From: Rob Reid <reidra>
Date: Fri, 05 Jun 1998 14:14:11 -0700

I just finished Smack this afternoon and found it very interesting (no, no raves, but it's giving me a lot to think about). I didn't find it shocking
- there's no more shocks left in YA Lit, eh? - and somewhat predictable. I didn't connect with any of the characters - didn't really care how they were treating themselves. But I enjoyed the story and think it will be popular with teens. I agree with Karen Simonetti's observation that there was a "malaise in the narrative adding to the sense of what Tar and Gemma were experiencing." I also thought the comment by John Peters on how the "drug doesn't overwhelm everyone like tsunami, it overwhelms them like a poison gas, seeping through the cracks in their characters and way of life" was very astute. Burgess was very successful in writing a story to describe that very effect.

The "clickpoint" for me came on page 160 (US edition) when Gemma comments on how heroin has changed Tar. "Tar's just so much better now. You wouldn't recognize him. He always used to be so anxious and worried. He takes it easy now, you can tell just looking at him." This passage could easily be read about someone conquering drugs, instead of ironically, just starting to fall into addiction.

Rob Reid University of Wisconsin?u Claire reidra at ci.eau-claire.wi.us
Received on Fri 05 Jun 1998 04:14:11 PM CDT