Dangerous Play

Gr 9 Up–This debut is a plot-driven novel about a field hockey (or fockey) team out for revenge. Zoe Alamandar is captain of the field hockey team leading her team on and off the field. She and her co-captain hand-selected a team and are determined to make it to the state championship and win scholarships. But when Zoe is sexually assaulted at a party, everything changes. She no longer excels at fockey and has no interest in school or her relationships. When a teammate reveals she was raped earlier in the year, she and Zoe decide to take action into their own hands and bring the rest of the team on their vigilante journey. Although it is not the most engaging book, readers may relate to Zoe and her situation. With an overworked and absent mother and an injured father, household responsibilities fall on her shoulders. Most character traits are described but not fully developed.