Stained

Gr 9 Up—Sarah, 16, has grown up with a port-wine-colored birthmark covering much of one side of her face. She is self-conscious from being teased throughout elementary school, and high school is even worse. Sarah is determined to look "normal" and has scheduled expensive dermatology treatments, but when her father's company goes belly-up, the treatments must be canceled, and Sarah is certain that her life is ruined. Things go from bad to worse when a gang of school thugs stalk and taunt her. Brian, a man who works for her father, intercepts to "rescue" her. He turns out to be a psychopathic killer who abducts Sarah and subjects her to long-term psychological and physical abuse. The constant terror is a sneaky ingredient to hook readers. The dialogue is flat and in stark contrast with the horrifying situation, and strong character development is lacking. Comic-book melodrama abounds. Sarah writes herself a superhero script. She imagines her heroine alter ego surviving and escaping captivity, while her nerdy Clark Kent-ish friend is bravely bent on saving her. This dark story, which includes rape and violence, is a sensationalized thriller that neglects to convey the emotional consequences of the serious subject matter.—Alison Follos, formerly at North Country School, Lake Placid, NY