Jinx

Publishers Weekly

"Connected poems compellingly tell the story of a self-proclaimed jinx as she weathers the tragic, unrelated deaths of two consecutive boyfriends," said PW. Ages 14-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Booklist

(starred review)Intricate, vivid language.

Kirkus Reviews

A subtly wrought, deeply affecting story.

Publishers Weekly

The brief narratives precisely capture the spirit of a character, feeling, or moment. Together, the poems create something larger: a portrait of a young woman pulling herself out of despair.

SLJ

The voices are distinct, and all ring true.

KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 2002: Jinx is an excellent example of how a talented writer can use the format of many short poems to tell a complex story from several points of view. Wild is Australian, and so is her character Jinx, but their story will be easily understood by any teenager. Jinx is a high school student with a good group of girlfriends. She lives with her single mom and her sister Grace, who has Down's Syndrome. The girls visit their father and his new wife regularly. Each one of these characters has a voice, a poem or more to express their feelings and place in the story, as do the following people in the story. Jinx's first love is Charlie, a handsome, rather wild boy who becomes lost in depression and commits suicide. This sends Jinx into a tailspin of temporary drunkenness and wildness, to a life that introduces her to Ben, who becomes a sort of boyfriend. Ben dies in a freak accident. This is how Jinx got her name: her two boyfriends died. She is in a rage and harasses the boy she considers responsible for Ben's death—until she falls in love with him. Dramatic events, deep emotions, yet the poetry format keeps it all in control, with a spareness that causes a powerful response in the reader. This will be popular, if introduced to readers. There are some obscenities and sexual scenes, which might not be appropriate in a junior high library. KLIATT Codes: S—Recommended for senior high school students. 2002, Simon & Schuster, 215p., Ages 15 to 18.
—Claire Rosser

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-When Jen's boyfriend commits suicide, she is lonely, sad, bewildered, and rebellious. During this bleak period, she starts drinking and having casual sex, but then meets Ben and begins the long journey back to normalcy. After he dies, a classmate calls her "Jinx," and Jen decides the name fits her. Seeking to strike out at Hal, the person responsible for Ben's accident, and not realizing or caring where her angry words fall, Jinx conducts a secret, malicious assault. It is not until she actually meets and becomes friends with Hal that she is able to begin putting aside the hurt and anger that have plagued her since childhood. In confronting and dealing with the family issues that have been a lingering shadow all her life, the teen learns that love and forgiveness are a first step to maturity. This newfound acceptance and understanding of herself, her family, and her friends enables Jinx to want to be Jen again. In a style reminiscent of Mel Glenn's Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? (Dutton, 1996), the story is told in verse form. This technique allows the author to acquaint readers with each character and to weave a powerful story of teen angst. The voices are distinct, and all ring true, giving insight into the parents' lives and concerns as well as those of the teens. While the setting is in Australia, the central theme of family dynamics is so universal that it could be anywhere.-Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.