Shelly's Book Journal

This books is a companion to "Triangles" - a book about three women dealing with life issues. The story is told through the eyes of three of their children over the same period of time and events in the first book. There was one little different thing about this book that I enjoyed. There are three main characters whose voices alternate during the book. The author also had other random characters pipe up with their two cents for one page as a transition between the characters. It really added to the story and gave insight into these other characters.I have mixed feelings about the book. Parts of it really grabbed me and exposed those raw emotions. But I struggle most with the characters that Hopkins portrays. Almost all of them are deeply broken. It seems like every teen in the book smokes pot, drinks, has sex. And it's all the "normal" thing. While there seems to be love in the families, there seems to be a lack of family value. Hopkins tiptoes around religion, although faith is there somewhere buried in it all. As much as I enjoy her style of writing, I just don't know that I see these books as something I would encourage a teen to read.I think the thing that bothered me the most was her afterward - she gives a lesson on the "from the headlines" issues addressed in the book. And recommends, trying to delay sex until in a committed relationship. Whatever that means. When did we lower the bar? Am I just old fashioned to think that an author with an influence like hers is recommending that teens have sex? Has our whole culture given up on waiting? That is my struggle with this story and its characters. Parts of it were very powerful and moving, but I just couldn't identify with their thought processes. Maybe I'm too old for these books.