Cracked

by Clare Strahan

I'm pretty sure that by the time I finish high school, I'll be cracked into a pile of shards, beyond repair.At fifteen, Clover is finding the going tougher than she expected. Her life is close to being derailed on the rocky terrain of family, friendship, first love, acts of defiance and a planet on the brink of environmental disaster. So when Keek breaks his promise to her, and school sucks, and her mother is impossible, and her beloved old dog is dying, and her dad is in the wind, and the girls at school are awful and the footy-boys are bullies and she's arrested for vandalism - well, what else can she be but a little bit broken? Can Clover pull herself together - or will she spiral further out of control?When life feels like it's fracturing, how do you find a way to feel whole?

• ISBN10: 1743366841
• ISBN13: 9781743366844
• Publish Date: 5 November 2015 (first published 28 May 2014)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 31 March 2021
• Publish Country: AU
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Imprint: A&U Children
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

This is Aussie realism. From the teen interactions, cliques, and discovering your place in the world. This could have been my neighbourhood from when I was a teen two decades ago. Felt it lacked direction a little though, I would have loved the storyline to have built towards something more monumental, but enjoyed it regardless.

Review
Cracked was a brilliant take on living life as an Australian teen, but teens all around the world can relate to the plight of Clover, and losing her way while finding her own feet. I think we've all felt like the odd one out at some point in our lives, popularity, sex, background, religion or even personal choices in how we express ourselves. But Clover takes it all in her stride. She stands up for herself and delivers with conviction. I loved her character, she's a gentle soul who's feisty and even through making a few wrong turns, she's intelligent. Together with Keek, the two just clicked. There wasn't any instant love, or romance, just a beautiful friendship of support and, on occasion, vandalism.

The only downside is that it felt as thought it needed to build towards a more monumental event. Regardless, the storyline flowed beautifully. I really enjoyed Clover's quiet moments of reflection. She wasn't an overly complex character, but she's real. Throughout our suburbs, you'll find a Clover. She's the quiet girl who carries the world on her shoulders until the weight becomes too much. She represents the different and the quirky and delivers one of the most positive messages in young adult. Live for yourself.