"The Female of The Species" by Mindy McGinnis

Wow... This book blew me away.  A definite must read. It exposes the rape culture, and is written as an allegory. There are three points of view: a girl who kills the rapist (she is the vengeance), a boy who for the longest time as he admits "was led by his dick and drank too much" (basically representing the "boys will be boys" stereotype), and finally a preacher's daughter, a good girl from a nice family who is so wrapped up in her teenage drama she lowers her guard and almost gets raped (she probably represents the innocence of youth).

This book was perfect. If you read the story as a straightforward contemporary high school drama, the characters are caricatures and are completely unrealistic. We have a popular and smart jock (Jack), a hot cheerleader who sleeps around (Branley), a rebellious preacher's kid (Claire), and a lonely damaged vigilante (Alex). I also kept thinking that this book is sort of a parody on all the YA dystopian and fantasy novels out there. We do have a teenage superhero who acts way beyond her age and takes care of the bad guys. The difference is the problems in the book are real. One in three young women gets sexually assaulted. The same happens to one out of six guys. And as the book poignantly states getting through childhood without being molested is considered lucky.

I think this book tackles important subjects in a frank and unvarnished manner, and does so brilliantly.  We should read it, ponder it, discuss it and learn from it. I would have given this book more stars if I could. Many other books on my "favorites" list now pale in comparison. I am definitely planning on reading everything else Mindy McGinnis has written or will write.