has never looked darker.
I'll come right out and confirm it: I enjoyed Torn more than my first Cat Clarke novel, Undone, which I read last year. That's probably due to a number of things, but I'll mention the main reasons...
Firstly, Alice is a much more likeable narrator. I felt that she had great depth and background, and I enjoyed reading her voice.
Secondly, the romance hit. This is likely in part due to my friend hyping Alice and Jack long before I started this book (thanks, bro), but also partially due to Jack being a total dream. I don't think I could dislike him if I tried, so Clarke bagged herself a lot of praise pretty easily with that one.
It is also worth mentioning that Clarke built a pretty strong supporting cast, aside from Jack. I particularly liked scenes featuring Alice's Dad, and the mysteriously complex Polly.
There were a few things I didn't love about Torn. For starters, there were a couple of loose ends that deserved more closure by the end of the novel, such as Danni's character, or Tara's family. I also felt that many of the pseudo-therapy sessions with Alice and Miss Daley fell flat and felt like unnecessary fillers.
However, I still liked this book a lot, and remain keen to read more by Clarke. I like her direct, no-nonsense writing and slightly dark, complicated subject matter. I think that justifies me picking up another of her books.
(Here are some trigger warnings. Nothing in depth in this review, only mentions of a teenager's death).
Cat Clarke out here impressing me again.
A school trip to a Scottish lake in the middle of nowhere isn't exactly Alice's idea of fun. And if squeezing through tiny caves wasn't bad enough, Alice has to share a cabin with Tara Chambers - her ex-bestfriend who now runs the school. Tara is even more mad about it than Alice and the others in their cabin, and the queen bee doesn't bother hiding her feelings. Eventually, Tara takes things too far and Alice and her friends decide it's about time someone taught the mean girl a lesson. But when their plan goes horribly wrong, the girls are burdened with a terrible secret that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. With Tara out of the picture, things were bound to change back at school. But whilst the teachers are optimistic, for Alice and the others in the cabin, the world has never looked darker.
I'll come right out and confirm it: I enjoyed Torn more than my first Cat Clarke novel, Undone, which I read last year. That's probably due to a number of things, but I'll mention the main reasons...
Firstly, Alice is a much more likeable narrator. I felt that she had great depth and background, and I enjoyed reading her voice.
Secondly, the romance hit. This is likely in part due to my friend hyping Alice and Jack long before I started this book (thanks, bro), but also partially due to Jack being a total dream. I don't think I could dislike him if I tried, so Clarke bagged herself a lot of praise pretty easily with that one.
It is also worth mentioning that Clarke built a pretty strong supporting cast, aside from Jack. I particularly liked scenes featuring Alice's Dad, and the mysteriously complex Polly.
There were a few things I didn't love about Torn. For starters, there were a couple of loose ends that deserved more closure by the end of the novel, such as Danni's character, or Tara's family. I also felt that many of the pseudo-therapy sessions with Alice and Miss Daley fell flat and felt like unnecessary fillers.
However, I still liked this book a lot, and remain keen to read more by Clarke. I like her direct, no-nonsense writing and slightly dark, complicated subject matter. I think that justifies me picking up another of her books.
January 6, 2019
"A funeral without a body is like a wedding without a bride, or a groom."
This is my second read of Torn and I still ended up feeling like I've been punched in the gut.
From the moment Torn starts, we are told about the mystery surrounding Tara's death and while the details surrounding her death are revealed quite early, they become more murky, disturbing and messed up as the story progresses.
The characters in Torn might be stereotypical, there's the mean girls, the emo chick and the social outcast, but the way that they act and the emotions that they go through are real. None of the characters in Torn are likable. They are flawed and their actions are disturbing. However, while I felt like screaming at the characters to just do the right thing, I understood why they weren't doing it. The characters in Torn might not be likable, but their stories are extremely compelling. A lot of it boils down to the fact that Cat Clarke is able to get into her characters heads and shows how every little thing that they go through impacts them.
I'm extremely conflicted about the romance in Torn. The relationship between Alice and Jack, Tara's little brother, is destined to fail from the moment that it starts , but they have one of those cute first-love teenage romances. The romance isn't special or unique, but every moment that Jack and Alice were together made me worry because I was just waiting for her to tell him the truth.
The best part about Torn is the analysis of grief, guilt, anxiety and human self-preservation as well as the emotional effects and consequences of the characters actions. Ghost Tara was an interesting manifestation of Alice's trauma and guilt.
I understand that Torn is mostly about Alice dealing with the events that occurred, the aftermath and the choices that come with it, but I didn't like the open ending.
Cat Clarke is not afraid to put her characters through the most. Torn made me confront disturbing situations. Torn put me, the reader, in an uncomfortable situation. Torn made me think. Torn is filled with powerful, raw and painful emotions that tore me to pieces.
"Maybe this is how madness works. At first you're worried you're going crazy, but in the end you don't even care. You embrace it; it's the only thing you've got left." (Alice King)
August 10, 2014
Alice King, jeune lycéenne de 16 ans, part en voyage scolaire en Écosse, dans un trou perdu. Sur place, elle partage son châlet avec sa meilleure amie, Cass, une gothique trop renfermée sur elle-même, Rae, une fille totalement asociale, Polly, mais aussi avec Tara, la peste de service, mais aussi la plus populaire. Cass et Polly n'en pouvant plus des humiliations publiques quotidiennes que leur fait subir Tara, elles décident de monter un plan pour lui faire peur. Mais quand Tara meurt pendant l’exécution de ce plan, quelle solution reste-t-il aux filles?
Ce roman porte bien son nom... Cruelles. Parce que c'est cruel ce qui arrive, cruelle est leur décision, cruel est la vie après la mort de Tara. L'histoire s'ouvre sur son enterrement, et à partir de là, j'ai eu qu'une seule envie: celle de découvrir au plus vite comment elle est morte. Et une fois passer ça, on se demande bien comment les filles vont faire pour garder le secret, certaines vont changer après ça...
Je n'ai pas vu les 400 pages passer, Cat Clarke nous emmène avec elle dans ce drame, sans nous lâcher une seule seconde. L'histoire est plutôt bien écrite, fluide, allant à l'essentiel. Que dire de plus? Je n'ai vraiment aucun point négatif à soulever de ce côté là, si ce n'est qu'une coquille qui s'est glissée dans le texte, inversant les personnages Polly/Rae pendant un très court moment.
J'ai totalement adoré le personnage d'Alice, totalement torturée par ses sentiments et le drame, qui ne sais plus où donner de la tête. Plus elle en apprend sur cette histoire sordide, plus on sent son désespoir et son envie d'en finir avec ce lourd secret. Sans vouloir spoiler, je m'étais imaginé une fin totalement différente pour Alice, autant dire que celle-ci m'a surprise, mais j'en reste tout de même satisfaite.
En bref, pour une première plongée dans les romans de Cat Clarke, je suis ab-so-lu-ment satisfaite et très contente! Merci beaucoup à ma binôme Cece de m'avoir aider à sauté le pas en me le choisissant pour notre lecture mensuelle
Ce roman porte bien son nom... Cruelles. Parce que c'est cruel ce qui arrive, cruelle est leur décision, cruel est la vie après la mort de Tara. L'histoire s'ouvre sur son enterrement, et à partir de là, j'ai eu qu'une seule envie: celle de découvrir au plus vite comment elle est morte. Et une fois passer ça, on se demande bien comment les filles vont faire pour garder le secret, certaines vont changer après ça...
Je n'ai pas vu les 400 pages passer, Cat Clarke nous emmène avec elle dans ce drame, sans nous lâcher une seule seconde. L'histoire est plutôt bien écrite, fluide, allant à l'essentiel. Que dire de plus? Je n'ai vraiment aucun point négatif à soulever de ce côté là, si ce n'est qu'une coquille qui s'est glissée dans le texte, inversant les personnages Polly/Rae pendant un très court moment.
J'ai totalement adoré le personnage d'Alice, totalement torturée par ses sentiments et le drame, qui ne sais plus où donner de la tête. Plus elle en apprend sur cette histoire sordide, plus on sent son désespoir et son envie d'en finir avec ce lourd secret. Sans vouloir spoiler, je m'étais imaginé une fin totalement différente pour Alice, autant dire que celle-ci m'a surprise, mais j'en reste tout de même satisfaite.
En bref, pour une première plongée dans les romans de Cat Clarke, je suis ab-so-lu-ment satisfaite et très contente! Merci beaucoup à ma binôme Cece de m'avoir aider à sauté le pas en me le choisissant pour notre lecture mensuelle
July 6, 2012
Cat Clarke is one of the those rare YA authors that actually write truthful books. Books that really hit at your emotions yet feel as though they were written purely for the teen market. You could easily compare her to the likes of Courtney Summers, Laurie Halse Anderson and Joanna Nadin all of whom write brilliantly written young adult fiction.
Torn is Cat’s second novel after the wonderfully written Entangled. Torn tells us the story of Alice, a teenagers from London who is hiding a dark and terrible secret. Haunted by the ghost of her old friend Tara and seriously questioning those around her Alice struggles to come to terms with Tara’s death and who really caused it.
The book is, simply put, a fantastic read. The character of Alice of the page and you feel so sympathetic to her even after what she involved in. The whole narrative captivates from the start and has you gripped to the book until you finally finish. I was so hooked by this book that I read the whole thing in just a few hours.
Cat’s way of writing is simple but at the same time so full of emotions that really pulls at your heart. I found myself loving Alice’s character and really wanting her to find closure over Tara’s death. Secondary characters such as Alice’s best friend Cass, the quiet Rae, more-than-she-seems-to-be Polly and Tara’s borther Jack all have thier own voices. You find yourself laughing, crying or wanting to kill them because of their characteristics and voices.
The ending was well thought out and had me desperate for just one more chapter and you really do keep guessing over the whole truth of Tara’s death right up until the end of the book.
I really enjoyed this book and actually cannot wait to read it again. Well done Cat, a truly brilliant book.
Original Review: Here
Torn is Cat’s second novel after the wonderfully written Entangled. Torn tells us the story of Alice, a teenagers from London who is hiding a dark and terrible secret. Haunted by the ghost of her old friend Tara and seriously questioning those around her Alice struggles to come to terms with Tara’s death and who really caused it.
The book is, simply put, a fantastic read. The character of Alice of the page and you feel so sympathetic to her even after what she involved in. The whole narrative captivates from the start and has you gripped to the book until you finally finish. I was so hooked by this book that I read the whole thing in just a few hours.
Cat’s way of writing is simple but at the same time so full of emotions that really pulls at your heart. I found myself loving Alice’s character and really wanting her to find closure over Tara’s death. Secondary characters such as Alice’s best friend Cass, the quiet Rae, more-than-she-seems-to-be Polly and Tara’s borther Jack all have thier own voices. You find yourself laughing, crying or wanting to kill them because of their characteristics and voices.
The ending was well thought out and had me desperate for just one more chapter and you really do keep guessing over the whole truth of Tara’s death right up until the end of the book.
I really enjoyed this book and actually cannot wait to read it again. Well done Cat, a truly brilliant book.
Original Review: Here
September 5, 2015
It’s too weird to think about – how death seems to rewrite all the rules.
That about sums up the book. Some strange and scary shit goes down and all you can do is keep turning the pages to find out how it ends.
Alice - My heart is clearly stupid. It has a tendency to get overexcited for no reason.
Alice's gentle sarcasm and storytelling sucked me in fast. I don't know what it is about her, I just liked her tone. She's a normal, extremely average girl.
There's something so sinister and subtle about her story that I didn't realise I couldn't put the book down until it was too late.
Alice asks some good questions with the twisted situations she finds herself in. The plot stretches out in a different direction than I originally thought it would.
As the story moves on, it starts getting a bit psychologically convoluted and all kinds of mind-effing delicious. I mean, who's really the bad guy?
That about sums up the book. Some strange and scary shit goes down and all you can do is keep turning the pages to find out how it ends.
Alice - My heart is clearly stupid. It has a tendency to get overexcited for no reason.
Alice's gentle sarcasm and storytelling sucked me in fast. I don't know what it is about her, I just liked her tone. She's a normal, extremely average girl.
There's something so sinister and subtle about her story that I didn't realise I couldn't put the book down until it was too late.
Alice asks some good questions with the twisted situations she finds herself in. The plot stretches out in a different direction than I originally thought it would.
As the story moves on, it starts getting a bit psychologically convoluted and all kinds of mind-effing delicious. I mean, who's really the bad guy?
April 20, 2012
I'm trying to remember a time when I enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed this one. A time when I actually read an entire book in only one day. This book was amazing. I have only just finished reading it and my emotions are all jumbled and mashed up in a state of never wanting to part from reading this book.
The main character Alice, I loved her. I actually loved her. She was so perfect even though she was kind of messed up with everything that had happened. I think it's the way the author really made me feel connected with her and her emotions. She's torn between doing the right or doing the wrong thing in order to protect herself and her "friends." This book was perfect from begging to end. The writing flowed perfectly and had me completely wrapped up in the story.
Ending spoiler:
The main character Alice, I loved her. I actually loved her. She was so perfect even though she was kind of messed up with everything that had happened. I think it's the way the author really made me feel connected with her and her emotions. She's torn between doing the right or doing the wrong thing in order to protect herself and her "friends." This book was perfect from begging to end. The writing flowed perfectly and had me completely wrapped up in the story.
Ending spoiler:
April 29, 2018
So often when I'm reading a Cat Clarke book, I'll read it in one sitting. They're entertaining, easy, accessible, and this one was no exception. Cat's books are kind of like domestic thrillers, just YA, basically.
I guess my problem moving forward with her writing is that I have zero emotional connection to any of her plots or characters. I don't know if that's important to Cat when writing, but it's important to me when reading - EVEN if it's a thriller!! I don't think I can honestly say I've ever given a book over four stars or over if I haven't felt emotionally invested in the outcome of SOME element, if not the entire thing.
So yeah I think these stories are easy to read, some better than others, and quite fun in places, but I just struggle to invest in them. If that's not a necessity for you as a reader and entertainment is more important then I think you'd definitely enjoy Cat Clarke's books, this one included.
I guess my problem moving forward with her writing is that I have zero emotional connection to any of her plots or characters. I don't know if that's important to Cat when writing, but it's important to me when reading - EVEN if it's a thriller!! I don't think I can honestly say I've ever given a book over four stars or over if I haven't felt emotionally invested in the outcome of SOME element, if not the entire thing.
So yeah I think these stories are easy to read, some better than others, and quite fun in places, but I just struggle to invest in them. If that's not a necessity for you as a reader and entertainment is more important then I think you'd definitely enjoy Cat Clarke's books, this one included.
April 28, 2013
http://wandering-world.skyrock.com/31...
Je crois qu'on devrait coller une étiquette "Attention, livres impossibles à lâcher" sur les romans de Cat Clarke. Vous avez sûrement déjà entendu parler de CONFUSION, son premier roman ? Livre qui avait été un énorme coup de cœur pour moi, et qui m'avait permis de découvrir cette auteure au style si particulier. J'ai retrouvé avec TORN toutes les émotions à la fois violentes et captivantes que m'avait procuré CONFUSION. Cat Clarke a un truc. Un truc qui fait que son monde, ses mots, ses personnages et son histoire nous prennent aux tripes, nous coupent le souffle, nous habitent et nous obsèdent longtemps après avoir terminé le roman. Même si la conclusion de TORN m'a moins pris au dépourvu que celle de CONFUSION, et qu'elle me frustre énormément vu qu'elle est très ouverte, je sais pertinemment que ce récit va autant me perturber et m'enivrer que mon précédent coup de cœur. Pour tout vous dire, je ressors de ma lecture complètement perdu. Je suis à la fois grisé, à bout de souffle, agacé, renversé, frustré, ébloui et complètement sous le charme. Difficile de faire la part des choses dans des conditions pareilles !
Une fois de plus, Cat Clarke a su créer une histoire troublante et passionnante, où amour, tensions, revanche, amitié déchues, désillusions, désir et espoirs adolescents se mêlent, s'entrecroisent, se lient et se déchirent. J'ai vraiment beaucoup de mal à retranscrire tout ce que j'ai ressenti en découvrant au fur et à mesure de ma lecture l'évolution de l'intrigue. Je pense que le résumé donne suffisamment l'eau à la bouche comme ça. Quatre adolescentes, un voyage scolaire, un meurtre, des vies bouleversées à jamais. Comment ne pas vouloir en savoir plus ? Cat Clarke a eu la brillante idée de démarrer son récit par des funérailles, en plus. Ainsi, on rentre immédiatement dans l'histoire. L'auteure va droit au début, et c'est ultra rafraîchissant. Surtout qu'elle sait comment nous faire saliver et nous tenir en haleine. Pendant toute notre lecture on se demande "mais qu'est-ce qui va se passer ensuite ?", "qui va craquer ?", "comment vont-elles assumer leurs actes ?". Les interrogations s'accumulent sans cesse, et Cat Clarke prend un plaisir malsain à y répondre seulement à la fin. On se ronge les ongles, on s'imagine des dizaines de scénarios possibles, on évite certaines conclusions qui nous paraissent trop horribles et on panique devant les décisions que prend l'auteure... Bref, impossible de rester de marbre en lisant TORN !
Évidemment, TORN, ce n'est pas seulement l'histoire de quatre filles qui tuent quelqu'un et qui semblent s'en sortir. Tout cela serait bien trop simple. TORN, c'est surtout l'histoire d'Alice, une des adolescentes, justement. Haaaaaaaaaaa, Alice !!! Exactement comme pour Grace dans CONFUSION, Cat Clarke nous la décrit de façon parfaite. Elle parvient à littéralement faire naître un personnage sous nos yeux. Je pourrais croiser Alice n'importe où. Vous le pourriez, vous aussi, pour la simple et bonne raison qu'elle paraît TELLEMENT vraie ! L'auteure sait complètement comment décrire le monde impitoyable qu'est celui du lycée, de l'adolescence, du passage à l'âge adulte et de tous les troubles qui en découlent. Alice est humaine. Vraie. Authentique. Chaque parcelle du roman décrite derrière son regard et P-A-R-F-A-I-T-E. C'est encore mieux que de regarder un film. Tout est net, clair, précis. C'est fascinant !
Mais l'auteure ne s'arrête pas là, puisque pratiquement tout le récit et basé sur sa manière de réagir après le meurtre. Là, on joue véritablement avec la santé mentale de l'héroïne. Et, vous me connaissez, j'ai adoré ça !!! On ne peut pas s'empêcher de se demander si Alice ne va pas exploser, devenir dingue, tout quitter ou faire comme si de rien n'était. On reste suspendus au moindre mot qui s'échappe de ses lèvres, à la moindre pensée qui effleure son esprit, au moindre petit choix qu'elle fait. Franchement, je n'ai connu ça qu'avec Cat Clarke, je crois. Elle possède vraiment un don pour nous rendre accros et faire de son récit un objet sur lequel toute notre attention est portée ! Quel bonheur !
Nous ne découvrons pas seulement les réactions d'Alice et sa nouvelle vie après cet évènement bouleversant. Il y a aussi Cass, Rae et Polly, ainsi que Jack, le frère de Tara. Mon dieu, que j'ai adoré décrypter leurs comportements et leurs réactions à eux aussi ! Chaque personnage représente, pour moi, une façon de réagir face à la mort de quelqu'un. Folie, amour, vengeance, profit ou encore profonde tristesse... Aucun sentiment ne nous est épargné. L'histoire de ses cinq protagonistes est vraiment saisissante. Là aussi, on se demande sans cesse "qui est la personne la plus faible ?", "qui va faire une erreur et va révéler le secret au grand jour ?", ou encore "jusqu'où Alice est prête à aller avec Jack ?". Bref, encore tout un tas de questions, mais qui gravitent cette fois autour de personnages tout aussi magnifiquement bien décrits que celui d'Alice. Les rapports entre eux sont bourrés de justesse et de vérités. C'est tout un monde réel et logique qui s'offre à nous, et on a véritablement aucun mal à s'y laisser piéger.
Autre aspect sensationnel de ma lecture : mes retrouvailles avec l'écriture de Cat Clarke. J'avais déjà succombé à elle en lisant CONFUSION. Tout est clair, concis, et on va directement au cœur-même des choses. Ici, l'auteure fait un pas de plus dans sa perfection. Elle a réussi à me faire pleurer de rire alors que l'ambiance du roman est lourde, mais dans le meilleur sens du terme qui existe. Cat Clarke sait comment ébranler nos sentiments en un claquement de doigt. J'ai ri, j'ai eu les larmes aux yeux, j'ai angoissé comme jamais et j'ai stressé au point de jeter le roman sur mon lit de peur de découvrir ce qui m'attendais dans la suite de l'histoire. Elle n'hésite pas à en faire voir de toutes les couleurs à ses personnages, à les faire souffrir et ne rien leur épargner. Elle décrit avec rigueur et de manière efficace tous les sentiments qui nous parcourent et nous consument à certaines périodes de notre vie. Tout est exact. Tout est juste. Tout est dévastateur.
Seul défaut : la conclusion. Haaaalala, que je suis frustré et en colère de devoir dire ça ! Avec la fin juste annihilante et ravageuse de CONFUSION, je m'attendais à, une fois de plus, en prendre plein la tête. C'est exactement ce qu'il s'est passé, mais pas de la manière dont je l'espérais. Il reste malheureusement pas mal d'interrogations en suspens, et de destins trop flous pour complètement me satisfaire. J'ai eu l'impression que Cat Clarke avait décidé de laisser certains personnages de côté pour seulement se concentrer sur Alice dans les ultimes pages. Elle ne s'embête pas à nous offrir les réponses à des questions pourtant très souvent mises en avant. La fin est quand même pas mal ouverte, en fait. C'est aussi simple que ça. Sauf que les fins ouvertes et moi, ça fait deux. Par contre, je comprends très bien pourquoi l'auteure a choisi cette voie. Ainsi, elle continue d'avancer dans le chemin réaliste qu'elle a choisi de prendre. Tout cela ne fait que rajouter "du vrai" à l'histoire. Mais, au final, je suis plus frustré qu'autre chose, lol ! Et c'est vraiment terriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiible !!! Par contre, les toutes dernières lignes m'ont vraiment marqué et achevé ! Je peux, sans l'ombre d'un doute, affirmer que l'histoire d'Alice, Cass, Rae, Polly, Jack et Tara va me hanter et m'obséder encore un bout de temps !
Au final, TORN est pratiquement tout aussi bon et jouissif à lire que CONFUSION. Si ce n'est pas un coup de cœur à cause de sa conclusion ouverte, ce roman reste envoûtant, noir, consumant, et merveilleusement bien écrit. Cat Clarke a, une nouvelle fois, su me combler et me convaincre qu'elle était une des meilleures auteures YA qui existe ( et qu'il faut qu'elle continue à écrire encore et encore et encore et encore :p ). En fait, je crois que je vais même pouvoir nommer cet effet qu'elle a sur moi « l'Effet Cat Clarke », puisqu'il n'y qu'avec elle que je ressens mes émotions de façon aussi palpitante et intense. TORN est une véritable perle. Une bombe qui n'a pas fini de me brûler de me fasciner. Je vais désormais devoir attendre la fin du mois de Janvier pour pouvoir me jeter sur le troisième roman de l'auteure, UNDONE, qui, j'en suis sûr, va autant me renverser que TORN et CONFUSION. Une lecture exaltante, dramatique et vibrante, à ne pas manquer.
Je crois qu'on devrait coller une étiquette "Attention, livres impossibles à lâcher" sur les romans de Cat Clarke. Vous avez sûrement déjà entendu parler de CONFUSION, son premier roman ? Livre qui avait été un énorme coup de cœur pour moi, et qui m'avait permis de découvrir cette auteure au style si particulier. J'ai retrouvé avec TORN toutes les émotions à la fois violentes et captivantes que m'avait procuré CONFUSION. Cat Clarke a un truc. Un truc qui fait que son monde, ses mots, ses personnages et son histoire nous prennent aux tripes, nous coupent le souffle, nous habitent et nous obsèdent longtemps après avoir terminé le roman. Même si la conclusion de TORN m'a moins pris au dépourvu que celle de CONFUSION, et qu'elle me frustre énormément vu qu'elle est très ouverte, je sais pertinemment que ce récit va autant me perturber et m'enivrer que mon précédent coup de cœur. Pour tout vous dire, je ressors de ma lecture complètement perdu. Je suis à la fois grisé, à bout de souffle, agacé, renversé, frustré, ébloui et complètement sous le charme. Difficile de faire la part des choses dans des conditions pareilles !
Une fois de plus, Cat Clarke a su créer une histoire troublante et passionnante, où amour, tensions, revanche, amitié déchues, désillusions, désir et espoirs adolescents se mêlent, s'entrecroisent, se lient et se déchirent. J'ai vraiment beaucoup de mal à retranscrire tout ce que j'ai ressenti en découvrant au fur et à mesure de ma lecture l'évolution de l'intrigue. Je pense que le résumé donne suffisamment l'eau à la bouche comme ça. Quatre adolescentes, un voyage scolaire, un meurtre, des vies bouleversées à jamais. Comment ne pas vouloir en savoir plus ? Cat Clarke a eu la brillante idée de démarrer son récit par des funérailles, en plus. Ainsi, on rentre immédiatement dans l'histoire. L'auteure va droit au début, et c'est ultra rafraîchissant. Surtout qu'elle sait comment nous faire saliver et nous tenir en haleine. Pendant toute notre lecture on se demande "mais qu'est-ce qui va se passer ensuite ?", "qui va craquer ?", "comment vont-elles assumer leurs actes ?". Les interrogations s'accumulent sans cesse, et Cat Clarke prend un plaisir malsain à y répondre seulement à la fin. On se ronge les ongles, on s'imagine des dizaines de scénarios possibles, on évite certaines conclusions qui nous paraissent trop horribles et on panique devant les décisions que prend l'auteure... Bref, impossible de rester de marbre en lisant TORN !
Évidemment, TORN, ce n'est pas seulement l'histoire de quatre filles qui tuent quelqu'un et qui semblent s'en sortir. Tout cela serait bien trop simple. TORN, c'est surtout l'histoire d'Alice, une des adolescentes, justement. Haaaaaaaaaaa, Alice !!! Exactement comme pour Grace dans CONFUSION, Cat Clarke nous la décrit de façon parfaite. Elle parvient à littéralement faire naître un personnage sous nos yeux. Je pourrais croiser Alice n'importe où. Vous le pourriez, vous aussi, pour la simple et bonne raison qu'elle paraît TELLEMENT vraie ! L'auteure sait complètement comment décrire le monde impitoyable qu'est celui du lycée, de l'adolescence, du passage à l'âge adulte et de tous les troubles qui en découlent. Alice est humaine. Vraie. Authentique. Chaque parcelle du roman décrite derrière son regard et P-A-R-F-A-I-T-E. C'est encore mieux que de regarder un film. Tout est net, clair, précis. C'est fascinant !
Mais l'auteure ne s'arrête pas là, puisque pratiquement tout le récit et basé sur sa manière de réagir après le meurtre. Là, on joue véritablement avec la santé mentale de l'héroïne. Et, vous me connaissez, j'ai adoré ça !!! On ne peut pas s'empêcher de se demander si Alice ne va pas exploser, devenir dingue, tout quitter ou faire comme si de rien n'était. On reste suspendus au moindre mot qui s'échappe de ses lèvres, à la moindre pensée qui effleure son esprit, au moindre petit choix qu'elle fait. Franchement, je n'ai connu ça qu'avec Cat Clarke, je crois. Elle possède vraiment un don pour nous rendre accros et faire de son récit un objet sur lequel toute notre attention est portée ! Quel bonheur !
Nous ne découvrons pas seulement les réactions d'Alice et sa nouvelle vie après cet évènement bouleversant. Il y a aussi Cass, Rae et Polly, ainsi que Jack, le frère de Tara. Mon dieu, que j'ai adoré décrypter leurs comportements et leurs réactions à eux aussi ! Chaque personnage représente, pour moi, une façon de réagir face à la mort de quelqu'un. Folie, amour, vengeance, profit ou encore profonde tristesse... Aucun sentiment ne nous est épargné. L'histoire de ses cinq protagonistes est vraiment saisissante. Là aussi, on se demande sans cesse "qui est la personne la plus faible ?", "qui va faire une erreur et va révéler le secret au grand jour ?", ou encore "jusqu'où Alice est prête à aller avec Jack ?". Bref, encore tout un tas de questions, mais qui gravitent cette fois autour de personnages tout aussi magnifiquement bien décrits que celui d'Alice. Les rapports entre eux sont bourrés de justesse et de vérités. C'est tout un monde réel et logique qui s'offre à nous, et on a véritablement aucun mal à s'y laisser piéger.
Autre aspect sensationnel de ma lecture : mes retrouvailles avec l'écriture de Cat Clarke. J'avais déjà succombé à elle en lisant CONFUSION. Tout est clair, concis, et on va directement au cœur-même des choses. Ici, l'auteure fait un pas de plus dans sa perfection. Elle a réussi à me faire pleurer de rire alors que l'ambiance du roman est lourde, mais dans le meilleur sens du terme qui existe. Cat Clarke sait comment ébranler nos sentiments en un claquement de doigt. J'ai ri, j'ai eu les larmes aux yeux, j'ai angoissé comme jamais et j'ai stressé au point de jeter le roman sur mon lit de peur de découvrir ce qui m'attendais dans la suite de l'histoire. Elle n'hésite pas à en faire voir de toutes les couleurs à ses personnages, à les faire souffrir et ne rien leur épargner. Elle décrit avec rigueur et de manière efficace tous les sentiments qui nous parcourent et nous consument à certaines périodes de notre vie. Tout est exact. Tout est juste. Tout est dévastateur.
Seul défaut : la conclusion. Haaaalala, que je suis frustré et en colère de devoir dire ça ! Avec la fin juste annihilante et ravageuse de CONFUSION, je m'attendais à, une fois de plus, en prendre plein la tête. C'est exactement ce qu'il s'est passé, mais pas de la manière dont je l'espérais. Il reste malheureusement pas mal d'interrogations en suspens, et de destins trop flous pour complètement me satisfaire. J'ai eu l'impression que Cat Clarke avait décidé de laisser certains personnages de côté pour seulement se concentrer sur Alice dans les ultimes pages. Elle ne s'embête pas à nous offrir les réponses à des questions pourtant très souvent mises en avant. La fin est quand même pas mal ouverte, en fait. C'est aussi simple que ça. Sauf que les fins ouvertes et moi, ça fait deux. Par contre, je comprends très bien pourquoi l'auteure a choisi cette voie. Ainsi, elle continue d'avancer dans le chemin réaliste qu'elle a choisi de prendre. Tout cela ne fait que rajouter "du vrai" à l'histoire. Mais, au final, je suis plus frustré qu'autre chose, lol ! Et c'est vraiment terriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiible !!! Par contre, les toutes dernières lignes m'ont vraiment marqué et achevé ! Je peux, sans l'ombre d'un doute, affirmer que l'histoire d'Alice, Cass, Rae, Polly, Jack et Tara va me hanter et m'obséder encore un bout de temps !
Au final, TORN est pratiquement tout aussi bon et jouissif à lire que CONFUSION. Si ce n'est pas un coup de cœur à cause de sa conclusion ouverte, ce roman reste envoûtant, noir, consumant, et merveilleusement bien écrit. Cat Clarke a, une nouvelle fois, su me combler et me convaincre qu'elle était une des meilleures auteures YA qui existe ( et qu'il faut qu'elle continue à écrire encore et encore et encore et encore :p ). En fait, je crois que je vais même pouvoir nommer cet effet qu'elle a sur moi « l'Effet Cat Clarke », puisqu'il n'y qu'avec elle que je ressens mes émotions de façon aussi palpitante et intense. TORN est une véritable perle. Une bombe qui n'a pas fini de me brûler de me fasciner. Je vais désormais devoir attendre la fin du mois de Janvier pour pouvoir me jeter sur le troisième roman de l'auteure, UNDONE, qui, j'en suis sûr, va autant me renverser que TORN et CONFUSION. Une lecture exaltante, dramatique et vibrante, à ne pas manquer.
November 23, 2018
i have a weird relationship with cat clarke's books. i read girlhood and i gave it 2 stars but i really really liked it apart from the ending, which i absolutely despised. the same case happened with this one. it was so interesting and fast paced.. i brought it with me to my 2 day long trip to switzerland and i thought i wouldn't be able to finish it during that time but i read it in just 3 hours. i couldn't stop reading but the conclusion just wasn't there ?? nothing happened ??? but depite that, i still loved this book... idk how to explain it, i keep getting really angry when i think of cat clarke's conclusions but when someone asks me about her i say i love her books ??? i'm confused... anyway i still have plans to read all of her books, i went to a book fair last week and found entangled and undone for 40kn each so i'll def be reading those soon, hopefully i'll love them in their entirety, and not hate the ending.
January 10, 2021
Trigger warnings: bullying, death of a friend, death of a parent (in the past), implications of eating disorder, suicide.
2.5 stars.
Oof. I was able to read huge chunks of this at a time, but also I had ZERO interest in picking it up when I did stop reading for any reason. I think my main problem was that I didn't like the narrator as a character so being in her head for 300+ pages was more than a little intolerable. The whole premise was a tad ridiculous, and for being a story about a group of girls knowing what happened to their missing friend, it turned a little too much into the protagonist falling for the missing girl's brother for my liking.
So yeah. This was very readable. But also I just didn't care.
2.5 stars.
Oof. I was able to read huge chunks of this at a time, but also I had ZERO interest in picking it up when I did stop reading for any reason. I think my main problem was that I didn't like the narrator as a character so being in her head for 300+ pages was more than a little intolerable. The whole premise was a tad ridiculous, and for being a story about a group of girls knowing what happened to their missing friend, it turned a little too much into the protagonist falling for the missing girl's brother for my liking.
So yeah. This was very readable. But also I just didn't care.
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