Author: T.B. Markinson
My Rating: ★★★★★
Genres: YA, LGBT, Contemporary
Published November 7th 2013
Format: Ebook, 255 pages
Copy provided by Author
Description from Goodreads
Paige Alexander is seventeen and has her whole life in front of her. One day her girlfriend comes home to discover that Paige has slit her wrists. Paige isn't insane, but she acts like she is. Why?
After the incident, Paige agrees to go to therapy to appease her girlfriend, Jess. However, Paige doesn't believe that therapy will help her. She believes she’s beyond help. Paige doesn't want to find herself and she doesn't want to relive her painful past in order to come to terms with it. What Paige wants is control over her life, which she hasn't had since her birth.
During her childhood, Paige is blamed for a family tragedy, when in fact, her twin sister, Abbie was responsible. Abbie doesn't come forward and Paige becomes the pariah of the family.
To add to Paige’s woes, while attending a college in a small town in Colorado, the residents are in the midst of debating whether or not gays and lesbians should have equal rights. Tension is high and there’s a threat of violence. She isn't out of the closet and pretends to be straight at school since she fears what will happen if her parents find out she’s a lesbian. Will she end up dead like her best friend, Alex?
My Review
Marionette is not type of book I usually pick up. To be honest, I've never been interested in LGBT books, and must confess that this is the first one I've ever read. The author requested to review it, and I happily accepted since I haven't read any book that discusses homosexuality. However, it took me some time to get in the mood to read it.
Marionette tells the story of Paige Alexander, a young college student, who has always hidden the fact that she's gay; not because she's ashamed of it, but because she fears that her parents will find out. She has a hard time dealing with her childhood trauma; her controlling father and evil mother see her as a possession, a thing they can bend to their own will. Furthermore, her twin sister doesn't seem to care about her at all. The story is told from Paige's point of view, and gets us involved as we follow her around, and see how she deals with with all the issues in her life.
Paige is a very pleasant narrator. She is sarcastic, and has a great sense of humor. She isn't very open with people, and doesn't make much conversation with those who are out of her inner circle of friends. So, it was really entertaining to read whatever was going on in that little brain of hers. She is a very complex and interesting character which is why I enjoyed Marionette so much! Initially, I didn't understand why she attempted suicide, but as I learned more about her past, everything brilliantly clicked into place!
Although she has grown neglected by her parents, Paige does have Jess and some friends who truly care about her. Jess is Paige's girlfriend, and is a very lively and loving person. Unlike Paige, she doesn't hide the fact that she's gay; on the contrary, she passionately fights for gay rights. I love their relationship! The author beautifully conveys their feelings for each other without focusing on the physical aspect. Aside from Paige and Jess, the other characters are notable and I feel that their vitality is what made this book really fun to read!
Overall, I really loved this book! It discussed a lot of deep topics, but still managed to make me laugh. It wasn't too serious, and had tons of hilarious parts that kept me from being bored. The main character had so many issues, but I've grown to care for her. If you're looking for an issue book that doesn't take things too seriously then you should read it!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
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