They give you the words to name and fight inequality. They give you the tools to recognise and fight injustice. This is why I'm thankful that books like Grown exist, that they are accessible to young (and old) minds. It's a structural issue, and that makes it even more lethal. We're talking a group, an industry, a society that turns a blind eye to violence. That is a blatant abuse of power, but it's not the act of a single person. This book particularly talks about the abuse that some of the most vulnerable people in our society experience: Black and poor teenage girls. It is important to mention that we're talking about children here. Kelly and his predatory, pedophile behaviour. (In each over these case, however, the power dynamic is an entirely different one.) This loosely draws on the case of R. It is a reality that many girls and women but also men, trans, nonbinary and queer people experience. What makes this story even more brutal is that this is by no means a made-up situation. All of these things are painful but some even impossible to read. Korey kidnaps Enchanted, takes her phone, cuts her off from her friends and parents, forces her into clothes and roles she feels uncomfortable in, drugs her, gaslights her, physically and sexually abuses her. But the age gap remains, and if you didn't have a problem with it to begin with, you will soon realise that the power imbalance in this relationship does tremendous harm to the main character - and many other girls in real life that are in similar situations. We're supposed to like him, because he's talented and cute but proves to be so vulnerable. To begin with, Korey flirts with her, sends her inappropriate messages, is affectionate and caring. Korey is dead, which turns out to be a relief, because the more we read, the happier we are to know that this will all end eventually. The book starts with a body and a lot of blood. As his influence on her grows, she loses control over her future, her body and her mind. Sounds like a dream, but it's a nightmare. When a famous rapper discovers her at a talent show he takes her under his wing and promises her love and fame. It's about a Black girl from a poor family who loves to sing. It helped that the chapters are short, the pace quick, the story enthralling and horrifying at once. I flew through the pages in a single sitting. Grown was brutal thriller, a battle cry, a sucker punch on rape culture.
As a matter of fact, Allegedly has been on my radar for years and now I'm even more determined to read it. My first Tiffany Jackson book won't be my last.
I fell in love with this cover the way you fall down a very steep set of stairs when you miss a step: instantly and without a chance of resistance
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