Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
CHLOE DOE is a wrenching, unflinching portrayal of a girl on the fringes of society. On and off the street since the age of eleven, having worked as a prostitute for most of that time, seventeen-year-old Chloe has little patience for the attempts of The Madeline Parker Institute for Girls to reform her. However, as she speaks with the institute's "shrink" and starts to bond with the other girls, she realizes there may be more to life than what she's assumed is her lot.
Chloe, who narrates the story in chapters set in the institute and flashbacks to her life before she ran away from home, has a sharp, engaging voice that will grip readers quickly and bring them into her world. As her story unfolds, those shocked by her situation will come to understand it. Despite her untouchable front, Chloe slowly reveals all the pain and fear that lie underneath, making her sympathetic even though her outlook is so different from that of most teens. Her love for her older sister in particular makes her human and achingly believable.
The novel doesn't shy away from the harsh details of Chloe's life. Thankfully, it manages to relate her awful and sometimes tragic experiences without falling into melodrama or playing up for shock value. Everything is stated simply and directly. While the narrative rarely goes into graphic detail, enough is shown and the rest is skillfully implied to make it clear that Chloe's path has been far from an easy one. This makes her attempts to open up and escape her narrow, hopeless world-view all the more poignant and heroic. As the scenes in the present and the past lead up to the final revelation of what drove her from her home, the reader will be glued to the page. The ending, when it comes, is hopeful without being maudlin or unrealistic.
That realism, ultimately, is what makes CHLOE DOE worthwhile. It acknowledges both the good and the bad, letting readers make their own judgments about Chloe and her life. Many will find themselves wondering, how would they have reacted, if things had gone a similar way for them? Could they have done better? Could they, in the end, rise above it? Chloe's story will inspire them with the idea that no matter how far one falls, there is always hope.
CHLOE DOE is a wrenching, unflinching portrayal of a girl on the fringes of society. On and off the street since the age of eleven, having worked as a prostitute for most of that time, seventeen-year-old Chloe has little patience for the attempts of The Madeline Parker Institute for Girls to reform her. However, as she speaks with the institute's "shrink" and starts to bond with the other girls, she realizes there may be more to life than what she's assumed is her lot.
Chloe, who narrates the story in chapters set in the institute and flashbacks to her life before she ran away from home, has a sharp, engaging voice that will grip readers quickly and bring them into her world. As her story unfolds, those shocked by her situation will come to understand it. Despite her untouchable front, Chloe slowly reveals all the pain and fear that lie underneath, making her sympathetic even though her outlook is so different from that of most teens. Her love for her older sister in particular makes her human and achingly believable.
The novel doesn't shy away from the harsh details of Chloe's life. Thankfully, it manages to relate her awful and sometimes tragic experiences without falling into melodrama or playing up for shock value. Everything is stated simply and directly. While the narrative rarely goes into graphic detail, enough is shown and the rest is skillfully implied to make it clear that Chloe's path has been far from an easy one. This makes her attempts to open up and escape her narrow, hopeless world-view all the more poignant and heroic. As the scenes in the present and the past lead up to the final revelation of what drove her from her home, the reader will be glued to the page. The ending, when it comes, is hopeful without being maudlin or unrealistic.
That realism, ultimately, is what makes CHLOE DOE worthwhile. It acknowledges both the good and the bad, letting readers make their own judgments about Chloe and her life. Many will find themselves wondering, how would they have reacted, if things had gone a similar way for them? Could they have done better? Could they, in the end, rise above it? Chloe's story will inspire them with the idea that no matter how far one falls, there is always hope.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
