The main character Chase was in a car with three other friends after a night of drinking and partying. The car was driven by his ex-girlfriend Angela(who was not drinking). Chase is the only survivor of the crash, but is left with amnesia.He starts having thoughts of suicide and ends up in the hospital twice.
Throughout the book, Chase is secretly in contact with his "estranged" brother who urges him to steal from his parents. Chase is followed by Angela's boyfriend Kevin, who is begging to talk to him about what happened. Kevin's questions turn to violent behavior as he and his friends believe Chase is lying about his memory loss. The memories start coming back in pieces, as Chase's psychiatrist tries to talk the memories to the surface. Chase befriends a new girl, who is teased at school. This turns into a more romantic relationship which brings up more memories of Angela and the accident. There is a twist and a surprise ending that you will not expect.
This book is a bit predictable, and the message is unclear. It is clear that the author disagrees with underage drinking, and promotes the use of a designated driver. It is also important to note the importance the author puts on seeking professional help for mental disorders, and the benefit they have (even though Chase often did not want to go to his therapy sessions). This book is aimed at teenagers and covers everything from high school classes, romance, family interations, suicide and psychology.
11 comments:
Amanda, right of the bat I enjoy the title of Johnston's novel, "Fragments." Any novel that includes young teenagers/adults and a moral lesson to be learned (i.e. not to drink and drive, suicide, eating disorders, etc.) I am entrigued. I enjoy the adjectives that you used to identify characters (Chase's "astranged" brother) as well as how you try to identify the message of each novel in your postings.
I didn't want to spoil the book for anyone by elaborating on a few of the things important to the book, like "astranged" brothers and such. but it is a quick read,I also found myself reading faster when the character's was trying to escape (be it his thoughts or his physical running).
thanks amanda--i agree with you that underage drinking is an important issue--i wonder what the statistics are on this? how frequently are teen accidents traced to drinking? is this a bigger issue in rural counties as opposed to suburban and urban? it would be interesting to use this book as a stepping stone for further research into the issue of underage drinking.
i also like the title--i wonder if the form of the book (i'm guessing you get info in short chapters, in fragments) corresponds with other developments in the media today, where we see shorter and shorter scenes or cuts on tv. does the book seem to connect to this development in the culture at large (ironically, I was even thinking at some point today in reading your post and others that writing online does require you to be brief and to the point--you can't write long paragraphs, as reading on the computer screen makes this an uncomfortable activity; also, by putting in hyperlinks, you sort of invite the "fragmented" approach to reading that I suspect is represented in this novel--which raises the larger question of the benefits and disadvantages of this recent development in our world.
Could this be the age of fragmentation? Is there other evidence out there in the world (and in the novels that others are reading on this blog) to suggest this might be so? Stay tuned!
TP
An important note is that the girl who was driving the car was not drinking, and I must give credit for Chase and his friends for calling a designated driver.
The chapters are relatively short, but the fragments refer to how his memory comes back. The memories are painful, sharp, I think it is a great title for the book!
And with all the "ADD/ADHD" floating around our world today I can see that as fragmentation of attention. Which reflects why shorter paragraphs are so nice :)
I feel that this book,"Fragments,"
would be a very good way to have students realize the importance of
not drinking and driving.
It truly sends a message to young
people about the consequences that
might happen if they drink and drive.
Mary Grey
This book appears to make several important connections with our contemporary world. Drinking and driving, also seeking help for mental problems. Teenagers deal with many issues I am discovering, more so than I think I did. Pressures to fit in , etc. This books sounds like a great book to explore especially at the high school level. Good discussions could develop I am thinking.
As I read your summary i did think about the different accidents that have been reported dealing with teenagers. Teenagers forget that a car is a machine and with or without any substances it can be deadly if not used in the correct way.
I must say, I really like the fact of the story that the driver was NOT drinking. It makes the story especially interesting. And in this context, I almost apprechiate that it is hard to get an easily definable lesson. Maybe the author teaches us that life is not black and white? I like that.
What I don't understand is that you say on one hand, the "book is a bit predictable", but on the other, "There is a twist and a surprise ending that you will not expect."
The fact that the driver was not drinking and the vague message of the book seem to hint that the book is not predictable.
What do you think?
Your description makes me want to read this book. It sounds deep and intense without action. I like that.
The mentioning of the driver not drinking is brief. It is one brief moment of surprise toward the beginning. The middle of the novel is almost completely predictable. Not until the ending "twist" does the book become a surprise. I shouldn't say the whole thing is easy to predict, but too much of it is. But maybe teenagers haven't read enough books and seen enough movies to know the same plot lines that adults do.
The title makes me think of a "fragmented soul", or an individual who has so much going on in their lives that they are not able to focus their thoughts. This is an issue for individuals with ADD/ADHD, as was mentioned by Amanda G. Based on that comment this may be a good book for individuals with this condition. Even though Chases' condition occurs as a result of an accident I believe that the many individuals with ADD/ADHD would be able to make text to self connections.
Also, what a wake-up call for those without disabilities who take that for granted! This novel seems to be able to show how circumstances beyond or within your control can drastically change your physical or mental condition and therefore affect the rest of your life. Maybe more teens will be cautious as a result of reading about Chase's experience.
This book reminds me of another series of novels that also address teen drinking, that may interest you: "Tears of a Tiger", "Forged by Fire", and "Darkness Before Dawn" all by Sharon M. Draper. My son was 12 years old when he read these novels and he really enjoyed them.
Amanda--I like your comment that some teens (not all, of course) might not see the novel as "predictable," since they perhaps have not had some of the experience with textual narrative forms that you and more experienced or motivated readers have had. This makes sense to me, and perhaps accounts for the "gap" that sometimes appears in school between adult and teen responses to literature.
Take care,
TP
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