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Title details for Vera Violet by Melissa Anne Peterson - Available

Vera Violet

A Novel

by Melissa Anne Peterson
Cassandra Campbell
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Vera Violet recounts the dark story of a rough group of teenagers growing up in a twisted rural logging town. There are no jobs. There is no sense of safety. But there is a small group of loyal friends, a truck waiting with the engine running, a pair of boots covered in blood, and a hot 1911 pistol with a pearl grip. Vera Violet O'Neel's home is in the Pacific Northwest-not the glamorous scene of coffee bars and craft beers, but the hardscrabble region of busted pickups and broken dreams. Vera's mother has left, her father is unstable, and her brother is deeply troubled. Against this gritty background, Vera struggles to establish a life of her own, a life fortified by her friends and her hard-won love. But the relentless poverty coupled with the twin lures of crystal meth and easy money soon shatter fragile alliances. Her world violently torn apart, Vera flees to St. Louis, Missouri. There, alone in a small apartment, she grieves for her broken family, her buried friends, and her beloved, Jimmy James Blood. In this brilliant, explosive debut, Melissa Anne Peterson establishes herself as a fresh, raw voice, a writer to be reckoned with.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    February 4, 2020

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781684578108
      • File size: 201863 KB
      • Duration: 07:00:32

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 620
    • Text Difficulty: 2-3

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This hypnotically narrated debut tells a dark story that takes place in rural Washington state. Narrator Cassandra Campbell captures unflinching depictions of rural poverty and the oppressions of capitalism as they affect a group of young white friends. Amid the atmospheric Pacific Northwest setting, meth, depression, a myriad of violent acts, and grief saturate the narrative. It's not an easy listen, despite Campbell's smooth voice. At times, the story tries too hard, and the sentences have a staccato rhythm that doesn't always work. The voyeuristic white gaze that pops up quite a bit in relation to black and Latinx characters may or may not be intended. Nonetheless, a compelling debut and a deft narration make this audiobook a worthwhile listen. S.N. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:620
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

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