Rape is a difficult subject to discuss by itself. Add teenagers into the mix and it is almost unimaginable. Susan Shaw does a wonderful job portraying Tracy, a 13-year old girl raped by an 18-year old neighborhood kid on her way home from school. What should be an enjoyable summer vacation before her first year in high school becomes a time full of anxiety and fear as Tracy strives to feel safe again, even in her own home. The rape has even taken away Tracy's childhood memories of her mother who died.As she struggles with the reality of what happened to her and the fact that she can't hide forever, Tracy has the love and support of her father and friends like Caroline and the new found safety and security she finds in the music she makes on the piano. Piano lessons she once dreaded are now her outlet for all of her emotions. Tracy slowly realized her life can be "normal" and she can feel safe again. She also regains the memories of her mother.
I think this book is a very realistic look at the aftermath of traumatic events. Even if the perpetrator in in custody, the victim struggles to recover and feel safe. I think any adult would benefit from reading this book as well as any young adult.
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