Book Review
 
“Who Am I Without Him?” by Sharon G. Flake
Rating: Five Stars
 
Sharon G. Flake’s “Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories about Girls and the Boys in Their Lives” is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover — or its title. I initially was afraid that this collection of short stories was going to focus on teenage girls’ total dependence on their boyfriends. But, luckily, I was wrong; the stories went much deeper than that.
 
The first story in the book, “So I Ain’t No Good Girl,” brought up all my preconceived notions of girls who constantly take beatings from their abusive and useless boyfriends. I wanted to put the book down, but an uncontrollable urge to finish what I started made me continue reading.
 
The second story, “Girl, Didn’t I Say I Don’t Write Letters?” turned out to be much more complex, and I realized that this wasn’t some superficial look at “baby mama drama” or portrayals of perfect teens with no real problems.
 
Throughout the collection of stories, the teen characters confess very intimate thoughts on race, class, the opposite sex and their obsessions with their physical appearances.
 
 In one, a young woman writes to a teen magazine asking for advice on how to steal her best friend’s boyfriend. In another, a young man’s mother and aunts make it their mission to control every aspect of his personal relationships.
 
 My personal favorite is “Jacob’s Rules,” a tale about a class — with direct input from teen girls — that teaches young men what makes a relationship work.
 
The author does a great job capturing the way teens talk, and she keeps it real by recognizing that not all teens have had a boyfriend or girlfriend.
 
For these reasons, I could personally relate to almost all the stories. I, for one, have never tried to steal someone’s boyfriend. Best of all, Flake’s writing is so good that often I forgot I was reading fictional stories.
 
I could not put this book down, as the stories flowed together just like chapters in a novel. No matter if you have ever been in love, this book will get you thinking about the values of trust, honesty and commitment that can be valuable in any type of relationship.
 
By Sabrina Burnett / VOX Staff