Rage by J. M. Kessler

JMKessler-RageI don’t know where to start with this review. Rage was such an emotionally intense novel that I have to admit that I did cry through a few scenes.

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

Missy was such a strong heroine, even though everyone called her a “freak” and “weak” for what she did to herself.  It was her way of dealing with all the “wrong” and “bad.”  It certainly wasn’t a good way of dealing with it, but it was the only way she ever felt any kind of peace. But once Missy becomes War, her emotions become volatile. It was really at that point that the plot took off, becoming more that just another coming-of-age book.

The plot was mainly focused on Missy finding herself. But, her adventures as War helped Rage from becoming a monotonous novel. Not that Missy’s emotional turmoil was dull. It was a rough, exoctic, roller coaster ride that will deeply touch, and never truly let go of, anyone who is willing to slip out of their life and into Missy’s for the short time it takes to read Rage.

The only problem I really had with Rage was the way Missy’s soccer teammates treated her after they discovered her secret.   Like everyone else, they too turned their backs on Missy. As a former soccer player I have to say that teammates are family and we will always have each others back on the field and off, especially in high school soccer. There is very little that will ever come between teammates, and anything as serious as self-injury would never be laughed upon. I know why it was done for the plot, and if it hadn’t happened, then Rage would be a very different story, but it still upset me that that’s the way soccer players were portrayed.

Like with Hunger, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to To Write Love On Her Arms. It’s a nonprofit organization to help people with their depression, self-injury, suicidal thoughts, etc. If you think this is a book you want to read, please buy it to help support this cause!

Read Order:
Hunger
Rage
Loss (2012)

Also reviewed by: SciFi Fan Letter, Steph Su Reads, Reading Angel, The Book Smugglers and Preternatura

About Casey 203 Articles
Casey is the founder of Heart Full of Ink, Director at Reading Until Dawn Con, and a full time cheese addict. She's been ranting and reviewing for Literary Escapism since 2010, and is part of the trio #3Bloggers1Series podcast. When she's not reading, looking for new books, or stalking authors online (waiting for more books), she can be found binge watching Netflix. But really, her life is all about DEM BOOKS!