We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire

Product Description
From the author of the acclaimed Blood Water Paint, a new contemporary YA novel in prose and verse about a girl struggling with guilt and a desire for revenge after her sister's rapist escapes with no prison time.\nEm Morales's older sister was raped by another student after a frat party. A jury eventually found the rapist guilty on all counts--a remarkable verdict that Em felt more than a little responsible for, since she was her sister's strongest advocate on social media during the trial. Her passion and outspokenness helped dissuade the DA from settling for a plea deal. Em's family would have real justice.\nBut the victory is short-lived. In a matter of minutes, justice vanishes as the judge turns the Morales family's world upside down again by sentencing the rapist to no prison time. While her family is stunned, Em is literally sick with rage and guilt. To make matters worse, a news clip of her saying that the sentence makes her want to learn "how to use a sword" goes viral.\nFrom this low point, Em must find a new reason to go on and help her family heal, and she finds it in the unlikely form of the story of a fifteenth-century French noblewoman, Marguerite de Bressieux, who is legendary as an avenging knight for rape victims.\nWe Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire is a searing and nuanced portrait of a young woman torn between a persistent desire for revenge and a burning need for hope.
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up-When a drunk university football player and fraternity boy rapes her sister Elinor, Marianne fights back in a blog, losing her place at a prestigious journalism summer program. The trial ends with the rapist being found guilty, but receiving no jail time or punishment, and Marianne comments that she feels like learning to use a sword. When the media picks up the statement, they stereotype Marianne's Guatemalan American family as violent. Alienated from friends and even, in a sense, family, Marianne spends the summer trying to deal with the untenable situation by writing a verse novel about the medieval Marguerite de Bressieux, who fought rapists. While the writing and structure of the book is superb, with the two stories of rape and degradation being told back to back, the lack of background about Marguerite may be confusing to teen readers. As the book proceeds, the parallels become much clearer, but since very little textual information is given early on, Marguerite's story is often vague. Partially because little is known about Marguerite and Marianne is using her imagination, this approach makes sense, but may not be entirely effective. McCullough's characters are well-drawn, including a strong Latinx family and an endearing best friend who is transgender. Marianne's narration is especially compelling as she deals with her sister's rape and shows how it impacts the entire family. VERDICT A well-written book on an important topic that will appeal to a mature and discerning reader.-Janet Hilbun, Univ. of North Texas, Dentonα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
"What is art if not a sword? With
We Are the Ashes, We Are the Fire, Joy McCullough wields and strikes her sharp-edged, finely honed blade. A fierce beauty.”
—Elana K. Arnold, Printz Honoree and National Book Award Finalist\n★"Intense, unrelenting, and inspiring."
—Kirkus, starred review\n★"McCullough emphatically confronts the toll that sexual violence takes and deftly questions who gets to control history’s narrative."—
Publishers Weekly, starred review\n★"McCullough borrows judiciously from the headlines, and readers will find her story all the more affecting because of its seemingly eternal relevance."—
Booklist, starred review\n★"Unforgettable.... A must read."—
SLC, starred review\n"A meditation on the power of uncovering past heroines, especially for young women who are looking for strength."—
Bitch Maga