Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Book Review- Triangles

I just finished reading Triangles by Ellen Hopkins for a Crazy Book Tour.

From Goodreads:

In this first adult novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the unforgettable Crank trilogy, three female friends face midlife crises in a no holds-barred exploration of sex, marriage, and the fragility of life.

Ellen Hopkins has made her mark as the wildly popular author of several novels for young adults—every one of them a New York Times bestseller, and every one a hard-hitting exploration of tough-to-tackle topics. Now, in Triangles, Hopkins brings her storytelling mastery and fearlessness to take on the challenges of adult dramas.

In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.

I have several of Ellen Hopkins' YA novels but haven't had the chance to read them yet.  I have heard great reviews about them, so I was eager to read her first adult novel.  And while at first, it took me a little while to get used to the format of the book (prose), I soon learned to just read it straight like it was a normal novel and then I got through it so much easier.

This book definitely isn't for the faint of heart.  There are a lot of hard topics--sex, infidelity, sex, teenage pregnancy, sex, diseases, sex, homosexuality, and more sex.  And while that makes it sound like a trashy novel, it so wasn't.  I found it to be really thought provoking.  And kind of depressing.  It seems like everyone cheats or is cheated on at some point.  But it really makes you think.

The book is filled with drama, so if that's your thing, then definitely check it out.  I found myself engrossed in the book and while it left me feeling kinda down, I somehow enjoyed that.  I enjoyed reading the mess that was the lives of these three women.  I'm not really sure what that says for me.  But I can't wait to read more by Ellen Hopkins!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 106
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 86

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Crazy Book Tours.

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