Pages read total: 885
I must say, I am rather proud of myself. I have finished 2 books in 5 days. Sign of the Apocalypse perhaps? Probably. I just finished Tricks by Ellen Hopkins only a few short minutes ago. Ever since I put this book in my hands on Monday, I didn't want it to ever put it down. As the story continues to play out, the various characters find a new significant other and all somehow decide to move to Sin City, Las Vegas. This choice, however, turns out to be a "snowball headed downhill toward Hell" as Seth once stated in the story. Seth, Whitney, Cody, Ginger, and Eden are all manipulated into being another statistic for sex trafficking. As all 5 of them lose who they truly they are more and more day after day. As one character put it "when you sell you body, you also sell what's inside. Piece by piece, you sell your soul." Soon, selling themselves into prostitution is the only way they know how to survive and no matter how hard they all try, they can't seem to find their way out. At the beginning of the book, you are reading 5 completely separate stories. However, with about 150 pages to the finale of the book, Ginger and Whitney's stories cross paths as Ginger saves Whitney's life. With the book drawing to a close, the characters all have an epiphany and realize they are worth so much more than their lifestyles showcase them to be. Even with all of the greatness that the book possessed, I was rather disappointed with the ending as it didn't really tie loose ends with the various characters families back home. Hopkins only briefly touched on what was to come for the characters. On the other hand, it's fun to try and figure out what happened to the characters with my own imagination. This was a great, quick read although I do warn others who are pondering at the thought of picking it up that it is very graphic and you should be warned before you jump into the book.
Ellen Hopkins, author of Tricks |
Favorite quotes from Tricks:
1. "Why doesn't life come with directions?" This quote kind of put into perspective for me that life really is unknown and that you have to figure things out yourself. Nothing is given to you.
2. "Better yet, run to the grocery store and fill up the fridge. It's almost empty. The only thing emptier is my chest where heart used to be." With this quote, I discovered how truly empty deep inside the characters were. Day after day, selling their bodies has a long horrific toll on each of their souls. Perhaps a large enough toll that they will never be able to recover from.
3. "The truth is, cemeteries scare me to death." I just found this rather funny. Cemeteries housing the dead and it scared Cody to death? Ironic.
4. "Love is more than blind. It's brain-dead." For some of my friends, this quote couldn't be any truer. Some of my friends will do the stupidest stuff when they're "in love" and I can't help but scratch my head and ask, "Why are you doing that?!!" I just want to shake them out of this coma and and make them use their brains again.
5. "Sooner or later, she'll get sick of the excuses and find another guy. I only its someone who deserves the perfect girl. Not an addict. Not a boy whore. Not a fucking loser like me." After I read this quote said by Cody, was when I truly began to feel sorry for the poor guy. He has his dream girl, but yet, he cant clean up his act and change for Ronnie.
Now that I'm finished with Tricks, I'm about to begin Swimsuit by James Patterson. I have read a couple of Patterson's other books such as Sundays at Tiffany's and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (a definite tearjerker). I'm hoping it's good and that I'll be as obsessed with it as I was with Tricks.
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