League of Strays
Author: L.B. Schulman
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Amulet
My Rating:
Summary:
When Charlotte, a lonely student at a new high school, receives a mysterious note inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a group of loners and an alluring, manipulative leader named Kade, who convinces them that they need each other for friendship…and for taking revenge on those who have wronged them in the past.
But Kade has an even bigger agenda, and soon Charlotte finds herself tangled in a destructive web of secrets and lies. Vandalizing the school and causing fights between students aren’t enough to satisfy the League. Kade masterminds a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.
First Sentence: I pedaled down the side of the road, relying on passing headlights to lead my way.
My Review:
Whenever anyone brings up League of Strays anywhere on goodreads, they were constantly warned with, “don’t read the book, it has gay bashing in it.” That got me curious. Did the author purposely write it that way or did she unknowingly not know that people will think of her book that way (since I believe no author would want her book constantly hated on). That got me to read League of Strays to find out myself without being influenced by other people’s opinions.
Let me start this review with I read the entire book from page to page and never skimmed any parts of it. I personally believe that the author never intended that bullying scene to be viewed as a scene bashing gay people. I do not believe that L.B. Schulman meant to promote gay bashing either. However, what I did get from the book was the feeling that Charlotte was afraid or even disgusted of gay people for being who they are, and for that, I do not improve.
One thing most people talk about is the whole idea of the book – what’s the point of bullying the people who bullied you? Doesn’t that make you a bully yourself? Hey, if you were in that position, you’ll never know what you’ll do. There are also tons of other books with that kind of concept, Burn for Burn being one, but I don’t see that book being complained about for its concept. I get that people hate the book, but please find logical reasons to hate it instead of hating it for every single thing it contains?
Now to talk about Charlotte – is it a wonder that she never made any friends? She is one of the most shallow characters I’ve ever read about, ever. The only reason she stayed in the League the first place even though she didn’t approve of what they did is because she thinks Kade is hot. That thought controls her entire brain. That’s all she talks about, and hell, thinks about when the subject of the League comes up. It totally disgusts me that someone can only care about someone else’s looks as the person gets arrested and dragged away. Charlotte, there’s something majorly wrong with you if you were happy with relief when someone else gets physically abused just so no one would know what you did. That’s just sick.
Charlotte also doesn’t know how good her life is. She complains about how her parents are so overprotective and intense. Hey Charlotte, would you rather have Zoe’s drunk mother, who gets drunk all the time and relays on her daughter to take care of her and pay the bills? And of course your mother will ask you how your viola lessons are going, she’s paying for it and has the right to know if you’re attending the classes in case she gets ripped off. Ever think of that Charlotte? Be happy you have a parent that rugs up your jeans for you since you guys can’t afford to buy those expensive rugged up jeans. Be thankful she cares.
And a totally random comment – the cover doesn’t look as good as it did online. The guy’s gaze is plain scary and creepy, the girl is wearing too much pale eyeshadow, and that guy’s hair…Yeah, I think I said enough.
That is absolutely ridiculous! I mean if she wrote that scene then it was intentional, but I just don’t get why a main character would feel that way. Plus, I just hate bullying and I don’t understand why shallow people feel or do what they do. Although, I’ll admit I do like the premise for the book, and if it didn’t have so many negative reviews I would have picked it up.
Thanks for the honest review!
~ Maida
Literary Love Affair
Maida @ Literary Love Affair recently posted…Book Blitz: Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika – Author Interview & Giveaway
I know! This book is just…tsk tsk.
I was interested in the premise of the book too, but Charlotte’s character ruined the entire book for me. Months later, I still feel some burning hatred for her. :l
No problem Maida! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Spooktacular Giveaway Hop
Wow! Only 1 star is pretty awful! It sounds like the book deserves it though. Horrible!
Yeah, I rarely give out a lot of 1 stars. >___< Even months after I read this book, I still feel a burning hatred for this book. Kelly recently posted…Spooktacular Giveaway Hop
The cover for League of Strays is definitely interesting looking, but the one elephant rating is concerning. I definitely have never heard about this book before, but after reading your review I’m glad I never did. I’m sensitive to any type of bullying (most of all gay bullying) and it’s not because that’s what I am but I’ve had a lot of friends that are that. I think I would have disapproved of this book as well. and I wouldn’t have liked that type of setting in the story. Thank you for informing us about that.
The cover of League of Strays is what convinced me to read the book the first place, plus the controversy surrounding the book.
Yeah, like you, I DO NOT approve of gay bullying, ANY type of bullying. This book just disgusted me. :l
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [54]
I was very interested in this one when I first heard about it, but I am not sure I even want to bother now. I have only read 3 reviews for it, including yours, and they all said things about the story that make me incredibly reluctant to even try it for myself. The main reason being the MC. She does not sound like a character I would be able to handle reading about. I think I will just pass this one up, otherwise this could be one of those books that gets thrown across the room!