The Opposite of Innocent

Gr 8 Up—When Lily was little, she used to throw her arms around Luke's neck and tell him she was going to marry him one day. He would smile down at her and tell her he'd wait for her. Now Lily is 14, and she feels very grown up—so grown up that when Luke returns after being in Kenya for two years, she wonders if he sees her as a woman or as the same kid she was when he left. Soon it's very clear that Luke desires to be with her, but it's complicated—he's 29. He convinces her to hide their relationship from her friends and family. At first, she's flattered by his attention. As their interactions become more and more physical, Lily begins to feel uncomfortable with the progression of their "romance," but by then, it's too late—she's trapped in an abusive relationship. Readers' frustration at Lily's naïveté will turn to compassion and horror at Luke's manipulations, and then to hope as Lily searches for the courage to escape his clutches. This novel in verse concisely examines one girl's experience of sexual abuse in a way that is both timely and relevant. The abrupt and open-ended ending might not satisfy all readers, but it feels organic to the format and text.