Forgive Me Not

YA dystopia 

     Jennifer Baker's Forgive Me Not is set within a horrific context.  Juveniles who have broken a law are sentenced by those who have been harmed.  There are three options.  One is forgiveness.  The offender returns home.  The second is a prison sentence.  The third is a series of trials which are often cruel if not downright sadistic experiences designed to prevent re offending.  The narrative is told in the alternating voices of teen siblings Violetta and Vince.

     Violetta had been grounded one night.  She was supposed to be baby sitting her little sister, Viv.  Secretly inviting her boyfriend over led to a series of bad decisions that culminated in Viv's death.  Her grieving parents have chosen the trials and she has agreed to participate.

     Vince is her older brother.  He's torn apart by his family's situation.  He doesn't think his sister should be able to return home without getting some kind of help.  He desperately misses Viv as he constantly sees traces of her around his home.  But he hates the way the system manipulates his family.  He starts to wonder if what they call rehabilitation is as benign as those in power claim that it is.

     He's also under serious pressure for achievement and perfection from his parents and track coach.  A classmate savvy about his situation is quite eager to help him ease the pain with drugs.

     In her author's note Baker reminds readers of some of the sobering realities of a juvenile justice system that disproportionately imprisons and criminalizes BIPOC youth and fails to provide them with even basic services, never mind anything resembling rehabilitation.

     "I hope reading Forgive Me Not provokes a different way of thinking about incarceration and leads to questions about the practices currently in place.  I also hope when you finish this novel you remember that it's a book about family.  A family in pain, a family who loves, a family who errs and works through what forgiveness is for themselves and others."

On a purrrsonal note, the first day of the campus blood drive went really well.  We had lots of donors.  Nobody got dizzy or fainted.  Of course I was in charge of canteen.  In the afternoon Lisa who was running the whole thing told me the last shift (when we take care of more donors) volunteers had both canceled.  I said "whatcha need them for?  You have me."  She said, "That's right, Jules.  You can handle it.  And I did.  Like a rock star.  Lisa gave me a voucher for a Bears Den lunch because greasy 🍕 is not heart smart.  I got a 🥗 and a bag of candy.  (Jules)

She was showing people pictures and video of me.  I feel like a 🌟.   (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the blood drive.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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