Gritty and raw are words used in the synopsis for White Lines by Jennifer Banash, but that doesn’t really explain what happens inside the pages. It’s far more dark and depressing than I expected. Drugs, physical and mental abuse, and depression practically drip off every page. While I do think it was well written, this kind of book isn’t my cup of tea. It leaves me depressed, something I really don’t like.
A gritty, atmospheric coming of age tale set in 1980s New York City.
Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.
Both poignant and raw, White Lines is a gripping tale and the reader won’t want to look away.
One of the things that stand out for me in White Lines is the descriptive writing. Ms. Banash did a great job in this department, almost too great at times. Every sentence was over the top, even when they didn’t have to be. About midway through the book, I became tired of it. Not to the point that I hated her writing style, but just to the point that I wanted a regular old, simple sentence. I think she did an amazing job; however she could have toned things back just a touch.
Although, her writing style did set things up perfectly. Banash takes a sad story all on it’s own and magnifies it times 10; it becomes scary real. You really feel Cat and how depressed and lonely she is. How horribly lost and out of control she is. Seriously, you feel everything she goes through from being on drugs to her utter disdain for life. You even see her friends and how they are tormented as well. And her parents? Dude, I really wanted to beat the snot out of her mother. With this style of writing, you are right there in the middle of the mess, which is amazing, but super depressing for this kind of gut wrenching novel.
I like books that get my blood pumping, whether it is action or romance, and White Lines didn’t do that for me. It made me want to hide in my room, with the covers over my head and hide. All the drugs, the abuse, poor Cat being scared to death over something as simple as someone touching her arm. It was too dark for me. I want a book to take my mind off of life, something that will inspire my imagination and take me to far off lands. Not one that is going to kill my mood.
I do think White Lines is a great novel. It has amazing, descriptive writing, in your face intensity and truth of what it’s like to be spiralling out of control. Jennifer Banash deserves major kudos for her work. However, it’s so dark and depressing and not something I want to read; so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless they like this kind of “tear your heart out with a spoon” novel.
Published: April 4th 2013
Format:Paper back
Source: Received for review
