The Booktique

Bruised by Sarah Skilton 

Publisher: Amulet/Abrams 

Publication date: March 5th 2013

Imogen has always believed that her black belt in Tae Kwon Do made her stronger than everyone else--more responsible, more capable. But when she witnesses a holdup in a diner, she freezes. The gunman is shot and killed by the police. And it's all her fault.

Now she's got to rebuild her life without the talent that made her special and the beliefs that made her strong. If only she could prove herself in a fight--a real fight--she might be able to let go of the guilt and shock. She's drawn to Ricky, another witness to the holdup, both romantically and because she believes he might be able to give her the fight she’s been waiting for.

But when it comes down to it, a fight won’t answer Imogen's big questions: What does it really mean to be stronger than other people? Is there such a thing as a fair fight? And can someone who's beaten and bruised fall in love?

- Goodreads description 

After having skimmed by the cover of Bruised for the last 2 years on my TBR list, I finally decided to give it a try. I had read mostly glowing reviews about its brutally in depth journey through the side affects of PTSD and decided, hey , why not? Maybe I'll just give it a try. 

Sadly, although I enjoyed the book, for me, it's not a read that will stick for long. Whilst Imogen coped with the traumatic situation in an entirely reasonable way, her attitude was off-putting and overall dampened any sort of emotional connection I could have made with her character. I also struggled to understand some of her more "justifiable" actions and to be frank, I think so did the other characters. The main concept of the story is that Ricky is the only one who seems to understand her. But really, I don't even think HE understands what the hell is going on. And that's saying something. 

So far, I might have made it seem like a completely futile novel but the authors' writing style is a bright beacon of light to this otherwise average read. Despite our disappointing protagonist, Skiltons' technical ability can not be denied. Bruised was well-written and certain ideas were well developed within the story line. However, I did get the feel that the author was juggling with too many ideas at once. While I think we can all appreciate a complex storyline, in this case, it was unaccounted for and unnecessary. Why include them if they can't be developed to their full potential anyway (unless of course your planning a sequel)?  When PTSD is already such a gripping and potent issue, there is really no need to intertwine high school drama or childhood memories. 

A good read for any contemporary YA fans with an itch for an intense story line! 

                                                               - Alana, xxx