Review: Exposed

Exposed
By Kimberly Marcus
Published 2011 by Random House Children's Books

Liz is most at home behind her camera and it shows - her photos garner attention from her teacher and she may have a shot at a prestigious school. Her favorite (and best) subject is her best friend. But everything changes for Liz when that best friend lobs an accusation at Liz's brother, an accusation that can't be ignored.

What can I say? It's a verse novel so obviously I was going to read it. I picked it up for a quick read between other books, not really sure what to expect. I thought this book was really well-done and actually think the format suited the story exceptionally well. The narrative voice of Liz is very realistic - readers won't be hard-pressed to sympathize with her as she suddenly finds herself in the middle of a horrid situation. By this point, I've read a lot of novels in verse and I think I enjoyed this one because it deals with a tough subject without being brutal; it's almost a contrast to the novels of Ellen Hopkins. Don't get me wrong; I adore Hopkins' novels. I just found this to be a well-written book that also dealt with a tough subject frankly but perhaps a little less sharply. Marcus does a great job of creating characters that I care about - often, it's hard to find the balance between characterization and plot development in a verse novel. I think Marcus has found it here. The poems that make up the narrative of Exposed are beautiful as well. This was not a disappointment and I highly recommend this to readers looking for a realistic and well-written story.