True Crime to forgive the killer

When a crime is committed there is always a victim and a perpetrator. But who is to blame? Who is at fault? A simple mistake on the victims part can leave them stranded and not so innocent. But if the victim is innocent and the perpetrator strikes without warning then it is unpredictable and quite a deal more scary. It it up to the judge and the judicial system to decide who is right and who is wrong and how long the person punished for. But you dear readers have to decide for yourselves, based on ethics and your own thoughts and opinions.

In Cage of Stars by Jacqueline Mitchard, Ronnie a twelve year old girl narrates this heart-breaking and compelling book. Ronnie's plain life in a Mormon community of Utah is turned upside down by her sisters brutal murders by a schizophrenic man named Scott Early. In the next two years Ronnie battles through a media frenzy, the court trials and a new baby brother all with a distraught father and withdrawn mother. As weeks dragged on, the trial commenced and Scott Early is sent to a mental institution and the Swan family feels safe, at least for a little while.

But who is right and who is wrong? I found myself eager to hear more about the mysterious Scott Early who seemed to disappear after the trial. I know that I sound sort of dark, feeling sorry for the crazy killer, but I felt that I was secretly rooting for him for the whole beginning of the book. At first I didn't like Ronnie her and her family annoyed me with their perfect little Mormon world and white picket fences. I secretly jumped for joy when the little girls were buried and thought something like: That will show them, finally, a reality check. Something about Scott Early that intrigued me and drew me in. I wanted to know so much more and disapointed that Jacqueline Mitchard wouldn't give information to murder crazed readers like me.

Years later Ronnie's parents found the strength through their god to forgive Scott Early while Ronnie was disgusted with her parents and got very angry and hurt.I wanted to slap her in the face and say "WAKE UP SO SILLY GIRL YES THIS MAN KILLED YOU SISTERS BUT HE IS CRAZY, NEEDS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP AND IS SCHIZOPHRENIC HE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE!" of course I didn't yell at the pages of couse I didn't go crazy I calmly said "I wish I knew what happened to that darn Scott Early!"

The Hidden Twin

Twins Kaeleigh and Raeanne are almost identical in their features they get mixed up by boyfriends and badgered by each other’s enemies not being able to tell them apart. But being 16 in a crazy new world facing drugs boyfriends, alcohol, and popularity and trying to keep up your grades health and sanity can be very trying sometimes. It is hard, trying to find yourself in the world, while other people don't even know that you are a person apart from your sister. To have totally different thoughts, feeling and emotions from a person with whom you are constantly referred to as one complete being is very difficult.

In Identical by Ellen Hopkins, (book cover above) Kaeleigh and Raeanne are trying desperately to break away from each other while still trapped under their dysfunctional family life that is tearing everyone in it apart. While their alcoholic father rapes and sexually abuses Kaeleigh and takes keeps her under a tight leash. Raeanne however is tormented by a different kind of abuse; psychological Raeanne and Kaeleigh’s mother a Politian emotionally withdrew from both of her children after a car accident with their drunken father that left no visible injuries only, all inside.

Raeanne was the character I subconsciously chose to connect with and mentally analyze more often than Kaeleigh. As I found it harder to connect with Kaeleigh, while Raeanne was out of their father’s sights Kaeleigh was expected to wear the right clothes, have top grades be with all of the right people and above all maintain her image in the community. While Kaeleigh appeared feeble, submissive and afraid of change and taking chances, Raeanne was the tough twin who jumped in headfirst disobeyed adults with her “I don’t give a damn,” attitude she seemed to defy gravity. ˂ (I love Wicked.)

But underneath this almost macho image, Raeanne is still the young girl shielding her eyes every night as her sister was raped by daddy then sobbing silently. She is still the little girl believing in true love and fairy tales and wanting desperately to be held or even touched by her mommy again.

Each time Raeanne becomes close to someone she pushes away which will cause big problems. Raeanne is promiscuous, uses all kinds of crazy drugs, lusts for young male teachers and gets into fights with other girls that stand in her way. I believe that the twins’ parents knew about Raeanne’s behavior all along but Raeanne was out of daddy’s sights; and Mommy dearest was so blinded by the lights of the campaign trail and the emotion turmoil of the accident, not even a preteen Kaeleigh five years earlier trying to show her the bruises and scars from daddy could open mom’s eyes. Raeanne like many people putting on a show to be tough, independent and not needing any help just want to be held and told that they are loved