Rosebush

Jaffe, Michele. Rosebush. Razorbill (2011). ISBN 9781595143839

Plot Summary

                 Jane wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of how she got there.  Soon, as family and friends start to visit her, the night’s events start to come back to her.  She starts to realize that it is no accident that she is there and that someone close to her wants her dead.  With threatening messages on her mirror showing up and creepy phone calls, Jane tries desperately to figure out who wants her dead before it’s too late.

Critical Evaluation

This book is probably one of the most intense, mystery steeped books I've ever read. I could not have enjoyed it more. The plot is so twisty-turny that I couldn't stop reading - even when I was getting carsick on the way home from vacation.  Everyone Jane knows seems to have a secret and could possibly have ill intent towards her.  In the end, it is the person least expected who is the attempted murderer.

Jane is a very believable character.  Her relationship with her mother is less than perfect but much of that is Jane’s doing.  She has a hard time figuring out where she belongs and who she is.  The story is wrapped up well and the journey to get to the ending is a wild ride readers will love.

Reader’s Annotation

Jane can’t remember anything from the night that ended with her in the hospital.  This is the story of her piecing events together and realizing that being in the hospital was no accident. 

Author’s Information

Michele graduated with a PhD from Harvard in Comparative Literature, after which she left academia to write.  She writes both YA and adult books, fiction and thrillers.  Her website is here: http://www.michelejaffe.com/.

Genre

Thriller/Suspense

Book Talking Ideas

I’d being by asking them what they would do if they all of a sudden couldn’t remember what happened the night before.  Then I’d ask what if you were in the hospital, beat up extremely badly, and couldn’t remember what happened?  Jane assumes it was some sort of accident but a sinister plot lurks just underneath the surface.

Reading Level/Interest

12/12

Challenge Issues

There is some teen drinking in this book, but it isn’t the main focus by any means.  Jane has a harder time than necessary remembering what happened because of all the pain killers she’s on at the hospital but, because there is a medical reason, challengers shouldn’t have too big a problem with that.

Why Include This Title?

This is a very well written YA thriller.  The form of going from the present, where the character can’t remember anything, to the past where clues are pieced together, is a sure fire way to get readers hooked.  This is a quality that YA books need to have in order to be successful and Rosebush has it.