Easy

Kerry Cohen Hoffman's written an excellent first novel which explores the ways one young girl deals with her burgeoning sexuality and murky feelings about her body and her parents' divorce. Jessica knows that she loves photography, but aside from that, her sense of identity is in flux, and into this void comes boys. She knows that she can easily get their attention, and she keeps pushing the envelope to see what will happen. Soon, she's in way over her head and can't seem to stop or tell anyone, even her best friend, about what she's been dealing with. The comfort and protection she thought she'd get from sex continue to elude her until she drops her guard and allows herself to learn from those around her. Her tumultuous relationship with her overly needy mother, the sibling rivalry, and portrayal of Tiffany, the "school slut," all add up to make this a short but powerful novel. Hoffman doesn't shy away from showing Jessica's initial induction into sexuality, and how at first it makes her feel "cool," but later leaves her friendless. The ease with which gossip spreads in high school and the cruelty inflicted on those who go too far are portrayed realistically. This is a cautionary tale, one that shows how stubborn teens can be in pursuing what it is they truly want, as well as how Jessica's alienation from her family and later, peers, drove her further down the wrong road. Hoffman doesn't condemn sex or dating, but portrays a character who's pursuing the former for the wrong reasons, ones that don't make her happy and serve to isolate her even more. Without being heavy-handed or preachy, she's written an important book that both parents and teenagers can enjoy and learn from.

I first read Kerry Cohen Hoffmann's book last summer, and I was startled by its grace and elegance. "Easy" is a powerful novel, with a challenging notion of what it means to establish identity as a young woman in today's society. Even though I'm a man, and significantly older than the protagonist, the themes of the novel resonated, and I particularly liked how Hoffmann captured the relationship between the "good," "geeky" sister and the main character. As a reader, I liked the book immensely. As a teacher of high school students, I appreciate it even more. Most "Young Adult" or "Teen" novels are terribly written. They are too literal. Too simplistic. Too heavy handed and moralistic. They lack irony and subtext. "Easy" isn't like those others. It's a real novel, written by a writer with talent. Two weeks ago, I recommended "Easy" to one of my students. She was a girl who had just moved to Massachusetts from California at the beginning of the year. She had been struggling in class, barely passing the first two quarters. Since Christmas, however, when we started reading some Edith Wharton and Kate Chopin, she became incredibly engaged. She liked those books, with their concerns about real life and relationships between men and women. I knew she had gotten into a bit of trouble recently, however, and she was due to serve a "Breakfast Club"-style Saturday detention, so I brought in my copy of "Easy" to see if she'd like to borrow it to pass the time during that next Saturday. She not only borrowed it and read it, but she finished it before Saturday! She told me it was one of the best books she's ever read. I highly recommend this novel. I don't think you'll be disappointed no matter what age you are.

Is there such a thing as a perfect book? If not, Kerry Cohen Hoffmann's debut young adult novel Easy comes very close. "At the ripe young age of fourteen Jessica has discovered that getting the attention she wants is just that--easy." Jessica's passion for photography has been replaced with a new obsession--boys. She soon discovers that getting attention from them is easy, easier than getting it from her broken-hearted mother, clueless father and older sister. And It's certainly easier than finding that perfect photograph for a national contest--a self-portrait. As Jess says in the opening chapter, "How can I take a self-portrait if I don't know who I am anymore?" As the jacket describes, "In this compelling and often harrowing novel for teen readers, first-time author Kerry Cohen Hoffmann delves into the mind of a teenage girl as she attempts to replace the shifting relationships with friends and family with sexual exploration. With candid storytelling rooted in years of personal experience, Ms. Hoffmann offers a searing look at how easy it is to take a wrong turn in search for the right answers." Harrowing, compelling. Those might well be understatements. Very rarely does a novel so grip me I feel emotionally spent after. I delight in those books, in that stretch of time as I stare at the final words with tears on my cheeks. I wish for the story to go on, yet somehow the final moment is perfect. Another word, another scene would somehow ruin the magic. This is Kerry's book. Magical. For one, Kerry has tremendous skill with prose. Her writing is all at once startlingly clear, yet dense. Take this scene, for example. Jessica and her older sister Anne have just had dinner with their father and his new girlfriend, Dana. "After dinner we walk into Dad's apartment. It's strange to see all his things, all the stuff he bought when he moved in. I pull my digital out of my pocket and eye the room through the screen. A one-bedroom with a foldout futon for a couch. A TV. A desk with Dad's computer. A kitchen table with four metal-legged chairs. "Dana shows up on the screen. I follow her with the lens. She walks into the kitchen, opens a cabinet, and pulls out a glass, knowing where everything is. She flips her blond hair over a shoulder and turns on the tap to fill her glass. She is comfortable here. "Dad enters the screen. He comes up beside Dana, puts a hand on the small of her back, just above her [...] He knows where everything is too. I glance over at Anne to see if she's watching, but she is already sitting on the futon, her bag on her lap, putting on her I-hate-being-here-so-let's-just-get-this-over-with look. She didn't say one word during dinner." The purpose seems to be to establish setting, yet it's done in such a vivid way (through the camera) it has meaning for Jess and her photography. Simple description melds with theme. And although these three paragraphs are all about Dad, Dana, Anne, I feel a deeper understan

This story grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let go until the end. Lots of girls will relate to Jessica, who is still figuring life out. She makes some "easy" mistakes, but then finds the strength to move past them. The writing is very honest.

This is a fantastic book from a remarkable new author! Kerry Cohen Hoffmann has a distinctive voice and a way of blasting you with an out-of-the-blue image that just takes your breath away. A must read!