Johnston, Jeffry W. Fragments.JOHNSTON, Jeffry W. Fragments. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. , Pulse. 204p. c2007. 1-4169-2486-8. $6.99. S Chase Farrell's mind is in fragments and his world is falling apart. The only survivor of an accident that killed his best friend, ex-girlfriend, and a classmate, Chase tries to soothe his guilt through obsessive behaviors like counting in patterns and avoiding cracks in sidewalks. Unable to remember details of the accident, deal with flashbacks, or drown out the voices screaming inside his head, Chase attempts suicide and suffers an almost complete mental breakdown. Drama classes and an upcoming school play no longer shield Chase from the problems surrounding his parents and older brother, Ben. Therapy seems to hurt more than help, and sessions with the psychiatrist feel like "a forty-five minute game of chicken" as Chase refuses to reveal the terrible secrets he has hidden from everyone, including himself. Chase tells his story in short, staccato chapters that leave the reader begging to learn what really happened to him. He is the quintessential unreliable narrator NARRATOR. A pleader who draws narrs serviens narrator, a sergeant at law. Fleta, 1. 2, c. 37. Obsolete. . Though the book's ending is a bit too pat to be believable, the concerns it reveals (from dysfunctional families to grief to child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. ) make Fragments powerful bibliotherapy bibliotherapy /bib·lio·ther·a·py/ (bib?le-o-ther´ah-pe) the reading of selected books as part of the treatment of mental disorders or for mental health. bib·li·o·ther·a·py n. for older teens comfortable with some harsh language and sexual innuendoes. Jay Wise, MLIS MLIS Master of Library and Information Science MLIS Multilingual Information Society MLIS Molecular Laser Isotope Separation MLIS Masters of Library and Information Studies MLIS Medical/Legal Information Services , Chillicothe & Ross County PL, Chillicothe, OH S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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