The S Word

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Or if it did, it was buried in acres of dull, unrealistic dialogue. It's such a shame because the idea behind this book is excellent. Slut shaming is a perennial topic both in fiction and real life and we need more books and people to be calling out this behaviour. The book also deals with ease and sexuality although both are shoehorned in at the end and not given enough airtime. This could have been a really important book, but the style of writing let it down. The MC dashes around for the first three quarters thinking she's Dick Tracy, trying to solve the mystery of her best friend's death but it just comes off all wrong.

I never got the sense that the two girls were close, there wasn't enough back story to make me care. This was a big disappointment for me.

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It read like a first draft and with some decent structural and line editing it could have been a solid book but as it stands it was pretty rubbish. Dec 30, Shayna rated it did not like it Shelves: I think Pitcher meant to write a story about the dangers of bullying; how it affects the victim, and how it affects everyone involved. She touched on it a little bit, but definitely not enough to make for a meaningful story. I felt like the writing was really sloppy and awkward, as I mentioned earlier.

Every time someone spoke, I cringed a little, because the dialogue was just…bad. It always seemed kind of forced and I felt like the voices of the characters were inconsistent. That might make sense for Angie, since she turns out to me mildly insane, but it was still really irritating, especially at the beginning when Angie and Shelby are talking and Pitcher tried for a more sleuthy-sleuth tone.

That voice in particular just felt out of place and out of time. In terms of characters, the majority of them were boring, flat, and one-dimensional. Let me tell you, that twist was absolutely ridiculous. This could have been an interesting twist, if we had had any clue at all that Angie was doing it all along. Besides that, I felt like there was too much else going on for the story to be meaningful in any sort of way.

The only part of the book that held any real meaning for me was when Angie discovered Drake had raped Lizzie, not just cheated on her with Lizzie as she had originally thought. Apr 03, Tanecia rated it really liked it. Ask a hundred people the meaning of that word and you'll hear a hundred answers. It means absolutely nothing. But the moment it is unleashed, it changes me. They look at me differently, all of them. As if I am no longer human. As if I am somehow a monster to be destroyed. These things I have feared about myself now they are telling me. And still, I sit up in the night, willing the word to rearrange so th "They are speaking for me.

And still, I sit up in the night, willing the word to rearrange so that this will have all been a dream. A nightmare from which I can escape. But sitting up only serves to rustle my nightdress, tugging at the blood that dries on my skin. The scabs rip away, awakening fresh wounds. When Angie finds her best friend and boyfriend in a hotel room on prom night everything changed. She lost her best friend since grade school and boyfriend in one night and doesn't thinks a situation like this can get any worse, that is until the day her ex-best friend decides to take her own life and leaves Angie to pick up the pieces.

When I first picked up this read I was like "okay, here goes another suicide-mystery on my hands. And its really fun when I can go into a book expecting one thing and I leave with something utterly different! The characters were surprisingly fresh,real, and haunting. I loved seeing all their stories play out through the book because all the characters had some serious but real issues.

Angie was one of my favorite character's through the span of this book. I related to her character and I was definitely on team Angie when she would scheme and lie to get answer's to who was spreading Lizzie's diaries around school. I mean yes scheming and lying to get what you want is terrible but I would do all of this for my best friend or sister if it meant bringing the bad guy to justice maybe this is the Sailor Moon fangirl in me. GIFSoup It was refreshing to see Angie's flaws and how she was "coping" with the suicide of her best friend Lizzie in which a few months before she had turned her back on and turned the other cheek when other students would bully Lizzie.

I totally got why Angie was so obsessed with catching Lizzies taunters and trying to right her wrongs. And on Angie's search for justice you can see her spiraling out of control in her own depression and were left wondering will she ever pull out of this dark place? Lizzie's character was the glue to this chaotic plot line. With the diary entries being displayed on over the school and suicide slut still making an appearance on her locker, way after her death her presence is very prominent throughout the book. It was haunting to read her diary entries. The pages were disturbing yet beautiful with metaphors for us to decipher and clues into her protected life.

The author really brought you into the mind of a suicidal teen and I believed it. All in all, the S-word was in no way preachy. By the end of the book the reader is left with an "a-ha" feeling and message that is the whole book ; everyone has secrets, everyone goes through difficult situations,everyone has secrets, and even though you are not the bully you are the just as guilty if you stand by and let bullying happen.

I know that this does sound preachy but I can assure you that throughout the story that this message wasn't so clear in the beginning. All the characters had serious issues from abuse,suicide, and much more. It was interesting how the author fit all these dynamic issues and personality in to one book. It was brilliant and it rang true to the everyday situations young people go through today. I recommend this books to readers who liked Shine by Lauren Myracle! Feb 05, Katrina Welsh rated it it was ok Shelves: This is going to be one of the great ones.

But upon closer inspection, you realize it's just fool's gold and you're pissed because you got played. But, hey, at least have you this pretty shiny thing. You have no use for it, but nothing you can do. I'm not always so keen on reading issue-y books.

The S Word () - IMDb

The writing can so easily turn preachy. With this type of genre, the writing style is one of the most important things to get right, just like how in fantasy books, the world building better be freaking fantastic or else you might as well just not have tried.

There is a line that most authors cross when writing these types of books. And the thing is, the line is so thin that you don't even realize that you've walked across the other side. You only know that the ground feels different or the air smells staler and there is just something different.

You don't know when it happened or how, only that you don't like it. That was one of the major problems I had with The S-Word. Pitcher told me how the characters were feeling, how hard their circumstances were instead of making me feel it. No matter how good the moral of your story is, no one is going to listen if you don't deliver it well, especially with the kinds of issues this book tried to tackle.

I just felt like I was getting preached at. It had the contemporary elements but it also read like a mystery novel. Angie is trying to unearth who the vandal is, the one who wrote 'Suicide Slut' on Lizzie's locker. Angie finds pages from Lizzie's diary, each one incriminating a different character as the guilty one. Angie interrogated these 'suspects', trying to see if they had the means and the motive to pass Angie's entry pages around school.

She never really mourned for the death of her best friend- no sadness or grief. She was more focused on finding playing detective than really feeling the loss of her best friend. I don't know if Pitcher did that on purpose, to show Angie's denial and real trauma or just lack of character development.

I can't imagine anyone speaking like that, especially someone from high school. Lizzie is already dead by the time the novel starts. We never get to meet her. We only know her from her diary entries. Lizzie's 'voice' is so stiff and unnatural, even more so since this is supposed to be her diary, her unfiltered thoughts.

But the writing isn't all bad. There were actually some really great passages but the awkwardness and stiffness of the whole thing just outshone the good parts. There were plenty of characters to focus on. The side characters all had their own issues, but to me, that's all they ever seemed like- issues. The only way I could distinguish each character was by remembering what was wrong with them- the pervy nerd, the competitive drama queen, cheerleader bitch Everyone was just screwed up. I know everyone has their own stuff to deal with, but we're not all fucking crazy. I'm sick and tired of authors thinking the only way characters can be 'interesting' is to make their lives horrible.

This is such a screwed up book. With screwed up characters. Can't somebody just be freaking normal? There were some parts that were good. There's a lot about discrimination, being judgmental, seeing past appearances, vengeance, hypocrisy, hate and of course, slut shaming.

But Pitcher was just all over the place. I didn't feel like she conveyed any hard hitting messages, just touched on a couple very then quickly moved on to the even more messed up character. The S-Word had very good intentions but Pitcher just didn't know how to execute her ideas well. Jan 02, Dianne rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is the story of how one innocent girl is tormented to the point of suicide and how her best friend and worst tormentor learns from her own guilt at turning her back on someone who needed her most.

Angie caught her best friend, Lizzie in bed with her boyfriend on prom night.

The S-Word

At that point, she turned her back on Lizzie, thinking only the worst. As the school bullied Lizzie, Angie went along with it, until she read Lizzie's diary and learned of the life of Remember high school? As the school bullied Lizzie, Angie went along with it, until she read Lizzie's diary and learned of the life of torment that was long hidden. Angie needed to expose the truth, to avenge Lizzie, to rid herself of her own demons. Although a painful story, the guts and determination shown by the main character were admirable.

Getting to the finish line was an intense, well-thought-out journey by the author, highlighting the damages wrought by peer pressure and small-mindedness. A must read for teens! Jan 18, Kala rated it did not like it Shelves: Kala's Book Blog I've made it halfway through and I just can't continue. This book is bad. Teenage suicide is a big deal.

It's a huge problem in the United States that doesn't get the attention it deserves. The S-Word is supposed to be about two best friends, Angie and Lizzie. Angie catches Lizzie having sex with her boyfriend and the two have a falling out for obvious reasons. Lizzie also becomes somewhat of a social pariah in the school because of sleeping with Angie's boyfriend. Shortly after, Lizzie commits suicide. After Lizzie's death, someone writes "Suicide Slut" on a locker in Lizzie's handwriting and starts passing out Lizzie's journal pages.

The novel could have been about Angie trying to figure out what went wrong in her friendship, what happened to make Lizzie destroy it, and what went so terribly bad that Lizzie had to kill herself. Instead, it tries to be funny and amusing as Angie plays "detective" in the most bizarre ways, interviewing classmates in her quest to find out who wrote "Suicide Slut" on the locker. Angie suddenly turns in to an awful parody of Joe Friday from Dragnet and the book just went completely down hill.

One example - Lizzie was apparently in to acting. She had recently gotten the lead part in a play. Angie believes that the drama queen goddess Shelby McQueen who got ousted from her position when Lizzie got the part, might be behind it. She she goes to interview her. Apparently this girl is 'in character' and Angie decides to get 'in character' to talk to her too. Here's an excerpt all typos, formatting errors, and mangled capitalization straight from the book: Drama class is a veritable free-for-all at the end of the year and i've got nothing but time.

Whatever gets the canary to sing. But her attitude says floor-length, slit-up-the-thigh red satin. It continues from there in the awful Dragnet-wannabe style as Angie interviews more kids and pretends to be a hardcore detective. Angie is mildly upset, but mostly because of wondering "Did he use those eyes on Lizzie?

Did he use that voice? Drake, who apparently doesn't give a lick that he's in the bedroom of a girl he just banged who is now dead, uses the time to try and snuggle up on Angie and make out. I'll give Angie credit, she kicks him out, but still. Would this happen in real life? The thing that annoys me most is that from what I've read so far, this isn't about Angie coming to terms with her best friend's suicide. In fact, Angie barely seems affected.

It's about Angie playing Joe Friday to find out who is writing things on the wall in Lizzie's handwriting. It's not like Lizzie was murdered unless there's a twist at the end where she was, but I'll never know. There's also some rambling journal entries of Lizzie's where she gets emo about being called a slut and how no one really knows the meaning of the word slut and blah blah blah. Slut or slattern is a term applied to an individual who is considered to have loose sexual morals or who is sexually promiscuous.

A girl who betrayed her best friend by sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend could definitely meet the criteria of having "loose sexual morals. If this book was trying to show us the difference between men and women, and how a woman who has sex can be labeled a slut while a man is a stud Lizzie had sex with her best friend's boyfriend.

In general, when you do that, you'll earn the slut label. Perhaps this author's style just wasn't for me. Actually, I'm positive this author's style wasn't for me. I don't like the lackadaisical approach to suicide that it took. It could have gotten better towards the end, but if it takes me over a week to struggle through the first half, I'm not going to continue in hopes that it will get better. Because to be honest, I can't think of one example where it has. I also hate to harp on formatting issues in a galley because I know they are not completely edited yet, but this galley was the absolute worst I've ever seen.

The majority of the sentences are not capitalized. The majority of the names are not capitalized. There are constant cases of words in the middle of sentences that have random capitalization mid word. While the formatting wasn't the reason for the 1-star rating that's all the terrible writing and plot , it did make it jarring and even more awkward to read.

Jan 31, Lottie Eve rated it liked it. I had a hard time deciding what I thought about this book. I could tell that Pitcher had good intentions when writing this book but I think that The S-Word could have been so much better if it was put into the hands of an experienced writer. I actually blew through this book in a fairly quick amount of time. I just feel like this book could have been oh so much more than just enjoyable. Everyone at school is against her and even Angie is to heartbroken to speak to her.

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People start bullying her, covering her locker with the word SLUT. Finally, the hurt becomes too much and Lizzie commits suicide. Angie decides to capture the culprit and avenge Lizzie but will her hate and grief cause her own self-destruction? Her narration lacked emotion. I was only told that she was filled with grief but I was never really shown it.

I felt indifferent to Angie throughout the entire book. And sometimes her character just seemed a little…off. The side characters were a little better than Angie the main character of the story. I felt that they had more depth. Jesse is a cross-dresser and is known to be gay. He had a certain wit to him and he really cared for the people he cared about. I liked that about him. Kennedy starts out as one of those mean girl characters but when something terrible about her revealed she into a little more than that.

I also liked how some of the past bullies redeemed themselves in some parts of the novel. There are many more side characters that I could talk about as this story had a fairly large number of characters but these were the ones that stuck with me the most The Mystery The mystery in The S-Word was the best part for me!

Pitcher skillfully reveals clues in just the right moments, keeping me from becoming impatient but not making me feel like the information was being revealed to quickly. The mystery is very unpredictable with twist and turns. And when the big reveal finally came I was rendered speechless. The Unreliable Narrator Angie is a very unreliable narrator. I thought this was a nice touch. The Sadness Heed my warning: The S-Word has some incredibly sad moments. Some of the bullies in this book are so cruel that I just wanted to throw something—I settled for my pillow.

Sometimes they were so cruel that tears were rushing from my eyes. I recommend you to prepare a box of tissues when reading this book. The Topics The S-Word addresses many different touchy topics. Bullying, suicide, child molestation, rape, revenge, homosexuality, and cross-dressing to name a few. Sometimes I felt that some of these topics were just shoved in. I believe that The S-Word would have been much better if it just focused on one or maybe two of these kind of topics not as many as this.

This was the area that The S-Word was really lacking in. Some passages were so incredibly awkward and shaky that my mind was kicked right out of the story. The dialogue felt forced often. Though I will say that one of the last paragraphs to this story really struck a chord with me. I touch the petals with my fingers.

I feel this electricity go through me, this warmth that is both outside and in. One of the petals breaks away in my hand. This passage is certainly not one of the best pieces of writing in the world but I felt an emotion that was mixed with sadness and hope when I read this. Certainly not the best book that touches upon this topic but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. So give this book a try! I would recommend this book to a person who just want a good mystery at the moment but I will warn them not to expect much of anything else except for a lot of sad scenes that will make your heart feel like it is bleeding.

Jan 18, Stephanie rated it did not like it Shelves: So, The S-Word was a major let down. The blurb sounded promising and the idea was good - it really had the potential to be a great story. It was full of awkward wording, forced dialogue and it was just something I couldn't enjoy and I struggled to get through the book - and I'm a fast reader. The idea had such great potential and it was one of the books I was most looking forward to receiving when I requested it on NetGalley but alas, it was a severe disappointment.

I didn't like this book at all So, The S-Word was a major let down. I didn't like this book at all because of how it was written. Nothing to do with the plot at all, I thought it was really interesting but it was ruined with the sloppy writing. The sentences felt awkward, forced and poorly constructed - it didn't quite have that flow.

The narrator's voice Angie didn't feel right - her best friend snatched her man in front of her, and she actually seemed rather nonchalant about it when explaining to the audience about what happened. I don't know about you but if I found out that my boyfriend had been doing the dirty with my best friend, I would be pretty damn pissed. Angie seemed far too detached and it just seemed rather fake and not right for the situation. Lizzie's diary entries didn't match the voice of an older teenager either - it sounded like a pre-teen trying to sound older and far more sophisticated than they truly are.

I got what Pitcher was trying to say about the double standards for boys and girls but it didn't quite have an impact - she told us, rather than showed us and overall, didn't quite touch on it enough for the message to sink in.

But yeah, good message. Well received blah blah. She came across like a five year old reading a spy book for the very first time and decided it'll be super fun to just go out there and solve a mystery. Yeah, that's what it felt like. There were also too many issues going on all at once, y'know? Okay, there's slut shaming going on.

There's also a suicide. Yeah, that's bad too. Okay, that's bad as well. They're all important issues on their own individually but the author just grabbed them all and tossed them in a soup pot all at once and it just becomes one confusing hot mess. There was just too much going in a super awkward, very confusing and disjointed plot to feel any actual feels, other than confusion. I was looking forward to a thought-provoking book on bullying and reading a nice mystery novel that would keep me second-guessing and leaving me on tenterhooks long afterward I've finished it but nope, the conclusion was very obvious to me and so out of there, it was quite funny.

If you want to be super confused and disappointed, this is the book for you. Mar 14, Naoms rated it really liked it Shelves: Originally Posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek Decades ago, before blockbusters and television, there were these black and white movies about guys who wore trench coats, talked really fast and fell in love with bombshells with big secrets. Someone is dead or something valuable is missing or a wife wants to know if her old man is stepping out on her. These movies were filled with shifty characters, secrets and layers of twists that kept the audience guessing.

In Noir private investigator fashion, Angie combs through her school in search of the truth. Angie follows her clues to the usual suspects. The mean girl cheerleaders, the bullied nerd and the jealous drama club star. The drama unfolds in an entertaining fashion, which is both classic and surprising all at once. This book is about high school, but it is a mystery where more than one answer is found and even more secrets are exposed.

The-S Word is as much a story about revenge as it is a love story. Angie is determined to find the people who tortured Lizzie into killing herself, so that she can make them pay. The love story not so much. The love is layered. It is unexpected and comes in different shapes and forms. Find out who bullied Lizzie and why she killed herself, but the truth is that Lizzie was more than bullied.

She was tortured at every turn. By her classmates, by her overbearing parents and by the emotions she locked away within her. The more I think about this book, the more I like it. The story of Elizabeth Hart is the story on how we destroy each other. A unique take on not only school bullying, but high school and the art of getting even. I highly recommend it. Apr 25, Bee rated it it was amazing Shelves: So if you want to talk or rant or fangirl about this book and it's characters, please send me a message!

I need someone to talk with about this book, lol. The S-word is the brilliantly written debut of Chelsea Pitcher and I can't help but ask Where in God's name have you been hiding all this time Chelsea? Why did you keep your talent from us for so long? It should be punished But this book is great, so you are forgiven.

Yes, this is a great book. It's a must-read and one of my new favorites of this year.

Maybe even of all time. The writing is great and I was hooked to the story from the first sentence. I could not stop reading. I just had to know how it ended. Like I said, I can't talk about it much because I don't want to spoil anything, but I have to say that it did not end the way I thought it would. There are twists and turns I did not see coming. Nothing is what it seems, that's all I can say. I wanted to talk about bullying because it's a big theme in this novel, but I won't. It's bad and mean and low. This book is captivating, full of drama and even romance and suspence.

Brilliantly written, like I already said and Chelsea, you've got a new fan. I can't wait to read more from you in the future. View all 3 comments. Mar 18, Sarah Marie rated it it was ok Shelves: My favorite thing about the whole book. I wish I had a physical copy just for the cover alone. Thank you, Netgalley and Gallery Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

May 20, Sha rated it really liked it Shelves: Have you ever read a book and then, somehow, forgotten everything about the plot and characters and meaning to the story but retained a single emotion from your reading? An emotion so powerful you either knew that book was the best thing you ever read … or the worst? That was my experience with The S-Word.

Something about the book left a bad taste in my mouth because I refused to ever touch it again. Yet here I a Have you ever read a book and then, somehow, forgotten everything about the plot and characters and meaning to the story but retained a single emotion from your reading? Yet here I am, reviewing this book and … I really loved it? I have no idea what would have upset me so terribly in my first reading. It has helped decrease stigma and provide space for people with lived experience to share their own stories and be supported in new ways by our community.

Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. It is superbly done and a must-see for anyone interested in behavioral health. American Association of Suicidology. No one expects to be inspired by a documentary on suicide but viewers will leave informed, inspired and uplifted. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cleveland International Film Festival. Port Townsend Film Festival. Our strategy is to purse an 'A' list film festival for our premiere - then to present community based special screenings across the country. We are already fielding requests from universities, mental health organizations and hospitals including the Mayo Clinic, which is scheduled for spring of We would love to hear what you think about our project.

Share with us your ideas, thoughts and stories. Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ. You will receive a special digital poster. If you are a suicide survivor let us know so we can add your name to the poster. Pick one of the following: Each item is signed by the author or artist with a unique Kickstarter thanks. Times to be arranged by Doug and the filmmaker. Oct 20, - Nov 19, 30 days. Share this project Done. The S Word - a film that changes how we talk about suicide.

Thanks so much for your support. If you didn't get a chance to back us on Kickstarter but would still like to, press here: We made our funding goal with many hours to spare! Thank you to all our super wonderful backers and to all those who have been so supportive of The S Word on social media. This campaign has been such a collaborative effort. This film belongs to all of you!

Now let's finish this movie and change the world! Dese'Rae Stage and Felicidad Garcia. Lisa Klein and Doug Blush. Support Select this reward. Estimated delivery Apr Kickstarter is not a store. It's a way to bring creative projects to life.

The S Word 6th Anniversary Fundraiser Film Event for Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline

Learn more about accountability. Estimated delivery Nov Estimated delivery Jan Ships to Anywhere in the world. Estimated delivery Mar Ships to Only United States. Estimated delivery Jun

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