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Some reviewers have said that if she just didn't go to meet him, she would be fine, and someone else said, "She wasn't even raped." I think that people need to be educated on that topic and what it is. I just didn't think that she was a very good writer. She went on and on about how the area in which she lived is very into appearances, and everyone had a lot of money. She was touched where she didn't want to be, she was manipulated by a man more than three times her senior, and I do feel sorry for her, and everyone else that this has happened to. I think if you are going to write something in a memoir, it should have some connection to the story. I think that this book could have been a great cautionary tale for teenagers that are too into chat rooms, and meeting people online.
It took a couple of chapters to get to the part where she first met "Mark." Even though she seemed very grown up for 13, I think that a lot of the details could be tied into one chapter. Even still, this is a very important book to be out there. Even though it's more accepted now, people still need to take precautions (watch: To Catch A Predator) Back in 1995, when chat rooms were first introduced, even I used to stay on for hours, "chatting" with whomever came across my path. I didn't really care that she was trying to figure out what her Christmas presents were or the very detailed information about her swimming on the team. The unfortunate part is the fact that this book is not written well.
Okay, we get it.
I enjoyed the story, and it is a quick read. Some have been critical of the author, but keep in mind, she was only a teenager, and it is told from her perspective.
Granted it was written by a teenager but the writing made me very aware of this fact. The book reads like it was written by a teenager. While not badly written, the prose is unimpressive Plot: 14 year old chats with older guy on AOL.they meet in person.Pros: Engaging, quick read, no big words, appeals to teens, adults, parents. The mother and stepfather come off as jerks, and I love reading about messed up folksCons: Ending wasn't enough of a "conclusion" for me, I would've liked to know more and was kind of let down.Other Thoughts: Although the title did catch my eye, it is essentially a lie as no.com figures into the story and the book isn't about a specific web site.
None of the characters are likeable and you really can't feel sorry for the protagonist. I could do that for free. This book was poorly written and plain old boring. It's like just sitting there going through a teen girls email inbox.
Buy another book. Regardless of the content of this book, the publisher Penguin has deliberately 'hijacked' the katie.com domain from its legitimate UK owner - Mrs Katie Jones.They have ruined her small online business by deliberately naming the book and an ensuing TV program "Katie.com" even though they knew the domain belonged to someone else. So a hard-pressed mother gets thousands of often unpleasant emails, while the 'heroine' of the book enjoys TV celebrity.Please don't support this type of greedy commercial behaviour.
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