Trouble by Non Pratt

One the the stranger Popsugar Challenge categories this year was to read "a book with a red spine." As I looked through my shelves, I realized that I actually had quite a few books that would have fit the bill. I decided to go with the brightest red spine out of the bunch, which led me to Trouble by Non Pratt.

Trouble is a young adult novel focusing on two high school students going through difficult times. The narration is split fairly evenly between both characters, so the reader becomes very familiar with both of their perspectives. The first character, Hannah Shepard, is a fifteen year old girl who has just found out that she is pregnant. Her pregnancy disrupts everything in her life, from her reputation to her relationships with her family and friends. Worse, the identity of the father is a terrible secret that she is afraid to reveal to anyone else. It doesn't take long for hurtful rumors and nasty comments to begin flying in her direction as news of her condition spreads. As the weeks wear on, she must learn to deal with not only her rapidly changing body and her impending motherhood, but the social consequences of being a pregnant teenager.

The second protagonist, Aaron Tyler, is a transfer student to Hannah's school. His whole family picked up and moved into town for a fresh start after a traumatic event. What the event was is not revealed until the end of the novel, but the effect it has had on Aaron is quite profound. He struggles to engage emotionally with others and keeps everyone, including his closest friends and family, at arm's length. He mentally punishes himself for what happened and feels empty most of the time. He is suffering greatly, but keeps his feelings bottled up inside.

When Hannah and Aaron meet, it's as if fate has drawn them together. Hannah desperately needs someone to be her friend. Aaron desperately needs someone to care for. They become fast friends, and before long, Aaron offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah's baby. This arrangement benefits them both; it allows Aaron to do something that he feels is useful and eases some of the pressure and scrutiny that Hannah has been enduring. They live inside of their lie and protect each other for most of Hannah's pregnancy. However, this unorthodox arrangement can't possibly last forever. As the truth about Hannah's baby and Aaron's past begin to come out, the pair must use their newfound strength to set things right and find a way to be comfortable in their own skins.

One of Trouble's greatest strengths is how straightforward it is. Nothing is sugar-coated here. Profanity and sexual language are used liberally throughout the story, and Hannah's sexual encounters are described in unflinching detail. This choice in language definitely helps bring the characters and situations to life, even if it is a little uncomfortable. The novel feels gritty and ugly in places, and that makes it more realistic. Teen pregnancy is an difficult topic, but Pratt doesn't shy away from the specifics of it. The story is better as a result. I zoomed through reading this on pretty quickly, because I was totally engaged in the plot and wanted to see what happened.

Where the novel failed a bit for me was in Hannah's character. She was very difficult to like. Her mind was constantly on alcohol and sex, to the point where it seemed over the top. I'm no stranger to the idea that teenagers enjoy drinking and having sex, but it was almost all that Hannah thought about. Her fixation on these topics seemed to indicate a more serious self esteem or impulse control issue that Pratt didn't really elaborate on. Her growth as a character didn't feel genuine either. Circumstances prevented her from engaging in some destructive behaviors, but I never got the sense that she was making changes because she wanted to make them. At the beginning of the novel she hangs out with an awful, odious group of friends, drinks excessively, and has casual sex with multiple partners. By the end of the novel she isn't doing these things anymore, but that was as a result of her pregnancy. At no point that I can remember did she really reflect on her actions or make conscious decisions to change. In contrast, Aaron's growth arc felt much more developed and genuine. He was introspective enough to identify why he was hurting and explore ways of healing himself. He was a character to root for, even in the moments where he made poor choices.

Overall, I did enjoy Trouble for its honest treatment of a tough topic and for its interesting and engaging plot. The power of supportive friendships is given center stage in this novel and it was nice to see a non-romantic relationship between a boy and a girl transforming the characters' lives. In caring for someone else, Aaron gradually learns to open up and begin healing. In being cared for in a truly selfless way, Hannah begins to change some of the personal issues she struggles with that led her to become pregnant in the first place. Both characters end up in better places because they look out for each other, which is a lesson that we should all take notice of. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to a younger audience, older teens and adults will find much food for thought in these pages.

Challenge Tally
Popsugar Challenge: (a book with a red spine) 32/40
TBR Challenge: (previously owned) 29/60

Total Books Read in 2017: 37