Began reading: 6.9.2016
Completed reading: 13.9.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars
I stared at the email in disbelief, the skin around my mouth prickling with horror... I had to know what they were saying. I shut my eyes and clicked on the link...
When Avalon moves to the city her life is turned upside down. Starting at a new high school, she finds herself at the centre of a brutal cyber-bullying campaign. She is inundated with obscene texts, and subject to increasingly vicious posts, as things spiral out of control.
Miserable and isolated, Avalon relies on a small group of new friends. But as the threats escalate, is anyone safe?
Trigger warning: this book contains suicide and self-harm.
Destroying Avalon by Kate McCaffrey is a realistic fiction novel that appeals to young adult readers. After reading Saving Jazz, I was looking forward to getting into this one. It was an interesting read, but I don’t think that it was as good as Saving Jazz.
Firstly, the book was well-written, with few spelling and grammatical errors. The structure was well done, and the plot contained some really good quotes. For example:
…a nickname sticks and so does a reputation (p. 55).
When you make yourself bullet proof you find yourself engaging in a lot of self talk. Ignore them, turn away, smile brightly; pretend you didn’t hear it, see it, read it. Talk nicely to those who who are hateful, but not too nice – you don’t want to look like a try-hard. Above all else do not give them the power. Do not let them think they are strong (p. 125).
‘Bullies exist because of your fear’ (p. 180).
I found the plot interesting and relatable, just like Saving Jazz. As I mentioned in my review for Saving Jazz, I have experienced bullying – both physical and cyber, so I know what Avalon and her friends were going through. This novel should be recommended to teenagers, as bullying is a common concern for this age group. This book examines the severe consequences of bullying, and encouraging young adults to read this would raise more awareness on the subject. The location of the plot is also relatable – it takes place in Australia, and uses present day language. This made the book more interesting, as I could really picture myself in a similar situation.
Character development played a significant role in this novel, especially with Avalon. I watched as she started out as a naïve girl, then becoming more mature and resilient. She was a shy, introverted girl who transformed into a strong fighter. In contrast, I watched as a brave and outgoing character became withdrawn and aloof. This character development demonstrates the two reactions that arise from such a serious problem.
Just as in Saving Jazz, the plot focussed on the main complication, rather than branching out into other issues. The cyber-bullying played the main problem, and the plot focussed on that. There were no distractions, besides a possible love interest. I really liked that McCaffrey stuck to the overarching issue, rather than straying to others that could be distractions from the bullying.
At times, the plot seemed a bit bland, but McCaffrey incorporated plot twists that kept the story going. Some of these twists were predictable, while others were a shock to me. One plot twist in particular had me very close to tears (if you’ve read this book, you’d probably know which one I’m talking about). It was really emotional, and it would probably be in my top 10 list of emotional book moments. McCaffrey sure does know how to play with readers’ emotions!
My favourite character has to be Marshall, as he was loyal, sassy, supportive, sweet and courageous. I loved reading about him, and how he was becoming a love interest. I really liked that he would watch Avalon during her hockey practice. He was perfect best friend material, and possibly boyfriend material. A notable character was Avalon, as she learnt to be resilient to the bullying. The only issue was that she was scary when she ‘attacked’ her little sister. I understand that experiencing bullying can be an emotional rollercoaster, but taking it out on an infant the way she did was definitely out of line.
I won’t name the character that I came to hate, but I’ll call them by their username: Dragon Girl. What a bitch! The reason why this character hated on Avalon was because of a boy. In reality, silly arguments like this are what drives someone to bullying, and it’s really sad. Because of this, someone died. It’s a serious problem, and it happens every day. I also despised the other bullies. It’s scary how young people can be so cruel.
My favourite part of the book was when Avalon was assisting with the investigation. Thanks to Marshall, she knew who was behind the bullying, and you just knew that sh*t was going to go down.
Recommendation time! If you like Fake by Beck Nichols, The Perfectionists saga by Sara Shepard, or Pretty Girl by J.C. Burke, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Easy A, Catfish and The Social Network, as well as Saving Jazz, In Ecstasy, Beautiful Monster and Crashing Down by Kate McCaffrey.
Happy reading!
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