BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:
Hopkins, Ellen. 2004. CRANK. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 9780689865190
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
In this powerful and turbulent verse novel, Ellen Hopkins explores one ordinary and bright young girl’s spiraling “landslide” through drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. Hopkins uses a 15-year-old girl named Kristina to tell this tale, and interestingly, Kristina quickly develops an alter ego named Bree to relate much of the darker side of her tale. One visit to her absentee, drug addicted father changes everything as Kristina meets a boy and tries crank, “the monster,” for the first time. One encounter with “the monster” is all it takes, and Kristina/Bree finds herself on “the path to hell” as she stumbles through daily life in school and at home, confusing relationships with multiple boys, a nightmarish episode of date rape, becoming a drug dealer to support her habit, and realizing that she is pregnant. The ease with which Kristina falls down this horrible path is shocking and starkly realistic, forcing readers to ponder how easily one wrong decision can lead to a path of destruction. While the anti-drug message is clear, it is not overpowering to the story and leaves readers with something important to think about. Kristina’s character will be easy for young adults to relate to, and a number of readers may very well find themselves faced with temptations, thoughts, and pressures similar to Kristina’s. The verse novel format works exceptionally well here, and Hopkins uses a variety of distinctive poetry formats and techniques, such as concrete poems and the careful use of spacing, to add a whole new level of meaning to the text. Kristina’s confusion and struggles are evident in the poems, and Hopkins skillfully draws a distinct line between Kristina and her alter ego, Bree, through the careful construction of the poetry.
CONNECTIONS:
If students enjoy CRANK, recommend GLASS, the sequel, by Ellen Hopkins.
Other verse novels by Ellen Hopkins: BURNED and IMPULSE.
Other verse novels by Ellen Hopkins: BURNED and IMPULSE.
The verse novel format plays a major role in CRANK. Ask students to discuss why they think the author chose to write the novel this way (as opposed to the traditional fictional novel format).
This novel reveals a range of temptations and pressures faced by young adults today. Use Kristina’s story to begin an open discussion on the pressures and decisions facing teenagers today.
REVIEWS and AWARDS:
From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (November 2004):
“Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug.”
“Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug.”
From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (November 2004):
“Hopkins writes in free-verse poems that paint painfully sharp images of Kristina/Bree and those around her, detailing how powerful the "monster" can be. The poems are masterpieces of word, shape, and pacing, compelling readers on to the next chapter in Kristina's spiraling world. This is a topical page-turner and a stunning portrayal of a teen's loss of direction and realistically uncertain future.”
“Hopkins writes in free-verse poems that paint painfully sharp images of Kristina/Bree and those around her, detailing how powerful the "monster" can be. The poems are masterpieces of word, shape, and pacing, compelling readers on to the next chapter in Kristina's spiraling world. This is a topical page-turner and a stunning portrayal of a teen's loss of direction and realistically uncertain future.”
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