Book Thoughts: Pandemic by Yvonne Ventresca

Last year I set a goal to read comics & graphic novels and YA fiction and I have to say there were some very fine reads. The one book that was entertaining was Pandemic by my Writing Challenge companion Yvonne Ventresca.

Recalling how Kristy Acevedo's the Holo series opened me up to young adult stories I took the challenge to read Ventresca's debut and I will say it really blew me away. The story touched on the human conditions of the protagonist dealing with a viral epidemic in her community and her own demons.

Like Acevedo, Ventresca touched on the humanity of the characters and their struggles of facing a natural disaster but she's touched another matter affecting people: Sexual assault.

Therein lies the true conflict, friends. The character of the story is dealing with a traumatic experience of the assault which left her emotionally weary of the outcome of everything and everyone around her. It also has a negative affect on her loved ones.

To me as a reader, it's rich in all its honesty because it had the same affect on me and that made me think about how issues such as what the main character went though can happen to anyone, and how damaging it can be to others as to the survivor, even as to blaming the victim.

    Another aspect to address is how a group of teenagers had come together in a time of crisis and helped others overcome which carried the story.

I highly recommend anyone looking for a new read for grades 8-12.