Trigger

July 15, 2024
In the wake of a life-altering night, a gay teen in the British Isles fights for survival, closure, and justice. Jay Walker awakens in a park covered in blood and bruises; he was drugged and raped, but shadows cloak his memory of what happened. He and his boyfriend, Jackson, were at the club. Why did Jackson leave him? Why won't he answer Jay's messages? "Stats help me understand," Jay says in his first-person verse narrative, but they offer the grim likelihood that someone he knows was responsible. Still, these numbers are only "maybes and possibilities": Jay needs to know the truth. Confused by his boyfriend's behavior, he goes to Jackson's house, where he finds evidence that leads to even more questions--a Mac and a Rolex. How could a boy with a struggling single mum afford these expensive items? The poems' short lines capture the fragmented nature of Jay's memories and the frantic frustration of his feelings. As Jay recovers physically, his parents and his best friend, Lau, surround him with support, but Jay feels out of place in his old life. He grapples with fear, shame, self-doubt, questions of identity, and his understanding of love. Therapy and a support group play important roles in his journey toward confronting what happened and discovering how to keep living. Most characters are cued white. A survivor's story portrayed with honest heaviness and caring vulnerability. (author's note, resources)(Verse fiction. 14-18)

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September 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Seventeen-year-old Jay wakes up to find himself in a park, bleeding, his body covered with bruises. He suspects that he has been raped, but maddeningly, he can't remember the night before, when it must have happened. But why is he alone, and where is his boyfriend, Jackson? He was last seen with Jay in the alley outside of Onyx, the club they'd gone to. He'd told Jay he'd be right back, then vanished into the club and hasn't been seen since. Frantic, Jay goes to Jackson's house and races upstairs to his deserted room, where he finds a Rolex watch. But how could Jackson afford such a luxury item? It's a mystery, but the impact of the assault is no mystery: it's left Jay with an anxiety disorder and PTSD. Will he be able to remember the fateful night, and will it help him recover? Moore has written a hard-edged novel in verse about abuse and sexual assault and their impacts on the victim--one of few books like this about a boy. The book is extremely well written and the story compelling.

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Starred review from October 4, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Jay wakes up alone in the park after a night out with his boyfriend, Jackson, completely bewildered and missing crucial memories of what happened. His painful, battered body implies he may have been sexually assaulted. Ghosted by his now ex-boyfriend, Jay begins to suspect possible involvement when he sees him with expensive items, including a Rolex. Although longtime friend Lau tries to help him, Jay finds more common ground with a new nonbinary friend Rain, from his support group. As shadowy segments of memories emerge, he is triggered by the betrayal and seeks justice. This intense account of surviving sexual violence raises awareness and helps destigmatize male/male assault. Moore's foreword states he is a survivor, and the authentic depiction is delivered via a strong, visceral narrative voice in this novel in verse. The free verse poetry propels readers quickly through the plot with short line breaks that parallel Jay's choppy memory. Sensitivity is evident; the assault takes place off-page, and the trauma, vulnerability, and acceptance are all part of his healing journey. The value of Jay's strong support system is demonstrated via friends, family, and therapy. A content warning is advised for sexual violence and trafficking, and the author provides helpful resources in the back matter. VERDICT A raw and fiercely gripping portrayal with paramount representation.-Lisa Krok

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