Book Review: Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

From Goodreads: "Why? is the burning question on everyone’s lips. Why would a guy like Mathéo Walsh want to die? At seventeen, he is Britain’s most promising diving champion. He is a heartthrob, a straight A student and lives in one of the wealthiest areas of London. He has great mates and is the envy of everyone around him. And most importantly of all, he is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Lola. He has always been a stable, well-adjusted guy.

Until one weekend. A weekend he cannot seem to remember. All he knows is that he has come back a changed person. One who no longer knows how to have fun, no longer wants to spend time with his friends, no longer enjoys diving. Something terrible happened that weekend – something violent and bloody and twisted. He no longer knows who he is. He no longer trusts himself around people: he only wants to hurt, wound and destroy. Slowly, he begins to piece back the buried, fragmented memories, and finds himself staring at the reflection of a monster.  

Tormented, Mathéo suddenly finds himself faced with the most devastating choice of his life. Keep his secret, and put those closest to him in terrible danger. Or confess, and lose Lola forever."

Book Review: Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Tabitha Suzuma tends to gravitate toward taboo and sensitive subject matter. Often heart-breaking and hauntingly sad, her stories aren't always the easiest to take in. When I finished reading Forbidden, I remember crying myself to sleep and then feeling down and empty for the next several days. I felt that way with Hurt too, however I have to agree with the growing consensus that Forbidden is the better novel. That said, I think Hurt is beautifully written. Lots of pretty words it's like reading a painting. It's intense and poignant. It felt realistic - the characters, relatable and likable enough; the plot and setting, very detailed, so detailed in fact that I caught myself tuning out a few times. While I appreciate the imagery, it's too wordy for my liking. It's probably just me though, I get bored rather quickly. Thus the author holding back information up till the last possible second also drove me nuts. So when the truth finally came tumbling out, I was just mostly relieved and a bit annoyed that it took this long to confirm what we all probably have already guessed. It was unspeakable but it wasn't really Mattie's secret but rather what happened after the big reveal I found truly shocking and painful. Hurt, notwithstanding its over descriptiveness, I think is tragic, depressing and beautiful at the same time.