Handcuffs by Bethany Griffin (Book Review by Melissa A. Bartell)
Handcuffs
Bethany Griffin
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Parker Prescott, lead character in Bethany Griffin’s YA novel Handcuffs, is the middle child in her alliteratively named family, and is also the quiet, bookish, geeky one. So aloof and quiet is she, in fact, that her sister and classmates have nicknamed her The Ice Princess.
In truth, however, Parker has much to be quiet about: her older sister Paige is married to the former high-school quarterback who visits their house to steal ketchup, though his family is wealthy, because he “doesn’t like to grocery shop,” and little brother Preston is an ADHD genius. Add to that the fact that the house is for sale, her father is still unemployed after losing his job, and her mother is working long hours, and it’s easy to see why she isn’t the life of the party.
And then there’s the ex-boyfriend. We never learn his name, but when the novel opens, Parker has broken up with him, only to keep going back to him, despite the fact that he pushes her for sex when she’s not sure she’s ready, and may or may not have had a fling with the school slut during the two days they were broken up. The title of the novel refers to one of his post break-up visits, in fact, when he shows up at Parker’s house during Winter break, with a pair of handcuffs.
If all of this seems pretty grim for a YA novel, rest assured that Parker eventually prevails, in her way, with the help of her own good sense, and that of her best friend Raye, who is always there for advice and support.
Told in first person, from Parker’s point of view, Griffin’s story has a starkly realistic tone, with very little escape into fantasy. Especially realistic were the main character’s complaints about her out-of-date computer, and the use of a blog as a method of antagonism.
I wouldn’t recommend Handcuffs to younger YA readers, but for the more mature part of the demographic, and even older adults, it’s an interesting, well-written book.
Melissa A. Bartell earns her living by writing articles for an SEO marketing firm, and dabbles in essays and fiction on the side. She lives near Dallas, TX with her husband, two dogs, and more computers than anyone really needs. She is the Managing Editor here at All Things Girl. Find out more about her on our About Page. You can also find her at her website and various other places around the ‘net.
