Rage

Riders of the Apocalypse #2

by Jackie Morse Kessler

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.
 

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Mythology, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy

209 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2011

About the author

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)

Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

on the surface, yes, i gave the second part of this series the same three stars as the first part, hunger, but know that this three stars is a shinier three.

this one also starts with a clever premise: if an anorexic girl was chosen to be famine for the first volume, who will be the incarnation of war for the second? ohhh a cutter. makes sense. someone with a lot of pent-up aggression who uses bloodshed as a coping mechanism.

the author says that, unlike the eating disorders from the first book, she does not have a personal background with cutting. me, i am just the opposite. i have never skipped a meal, but baby liked to play with knives. oh, great, a confessional book report, just what goodreads.com needs, right? nah, it was never severe, it was just something i used to do, it was never ritualized like in this book, and it was very limited: the girl in this story does arms, legs, chest, stomach...i just have the one arm (okay, chest once). and there wasn't a body of literature devoted to the subject when i was a teenager, or if there was, i wasn't aware of it. so it is great that books like this exist to help girls who have a more intense problem than i did.

with me, it started when i was veryvery small, like seven, and it wasn't because of any conflict, really, i just found that pain relaxed me. i used to dig my nails in my scalp for long periods of time, until it started to bleed, and it would feel good. i would scratch the same place on my arm sloooowly until it bled, fascinated by the way the skin would start to turn shiny and tight before the blood started to appear in little tiny beads. it was this weirdly clinical and detached process, sometimes only semiconscious, when i was watching tv or reading. when i became a teenager, and discovered knives, that was altogether different. and i didn't know anyone else who did it - i didn't even know it was "a thing." i didn't think i was oh-so-special or cool or anything, i just thought i had found, on my own, a method for relaxing myself when shit got too intense, and an extension of my earlier experiments with bloodletting. i felt neither shame nor pride in my scars, they were just something that happened. i used to blame them on the cat whenever i was asked about them,even though unless they thought i owned a tiger, i wasn't fooling anybody. and this became a kind of code between myself and a close friend of mine, and i would say "kitteh came last night." (the same friend ended up having an abortion senior year, which we started calling "grendel" as a reference to john gardner's "grendel's had an accident," so you can see that we were in the habit of handling huge life changing incidents with a carefully constructed facade of lighthearted bravado.) i didn't drink in high school, but i felt that my situation was like a cheerleader coming into school the day after having gotten super drunk at a party the night before and maybe doing something out of character: indulgent smiles all around, no cause for alarm.

but for some kids, it is most certainly a cause for alarm. this book is clearly a response to that. i did have to go to the hospital one time; i was not at home, and didn't realize that other people's knives were wayyyy sharper than my own personal paring knife, but even then, i felt that my situation was manageable. when i was angry, i would cut. cause and effect.

and that is the part of the book that is great. she really does, for someone with no personal history here, get that impulse down on paper. she gets the feeling of all-consuming emotions getting too big and feeling like they are going to make you explode unless you make a hole for the shit to come out of.and the fascination, once the blood and the endorphins start to flow. the calm. it is absolutely like a drug. the temptation of it, the moment, the release. it soothes, it is sensual. so she does a really good job getting inside this character's head in terms of her need for this kind of release valve.

but again, the horsemen stuff is less satisfying. just like in the first volume, if this were just an isolated story about a girl who finds, through dreamlike reveries, the power to control her anger and find more healthful ways of releasing it by understanding the larger frame of violence in the world and coming to terms with the smallness of her own pain, this would be quite good.

but kurt cobain as death is back again. and i'm just not sure where she is going with this horsemen thing. she seems to be sending teen girls out into the world to make it a better place and to solve their own self-harming practices in the process, but i don't see anything unifying yet. except kurt cobain as death.

the writing is better in this one, it is still breezy, but there are attempts at more figurative language. school is "that dread institution of audacity and hormones, all wrapped up in a pretty box and topped with a diploma", and the ritual of cutting is done pretty nicely:

"Scars," she whispered. The word itself was like a cut: the initial smooth motion of the S as she raises the blade, the quick flash of the hard C, biting her skin; the fluid AR as her blood wells; the final, lazy S, leaking out of her, mixed with all the badness that had made breathing so very difficult.

i like that. but i also like scars.

the gradual overcoming of her problem (not really a spoiler, because obviously this is a book about overcoming these kinds of issues) is a little unrealistic. because in this book, some SERIOUSLY BAD SHIT happens to her, shit that even people will full control of their actions and with deep reserves of personal strength would have difficulty getting past, so it seems a little confusing to me that things like this would just roll off her back (with difficulty, yes, and with the temptation to cut) when the earlier, less serious problems she had faced were what led her to the razor in the first place. but then, i have never been chosen to fill the office of WAR. it may be more psychologically woven in a person than i realize.

so, a good novel about self-mutilation, a better novel than hunger, and socially important, but still not for me, unless there starts to be some purpose for this horsemen conceit.

come to my blog!

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very difficult book for me to get through. And when I mean difficult, I don't mean in the "poorly written, oh god do not want" sort of way, but more in the way of "hitting too close to home".

I am a former self-injurer, and I knew that the second book in the Horseman Quartet was going to have War as a cutter, but I hadn't prepared myself mentally and emotionally for the extremely well-written and almost graphically vivid imagery contained therein.

Continuing in the vein of "Hunger", "Rage" explores what it's like to have a self-injuring condition as a teenager. It's not easy. It's not pretty. And thankfully, it's not glamourized in this book - I really have to thank Kessler for that. If there are any do-overs I could have as a teenager, I'd have to choose NOT self-injuring myself in order to be emotionally healthy. Kessler's book just reinforces that and perfectly (I mean really, to the letter) describes why I used to cut, and what the end-game goal is: to be in control of who's inflicting the pain, and how far you're willing to go in order to attain that goal.

A side note: Death as Kurt Cobain? Love it. It's just so perfect, so tragic, and so sad - but it makes total sense.

If you haven't read the first book in this series, please read it before reading this one. If you're not familiar or unsure on how self-injuring works, I think the first book is where you need to start before moving on to "Rage". These books are intense, and that's a good thing. Kessler makes her heroines survivors, not victims - and that in itself in YA fiction is pretty rare in of itself.

It takes a long time to quit self-injury. With all of the chemical interactions involved in the brain, just like anyone who would get addicted to anything else, you have to go through rehab. A different sort of rehab, but rehab nonetheless. So many YA books that address the topic of self-harm (be it cutting or eating disorders) skip over this part and tend not to differentiate between the different therapies needed in order to get well. If anything, it makes them smaller, makes their heroines (and less often, heroes) victims, and that's something I just can't stand. Cutters cut because we need to control the pain and not be the victims but the victors of whatever situation that's driven us to do so in the first place. It always makes me see red when I see YA authors that obviously have no experience (or who haven't researched the topic enough) with self-harm write a book with a tragic heroine with a self-harm problem. Self-harm is tragic, but we don't have to be victims about it. Thank you, Ms. Kessler, for reminding us about this.

I have been "sober" from self-harm now for nearly ten years. I wish that "Rage" had been around ten years ago, when I possibly needed the most.

To those who still self-harm: this book will support you, and remind you that there is life beyond the control of the blade.

(crossposted to librarything and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

[Jackie Kessler]

Thank you, everyone, for reading RAGE and for sharing your thoughts about it. I'm donating a portion of proceeds to the organization To Write Love On Her Arms, so to those of you who have bought the book, thank you for helping to make a difference. :)

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where to start? The author has a wonderful way with words. The turns of phrase are so often beautiful. The dialogue between Death and Missy or Death and the other Horsemen reflect this so often. I found myself sometimes reading the same phrases agin, not because I needed to, but because the sentence was so wonderful I wanted to.

But... (and here it comes) I kept hoping as I read this that the purpose of the series would become apparent. That the overall story arc would reveal itself. Unfortunately, I am left concluding that while this is being presented as a series, there is no overall story arc. The books within this series are related, as in the books share some characters, but there is no overriding goal to the set of books, just a goal within each book.

The plot here is that we have a teenager who is terribly misunderstood; she thinks no one can understand. Death comes to appoint her as War (since the last incarnation of War was killed in Hunger) because of all the rage that is inside her (go figure, given the title). She expresses her rage through cutting. She battles the idea of becoming War - but she feels the power that comes with it. And control seems to be a big element of the decision/expression as War, and as a cutter.

Then things get kind of crazy. She is pranked. In an awful, awful (let me say it againawful) way. And, understandably, she freaks out. The girls on the soccer team punish her even further by peeing on her clothes and bag (yep, you read that right). And, to boot, when the soccer coach finds out she's a cutter, he cuts her (definitely no pun intended there) from the team. And again, she freaks.

But, here's where I get lost. She is so very angry she could kill. But she doesn't. Instead, she simply decides she's not going to let War destroy. There's a leap there that I missed. At least in Hunger, the catharsis came when the character almost killed her mother. Here, we just see the character go from being as angry as one could be to not accepting the anger in the same heartbeat. I was left thinking how the heck did that happen? What did I miss? And she beats War but takes up the post anyway. **scratches head**

I have not read any of the author's other works besides the two in this series so far. I hope that she isn't as repetitive in her other works. Having just finished Hunger, I often felt like I was re-reading the same book. There are a few minor plot differences - here she takes up the post where in Hunger the character rejects Famine (yet, we have a woman who is Famine in this book, but we know nothing about her, and yet he reminds us that her prior incarnation killed the prior War. Again, confused...). But, so very much is similar. In both books:

the horses, and Death, are surprised that the character names the horses (in fact, the dialogue here gave me deja vu)
the horses themselves are puzzled when the character's thank the horses
both characters think about the physics of Death's bag
both are met by another Rider who sort of tells them what to do, but doesn't really either
both characters comment on the horses' lack of grooming needs
both, at one point, think everything that's happened so far is a dream
both have absentee, albeit loving, parents
both have a battle with War
Do I need to go on? The sense of deja vu when reading this was overpowering. I had urges to look a the books side-by-side to see if the dialogue was identical in places (which I resisted for lots of reasons). So, having read one, I felt that there wasn't really a need to have read both.

Despite those flaws, however, I give credit to the author. She didn't shy away from things that other authors in the YA category often do. Let's face it, society knows teen sex happens. So why are most of the books filled with teens who don't even know how to spell the word s-e-x. Here, we get the harsh truth that sometimes it happens and then doesn't work out. We get a good look inside how awful clicks and teenagers can be to one another. It's not sugar-coated. The prank, while it made my stomach turn, was something I could totally believe happening. We've all heard about kids committing suicide because of hateful facebook posts and bullying so this felt very real.

The one element that didn't feel real to me was how weak she was trying to make Missy out to be, and coupling that with Missy's love for and ability as, a soccer goalie. As a very long time soccer player, I have never encountered a weak goalie - or one that is so hated by teammates. Despite any oddities, quirks, or differences, the goalie on the team is always loved and supported. At least in my experience. Because when it comes down to it - the goalie can make or break the team. So, I had a little trouble picturing her as the weakling and total outcast at the same time. But, that's just me. There's no way for me to prove that my experience is more typical than what the author wrote.

And the opening scene where Missy thinks she killed her cat? Wow. It was so well written it was hard to read. I can't begin to express how relieved I was to read the conversation with Death later where we learn she didn't actually murder her cat. More kudos for not shying away from something hard to read.

I am finding it hard to balance (yes, that's a nod to Famine) how I feel about this book. The author can write prose wonderfully and beautifully. The book needs some work on the plot front however. I wouldn't claim victory based on the plot of the book, or the lack of a story arc for the series.

I will read the next one, I'm sure. If for no other reason then I want to see if the author can turn things around and find a purpose for the series. And I did so thoroughly enjoy and appreciate her ability to craft a beautiful sentence. But, this is definitely just a 2.5 star book for all the other reasons I noted.


Merged review:

Where to start? The author has a wonderful way with words. The turns of phrase are so often beautiful. The dialogue between Death and Missy or Death and the other Horsemen reflect this so often. I found myself sometimes reading the same phrases agin, not because I needed to, but because the sentence was so wonderful I wanted to.

But… (and here it comes) I kept hoping as I read this that the purpose of the series would become apparent. That the overall story arc would reveal itself. Unfortunately, I am left concluding that while this is being presented as a series, there is no overall story arc. The books within this series are related, as in the books share some characters, but there is no overriding goal to the set of books, just a goal within each book.

The plot here is that we have a teenager who is terribly misunderstood; she thinks no one can understand. Death comes to appoint her as War (since the last incarnation of War was killed in Hunger) because of all the rage that is inside her (go figure, given the title). She expresses her rage through cutting. She battles the idea of becoming War – but she feels the power that comes with it. And control seems to be a big element of the decision/expression as War, and as a cutter.

Then things get kind of crazy. She is pranked. In an awful, awful (let me say it againawful) way. And, understandably, she freaks out. The girls on the soccer team punish her even further by peeing on her clothes and bag (yep, you read that right). And, to boot, when the soccer coach finds out she’s a cutter, he cuts her (definitely no pun intended there) from the team. And again, she freaks.

But, here’s where I get lost. She is so very angry she could kill. But she doesn’t. Instead, she simply decides she’s not going to let War destroy. There’s a leap there that I missed. At least in Hunger, the catharsis came when the character almost killed her mother. Here, we just see the character go from being as angry as one could be to not accepting the anger in the same heartbeat. I was left thinking how the heck did that happen? What did I miss? And she beats War but takes up the post anyway. **scratches head**

I have not read any of the author’s other works besides the two in this series so far. I hope that she isn’t as repetitive in her other works. Having just finished Hunger, I often felt like I was re-reading the same book. There are a few minor plot differences – here she takes up the post where in Hunger the character rejects Famine (yet, we have a woman who is Famine in this book, but we know nothing about her, and yet he reminds us that her prior incarnation killed the prior War. Again, confused…). But, so very much is similar. In both books:

the horses, and Death, are surprised that the character names the horses (in fact, the dialogue here gave me deja vu)
the horses themselves are puzzled when the character’s thank the horses
both characters think about the physics of Death’s bag
both are met by another Rider who sort of tells them what to do, but doesn’t really either
both characters comment on the horses’ lack of grooming needs
both, at one point, think everything that’s happened so far is a dream
both have absentee, albeit loving, parents
both have a battle with War
Do I need to go on? The sense of deja vu when reading this was overpowering. I had urges to look a the books side-by-side to see if the dialogue was identical in places (which I resisted for lots of reasons). So, having read one, I felt that there wasn’t really a need to have read both.

Despite those flaws, however, I give credit to the author. She didn’t shy away from things that other authors in the YA category often do. Let’s face it, society knows teen sex happens. So why are most of the books filled with teens who don’t even know how to spell the word s-e-x. Here, we get the harsh truth that sometimes it happens and then doesn’t work out. We get a good look inside how awful clicks and teenagers can be to one another. It’s not sugar-coated. The prank, while it made my stomach turn, was something I could totally believe happening. We’ve all heard about kids committing suicide because of hateful facebook posts and bullying so this felt very real.

The one element that didn’t feel real to me was how weak she was trying to make Missy out to be, and coupling that with Missy’s love for and ability as, a soccer goalie. As a very long time soccer player, I have never encountered a weak goalie – or one that is so hated by teammates. Despite any oddities, quirks, or differences, the goalie on the team is always loved and supported. At least in my experience. Because when it comes down to it – the goalie can make or break the team. So, I had a little trouble picturing her as the weakling and total outcast at the same time. But, that’s just me. There’s no way for me to prove that my experience is more typical than what the author wrote.

And the opening scene where Missy thinks she killed her cat? Wow. It was so well written it was hard to read. I can’t begin to express how relieved I was to read the conversation with Death later where we learn she didn’t actually murder her cat. More kudos for not shying away from something hard to read.

I am finding it hard to balance (yes, that’s a nod to Famine) how I feel about this book. The author can write prose wonderfully and beautifully. The book needs some work on the plot front however. I wouldn’t claim victory based on the plot of the book, or the lack of a story arc for the series.

I will read the next one, I’m sure. If for no other reason then I want to see if the author can turn things around and find a purpose for the series. And I did so thoroughly enjoy and appreciate her ability to craft a beautiful sentence. But, this is definitely just a 2.5 star book for all the other reasons I noted.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa Miller is not okay. For starters her home life is sort of a joke. Her parents are hardly ever available, emotionally or otherwise, because of their demanding careers so they think all is well on the home front. They have no clue that Melissa and her sister loathe each other, want nothing to do with one another. They don't know that Melissa is deeply troubled, in desperate need of help.

School is no better. Melissa's been a social outcast ever since her ex-boyfriend told everyone her big secret: she's been cutting herself for years. As she drifts from class to class she hears the lowered voices, the laughter. The name calling. "Melissa Miller is an emo dyke. Cutterslut. Freak."

The cherry on top? She somehow caught the attention of Death himself. During their first meeting he brazenly informs Melissa it's only a matter of time before she really messes up--cutting herself too deep and in the wrong place, bleeding out. He tells her the act will look intentional. Horrified by this revelation Melissa battles with the urge to cut and is successful for a few months despite the temptation.

It is when she is targeted by her peers, becomes the victim of a mercilessly cruel prank, she loses her resolve to not cut herself, accidentally taking things too far. In her most desperate moments Death appears to her once more, offering a deal: die or wield the sword of war; become a horseman of the apocalypse.

Sounds dark, heavy and a tad bit silly, no? Before I go ahead and answer that I want to explain my feelings about YA books that deal with serious issues.

I'd be lying if I said I haven't purposely been avoiding YA novels that deal with hard hitting issues like eating disorders, drug addiction, rape/sexual abuse, prostitution, suicide, and drunk driving. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I find such topics offensive--because I don't. It's because I don't want to submit myself to what might amount to a novel-length public service announcement.

I grew up in the 80s and 90s. I saw every Very Special Episode of Growing Pains, Different Strokes, Family Ties, Saved By the Bell, and Full House. Every single one of those Very Special Episodes were ridiculous and entirely too heavy-handed in their delivery. Besides I already did my time. I survived adolescence. That's why, for the time being, I've chosen to forgo reading most YA novels dealing with hard-hitting issues, regardless of how good they may or may not be.

That said, I've always wanted to understand cutting. Understand why people do it, what the fascination is. Cutting wasn't a common practice while I was a teen, or--and I think this is most likely--wasn't ever talked about. There were no After School Specials about cutting for us Gen-Xers, thank you very much.

So, back to the original question: is this book dark, heavy, and a little silly? My answer is yes. And no.

Horseman of the apocalypse storyline aside, the subject matter is quite dark but it's honest, it's real. Jackie Kessler holds nothing back, doesn't sugarcoat a thing. It's clear she did her research and I appreciate it. (How do I know? After I finished reading Rage I did a little research on cutting.). Far too often cutting is downplayed in the media, made to look like it's just a thing teenagers do to get attention and/or fit in. Another common misconception: all cutters are emo or goth. Kessler's character, Melissa, isn't emo or goth. She's just a girl who feels entirely too much but doesn't have a healthy way of dealing with her emotions. Melissa turns to cutting because it's a release of sorts.

Though I was somewhat skeptical at first, I ended up liking the whole horseman of the apocalypse storyline. Gimmicky or not it's a new, interesting and creative way to write about some of the serious issues teenagers deal with. It does not take away from the positive messages within the story.

Rage is the second book in the Horseman of the Apocalypse series. The first is Hunger, about a girl with a severe eating disorder who becomes Famine. In Rage the main character becomes War. At first I was unsure exactly what the connection was, why a cutter was chosen to become War. Why not a crazy violent rageaholic instead? Now all is said and done I believe Kessler made the right decision and was successful in making the connection. In fact I'd say she pretty much hit it out of the park.

As far as Kessler's writing goes: it's good, solid. I quite like Kessler's style of writing. It's clean. Every word has a purpose. Though this story deals with serious subject matter it doesn't take itself too seriously (example: Death looks an awful lot like a certain deceased alternative rock star). Everything plays out rationally, there are no cop-outs. Rage ends on an honest note, something I appreciate in YA fiction far more than anyone could imagine.

So, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and recommend Rage by Jackie Kessler. Four stars.

(My advanced copy of Rage was provided by Netgalley.)

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

War, who rides the red horse, is a cutter. At least, she is here, in the same way that Famine is a teenage anorexic. Two books in, I guess I know what I expect out of this series. A book in two parts, half mediocre fantasy and half absorbing problem novel. The fantasy aspect hasn't improved at all from the first book. There isn't anything inherently wrong with it, it just feels like an underdeveloped concept. And two books in, it's become a pattern that the white American kid learns valuable life lessons by witnessing, at a distance, struggles in third world countries. And again, there's no reason that she couldn't get these same valuable life lessons in America.

But the contemporary, problem novel aspects are still strong. Kessler doesn't have the experience with self harm that she does with eating disorders, but she evidently did her research. To me, it felt very real, and looking through reviews, those who know better than I agree that she portrayed a teenager with self harm issues in a realistic way. And in a way that, for me, was emotionally intense, even suffocating at times. Most of the characters are well-developed, with the exception of asshole ex-boyfriend Adam, who's just inexplicably awful because. Honestly, Kessler is so good at writing these contemporary issue novels that I wish she would just concentrate on that. The fantasy aspects are unnecessary.

[Ashley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read two of the four books in this series but I really feel like EVERYONE should read these because they have such an important message. I've had my mind blown by both of these books now. Trigger warning in case you didn't read the blurb or are unfamiliar with Rage, but the MC is a cutter. I can't recommend this enough, whether you've ever self-harmed, thought about it, or never done either of those things before.

[Mizuki · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, let me remind you two things:

(1) There're a lot of awful things in this wide wide world: murder, rape, hunger, diseases, abuse, war, injustice, massacre, death, meaningless death. You name them, they are all there.

(2) At anytime, a great deal of awful things can happen to anyone and everyone, for no good reason at all.

So why would the author of this book thinks a middle classed, well-fed but emotionally unstable teenage girl who has a obsession with self-cutting, had actually suffered badly enough to earn her the terrible honor of becoming War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

To be fair, it's a quick read and the concept beyond the story is refreshing, but the writing and the plot and the characters leave many things to be desired. 1.5 stars.

[Jessica Bierschied · Rating 5 out of 5]

RAGE, by Jackie Morse Kessler instantly draws you when main character Melissa “Missy” Miller confronts Death, and slams the door in His face. Missy has a fate that she must accept or she will surely die. Missy being a self-injurer she cuts, shallow and deep. Painful always. Bleed out the bad as she puts it, but one night after an ex-boyfriend tricks her into a mortifying situation she cant take it anymore and she cuts too deep. Only Death's voice can coax her to push through and open a white package that will unveil her future as War. One of the four riders of the Apocalypse.
I was sucked into this books almost instantly. The cover drew me in, with a fierce sword and beautiful colors. Instantly I was drawn to Missy's self-injuring personality, I found I could relate to some of her emotional states. She seemed like a normal teenager dealing with identity issues and not quite fitting in completely in school, dealing with bitchy girls, and a ruthless ex-boyfriend. Missy doesn't let cruel nicknames stop her from doing what she wants but when her ex, Adam starts talking to her about missing her, her entire world rapidly spins out of control.
At a party the very same night, she makes an appearance to keep up any shreds of popularity she has, and Adam makes a move toward her, with her emotions running high she stupidly follows him to an upstairs bedroom and she strips down to nothing but her scar covered skin and then her entire world shatters when Adam signals it is the time for everyone to rush in and snap pictures and videos of her scarred body. She rushes home to find Death waiting for her but again she ignores him, she needs to cut, bleed out the bad. Over and over she cuts but the bad wont go away. I wanted to scream to tell her to stop, tell her that it would end badly, then the words hit and I was ready to throw the book away!
Death was in her head telling her what to do to save herself! My image of Death went from a black robed skeletal guy to a teenage rocker with a white horse! He's seems to be pretty hot. He gives Missy a choice, and Missy wield's War's sword in the end, and becomes a horseman of the Apocalypse. She still fights a war within herself for the dominance of the violent nature of War and her nature where she wants to do whats right and not hurt people! Death, the most powerful and most attractive rider, had me wanting to be a rider so bad.
This books sucks you in and doesn't let go. At the end my jaw was left hanging open, practically begging for more. This is a perfect mix of the self-injury and paranormal genres. I am eagarly awaiting Kessler's next book, no matter what it is. She has a very distinct voice when writing, and you find yourself feeling like you are there, as a bystander, watching. I highly recommend this book.

[Vasya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

Just wow.

I seriously am speechless here. Given that I didn't like the book at the beginning, actually, given that I didn't like the book until I read the end and sat to think about it for a little while, I am seriously stupefied at my grade, but this book definitely deserves it.

I live in a community that doesn't deal with self-injury and those types of problems. I mean, there are people out there that need help, but the topic of self-injury is not something that is an opened theme, or actually, a theme at all. I knew what emo meant, but I never really stopped to think about the consequences of the actions those people do on their bodies, I never really got myself to think why do they do that? What is the point in cutting your skin, in bottling up your emotions so much that you feel like a dead shell to the people around you.

This book made me pause and think about that a little bit. And while it deals with such a heavy topic, it also has a very interesting storyline. A win-win package, no matter how you turn it.

And frankly, until the end, you don't see a lot of sunshine and daisies in this book, but it is all worth it if it gives you something to think about.

Missy is detached, there is no other way to explain her. The life around her goes on, but she is stuck in that place inside of her from where she cannot escape, unless it is with the help of the blade against her skin. She is detached from her sister, from her parents and from her friends, and she cannot get out of that enchanted circle she created around herself. But there comes Death and there comes Adam, and one makes her let go of her life while the other gives her something to hold on to.

She becomes War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but this is not where her problems stop and solve themselves with a flick of the wand, this is where her problems really begin.

I can't express the depth of this book because that would be like giving you spoilers. All I can say that this book is a must read for all of those who are not afraid to face the truth in the eyes (and for those who don't have a weak stomach because there are some gory details and very violent scenes). After all, to face the problem, you must first understand what that problem means, and this book... It explains it all.

This review was based on a digital ARC received via NetGalley.

[tot · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Ironie · Rating 1 out of 5]

You can't not like this cover, especially if you're inclined to villainy like yours truly. You just can't. It has a freaking bloody sword on it which looks awesome, and its title is just Rage. It just screams villainy darkness and evulz.

Now this book is a girl named Missy, who, after being humiliated in front of the school, almost kills herself. But in the passing moments of life, Death comes along and names her War, one of the Riders of the Apocalypse. Sounds pretty intense, right?

Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. This. Book. Is. Shit.

The first thing that popped out to me was the damned cheesy and bad writing, which actually gets better as you approach the end of the book. I'm sorry, but I fail to see how someone can write "Missy wore black because it was the color of her soul" and keep it, unless they were completely enamored by their own shittiness. To be fair, the writing stops being horrendous at about page forty or so and starts to go into easier reading, so that's kind of remedied. Somewhat.

And then there's the asspull fantasy aspect to it. There's no explanation for the Riders of the Apocalypse, who they are, or why they're even there other than OMG BALANCE. They don't do much other than nerf around for a while, and their selection process is stupid when you think about it. It's complete bull crap. Oddly enough, the only good characters in this book come from the fantasy aspect. They're Death and Ares. Ares's relationship with Missy is well-done and his personality's okay, while death was just the cool factor. War and Famine are about as developed as any other character in this damned book.

But by far the worst thing about this book is the character of Missy. Oh god, I hate her. She's emo personified with damned arrogance, and not the well-done kind, but the kind that makes you want to shoot yourself in the nose. I'm talking about shoving the shotgun up one nostril and aiming so that the bullet just misses your brain, and then shooting again to finish yourself off.

She acts like she's the only sane person in the world and reduces everyone else to 1D characters. Although she hates being called an emo, she characterizes everyone else by their stereotype. The prose is filled with WHY PPL NO UNDESTAND MEH and EVERY1s a HaPPY IDIOT BUT ME. Now, you could argue that this is the fault of the author being lazy and not giving the effort to give anyone else a personality, depending too much on high school stereotypes that make for bad writing, and that's true. But it also seems very much in-line that that's part of the actual character. Missy actually has that attitude herself.

At the beginning of the book, Missy calls (thinks) her only friend "weak" because "she wears black because it's trendy." The next night she goes and strips for a jerky ex-boyfriend who constantly demoralizes her because her hormones tell her to, and she gets screwed because of it. Clearly, Missy is the most enlightened of all people.

And quite frankly, I don't feel for her as a person, it's just an artificial feeling of pity because she cuts herself. It's not even particularly well-done. While I can admit that some of the actual descriptions of cutting-for-relief are okay, the whole situation surrounding it isn't. We only see the (rather deserved) distress Missy feels after the whole situation with her ex-boyfriend and the fact that her cat died, but that's it. We don't know why she cut before, and Missy doesn't appear to be the kind of person who cuts out of depression (as the book implies, rather than being someone who just looks at self-harm as an outlet). She doesn't look like she's under any particular stress at all, and she doesn't seem to have any sort of sadness besides the faux NO 1 UNDERSTAAAANDS MEH crap. Depression is a constant bug in your telling you you're worthless, and honestly Missy doesn't have that bug. In all honesty, if the author'd made Missy a normal person who cuts rather than someone with faux-depression who cuts, I would have been more forgiving.

Her attitude also really does not help the awareness of self-harm. You see, self-harm is actually a fairly common problem across people of all classes and groups, and doesn't just manifest in the emos. It can manifest in the jocks, the preppy people, all kinds of people. Even those without a "dark past." But that's never touched upon, and honestly this book is too shallow to touch upon it. People who self-harm are sick, normal people who need help and strength to get past it, but all this book ever does is portray it as something emo. Hell, Missy herself never gets over the cutting problem. Nice message to give to kids.

It bewilders me why she ever got be chosen to be with the psychopathic War. I mean, I guess the bitchiness works, but other than that, I fail to see how Missy ever got to be a crazy immortal person. She's not particularly remarkable nor does she show signs of strength. Hell, she doesn't even obtain strength after the "plot." Well, she becomes borderline psychopathic, which I suppose makes sense because she's war, but that's all you'll get in the way of a dynamic character.

Oh, and there's no real plot besides learning to "control" herself or whatever. God, if something actually happened in this book, I would be more forgiving, but it's just angsting, and angsting, and angsting. Dammit.

So we're stuck in a world with one-dimensional characters, a protagonist you cannot genuinely feel for, an unconvincing setting and situation, and a whole lotta raging. In truth, I wished I RAGE quit this book. Ha ha ha. Get it? No? Villains are bad at puns.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really impressed with Hunger, the first book in this new series that combines mythological influences with serious modern issues. However, I have to be honest and say that the second book, RAGE, didn’t work for me quite as much.

I cannot say anything bad about this series’ intentions. These issues—anorexia and self-injury, body image and bullying—should be taken with the utmost seriousness, and yet Kessler uses such a wonderfully unique way to talk about these issues, which might have been beaten to death in more academic or psychological fields. The idea of these new Riders having to overcome their own issue in order to fully embrace their role and help out others is wonderful. Throw in some persnickety steeds and a wry-voiced Death, and you’ve got an utterly cool blend of the magical and the all-too-real.

RAGE didn’t quite fulfill its mission for me, though. For some reason, I found it really hard to connect with Missy. Not that her situation does not provoke sympathy, for it does, oh it does. But she was so defined by her pain, by her humiliation, that she felt less like a real person and more like a literal “poster girl” one holds up to a crowd of bored “at risk” high school students and says regarding her, “YOU SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN? YOU DON’T WANT THINGS TO TURN OUT LIKE THIS.” Not a very effective teaching strategy by any means.

RAGE felt, to me, like it was concentrating much more on the message it was trying to send and less on developing unique characters or a compelling plot. Supporting characters were flat and not very convincing: for example, I knew I was supposed to feel angry at Missy’s bullying classmates’ words and actions, but at the same time I felt it was more for show—kind of a “this is what bullies are supposed to do and sound like” act. The message got in the way of the story, I guess.

If you read and enjoyed Hunger, I encourage you to give RAGE a try. Perhaps it’s been a while since I’ve read Hunger; perhaps you will find less issue with RAGE than I did.

[Greta is Erikasbuddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its possible this might SPOIL Hunger for you.. just a tiny little spoiler... So be warned!



This book deals with a cutter who gets the job as WAR.



If you remember we OFFed the other WAR in HUNGER and well... it kinda repeated itself... but instead of WAR attacking FAMINE it was FAMINE attacking HUNGER.



I am looking forward to the next book... ok... really I want the book after that because it will be Death's book.


I'm still loving the idea of a Kurt Cobain look-a-like as Death.


Sure there was some self-mutilation in this book but nothing that I would say was too too shocking. I mean... it was actually kinda tame. Nothing like when the author was explaining anorexia. But I'm happy she explored this issue.



I really wish these kinds of books were around back when I was a teen. I find it interesting that my generation is writing the books for the generation that is now growing up. It always tickles me when things like Nirvana and flannel shirts get snuck into the lipgloss generation of books.



Good book, writing could have been better, but no complaints.


The only thing I would have done differently was put a couple of hands tearing out hair moments. And it kinda ended a little too happily ever after for my tastes ;) BUt I guess everyone would rather have a happy ending than a suicide ;)


Song for this book (cuz its about time I do another one) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlRaMj...

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Death, how I love thee. You are quite possibly my dream man (at least for this week anyway).

Just finished Rage and was happy to find this installment to be much better than the first one. Maybe War just happened to be a more interesting character than Famine (who was sort of one note), but I think there's more to it. Something about this book felt more polished to me. I cared more about the character Missy's struggle this time around. Her story felt like the real story of a cutter. Every bit of torment, every bad thing that happened to her, rang true.

Plus, this book did a better job of showing the rider's world. Missy's journey to become WAR was told with understanding and insight. If I had to choose any horseman to be, this would be the one. Being Death's handmaiden wouldn't be all bad, after all. Not with this particular Death.

However, I may continue to bitch about Death being a Kurt Cobain clone. A 16 year old girl having an ancient love affair with the doppleganger of Kurt Cobain (who in my mind is unable to portray the epicness of Death) is just...odd.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this addition to the series. i felt for the main character and in the end, it was a good plot that the writer constructed. she avoided the loopholes that would have lessened the impact of the story. I will read more in the series.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series by Kessler. I got an advanced reading copy of this book through netgalley. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Hunger. This book was a good addition to the series. I really enjoy how Kessler ties the mythos behind the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse into teen social disorders. You don't need to read Hunger to read this book; it features a separate story and different characters.

Missy is a cutter; she cuts herself to deal with the pain she feels inside. She is also an excellent soccer player and a girl who has recently lost her cat. When she is deeply humiliated by an ex-boyfriend she cuts too deep. As with Lisbeth in Hunger, Missy is given a choice...she can take up the sword of War or die.

I didn't like this book quite as much as Hunger, it didn't seem as well planned out. Still I did enjoy how Kessler made it so that War could do good with her powers instead of causing death. I love how Kessler is finding ways to give the Horsemen good ways to use their supposedly destructive powers. Missy was an engaging character, but I disliked how little support she got from the people around her. In the first book, Lisbeth has more realistic and supportive friends...in this book everyone around Missy is pretty much a jerk. I didn't think this was very realistic.

Again the best character in the book is Death; he is patient and witty and an all around wonderful character. Famine makes an appearance a couple times, but is very dispassionate in the role she plays. I loved how well Death and War get along; it makes them both even more intriguing characters.

The issue of cutting as a way to cope with emotional pain is dealt with a lot in this book; this is well integrated with the concept of War. I love how Kessler deals with the mythos of the Four Horsemen and wished that she spent a bit more time with the fantasy portion of the book (with War and how she can change the world) than with the social teen aspect.

The ending is realistic and satisfying; some may be upset that it is not a fairy tale ending but I thought it fit the rest of the book well. The writing is very well done; dialogue is natural sounding, the plot moves at a fast clip, and it was easy to read and engaging.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, which I hope is about Pestilence.

Overall this is a very creative series. I love how Kessler bends the mythos of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to fit teen disorders; love Death as a character and want to see more of him in future books. Didn't like this book quite as much as Hunger, but it was still an engaging read and overall I am happy I read it.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Thou art war. Go thee out unto the world."
"Rage" continues the Riders of the Apocalypse series. It is the second book, but did not have much of a connection to the first, besides a fairly similar plot line.
Here's a short synopsis of the story:
Missy Miller is portrayed as a strange and misunderstood teen in high school. She always wears black and is thus automatically labeled as the goth and emo chick. She also harbors a secret-she is a cutter. Through the drawing of her own blood with a small blade, Missy finds a way to release a deeper pain and anger that she keeps under lock and key within her heart. She does try to remain strong and attempts to withhold her urge to cut. This strength abandons her when her ex-boyfriend, Adam, pulls a horrific trick on her at a party so that he can win a bet. This degrading experience and exposure of her secret causes Missy to attempt suicide. Death soon arrives and gives her the choice of death or to pick up the mantle of War. Missy chooses to live and is endowed with War's sword, becoming the newest incarnation of the Red Rider. Throughout the rest of the book, Missy continues to struggle with her own hidden demons and what it truly means to be War and accepting oneself.
I always enjoyed the fact that Jackie Morse Kessler brought forth legitimate problems that teens face everyday into her writing, especially bullying and an inner struggle with oneself. Her characters also have a wonderful inner strength that shows that even when others tear them down, they are trying to pick themselves up and push forward. Even when they are mercilessly hassled and told they are nothing, they keep moving forward. Of course these characters have their setbacks, but there is still something admiral about them, especially Missy, who eventually accepts herself for who she is and won't allow her past, or what others think of her, to define her. Besides, in the words of Death, "Your past is meaningless and your future is waiting to be defined."

[Cyna · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I gotta admit, anticipation of this book (an ARC, btw) was another wash for me. I enjoyed Hunger, and was eagerly looking forward to some expansion on its world and characters, but wasn't sure I could sympathize with a heroine who cuts. Even more than anorexia, cutting was something I did not understand, but I thought perhaps Rage could do for cutting what Hunger had done for anorexia to me, and plus, there would be more development of the Horsemen, and that interesting take on Death, since he and War work so closely, right? Well...yes and no.

Calling Rage a sequel to Hunger is a bit of an understatement - really, it's almost a retelling of Hunger with a different protagonist, a different problem, a different Horseman, and an alternate ending. The sequencing, pacing, events, characters, everything else is almost exactly the same (right down to the boss fight), except for those few details. This is probably the biggest issue I have with Rage - we don't get anything new from it. Honestly, you could close your eyes, pretend Lisa's name is Missy, that she cuts instead of starves herself, and that she does what you actually wanted her to do in the end of Hunger, and you wouldn't miss much.

But maybe I'm being unfair. Maybe you can't judge Rage by paranormal fiction standards, because, like Hunger, Rage isn't about the Horsemen. Rage is about Missy and cutting...

Read more at You're Killing.Us

[Just a person · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gritty and dark novel, but it drew me in and didn't let go. Missy was in a lot of pain, and she deals with pain and anger by cutting (self-mutilation). It gets pretty graphic, but it is an accurate representation of what a cutter feels and why.

Missy has a pretty good friend that tries to be there for her, her sister and her fight, but you can see her sister cares, and her parents are clueless and works a lot but they at least try to have some family time. Her ex-boyfriend found out about her cutting and made her life hard for her, and this leads to some depression.

If you read Hunger, you met the other horsemen, and I was a fan of Death then, but this book makes him even more favorable in my eyes. He is funny, sauve, dark and charming. Him and Missy- who is charged with the seat of War, work closely together and they have a dynamic relationship.

There is a big struggle with Missy about control, what she is supposed to do with her charge. She is able to find some sort of balance, and although the ending isn't really a fairy tale ending- I thought that it was perfect for the storyline. It gave hope, but not some unrealistic over-night cure and acceptance.

[Sarah Donovan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I applaud the author in taking on cutting and representing the compulsion in such detail. I think some parts may be triggers for readers, so read with caution. I struggled with the apocalypse horsemen parts and how the author intended to use War as a trope of healing or ambivalence or revenge. I get there is an internal struggle and bleeding can be a release, but the refugee camp scene was not woven in well with the conversations among the horsemen -- it seemed like there was a message about egoism and altruism along with the more obvious "balance" among the horsemen, but I wasn't so sure if Missy was intended to embody that same struggle, and if she was, then I wasn't sure how/why Missy was "the one." Having fantasy alongside this very real disorder needs much more attention in plot construction (like my review of Mosley's 47- historical and sci-fi) .

[atmatos · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the look of the cover at walmart so I picked it up to check it out. It is SO badly written it was painful to read. My friend and I make jokes on fifth grade writing assignments done from the first chapter and the back of the book. Well that should give you an idea on how it reads, slow, sloppy and inconsistant.

[Herp Derpington · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Novel for Your Lovely, Sociopathic Teen

I love reading tacky teen novels, especially the ones that relate to the characters' various emotional problems. It's not that I actually enjoy reading them — it's just that the adult author's portrayal of the problem is oftentimes inadvertently laughable. I got the same sensation from reading this book that I had when I read Ellen Hopkin's Impulse. That's not a compliment.

SPOILERS ABOUND
___

The Characters:

This is the biggest problem for me.

I found Missy, our troubled, young heroine, to be incredibly dislikable. She spends the entire novel angsting about her problems when we're not entirely sure what her problems are to begin with. Sure, the whole party drama explains some of it, but Missy unveils that she had been cutting even before she met Adam (a.k.a. "Stereotypical Jock Douchebag Number One"). Why? She would be much more understandable if we had a reason on why she started in the first place. People have different reasons for lowering themselves to self-harm. We're just not given one.

Also, Missy seems very akin to a psychopath. For instance, when she finally sees people who are suffering more than herself, it fails to make her think about her own situation. Really? She bears witness to the suffering of people who DON'T harm themselves because they're, you know, trying not to starve to death. She observes a young child who still finds reason to be happy, even when his life could be snuffed out at any time. What does she continue to do? OH EM GEE, MAH LIEF IS SO HORRRRIIIIBBBLE!!1 Y NO 1 UNDERSTAAAAND?!1

Was anyone else disturbed by Missy's thoughts of the people around her? She contemplated violently murdering her own sister while at the breakfast table. No, really. It's on page 164 (paperback edition). Keep in mind that this isn't the only glimpse she gives the reader of her psychopathy. People can argue that it was War making her think like this, but we also have to consider that War has always been an intrinsic part of Missy. Apparently, Missy is a violent child who probably needs more than a therapist to get over her problems.

I can attribute these opinions from the way the author approaches other characters. Like previous reviewers have stated, the other characters are very flat. The novel has a distinct "Everyone is a happy, oblivious moron but me!" feel to it. I'm actually surprised and a bit saddened at the novelist's lack of sympathy for other characters. I mean, come on! Missy cannot be the ONLY person in her school who dresses in black, listens to Nirvana, and cuts. The novel makes it seem like being an emu kid is some kind of social disease that everyone wants to purge.

Stereotypes. Stereotypes everywhere. Missy openly states that she is not emo, yet she follows the cliché perfectly. I rolled my eyes at the mention of her overly long black hair and redundant use of black clothing. This displays the author's lack of understanding for cutters. Obviously, not all cutters wear black, listen to rock, and are social pariahs. The worst cutters are the people who seem completely normal. For instance, the varsity quarterback at my school is a major cutter, and the reason that not many people know this is because he hides it well. Yes. Even football jocks have feelings. Even football jocks can suffer. They're not just animals that people let out of their cages every Friday night.

This is partly the reason why I am so disappointed at the author's misanthropic portrayal of the "popular" kids. The author makes it seem like having a letter on your jacket or a set of pom-poms means you're out to destroy humanity. Every teenager besides Missy is seen as nothing more than a heartless, mindless savage. It would have been interesting for Missy to meet another cutter — one that isn't a complete reject. I just wanted Missy to have a moment of lucidity, perhaps even realize that she is not the only cutter out there. It would have been a plot point that could have changed Missy's (and the reader's) views on other people based on their appearances.

Nope. Missy continues to be a special, emu snowflake. Everyone else continues to be a mindless idiot.

On a good note, the other Horsemen are quite interesting. Death is, by far, the most charismatic character. He actually had the sense to tell Missy that her rage was harming other people. (He also takes the form of Kurt Cobain!)
___

The Plot:

I'm just going to tell you now that this book is a downer. There.

The whole novel is made up of Missy angsting, gaining control, relapsing, and then angsting some more. The ending is definitely not satisfying. Usually, novels like these appeal to those who cut or used to cut, so you would think that the message would be beneficial towards them. Nope. Missy only learns how to "control" her rage by accepting it, but she never really finds solace for herself. In other words, she only finds another way to divert herself from the actual problem. You can see why this is unhealthy.

However, I can commend the novel for its brutal honesty in regards to cutting. When Missy cuts, she does not simply have a few trickling, romantic scars. Nope. Blood everywhere. The scene where she accidentally slices an artery is especially grotesque.

Regarding the series, there is no real plot. So far, each novel only documents a character and her attempts to overcome her problem, but there seems to be no real purpose to all of it.
___

The Writing:

If there is anything to genuinely enjoy about this novel, it is the author's writing style. Her words are natural and flow very smoothly. Dialogue is uncensored and fairly realistic.

However, there are some pieces of text which had distracted me from the overall story. Some of the dialogue (such as Missy's struggle against War's voice) were very trite and cheesy. There were some parts of the book where I stopped reading and took a moment to laugh about how ridiculous the text sounds.

Here are some examples:

*"No one got it. No one understood. Not Erica. Not Missy's folks. Not her sister" (Kessler 11).

Translation:

OMGEIRU8 EVERYWON, Y U NO UNDERSTAND MEEEEE?!1

*"She sank to her knees, hugging herself tightly. Buried at the bottom of her closet, her lockbox beckoned with promises of razor-sharp kisses, whispering that she could bleed out the badness" (Kessler 30).

Translastion:

CRAAAAWLING IN MAI SKIIIINNNNN...

*"Missy clamped her hands over her forearms and hugged herself, shivering. She wanted to cut and cut and cut, wanted to saw away at her flesh until her blood made it all better. She wanted the razor to caress her, its kisses stinging her like frostbite" (Kessler 132).

Translation:

DESE WOUND DEY WILL NOT HEE-LLLLLLLLLL!1!

*(text message): "NEXT TIME SLICE UR WRISTS THE LONG WAY 2 GET IT RITE" (Kessler 134).

Translation:

LOL I TROLLIN' U MAD?

*"'Embrace me,' War bellows, 'Or I WILL TAKE WHAT I WANT'" (Kessler 145)!

Translation:

IM GOING TO RAEP YOU

Yeah. Those are just some of the examples of unintentionally hilarious tidbits in this novel.

___

The Morals:

Oh boy. This obviously does not apply to all readers, but these are just some things that I found personally unsettling.

I am not the most prudish person alive. I am not religious. I live in one of the most liberal cities in the world, where people come to drink, smoke, gamble, and do all sorts of insane crap.

This did not stop me from disliking the novel's questionable messages.

Firstly, each novel in the series follows a troubled teen who is appointed as one of the Four Hoursemen of the Apocalypse. Each protagonist has a problem which relates to their office. (Ex. Lisbeth is anorexic and is appointed Famine, while Missy is a cutter and is appointed as War.) The premise of the Four Horsemen is already questionable from the beginning. None of it is really explained, and it's just sort of implied that they were BORN to fill that position.

Isn't it just a little bit disturbing that the novels reward people for weakness? Adam gets away with what he has done. Missy's tormentors continue to be complete assholes. This only shadows the fact that great power has just been given to someone who isn't particularly right in the head (as evidenced by Missy's murderous thoughts). Why in the world would anyone, in their right mind, give such power to a disturbed teenager who could potentially make things worse than they were to begin with? If I were a character in this book, I would probably kill myself because everyone else around me is a brainless psychopath and also because my universe is ruled by three (excluding Death) seriously disturbed individuals.

The novel also implies that we, as human beings, do not have free will. All characters are ruled by unseen forces which dictate their actions. This is most apparent during Missy's angry romp through Kevin's house, in which her uncontrolled rage causes the people around her to lose their minds and act like animals. It's funny, actually. It's mentioned later on that Missy believes people are in control of their fates, yet the novel implies the exact opposite.

As I mentioned before, the novel ends with Missy in a precarious emotional state. The epilogue (which seems rushed) mentions that Missy is doing better, but she still keeps the box with her razor in it. It's implied that she's keeping it just in case she wants to cut herself again.

Wow. I expected a story about a troubled girl who has the strength to overcome her weaknesses and achieve her true potential. Instead, I read a story about a crooked, unlikable girl who all-too-frequently considers harming others with the powers that were just GIVEN to her. When she realizes that she is too weak to banish her own hatred, she simply accepts it and continues to live like a normal, healthy, semi-psychotic human being.

To be honest, I don't think the author intended it to be that way.

___

In general, I did not like this novel. It was very short for a teen's novel and did not have the content to make up for it. (I finished it in one sitting.) Even though the author attempted to shed light onto a hideous subject, there are other authors who have done so more accurately. In fact, Missy reinforces stereotypes about self-injurers.

Unless you are a lover of dramu or wangst, I suggest reading something else.

On the bright side, the novel's title is quite fitting. It pretty much describes what you do during and after reading this book.

[Danya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of my Psychtember reviews will be formatted differently than my standard reviews, to reflect the mental health theme. I've structured things as though the book is the patient and I'm giving it an assessment. Each axis is an aspect of the book that I'll give my thoughts on (characters, plot, etc.), and the validity score refers to how psychologically accurate I think the book is. Then I may list some other books that this one "shares symptoms with" (i.e. novels dealing with similar topics) and provide the patient's "statement" (quote) before giving the "diagnosis" (my shooting star rating). The rating still reflects my overall view of the book, using my standard rating system.

*Note: there are spoilers discussed in this review, particularly the Axis 2 and Axis 4 sections. You have been warned!

Assessment:

Axis 1. Characters

You have to feel pretty bad for Missy, because she doesn't have a lot of support. Still, I never really fully understood why she started cutting. We know she was being teased and bullied, but we don't see a specific trigger that sets it off. I also had some trouble getting a clear picture of her relationship with her parents; she mentions at one point that they neglect her most of the time and only pay attention to her when she's their "perfect" daughter, but at another time she says they would hound her if they found out about the party. This seems to be a bit of a conflicted portrayal — are they interested in what's going on with her or not?

For a sister, Sue really sucked. She acted very cruel towards Missy most of the time, more like one of the bullies at school. Sue tried to offer Missy help in the way she knew how, but really, it probably did more harm than good.

Side characters like Trudy, Erica, and Becky could have been fleshed out, as we don't really get to know them. I also wish we'd gotten more from the horse Aries' perspective, and been shown more of his personality — he seems nice enough to Missy most of the time, even though he's a war horse! It was interesting to see a different portrayal of the character Famine than in Hunger, though. 


As for the romance that develops between Missy (as War) and Death, it is admittedly pretty cute. The whole idea of Death and War "working well together" makes sense, but it's kind of funny that it's being used romantically as well. I thought it was a little out of character for Death to get involved in a relationship (I don't know if Death would make himself vulnerable...does he even have a heart?) but at the same time I suppose it rounds out his character more. Jackie Morse Kessler's Death is an unusual take on "Death" to begin with — but he's the best character in the series so far, in my opinion! And he gets most of the good lines in this book, as usual.

Axis 2. Premise/plot

I felt that the pacing of this one was a little more sluggish than Hunger, and not a lot actually happens. The same internal struggle Missy faces comes up again and again (just prompted by different things). This struggle of whether she should give into her brutal impulses, or whether she can accept/control them without resorting to violence, is the crux of this book. 

It follows a similar storyline structure to the first in the series. Our protagonist has reached a fairly low point in her life. She receives and accepts Death's offer and begins to figure out her role as a Rider. She meets another Rider, has some more trouble with her problem, travels and sees how bad things are in another part of the world. Then she hits an even rougher spot, there's a big conflict scene, she wins out, has a large realization, and then things get better. The major difference between Hunger and Rage in terms of plot is the ending ( Lisa resigns from being a Rider, whereas Missy stays War). 

I thought Missy accepted the existence of the Riders of the Apocalypse and her role as War way too easily, like she understood it intuitively. It felt unrealistic that she took everything pretty much in stride. I suppose the author didn't want it to be same as how Lisa reacts in Hunger, but you'd think Missy would have demanded a bit more explanation. 

The ending also didn't seem that believable, in that Missy solves the problem in the abstract, but then this is translated immediately to the real world. Just because she has resolved things cognitively doesn't mean it will have an impact at once on her behavior. I feel like there would have been more of a learned behavioral pattern that she'd have to try harder to break ( after her "revelation" she just doesn't feel the need to cut anymore, and I'm not sold on that). However, the approach the author took to showing the battle between Missy and War was pretty cool.

The epilogue wrapped up the story too neatly, although at least it's not all resolved in a happy manner for Missy. However, it seemed like the author was trying to jam-pack everything into this epilogue, when it could have been included in the actual story instead. I would have been interested to see the guidance counselor sessions and Missy's parents' reactions, and I feel like we got cheated out of seeing that because it all happens in the epilogue!

I did like the last paragraph, as it perfectly ties together the concept of War with Missy's difficulties. I think it's important that the author acknowledges it's an internal conflict Missy is dealing with, and that just as Famine starves herself, War wars with herself.

Axis 3. Writing Style

The writing in Rage is quite repetitive. A lot of the same analogies and metaphors are used again and again (for instance, "razor kisses," blood imagery, and the idea of a glass jar around Missy's heart). However, Jackie Morse Kessler definitely does a good job of descriptions, managing to give the reader a flavour of things with powerful imagery and combining words together in interesting ways.

In particular, I enjoyed the scene where Missy wanders through a party and causes havoc. The way this was portrayed really conveyed the power of War's presence in influencing people in ways they weren't even aware of.

Axis 4. Psychological Accuracy

Rage very effectively shows the horrible cruelty that teens can inflict on each other. It's ruthless and vicious what Adam does to Missy, and the level the other girls stoop to is despicable. The worst part of it is, Missy is a girl who so clearly needs help, but instead she becomes a pariah because of her cutting. It feels so wrong that this girl, who needs all the support she can possibly get, is being tormented because of evidence demonstrating how emotionally distraught she is. Rage also realistically shows how cellphones and technology can exacerbate the problem further. 

At first, you might wonder why Missy is chosen as War, because she's not violent with others, just herself. But the author takes a broader viewpoint of War, and part of War is passion; as I understand it, Missy has difficulty handling emotion, and in order to deal with it, she cuts. This seems to match the motivation for many individuals who self-harm in real life. We're given some good descriptions of how Missy feels about cutting — what it does for her, how she feels after, how it gives her clarity and relief. Despite this, though, I never truly understood why she was feeling like this and why she would cut. 

What I think is less accurate in this portrayal is the quick resolution to Missy's self-injurious behaviour. We're told in the epilogue that she starts spending time with the guidance counselour at school, and then ends up telling her family about her cutting. This is certainly a step in the right direction for Missy, but I am still very doubtful that she could break this pattern of behaviour so easily. It is acknowledged that she could cut again in the future, but the whole thing seems a little too "cold turkey" to be believable. Indeed, self-injury can become something of an addiction — and addictions are notoriously difficult to just quit.

Validity Score:

How psychologically accurate was Rage?

Axis 5. Miscellaneous

I was a little disappointed with this one and didn't find it as good as Hunger. Of course, with the first in the series it was a new world and concept we were being introduced to, whereas Rage doesn't have that novelty aspect. Personally, I also identified a bit better with Lisa from Hunger, finding her character more sympathetic and her problem (specifically, an eating disorder) more interesting.

Patient shares symptoms with: Scars by Cheryl Rainfield, Willow by Julia Hoban

Patient's statement:

"She lifted the razor in her right hand, holding it between her thumb and first two fingers. She heard Adam and the others call her names and accuse her of horrific things, laughing at her all the while. She felt her soul crumple, squeezed into pulp. She tried to breathe and failed. 

In her mind, Adam's voice whispered: Freak.

Tears stinging her eyes, she sliced down."

Diagnosis: 3 shooting stars.

For more information about bullying and self-harm, see here and here.

Note: this book contains some coarse language and mature content (both sexual and violent).

[Janie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #2 in the Riders of the Apocalypse. I read Hunger, the first book, the end of last year and then found this one shortly after and knew I had to read it.

In this series the author takes everyday disorders, such as eating disorders, or self harm, and turns them into something a bit more positive, (if you can think of the apocalypse as a positive), without glamorizing it. She shapes and molds each of her characters into decisive and confident people, but it is not and 'over night' achievement. Readers go through plenty of dark tunnels before finding that light at the end. She draws readers in with her down to earth honesty, no sugar coating the issues that so many teens face every day.

The characters are damaged, flawed and definitely scarred, their souls bared for all to see. Readers live through and face every torment, and every pain with them. I felt as though I was there in the story with them, and I found myself trying to push them along when they want to give up. A very engaging read.

I look forward to continuing the series with the final 2 books in this series, Loss and Breath.

[Sarah (Workaday Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. This book has so many emotions it's almost overwhelming. It feels like the type of book that every teenager should read.

My favourite line is "She had wandered out of the land of Too Much and set up camp in Emptyville." I have struggled with depression off and on since I was a teenager. My depression has always taken the form of overwhelming apathy, of a feeling of nothingness. Emptyville is the perfect name for it. That one line made it perfectly clear to me exactly what Missy was going through because it is the complete opposite of what I've experienced, and so is something I can comprehend well. I can't explain it, it just is.

I haven't read the other books in the series yet, but they've been on my TBR list for years. After randomly picking this one up and reading it, I think I'll go get the others immediately.

[Lisa McFeeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must like her previous book hunger, rage uses a stereotyped illness and turns it into a tale about battling and over coming yourself. She uses selfharm in a manner that is raw and real to individuals who have suffered this battled, and you can tell she has either had experience with it or she has carefully researched it. She doesn't draw readers in by using graphic depictions of selfharm, but instead uses dark humour and an enlighteninf perspective. Much like the one before, the only drae back for me was how short. I could have read a lot more of the story.

[Jennifer M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rage (rj)
n.
1.
a. Violent, explosive anger.
b. A fit of anger.
2. Furious intensity, as of a storm or disease.
3. A burning desire; a passion.
intr.v. raged, rag·ing, rag·es
1. To speak or act in violent anger
2. To move with great violence or intensity
3. To spread or prevail forcefully

Missy has a burning desire to relieve an overwhelming pain. This is a book about channeling pain into purpose. Missy moves against herself with violence and intensity. This is a book about finding balance, and gaining control. This is a book about rage, and a book about hope.

Melissa Miller is a high schooler with a few good friends, a love of soccer, an ex boyfriend she’s still got mixed feelings about, and a family that loves her, but doesn’t quite understand her. Sounds pretty typical, right? But Missy also has a secret. When things in her life start going very wrong, she can’t control the crushing feelings and pain she has. She creates an outlet for the pressure with a tool she keeps inside a lock box in her closet. Missy cuts herself. She has a driving need to release the toxic pain she feels by shredding her skin and bleeding out the hurt. What Missy doesn’t realize is that one mistake following a particularly horrible evening will change her life forever. One mistake will bring Death to her door. And Death will bring War.

I have to admit, this book was icredibly hard for me to read. I have never considered making the choices Missy made. I have never thought that doing myself harm would somehow make any situation better, or make me feel like I was in control of something that was spinning out of control. I can say, however, that I am so very grateful to Jackie for writing this book, and for the insight it provides for someone like me. Missy appears to be, for all intents and purposes, a normal girl. A “goth girl” with some attitude, maybe, but a normal girl all the same. What makes her so compelling is her struggle to fight through some pretty overwhelming circumstances. The choices she makes, and the results of those choices, are very real for an alarmingly high number of people.

What most people will never experience, however, is discovering a Cobain-ified Death, from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, in their room, offering them the mantle of War! This story builds itself around Missy’s compulsion to harm herself, and her crash course in War’s desire to cause harm in others. Can she learn the control she needs to start healing herself? Can she become the embodiment of an ancient evil, and do good?

Jackie continues the amazing storytelling from the first book in this series, Hunger, and creates in depth characters that pull you into the story. We meet the new Famine and are introduced to Pestilence. Both adding some perspective on Missy’s battle with War. This is not a happy book. Oh, to be sure, there are some fantastic one liners and clever banter that break up and brighten some of the darker points in the story. Death is always good for equal parts snarky wit and enlightenment. It IS a book, however, that will make you care. Your heart will break when Missy’s humiliated (trust me, I’ve never wanted to punch a fictional character so much IN MY LIFE) and it will swell with pride as she learns how to create a better life for herself.

As much as Hunger brought to light some unpleasant truths about eating disorders, Rage exposes us to the seemingly incomprehensible choices of those dealing with the kind of pain that literally tears them apart. It’s an important book. I am proud to have shared the journey with Jackie, and with Missy.

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the full review, please visit my blog! Thanks! :)
http://oktopusink.blogspot.com/2011/0...

Even though I didn't think that Hunger, the first book in the Horseman of the Apocalypse series was AH-mazing, it was still good enough to give the sequel a try. And I'm glad; Kessler has significantly stepped up her game for this book. Not only did Missy turn out to be totally different that I had predicted, but the internal struggle she faces to remain herself and stay strong when ridiculed by her peers was inspiring. Again, a difficult subject for teens is approached in a unique way, granting a new perspective to those who are and aren't familiar with the topic of self mutilation.

Though this book begins the exact same way that Hunger did, it can stand alone. Kessler restates the rules of her fantasy world and uses the opportunity to build on what she has already created. Readers who enjoyed Hunger will rejoice in knowing that Pestilence, Death, and Famine show up more frequently in Rage, and play a larger role than they did before. Missy's sharp perceptions solve many of the unanswered questions about the Horseman from book one, and are able to bring depth to the group's problems. This time around the other characters actually felt like characters, instead of shallow pawns written in just to move the plot along.

At first, Missy kind of pissed me off. A few pages into the book I ran across the line, "Missy wore black because it was the color of her soul," and immediately assumed I would have problems with her as the main character. I loathe characters who whine and act emo without real reason to, and for a while I couldn't figure out why Missy was so melodramatic all the time. Her life seemed okay. But as the story progressed I realized that her situation was...complicated. After a horrible (and I mean horrible) prank is pulled on her, she changed and began to grow on me. In the face of total humiliation, she showed incredible passion, courage, and weakness which rounded out to create a realistic and flawed character worth cheering for. Watching her struggle with the people in school while waging war against herself was an incredible journey, one that concludes with a satisfying ending. Seriously, the ending was phenomenal. One of my biggest complaints about Hunger was that it ended just as the story started. But in Rage, the story ends exactly when it should and Missy has the kind of revelation you want every main character to have in order to change their life for the better.

This was one of those rare times that I’m glad that my first impression of a book was totally and completely wrong. Rage made me want to cry, laugh, cheer, curse, cry some more and then hug somebody. I can honestly say that not too many books have that effect on me these days. Even if you haven't read Hunger, I highly suggest that you get your hands on a copy of Rage when it comes out. You won't find a book that talks about war (the ones within and without) quite the same way.

[Krystle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book with a lot of excitement and a rather healthy amount of trepidation. Excitement because I was expecting a lot of fabulous things considering how much I enjoyed the previous novel, Hunger, and trepidation because I’m not too good at reading these sort of issue books.

Rage was the same hard-hitting story I had been waiting for. A lot of the scenes in the book were very difficult for me to read because I have experiences of my own regarding cutting, so I understand that manic need and desire to release a flood of emotions into your skin and that crazed urge to make yourself bleed. It’s the only way you can feel, to breathe, to confirm that you’re alive, and the hypnotic trickle of blood that oozes out from your skin. I understand that, and so reliving some of those memories/imagining them in my head of what Missy was going through was pretty difficult.

But, sadly, this addition didn’t shine as much as its predecessor did. There was no impactful climax (for me), and the fact that Missy as a whole is passive, compacted by many, many repetitive scenes of her battling itself sort of brought the whole pacing down. Maybe I attended a tame high school compared to those on the mainland but I cannot imagine someone pulling off such a cruel prank on another person. It’s just too extreme to be believable.

And I loved the whole interactions Missy had with the other horsemen of the apocalypse. We got to see glimpses of their characters and their struggles which in turn have an influence on Missy’s. Yet, this whole romantic subplot with Death, while tame, was an unnecessary distraction that overshadowed the nice interplay they had going on.

At least the issues I had with the awkward dialogue from the previous book was evened out for the most part in this one, so that now they sound more like realistic teenagers and not a poor imitation of them. I am quite sad that the family dynamic was not developed a lot more in this novel. There is nothing beyond their surface appearance to indicate any sort of knowledge that they understand what Missy is going through. And, in fact, Missy’s sister was so unlikable in her caustic and constant put downs of her sister I started to wonder how this was supposed to provide the spur for her to actually get help.

Bits of the ending happily fulfilled Missy’s character arc so it’s not a miss there, although I do wish there was more. Just more on everything, I suppose. But Rage is a good issue book for many readers that I’m sure with its topic, will strike home and leave a great impression on them. The fascinating combination of fantasy and such a touchy subject still brings a fresh perspective to the genre.