Are You in the House Alone?

This book was very good yet it was sad and it was so real and true the way these things happen.The main charecter Gail is getting creepy phone calls and letters saying disgusting things and the phone calls ane saying,"ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE?".I would recamend this book to mature people.

Richard Peck has never been one to skirt around issues. He is a horror writer in the sense that he faces true-to-life things like censorship, teen drinking, popularity, suicide and rape head on. This particular book is about rape, and the frustration of being the victim. I was a little shocked at the premise of the book, as all of the descriptions I read (e.g. the back cover of the book) did not hint that this was a serious horror book. But Peck is very good at getting into the mindset of teenages and high school life, even those of 25 years ago. One can hope that situations have improved since he first wrote this book. Also, as I read I was able to fully immerse myself into the character of Gail--I felt her fear, her rage, the unreality of the whole situation, and then her resolution to keep going in the end. This book *is* for older readers--I would give it to high schoolers or older. When needing a book that deals with a serious social issue, Peck is a good bet.

This is a dramatic, true-to-life book. The characters are believable, the aftermath played out perfectly, and the story tense and tautly written.Yes, the book is about rape. Yes, there's injustice in the book. And I suspect that's very much the author's point. There is a lot of injustice in life, and you have to choose your battles wisely to have an effect on it.And as to the girl not pressing charges because the guy's rich ... sadly, that's all too real. Most of us figure out very young that money matters. It matters in rape too. Since the girl in the book wasn't wealthy herself, severely injured, or a virgin, her attacker would most likely never have been convicted. Sad, revolting, but extremely true, and very well handled.

This book is an incredible book for women everywhere. This story of a young girl who gets raped is timeless and classic and absolutely truthful, sparing no insults to our judicial system or society on this issue. I think every young girl, woman, and especially mother should read this story if they haven't yet! The truth about rape is, it's not fixable, it's not the victim's fault, and it's not a rare occurance-it happens everyday. Richard Peck does an amazing job in telling the truth from the victim's point of view.

The scariest kinds of stories are the ones that could easily happen to you. Unfortunately, Are You in the House Alone? is one of them. It is the story of a high school junior named Gail who is relentlessly stalked, then raped. Her rapist doesn't bother to disguise his identity -- he doesn't need to, because he knows he won't be brought to justice by a society which views sexually active women as "asking for it." But the terror doesn't end there; after recovering from her physical injuries, Gail has her emotional scars repeatedly ripped open at her high school, where she is forced to see her attacker every day, never knowing if...or when...he will strike again. This a daring premise for a young adult novel; thankfully, Peck doesn't soften it by making the tone shrill, preachy or simplistic. Like any good suspense story, each and every one of his characters have complex motivations that drive them to make sometimes surprising and often tragic decisions. But the real secret to this book's excellence is its plot: tight, seamless, and riveting. As terrifying as the story is at times, you simply HAVE to push your fears aside and find out what happens next. The icing on the cake is Peck's talent for creating a chilling atmosphere that is almost gothic without being over the top. Read the prologue and you'll see what I mean. His portrayal of high school is particularly insightful -- the students range from rich, popular athletes to working class intellectuals to ostracized bohemian artists; you'll probably recognize some of them from your own school. I highly recommend Are You in the House Alone? for anyone wanting a scary read that will keep you looking over your shoulders for weeks after.