THINGS CHANGE

Jones examines the neglected subject of dating violence. Sixteen-year-old Johanna struggles to live up to her parents’ insistence that she be the perfect daughter. She earns top grades but fails socially. Her mother controls her entire existence, so it’s no surprise that Johanna finds love with a boy who controls her as completely as her mother does. Both exhibit sudden attacks of anger, but Paul often descends into violence against both himself and Johanna. Jones tells both sides of the story, portraying Paul as a bright boy trapped by poverty and the product of his abusive father. Paul’s quirky humor and obvious need for love explain Johanna’s attraction to him, but as she changes and grows, she learns that some things don’t change—especially abusive behavior. While Jones’s writing needs sharpening, often straining to be hip especially in his dialogues, this is a decent effort from a first-time author that deserves a wide readership because of its subject. (Fiction. 12+)