Exposed (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Exposed Deborah Stevenson Marcus, Kimberly. Exposed. Random House, 2011. [272p.] Library ed. ISBN 978-0-375-96693-4 $19.99 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-375-86693-7 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-375-89724-5 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 8-12. Liz is unhappy and puzzled when her best friend, Kate, starts to avoid her after a brief (but not unusual) fight. She's stunned to find out that Kate says she was raped, the night of the argument, by Liz's college-guy older brother, Mike, and that charges are being pressed. Mike, however, claims that the sex was consensual, leaving Liz torn between family and best friend, unsure of whom to believe and to support. Marcus tells the story in a series of titled free-verse poems, with Liz narrating in the present tense. The short lines, compelling subject, and unintimidatingly spacious pages make the novel an inviting read, especially for reluctant readers. Liz herself is interesting as a girl who doesn't initially have a whole lot of use for compassion, tending to be savagely dismissive of those outside her inner circle; her struggle with a serious moral dilemma will definitely elicit audience interest. The poetry is fairly [End Page 245] literal and prosy, however, and the playing out of Liz's anxiety through her photography and photographic metaphors is more contrived than naturally effective. The legal case, including an extraordinarily swift and preparation-free progress to trial and a dramatic courtroom scene, owes more to TV law than to real-world process. It's Liz's emotional quandary that will really hook readers, though, and they'll eat up her story despite its flaws and find much to discuss in her situation. Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois