'I can feel it swimming through my veins like glitter ... it's liquid gold.'
When socialite Lexi Volkov almost overdoses, she thinks she's hit rock bottom.
She's wrong. Rock bottom is when she's forced into an exclusive rehab facility.
From there, the only way is up for Lexi and her fellow inmates, including the mysterious Brady.
As she faces her demons, Lexi realises love is the most powerful drug of all ...
It's a dirty business getting clean ...
It's a dirty business getting clean ...
I've had some hits and misses with Juno Dawson. I usually like what she trying to do: her plots sound interesting and she tries to diversify the stories she tells, though that had lead to specific problem for me in the past, forms of Ableism and weird Queer Burying. Going into this story I have read very good short stories by her but her longer works have just not worked at all for me. I know she capable and she is trying so I've let some of her problematic stuff side because I know it not malice and I am a critical little shit. Basically, everyone is problematic, its the trying that counts and pointing out the bad is something you should do for growth reasons. If you're interested in my specific thoughts then I've have reviewed everything by Dawson that I have read.
Clean is about addiction, and the word clean is said several times in the novel. It actually probably the normal amount but it more noticeable because title. I think it done well from my experience watching others self-destruction but I've never been addicted to a substance. The process of Rehab is talked about a lot and I'm glad it not portrayed as a quick fix.
The setting is a high class recovery centre for under 24s. There's people there with different addictions and vice. Lot of mental health rep so all the characters we're introduce to, have issues.There's also some survivor guilt action which was my favourite.
The protagonist and narrator Lexi is unlikable at first, but addicts in denial are kinda unlikable so
realistic. Books takes addiction from the bored kid with money angle which is fine but everyone is capable of becoming addicted and anyone can be effected by mental illness as neither care about money. It just what this novel does, which includes the party attitude towards certain drugs, that reaches most class levels anyway. I did think it was interesting to address whether its problem if have money and no one seems to notice.
Toxic relationships play a part in this novel. I think it done well for the most part, especially as partners and friend groups have been proven as to why many struggle to stay clean. I don't love the rebound relationship stuff but I can also see why its in the book. I just carry a lot of baggage from Disney's Frozen.
Pointing out fun things: Dawson likes to do A, B, C, D and E. All of the Above. That would make a cool title.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Bastard Demons or Puppet Demons if that offends you. It still Dawson's voice, but this one worked better for me. I would read her again, but probably sticking don't buy anymore of her book though because I own most of them and most books on my bookcase are still not read. I didn't feel that attached to the characters and for me it was surface level and this probably light read for me because my heart is blacken. It deals with a complex issue well enough. Don't take Heroine, it always a problem.
I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published on Quercus Children's Books on 5th April 2018.
I can't wait to read this one! Thanks for linking up to the British Books Challenge
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