Julie Anne Peters’ newest novel, RAGE: A Love Story, will be out from Random House (Knopf) in September 2009. It’s the intense, gritty, gripping story of a powerful first love that tears at your soul.
In the last few weeks leading up to high school graduation, Johanna finds herself tutoring a hulking, creepy guy, Robbie, as a favor to a favorite teacher. Spending time with him after school, she learns some potentially scary, life-threatening secrets about him. But what she soon discovers is that her time with Robbie has a surprise benefit – access to his sister, Reeve, the girl Johanna has been in intensely love with from afar. Johanna doggedly works her way into Reeve & Robbie’s troubled lives, drawn in by a desire to possess Reeve (physically and emotionally) and an overwhelming need to help her escape the abusive, impoverished life she leads. What happens, however, is more than Johanna bargained for as her relationship with Reeve becomes increasingly violent and all-consuming.
Reading this book is like watching a car accident in slow motion; knowing that it is going to happen, being powerless to stop it, and completely unable to look away while the carnage unfolds. Johanna repeatedly defines herself as “the one who stayed” and being there for her mom (when she was dying), for her friends, for the patients at the hospice where she volunteers, and for Reeve is an important, defining characteristic of her personality. This wonderful quality is twisted, however, in her relationship with Reeve because she allows herself, again and again, to accept whatever abuse Reeve heaps on her and goes back for more because she doesn’t want to abandon Reeve. Johanna believes her love and unconditional support will save Reeve from her demons.
It’s true that Johanna is “an avowed lesbian,” but I don’t think that her sexual orientation is the core of this story; to me, it’s really more about relationship abuse and the extent to which a person will give up their own power, self-respect, and basic rights when they get into a destructive relationship. The abuse heaped on Reeve (and her mother and brother) by her father and uncle is in turn dealt out by Reeve to Johanna. In one pivotal scene, Reeve even points this out to a disbelieving Johanna:
Gently, I comb my fingers through Reeve’s hair. “You were just trying to save her life,” I say.
“She doesn’t want her life saved. She thrives on the hurt, same as you.”
That stops me. “What?”
Reeve scoots off my lap. “You let me hit you. You enjoy it.”
“No, I don’t.” Heat rises up my neck.
“Really?” She cocks her head. “You keep coming back for more.”
“It’s not the same,” I say.
“How is it different?”
My mind scatters. “I don’t know. It just is.”
“When you figure out the difference, let me know.” She turns to leave.
“The difference is . . . the difference,” I stand and clamp her arm, “is that you don’t want to hurt me.”
Her head swivels.
“I don’t see it. All I see is . . . ” Her eyes sweep across my face.
“My love for you.”
She lets out a hiss of air. “You’re sick.” I take her hand and she tries to pull away, but can’t.
How the characters deal with this relationship drives the plot, pace and tension of the novel and I was able to breathe again when Johanna finally breaks free. Thinking more broadly, I wonder if this relationship is also a metaphor for the passage LGBTQ teens go through as they come into their own: the loneliness, anguish and hurt (both physical and mental) that they suffer at the hands of loved ones, bullies, and society eventually gives way to love, support, self acceptance, empowerment and self-love. As Johanna eventually finds the inner strength and resolve to decide to love herself, so perhaps this story represents the journey we hope all young people, especially those of alternate sexual identities, can successfully navigate.
Certainly not for the faint of heart, RAGE: A Love Story, uses strong language, emotionally charged situations, and powerful characters to explore complex ideas of love, power, abuse and growth. For all the pain and longing, the outcome is absolutely worth it.
- Posted by Cori
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