Have you ever bullied someone? TEASE reviewed
Tease by Amanda Maciel
Reviewed by Kieona
“How many of you have been bullied?” Majority of the time, numerous arms shoot up at this part of any bully awareness exercise. “Now, how many of you have ever bullied someone else?” Now students are hesitant to raise their hand; most just look around the room. Majority of people do not want to admit what it’s like to be a bully because people assume that a bully has always been just a troubled person. That is not always the case.
Amanda Maciel introduces the protagonist of Tease, Sara Wharton, as one of the students charged with the bullying of Emma Putnam, which led to her suicide. From a non-linear sequence of events, readers are able to experience Sara’s transition from a popular girl at school, to a possessive bully, to a girl isolated from her community and branded with the bully label. Sara’s motivation for resorting to bullying will surprise readers. Cases of bullying are hard to understand, especially ones that lead to the victim committing suicide, but Maciel provides a gripping story that reveals the honest perspective of a bully and gives a better understanding of how a bully is not just a hard-core mean girl, and how the victim is not always just the doe-eyed innocent.
6 thoughts on “Have you ever bullied someone? TEASE reviewed”
This book sounds interesting, I have read few books centered around bullying and even fewer that show the bully’s side of things. I can’t wait to read it!
Sounds like a very interesting book with a very interesting perspective, can’t wait to read it.
This is a nice twist. I find it important to always understand both sides of the story.
Quite unique to see an alternative point of view on the story.
Very true, most books on bullying does not allow the readers to connect with the bully’s point of view.
Bullying will always be present and it can’t be completely wiped away. However, it’s the attitude of others that can help improve the effects of bullying. I mean, if there is that one person who for whatever reason, decides to be a bully, you would naturally expect others to jump in and help the victim. But sadly, that’s not the case in our present day society. Too many people are followers and they think if they protest or don’t join, they won’t fit in with what certain people believe is “right”, meaning they are isolated from our society. For example, if a person was being bullied because they had no friends and nobody stepped in to offer support, it might be because they are worried that it would be weird to be friends with a loner. That’s how harsh our world is. But, the good thing is, it can be changed if only people become more strong minded and don’t succumb to peer pressure.