Romy Grey is doing her best to simply get through the days. Romy has been raped. She has also been branded a liar by almost everyone in town. School is unbearable. Her escape is her job at a diner outside of town, where no one really knows her.
When something happens after a big party, the town is left in shock and Romy must decide whether to stay silent about her past or speak up and do her best to fight.
But just because something starts out sweet doesn’t mean it won’t push itself so far past anything you could call sweet anymore. And if it all starts like this, how do you see what’s coming?
All the Rage by Courtney Summers deftly deals with the issues of consent, rape culture, victim blaming, the politics of teenage girls and ultimately what happens when an entire town turns a blind eye.
It is aptly titled. I was left shaking with rage when I finished it and I know Romy Grey is someone I’ll find myself thinking about for a long time to come.
Like Asking for It by Louise O’Neill, All the Rage may not be an easy read subject wise, but it is a necessary one. Go read it and make sure every teenager you know reads it as well. The conversations it will start are essential.
I am often asked why I read Young Action Fiction and books like All the Rage are why. It’s a powerful look at serious issues affecting the lives of young girls and women. That it’s aimed at young people makes it all the better.
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