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A review by jacob_books_corneryt
The Anti-Virginity Pact by Katie Wismer
5.0
*I want to thank Net-Galley for giving me ARC copy for Review*
The Anit-Virginity Pact by Katie Wismer is one of those novels that will sit with me. If it through the subject mater that is discuss, or even simply the characters that it portrays. Everything about this novel was beautifully constructed, well almost everything. There is at one point near the end that I thought was a little outlandish. I'm giving no spoilers here but linked down bellow will be both my non-spoiler review, and spoiler review that went up on my YouTube channel. In the spoiler review I do mention what I thought was outlandish. But for the sake of anyone who hasn't read it yet, no spoilers here.
Back to the novel, first I want to start with Mare our protagonist. A character that I fell in love with from the first line of the novel, "For the record, I don't normally have a predisposition for making bad decisions." She intrigued me, and soon became a character I would jump in front of a bullet for. Her journey from a person who never spook up to someone with a defining voice is powerful. The story that is told around her was nerve-racking to watch unfold and several moments I had no idea where it was going. In others, I wished I had not known as the destination was far worse. That is to say this book is dark, it deal with very heavy topics. It is safe to say that every topic is handle with such ease.
That brings me to the second thing I want to discuss, the trigger warnings. They are listed in the front of the book and pay attention to them. I would say the big ones to look out for are; religion, sexual assault, anxiety, bullying, and most importantly trauma. If any of these subjects make you uncomfortable I highly recommend passing.
With that being said Wismer does some remarkable things handle subjects such as religion and trauma. Mare struggle with religion, with grounds the novel, is something amazing to watch unfold. Down to the final moments. But I say most importantly, the way Wismer handles trauma is something most writers hope to achieve. There are several quotes I have never related to more in my life. The way Mare deals with the trauma that is place upon her is something that changed me. Made me look at myself and helped me.
Lastly, lets talk about the beautiful writing. There are moments were some writing techniques are subtle and mesmerizing. Then they're others where is right there on the page and I want to briefly mention them. I do want to warn, a slight spoiler ahead.
-Spoiler-
Lets talk about Mare's first kiss with Sam for a second. The way it is written was one of the best kissing scenes I think I have ever seen written. As a writer these scenes are tough to write. The vulnerability and the way she captured it all so beautifully.
-Spoiler-
Now we can talk about how Wismer sets up the scene. Each scene set up is perfect and well described that we can picture it unfold before our eyes. It was like watching a movie. At some points it was how she described a group of kids sitting and others a busy party. Each time I saw everything and never once was I told.
The Anti-Virginity Pact will be a book I hold dear for a long time. A book that will surely reread again and again. Of course, I will follow this author and continue to read whatever she puts out.
Non-spoiler Review: https://youtu.be/XboyKJgWoTg
Spoiler Review: https://youtu.be/JmvIKdwzXo0
The Anit-Virginity Pact by Katie Wismer is one of those novels that will sit with me. If it through the subject mater that is discuss, or even simply the characters that it portrays. Everything about this novel was beautifully constructed, well almost everything. There is at one point near the end that I thought was a little outlandish. I'm giving no spoilers here but linked down bellow will be both my non-spoiler review, and spoiler review that went up on my YouTube channel. In the spoiler review I do mention what I thought was outlandish. But for the sake of anyone who hasn't read it yet, no spoilers here.
Back to the novel, first I want to start with Mare our protagonist. A character that I fell in love with from the first line of the novel, "For the record, I don't normally have a predisposition for making bad decisions." She intrigued me, and soon became a character I would jump in front of a bullet for. Her journey from a person who never spook up to someone with a defining voice is powerful. The story that is told around her was nerve-racking to watch unfold and several moments I had no idea where it was going. In others, I wished I had not known as the destination was far worse. That is to say this book is dark, it deal with very heavy topics. It is safe to say that every topic is handle with such ease.
That brings me to the second thing I want to discuss, the trigger warnings. They are listed in the front of the book and pay attention to them. I would say the big ones to look out for are; religion, sexual assault, anxiety, bullying, and most importantly trauma. If any of these subjects make you uncomfortable I highly recommend passing.
With that being said Wismer does some remarkable things handle subjects such as religion and trauma. Mare struggle with religion, with grounds the novel, is something amazing to watch unfold. Down to the final moments. But I say most importantly, the way Wismer handles trauma is something most writers hope to achieve. There are several quotes I have never related to more in my life. The way Mare deals with the trauma that is place upon her is something that changed me. Made me look at myself and helped me.
Lastly, lets talk about the beautiful writing. There are moments were some writing techniques are subtle and mesmerizing. Then they're others where is right there on the page and I want to briefly mention them. I do want to warn, a slight spoiler ahead.
-Spoiler-
Lets talk about Mare's first kiss with Sam for a second. The way it is written was one of the best kissing scenes I think I have ever seen written. As a writer these scenes are tough to write. The vulnerability and the way she captured it all so beautifully.
-Spoiler-
Now we can talk about how Wismer sets up the scene. Each scene set up is perfect and well described that we can picture it unfold before our eyes. It was like watching a movie. At some points it was how she described a group of kids sitting and others a busy party. Each time I saw everything and never once was I told.
The Anti-Virginity Pact will be a book I hold dear for a long time. A book that will surely reread again and again. Of course, I will follow this author and continue to read whatever she puts out.
Non-spoiler Review: https://youtu.be/XboyKJgWoTg
Spoiler Review: https://youtu.be/JmvIKdwzXo0