The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

    The Innocents is a realistic fiction book by Lili Peloquin re-published May 7, 2013. The book is about two teenage sisters, an outgoing girl named Charlie, and an introvert named Alice, who's dad has just left the country recently after a divorce with their mother. Over the course of just a few months their mother falls in love with a rich man named Richard. The girls mother and Richard get married and the girls are forced to move into Richard's beach home, located in Serenity Point for the summer before they head off to boarding school. Over the summer, the girls learn not to jump to conclusions and not everything is how it seems.

This story is written in 3rd person point of view describing both girl's thoughts and actions, alternating each chapter. On the first night there, Alice learns more about Richard's daughter, Camilla, who recently committed suicide. Throughout the book, Alice tries to learn more about Camilla and why she comitted suicide, or if she actually killed herself, but she is not very successful. Starting the very first night, Charlie gets caught up in a bad crowd while Alice keeps to herself and only really makes one friend the whole book. Charlie meets a boy and girl who are 2nd cousins, named Jude and Cybill. They drink and do drugs like just about every other teenager in this book. Alice meets a guy named Tommy that used to be the boyfriend of Camilla, and Alice always feels like the is living up to the standards of perfect Camilla, but she soon learns that Camilla wasn't so perfect. Camilla was involved with Jude the last few months before she comitted suicide and he just about ruined her, and it is thought that he drove her off the edge, causing heavy tension between Jude and Tommy. There is one big secret floating around Serenity Point and it is Alice's job to piece it all together and figure it out. This book is meant for teenage girls. That's just about the only audience I could see enjoying it. This book is realistic fiction, and although it isn't a common situation, there are no unicorns prancing around and it is realistic enough. The author kept me interested by bringing in new characters every couple of chapters to keep it fresh.

     This book made me realize how easy it is for secrets to destroy things. Also, it shows how easily being around the wrong people can bring you down. It doesn't really change my opinion on drugs, but it enforces that they are not good and can only do bad to you and your relationships with others. This book reminded me a bit of Pretty Little Liars because all of these secrets are covered up for Alice to figure out, which is very similar to what happens in Pretty Little Liars.

      I like Lili Peloquin and I really love she switches up the points of views between characters so you don't get bored reading about one characters life. I really recommend this book to girls around my age looking for something new and fun to read.

Leah Mealey

12/17/13

Rating: **** 4/5