FICTION

Clean

by Amy REED
978-1-44241-344-3.
COPY ISBN
Gr 9 Up—Olivia (Ms. Perfect, who is not addicted to diet pills), Kelly (pretty messed up: alcohol and sex definitely go together), Christopher (homeschooled, church-going, mom's "little angel," possibly gay meth head), Jason (dad not very nice, to say the least), and Eva (talks about herself in dramatic third person) all tell of being in rehab along with the Scary Guys: Gas Man, Satan Worshipper, Heroin Addict, and Compulsive Liar. All appear to be white and mainly middle or upper class. Chapter headings alternate between "Drug & Alcohol History Questionnaire," "Group," "Personal Essay," and the names of the teens. This is a quick, frank read, with humor, information, and action that will keep teens interested. Those who read Reed's Beautiful (S & S, 2009)—and even those who haven't—will be drawn to the great cover, and fans of Ellen Hopkins will love this novel. One quibble, however: a rant by a counselor about race and class is likely to alienate some readers.—Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Oakland, CA
"I'm the nerdy guy, Kelly's the pretty girl, Jason's the tough guy, and Eva's the emo/goth girl, like we're some drug addict version of that movie The Breakfast Club..." Alternating narration, personal essays, and transcribed conversations are woven together to relate the inpatient rehab experience of five people. Voice and character development feel authentic and distinct in this story of individual growth.
Like an edgier, contemporary version of The Breakfast Club. Instead of ending up in Saturday detention together, as in the movie, these five teens are placed in the same therapy group in a rehab facility. The characters’ troubled pasts and struggles with life-threatening addictions make for intense, eye-opening reading. Flirty, alcoholic Kelly and nerdy, meth-addicted Christopher are the main narrators, but each character has a distinct voice and a moving, realistic backstory. The pacing is quick, with confessional questionnaire answers and group-session transcripts that keep the format lively. Ends on a hopeful note but avoids being moralistic or overly tidy.

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