*Please be aware that this article contains sensitive topics that may be upsetting to some readers.*

Eden McCrory is a shy freshman whose only aspiration seems to be playing the clarinet. During winter break, Eden’s older brother, Caelin, and the neighbor next door, Kevin, visit home from college. That night, Kevin sexually assaulted Eden.

This changes Eden’s perspective on everything. As we see in her later high school years, she becomes increasingly guarded and secluded, trying to leave who she was in the past, leading her to make choices she wouldn’t typically make, often turning to unhealthy habits to cope. The book is structured around each grade in high school, exploring whether or not recovery is possible.

The side characters play a crucial role in the story as they are unaware of Eden’s truth. Mara, Eden’s best friend, changes a lot throughout the story. As the story progresses, Mara believes Eden is changing for the worse. This causes her to usually become frustrated with Eden. This adds more realism to the story, showing how the side characters react to Eden’s new behaviors that result from her traumatic experience. Eden communicates with others differently.

Amber Smith wrote this book from a first-person perspective. The writing is raw and sometimes even intentionally uncomfortable. Smith doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the effects trauma can have on a person. In many situations, she demonstrates how Eden can appear to be in the wrong from others’ perspective, highlighting the importance of context.

I consistently found myself thinking of these characters as if I personally knew them. Every time a character made a sudden and shocking decision, I saw how much empathy I had for them. Every time someone criticized Eden for being a bad person or friend, I would get so frustrated with that character until I realized that they didn’t know the true reason why Eden was acting the way she was.

This book is incredibly powerful and emotionally gripping. I believe that everyone should read this book sometime in their life to understand how much trauma can change a person. Even though this is a work of fiction, these situations do happen, and it’s important to educate people about these heartbreaking topics. Smith did that so well. The deeper I got into the story, the more I wanted to keep reading. The realistic themes and authentic voice truly resonate, making the characters feel real and relatable.