Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers is a 2010 White Pine Nominee, following the life of the apparently emotionally unsound Parker Fadley..."I don't want to open my eyes.
'Just wait, parker, can you hear me?'
I am not going to open my eyes. I am going to lie on the court until I die, and I hope that happens soon, because I want to die."
-Courtney Summers, Cracked Up To Be, pg. 153
Parker Fadley used to have it all. But now, her life has taken a turn for the worst, and as much as everyone else does, she doesn't want her old life back. A dark secret demolished her life, leaving her to pick up the peices. An emotional train wreck, Parker turns to alcohol and drugs to solve her problems. Kindness dissapears from her vocabulary. She hates her parents, she hates her friends, she hates the guidance councellor, she hates her ex-boyfriend who still loves her, she hates her old Cheer squad, and she hates the boy she is in love with.
Parker hates life.
Placed on the suicide watch list, nobody can understand why she tried to kill herself, and why her life is slipping away from her own control. Nobody else understands why she sneaks into the woods and searches amongst the pine needles. But nobody can understand, because nobody knows what happened.
And nobody ever will.
I predict that things will get a lot worse for Parker before they get better. I'm guessing she will most likely attempt to commit suicide again but will be thwarted by those who care about her most. Towards the end of the book, I think Parker will turn her life around and go to rehab.
The video I chose is the song "Lover Dearest" by Marianas Trench. It was written by Josh Ramsay whilst he was in rehab to overcome his heroin addiction. I feel that it really sums up how someone trapped in the life of drugs or something similar feels, and how difficult it is to get out of it. I think that this really relates to Parker, as she feels she needs her alcohol and pills, but she doesn't want to quit, because it is so easy to just stay addicted.
Another great post! I like the suspense I get from this post, and I really want to read this now! Just a question, but how arwe you liking the book so far? Do you feel depressed reading books about death and drugs??
ReplyDeleteI think the song you posted is very good. It sums up the thoughts felt be the character, and I believe it fits the description quite well. You summed up the character very well, and the quote explained everything too. Great job!