In Ellen Hopkin’s novel Crank, a sixteen year old, Kristina Snow visits her father who left years ago. Her venture out of town leads her down the path to destruction. With twists and turns this realistic fiction novel written in short poems throughout the book keeps you on your feet and wanting more.
Kristina finds an alter ego that is the complete opposite of her, and most of the time she lets her talk for her, she called her, Bree. “Alone, there is only the person inside. I’ve grown to like her better than the stuck-up husk of me. Alone, there is no perfect daughter, no gifted high school junior, no Kristina Georgia Snow. There is only Bree.”

The path of destruction I mentioned earlier is brought on by “Bree’s” curiosity, and a new crush, Adam (“he sucked the nectar from her heart like a famished butterfly.”) who leads her to “crank”. This is a slang word for powdered methamphetamine that is snorted and causes a euphoric feeling of bliss. “Life was good before I met the monster. After, life was great. At least for a little while.”

Once Kristina and “Bree” return back to her mom’s house she is still wanting to get a taste of the “monster”. She begins to hook up with two boys, Chase and Brendan, who both give her her fill of “crank”. “How can I explain purposely setting foot on a path so blatantly treacherous? Was the fun in the fall?”

“Crank” was a delight to read and leaves off with a surprise that continues in the second novel “Glass”. I enjoyed the way in which it was written with all poems, for me at least it made it easier and quicker to read. If you are an impatient reader like me you should enjoy it too.