Rumble

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins is about a boy named Matthew who struggles to cope with his brother’s suicide and his dysfunctional parents. Matthew’s cynical, scathing tone hooked me in the very beginning of the book. This is the narrative of a boy who has been given so many lemons in life that he is tired of trying to make lemonade. Matthew cuts himself off from his friends and the adults around him, many of whom he sees as responsible for his brother’s suicide. He scorns the religious and believes his brother’s death is the ultimate proof that an all-knowing, benevolent God does not exist. His disdainful mockery extends to everything and everyone except for his girlfriend Hayden, who is the one constant in Matthew’s life. Matthew practically idolizes Hayden and depends on her to keep him rooted in sanity. So when a startling revelation turns his beliefs upside down, he is forced to reevaluate his judgment of the people around him. Rumble is not the best book I’ve read that deals with teenage suicide. It contains predictable plot twists and some underdeveloped characters. However, the protagonist won me over with his betrayed outlook on life and his blunt, crude language.