Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway

by Julia Sorel

Fifteen-year-old Dawn Wetherby runs away from a less than perfect home life, only to find that life on her own is not at all what she expected.

Genres: Young Adult

122 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Shane · Rating 1 out of 5]

An issue-driven-teens-in-peril story of a runaway who resorts to prostitution - I'm not sure which came first, but there was a TV movie starring Eve Plumb (Jan Brady from "The Brady Bunch") in the title role, and at one point it was one of the highest rated made-for-TV-movies, so never underestimate the power of trashy exploitation/warning stories - "The Wizard of Oz" did this kind of thing much better now that I think about it.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another grim story aimed at keeping rebellious girls at home. Dawn, the main character in the story, leaves home for reasons I remember as utterly mystifying, then sets out to earn her living as a hooker without trying to get a job first. She knows where to find a VD clinic but not a homeless shelter. None of this story makes sense, but it's a great exercise in cautionary horror. See also BORN INNOCENT and CHRISTIANE F.

[Beckey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could be your teenager, the cover say...
The book is an emotional read about a 15 year old runaway in Hollywood trying to become an actress...with the only thing she has left, herself.

This is the kind of book that mothers & teens should read together...
The book is based on a movie (or tv show)

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are two things I didn't realize until I read this book.
1. That I could turn against a main character.
2. They would teach you that theft and prostitution is okay.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some people would find this novel cheesy and dated because it quite old now. Personally I found the main message very good and realist despite the sensationalism in some moments.

[K. Gissell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me costó mucho trabajo leer este libro porque es un tema difícil de digerir, tuve que abandonarlo por un tiempo antes de ser capaz de terminar; quería estar preparada por si resultaba ser muy duro el final para Dawn. Por lo general, leo cuando necesito un escape del mundo y de la oscuridad que hay en él, así que encontrarme con libros de este tipo no es de mi agrado. Lo irónico, es que los compro pensando que van a ser buenos para mí y luego los dejo renegados y los leo justo en tiempos en que no podría encontrarlos más desagradables. Este libro está bien escrito, con una narración un poco anticuada pero es lo que debe esperarse de un libro de los 70’s. No lo estoy juzgando por lo que es sino por lo que me hizo sentir. Perdón, sé que esta reseña no es útil en lo absoluto.

Pd: La edición que leí “La fugitiva” está en español, fue traducida por Gerardo DiMassoy y es del Círculo de lectores

[Rene Saller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dated, hokey, and not very well-written, but I reread it for sentimental reasons.