Patricia McCormick's Cut (Review and Giveaway!)

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A tingle arced across my scalp. The floor tipped up at me and my body spiraled away. Then I was on the ceiling looking down, waiting to see what would happen next.

Callie cuts herself. Never too deep, never enough to die. But enough to feel the pain. Enough to feel the scream inside. Now she’s at Sea Pines, a “residential treatment facility” filled with girls struggling with problems of their own. Callie doesn’t want to have anything to do with them. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with anyone. She won’t even speak. But Callie can only stay silent for so long…

The 10^th Anniversary edition of Cut includes a brand-new afterword from author Patrica McCormick, an author Q&A, and added resources.

Review:

I actually read Cut a couple of years ago around the time when I first began reading YA. However, when I was asked to partake in a promotion for it, I decided to give it another read, as I did not remember much about it. Amazingly enough, Patricia McCormick’s Cut was even more spectacular than I remembered. It seriously took my breath away with its realistic and raw portrayal of a teen dealing with a cutting problem.

For Callie, life hasn’t been all roses and peaches lately. She is currently residing at Sea Pines, a treatment facility for girls with a variety of problems, and trying not to lose all hope, as Callie herself is dealing with a self-injury problem. The problem is she is not getting better. She cannot talk, or more accurately, she will not, to anyone when all she truly wants to do is spill it all: the loneliness she’s felt, the pain of dealing with a brother who’s sick, and parents who are barely there among other things. However, will she come clean before she lands in an even worse place, or will she stay silent too long? Only time and more pages can tell in this fascinating and fast-paced read of opening up, letting go, and learning to be yourself.

One of my favorite aspects of Cut was the characters, mainly Callie. While I have never had a cutting problem like Callie, I still found it easy to relate to some of her basic problems, and I feel many others will agree. More importantly, I liked how with Callie, the reader also gets to see what leads someone to cut, that it is something that can happen to anyone. I also liked how the other characters at Sea Pines also made appearances on the page, because they allowed the reader to see different perspectives of the center as well as a variety of other problems.

While the plot of this is basic and a bit predictable, it was easy to be caught up in Callie’s story. I especially enjoyed the way it was told, because I felt that Callie addressing her therapist as “you” was interesting and allowed for the reader to become even more enthralled in the story. In addition, given the short yet detailed way this is told, it allows for the story to move in the perfect pace- fast but not too fast.

The ending of this was another highpoint. I loved the fact that while it ended with hope, it still was very realistic.

Raw and eye opening yet hopeful, the 10th addition of Patricia McCormack’s Cut is sure to have past readers devouring this tale once again as well as introducing yet another generation to her storytelling.

Grade: A+ 

Cut is now out!

Source: Publicity Firm/Publisher- thanks Chelsy at Big Honcho Media and Scholastic!

About the Author

Patrica McCormick spent three years researching and writing her first novel, Cut. She is also the author of the National Book Award finalist Sold, as well as Purple Heart and My Brother’s Keeper. She lives in Manhattan. Learn more at www.pattymccormick.com. This title is also part of Scholastic's This is Teen. 

Thanks to the Scholastic and Big Honcho Media, I also have two copies of the 10^th Anniversary addition of Cut up for grabs. To enter, please fill out the following form. 

Official Contest Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older to enter

~ Must have a US Mailing Address

~ This giveaway will close on June 28, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST 

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.*