Review: Crank by Ellen Hopkins

 

Publication Date: October 2004

Publisher: Margaret K McElderry Books

Blurb:  (Goodreads)

In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." 

Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.

This book has been on my TBR for years. I finally got my hands on a copy from my library and devoured it on a rainy afternoon in May. 

When I first heard of this book all those years ago, there was nothing but rave reviews on Youtube and Goodreads. So to say I went into this with high expectations, albeit rating my other experiences with Ellen Hopkins middling. 

The story shows how easy it can be for teenagers, or anyone, to fall into drug use and addiction. I felt the plot of the novel was a little slow in points, lots of Kristina / Bree bouncing between random boys for what seemed like no reason. But I suppose it did all point back to her need for something more in her life, looking for that rush of excitement she felt was lacking. 

I thought the relationship between Kristina and the various men in her life was interesting to read about. From her relationships with boys she met at parties or the pool, where she sought to pretend to be someone else to impress them and gain some kind of validation from them, I really felt for her. 

The most interesting relationships I felt were actually reading about the one she had with her parents. She feels pressured from her mother, feeling she doesn't fit in with her mum's view of her or struggling to meet her expectations. Then with her biological father, seeing the other side where she is desperate for some kind of love from him but he only lives for his own addiction. 

There were definitely some hard to read scenes in the novel, be prepared if you would find dark topics difficult to read about. I felt the story didn't hit as hard as I was hoping - I was left wanting more of Kristina's own internal feelings and emotions as she fell into addiction. 

Although I can see how this book would have made a massive impact at the time, for me it left me wanting a bit more grit. The novel is based on the experience the author had with her own daughter as she fell into drug use, and I think it was incredibly brave of Hopkins to put something that was such a personal painful experience for her family into a novel that will hopefully help / has helped teens to not glorify or explore drug use.