VD Review

 Spoiler alert*** Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a young adult novel by A.S. King that follows the life of high school senior Vera Dietz. The story revolves around Vera's attempts to cope with the death of her ex-best friend, Charlie. Haunted by the secrets of Charlie's troubled life, Vera grapples with the challenges of habits, friendship, and family.  The novel sheds light on the struggles of growing up and the importance of facing difficult truths. As Vera confronts her demons and unravels the mysteries surrounding Charlie, the reader gets to peek into her life as she attempts to get it under control. 

The novel skillfully illustrates the characters' tendency to avoid confronting their problems, showcasing the human inclination to ignore issues that demand attention. Vera grapples with the death of her friend Charlie and the negative emotions it stirs within her. The novel does not only show how Vera evades her problems, but how many other characters have their own problems they ignore. A.S. King captures this theme when Vera reflects, 'Sometimes you just gotta pee in the sink.' This quote shows the characters’ habit to divert their focus or resort to unconventional solutions rather than facing the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the surface.

King made a writing style that captures Vera’s voice from the present and the past. A.S. King was able to offer readers a genuine and relatable story of a teenage girl navigating the complexities of grief and self-discovery. The novel's use of first-person narrative allows for a deep connection with Vera's thoughts and emotions. A quote that complements this writing style, 'It's not easy to tell someone they're entirely wrong about you. But it's easier than being friends with a dead person.' This quote does really well with addresses the problems with not knowing everything in this novel. Many characters are not seen as who they really are.

Please ignore Vera Dietz does well in getting its point across. This a a great book for high schoolers especially when it was written. I would recommend this book without a second thought. Readers would be able to relate to Vera in some ways as she grapples with the challenges friendship, family, and habits.