Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Teenage Tragedy

Read 2/22/10
3 Stars - Recommended to readers familiar with author or genre
pgs:35 (eBook/Freedownload)

Sally Weigel's story "Too Young To Fall Alseep" is published as an eBook that can be downloaded for free by CCLaP, and exposes the inner workings of the "Millenial" generation (the older end of my son's generation). Giving us a peek into the psyche of todays youth, of what it is like to grow up in this day and age, we meet a seemingly laid back and mellow generation who don't seem to know what direction they are headed in, protesting just to get out of class, passionate about partying and attending the Radiohead concert, but not much else.

Our protaganist Catherine - an eighteen year old girl, bored with smoking pot and spilling beer down her shirt at endless house parties - makes a half hearted decision that will change her life forever. She visits the high school recruiting office and signs up to partipicate in the war as a non combat soldier.

The author takes on the brave task of speaking on behalf of an entire generation. While I believe she did a great job setting the stage, I couldn't help but feel disconnected from Catherine and the situation she found herself in. I think my lack of empathy is largely due to the narration. Sally chose to write the story in 3rd person narrative, when I feel it may have been more impactful having Catherine telling us the story herself. Perhaps she was trying to counter-balance that effect by including Catherine's journal entries?

Overall, an impressive first publication by a woman who wrote this story while still in high school.

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