The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie

The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a realistic look at a young teen's rape, how it reduces her to self-harm, being invisible, and unable to communicate with her loving family. Maddy Malone has just watched the school show and is making her way home when 5 boys grab her and rape her. She tells no one and begins to withdraw from everyone. Maddy will not confide in her older sister (whom she is very close to) and really doesn't have any friends in school. What makes it worse is that she loses herself and in order to cope begins to burn herself to lessen the pain of remembering (she has nightmares all the time). When she returns to school in the fall things do not get any better - but there is a class project called The Pain Eater and each week a student (alphabetical order) must read aloud their chapter. Kara is the first and does a great job in setting up the story, but as time goes on the bullies in the class begin to influence the story through their intimidation/friendship tactics. The Pain Eater parallels Maddy and her predicament---and as time goes on the reader will root for Maddy to find the courage to take control and become the happy, fierce Maddy she once was. I have read and loved Beth Goobie books for some time now- students loved her books, especially reluctant readers. Her books deal with issues teens can relate to and will jump start conversations on many real issues teens deal with in today's world. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews