Summary
Eden is a girl who tries to live her best life. She’s good at school, plays in the band, has an excellent relationship with her parents, and has a harmless crush on her older brother’s best friend, Kevin.
But then he rapes her, and everything turns upside down. Eden becomes a different person, and she hates what she has become.
Summary of The Way I Used to Be
The Way I Used to Be is a gripping young adult novel about the impact of trauma and silence. The story follows Eden McCrorey, a teen who is raped by her older brother’s best friend in high school and struggles to cope with the devastating aftermath. The book is written in four parts, each corresponding to one year of high school, and depicts how Eden’s life is transformed and damaged by the experience.
The rape begins in Eden’s freshman year, during her winter break. Her brother’s friend Kevin, who is almost like a family member since they spend so much time together and play so many games of basketball, comes into her bedroom at night and rapes her. It’s a terrifying, humiliating ordeal that will forever change her life.
Eden is a girl who is known to be well-behaved and obedient. Her parents were proud of her, and she enjoyed a close relationship with her siblings. She is part of the vast majority of childhood sexual assault victims – women whom people attack they know rather than strangers. This is a significant fact that is often overlooked in the discussions about sexual assault and adolescent girls.
After the rape, Eden does what she thinks everyone else would do – she keeps it a secret. But the consequences of this decision are incredibly harmful to her, and her mental health continues to deteriorate over the years.
Eden’s siblings, including her younger sister Rachel, begin to notice her behavioral changes. Despite their love for her, they can’t understand what has happened to her. Their disapproval and rejection fuel her silent suffering.
The only person who seems to understand and support Eden truly is her new friend Mara, a senior in high school. Her kindness and understanding help to ease the pain and numbness. But as the years go by, they both notice that Eden is slowly disappearing from their lives.
In the end, Eden reports her rapist to the police. Her decision is not taken lightly, and it reflects the difficulty and importance of writing this type of crime. The Way I Used to Be is a powerful story that highlights the devastating consequences of sexual assault and the need for more girls to speak up.
Recommended for ages 13-18.
This is a hard-hitting, beautifully written story that explores the impacts of sexual assault and the difficulty of speaking up. The characters are believable, and the messages of resilience and strength are essential to share with young people. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in a powerful and moving account of a girl’s struggle to heal after being raped. The Way I Used to Be is both beautiful and horrifying, and it captures the reality of so many adolescent women’s experiences with sexual violence. This is a story of survival and healing that all young people should read.
