Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Crank
(Crank, #1)
by Ellen Hopkins
Released |October 5th 2004 by Margaret K. McElderry Books|
Edition |Audiobook|
Source |Library|
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In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.
Soon, her grades plummet, her relationships with family and friends deteriorate, and she needs more and more of the monster just to get through the day. Kristina hits her lowest point when she is raped by one of her drug dealers and becomes pregnant as a result. Her decision to keep the baby slows her drug use, but doesn't stop it, and the author leaves the reader with the distinct impression that Kristina/Bree may never be free from her addiction.

Crank is the story of a girl whose addicted to Crank. I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time and I finally decided to get the book from the library. I knew if I would have read this on my own I probably wouldn't have finished it because it was hard to get into in the beginning because of the way it's written (which is unique). But I like the way the woman on the audio book spoke the words and made things flow together.


This was a sad story to read about. Kristina/Bree is addicted to drugs and so much happens to her in this book your heart hurts for her. I didn't cry in this book, which is shocker because SO MANY awful things happen to her. The struggle she continuously goes through just get you thinking. I thought Kristina was a great character, but Bree brought out the worst. Sometimes I wanted to shout at her to make the right decisions, but the addiction had gotten so bad.

Adam, the first guy Bree falls for was a bit weird, but you kind of felt bad for him too. The there was...Was it Brandon?! I can't remember. And then there was Chase, I think?! Or was it Jace?! Omg, I can't remember any of their names. But she went from one to the next to the next.

I enjoy this story a lot for it was sad to read about. I've known people who have had or has an addiction and reading this story was heartbreaking. I don't know if I can continue on with the series because I know it's just going to get sadder from the synopsis of the next book. I did get bored at times during the story though. But I want to continue on in the series, but I just don't know if I can...The ending was just too much!