A Broken Home, A Broken Mind, A Broken Girl

     I'm currently reading the book Fallout by: Ellen Hopkins. There are three protagonists telling their stories of their lives in broken homes. Their names are Hunter, Summer, and Autumn.  All three of them are the product of Kristina Snows neglectful life. This book is the third in the Crank Series. In the first book Crank, Hopkins goes through how Kristina got hooked on crystal meth. She got raped and had a baby (Hunter). In the second book Glass, Hopkins takes the reader through Kristina’s struggles with her child, her mother, school and her relationships. Kristina’s point of view ends with Glass because now it’s her children's chance to tell their side of the story.

     Although Hopkins has three protagonists in her book, I'm only going to focus on one and that is Autumn. Autumn is the second born child of Kristina and Trey. I feel like she is the only child who has tried to forget about her birth mother and who has almost replaced her. Who has she replaced her with? Her Aunt Cora, Trey's sister. Her and her Aunt live with her Aunt live with Autumns grandfather. Sadly, Autumn is the only one of Kristina's children that has never met her mother. She does know Trey though from a vague memory of him showing up at their doorstep. 

       I feel really bad for Autumn. She's so curious about her real mother but her grandfather won't expose anything to her. She doesn't even know her mothers name. I couldn't imagine being so unattached from my mom, she's really the key to my sanity. I think that her grandfather is right to keep Autumn from her mother. Think about it, the reason that Kristina got into all of this trouble is because she when to visit her father. That's when she got addicted to the "monster." What if she meets her mother and then the cycles starts all over?

      On one hand, I think that meeting her mother will give Autumn some sense of security but on the other hand, how will she find security in a stranger? Someone she has no emotional connection with. Someone who hasn't been through her thoughts for how many years? Maybe if she just sees a picture of her, she'll stop being to insecure about her background. At least she won't be thinking of a stranger. 

    In conclusion, Autumn is very insecure about herself and I feel sorry for her. I think Hopkins made three totally different personalities to get the readers thinking about how they're similar and different. Do you think that Autumn should meet her real mother? Do you think that it will give her some closure? Comment below! :)