You Against Me

By Jenny Downham

An intense and riveting novel from the critically acclaimed author of Before I Die.

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge. If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him. When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the offense, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of Before I Die. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all, it's a book about love.


From the Hardcover edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9780385676304

Jenny Downham

Jenny Downham trained as an actor and worked in alternative theatre before starting to write. Her first book, Before I Die, is an international bestseller. It won the Branford Boase Award, the Australian Silver Inky Award for best international novel, and was shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Her second novel, You Against Me, won the Waterstones Teen Fiction Prize. Jenny hopes that this story will encourage more girls to make a noise so that their voices can be heard.

Reviews for You Against Me

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Started really well and I was enjoying Mickey and Ellie's story, but then it just fell in a hole. There were too many questions left unanswered and if there is no sequel, too many issues unresolved.

[pidgeon92_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Terrific story.

[sparkleponies · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I feel as if this book speaks alot of truth about its subject matter 

[yabotd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'll state up front that You Against Me by Jenny Downham is not a book for everyone. As the summary suggests, it deals with content that will be difficult and inappropriate for some readers. However, if the content is not an issue, I strongly encourage you to pick up this book. It's no secret I'm into psychology. I love thinking about how people handle difficult situations or looking at a situation from an alternative perspective. You Against Me does that. At the heart of the book is an alleged sexual assault. The readers don't know exactly what happened in the beginning of the book and neither do the main characters. What Mikey and Ellie do know is that this event has completely altered their lives and the lives of their family. Each character struggles through a different side of the situation. Did Ellie's brother assault Mikey's sister? If so, how can Ellie live with that knowledge? Her brother would never do anything like that, right? Was Mikey's sister really assaulted or make poor decisions? Either way, she's closed herself off from the world. Can he help her open herself back up? How does he make sure Ellie's brother gets what he deserves?These are the types of questions that each character explores. On top of that, the two meet each other. Their interactions together are just as confusing as the situation with their siblings. What I loved about You Against Me is the exploration of all these questions in a realistic way. When people think of sexual assault, they often only think of the two people involved. However, there's a lot more than two people effected. This story explores the family of these characters and how people respond to each other. What would you do to protect your family? I think that's one of the main questions in this book and it is explored fully for both characters. Both Mikey and Ellie have many decisions to make and they have to decide what's right, what's wrong, what's in the best interest of their sibling, and what should they be doing for themselves. You Against Me is the perfect book for readers who like introspective reads with realistic characters. There is no happily ever after in this situation, but there is moving on and making the best possible decisions with what you've got to work with. The novel reflects this. Final thoughts: Borrow or buy.

[smileydq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This well-written novel addresses the very real issue of sexual assault in high school. I believe it was an accurate representation of what it would be like for a high school girl who got drunk at a party and was taken advantage of, only to face people who either don't believe her or believe she invited the assault because of the way she chose to act and dress. One surprising element to me was that it seemed all the high school kids were on her side, and against the accused assailant; I would think it would be more split and he would have people in his camp as well. The writing here is casual and easy to read even if the subject matter is not; the author definitely invited you to be an up-close observer of the action. The novel featured well-flushed-out main characters that were distinct and had a clearly defined role in the plot. The best character by far was Ellie, the sister of the alleged assailant (Tom); her being torn between what she knows she saw and the story her brother and parents have told her to tell is very real and a bit heart-wrenching -- she's only a kid, and has to decide between telling the truth and saving her beloved older brother. I was disappointed by how the parents of the accused rapist are portrayed - never once do they ever act as though their son did anything wrong, they never ask him if he actually did it, they never seem upset - only angry at their daughter for not being willing to blindly follow the family's story. They were infuriating (presumably by design) and I found it very difficult to relate to them as characters. A good read about an intense subject - I give it 4 stars.

[candacemom2two · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Surprisingly this was one I selected by the description only. Somehow I hadn't heard anything about it before but once I got it I realized this was one book that had some rave reviews! And once I started reading it I realized why! I absolutely loved this book! It has an interesting story line with two characters that fall in love when they should be mortal enemies. They didn't mean to fall in love, it started out as a way to figure out revenge (secretly, of course) but then something happened, they really cared about each other.Both characters grow a lot in the story. Now, I had wrote up two long paragraphs about how they evolved, but it probably doesn't really matter. It just matters that they did. They became something more. And both of their families are messed up. Mikey's mom is a drunk, Ellie's father is a jerk and neither family is completely right about anything. I really liked that in the beginning we don't really know who is right and who is wrong and what was great is we got to kind of judge for ourselves, make our own decisions. And while we do get the whole story of what happened it's not until the end. And I thought it was planned out well and very well paced.I also liked that the book was British. It took place in the UK and had lots of awesome British slang. I kind of love that. It just gave it a different vibe, ya' know? But some things I don't know. Obviously their school system is different and some of the school talk didn't make sense to me, I don't understand what they meant. But that stuff wasn't really important and didn't take anything away from the story. I am curious now though... What the heck is revisions? I loved that the story is told in third person but both perspectives. I never felt confused about who's story was happening since it was in third person but I liked seeing every side of the story. It made it mess with your head a bit more, ya know? Like you see how sweet they can be, how could they do something bad? The romance was so sweet! SO sweet! It had obstacles, obviously, but yet it seemed somehow easy. I mean there wasn't too much of the complicated feelings of not wanting to like him/her, etc. Yeah, that happened, but somehow it seemed less complicated then I would have imagined. They knew what they felt and for the most part they let it happen. Although I LOVED this book I do have a minor complaint. In the very beginning I felt like I was thrown into something that I should know more about. It was just a bit much because I had no clue what was going on. It cleared up quickly but then later in the story it was odd how things went from being so fast to kind of jumping around. I think it was saving us from tediousness, but I had a difficult time knowing how much time had passed. And while it's revealed in the chapter, it's not there when you start. So I'd start the chapter thinking it was immediately after the end of the previous chapter and really it was weeks later. Now, it's really a minor issue for me because I liked the book so much, but some won't be caring for that.This book is for the older young adult crowd. There's sex (not descriptive, but it does happen) and there's a bit of bad language. Mikey is 18 or 19, so that gives you a bit of an idea that there's some mature things.I highly recommend this book if it sounds like your thing. Although it's fairly large at over 400 pages, I read it in a day. I had a very difficult time putting it down! I'm definitely going to be checking out the authors previous book, Before I Die.

[brittdonohuewhite · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book presents great fodder for heated arguments about what is right and how far family loyalty should go. When Tom is accused of rape, the victim's brother, Mikey, tries to get to know Tom's sister, Ellie, in order to get closer to Tom and make him pay for what he's done. When Mikey & Ellie begin a serious relationship things get confusing. When Ellie reveals that she knows more about that night than she has been letting on the lid blows off everything. The book goes on a little long and provides unnecessary details but is overall a good read.

[staciesnape-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let me first start of by saying that I had been waiting to read this book for what seems like years, even though in reality its only been 2. I remember first reading Before I Die and being moved to tears while on the bus to work. Everything about that book touched me, and when I heard about You Against Me I couldn't wait to read it. Unfortunately it came out the year my little girl was born so I didn't have much time to haha. But while reading it, my partner asked me while I was smiling from ear to to ear, to which I told him "you know when you've been waiting for something for so long, be it a game or a book or a TV program, and when you eventually get to read/watch/play it you hope and pray before that its as good as you wanted it to be? and then you read/play/watch it and all the fears you had before vanish because not only is it as good as you thought it would be, but better? well that's how I feel right now" Yeah...that says it allWarning: May contain spoilers This books is from two different prospective. Mikey, older brother to 15 year old Karyn who claims she was raped at a party by an older boy and Ellie, the younger sister of Tom, the boy accused of the crime, and the only person in the house when the 'crime took place'. Ellie is adamant that she didn't hear, or see anything as she was asleep at the time.Mikey, Karyn, their mum (a drunk) and younger sister live in a flat on an estate. They claim benefits and Mikey, who is training to be a chef at the pub he works, is the only one keeping them a float. Ellie's family couldn't be more different. They live in a big house, with electric gates at the opening, and don't know what its like to struggle.Mikey being the only man of the house takes it upon himself to exact revenge on the boy responsible for hurting his little sister, who now has become so terrified she wont leave the house, but when he and his friend Jacko gate crash Tom's welcome home party things don't go to plan. Mikey meets Ellie, and even though he knows she's Tom's sister he is drawn to her. Later when he he trys justify why he wants to see her, he pulls her into part of his plan to get justice for Karyn. He begins to see her on a regular basis, telling himself that he's using her to get information about Tom, until one day when Ellie decided to skip school and ends up in Mikey's work place. There she finds out who Mikey really is, and decides to do the same thing. But even after Ellie's plan goes horribly wrong, and Tom and Mikey end up fighting, and their true identity's are revealed they still cant seem to stay away from each other, knowing full well what it could do to their family when and if they found out. They begin to fall in love, even though they know they should hate each other. And through loving Mikey, Ellie questions her brother and what really happened that night, remembering more and more till she's not sure if she can keep it in or not, and having no one else but Mikey to talk to about it as her family are all team Tom and wont even entertain the thought that maybe, just maybe, he's not as innocent as he's making out.This book was heart wrenching, well thought out and clever. The characters we well done and the only thing I would have liked more is if Karyn was more of a character in it, as it was mainly about her.Other than that I'm so happy I finally got to read it, because its now up there with my favorites :)

[kiwifortyniner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I did not realise when I started reading this book that it had been classified as a teen read in our library, but what a great read. Take two families, one well to do living in a good area with all the advantages that that brings, and then another family, the children of a solo mother with a drinking problem from a poor area- two very different families. The book begins when the son of the well to do family, Tom, is accused of raping the daughter of the other family Karyn. Karyn's brother Mikey is determined to get revenge and befriends Ellie, Tom's sister with the aim of getting back at Tom. But the story tells what happens when he actually gets to like Ellie and enjoy her company. And then Ellie tells Mikey that she believes that Tom is guilty even though in her first statement she supported him. What a dilemma for her to be in, and how hard for her to try and do the right thing when it will send her brother to jail possibly (he is pleading ot guilty) and turn her family against her. I could not help wondering what I would do if faced with that situation. This was a book I could not put down. I really enjoyed it and wondered how a situation like that would play out - what would happen after the story ended. Now I shall read her first book Before I die.

[catheolson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Mikey's sister Karyn is raped, he goes to her assaulter's home with a plan to to "smash his head in." Maybe that would help his sister get over the trauma, be able to leave the house and talk to her friends again. But when he gets to the rich college student Tom's house, he meets his sister Ellie instead--and something sparks between the two. And though Mikey starts up with her to get information he can use to get Tom prosecuted . . . is that really the reason he wants to see Ellie -- and what are Ellie's reasons for going out with Mikey?I just loved this book. Great characters, compelling situation, excellent writing. This book has it all. Great read for teens and adults.

[silenceiseverything · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I LOVED the premise of You Against Me. It just seemed so angsty and so "Oh NO they DIDN'T", you know, start dating. But, oh, they DID! You Against Me just had the potential to have those wonderful "that just blew up in your face, didn't it?" moments. And it did. Very unique premise that hasn't ever been done before, I think. We usually get a persepective from the alleged victim when there's a book about rape. But You Against Me gives you the persepctive from the alleged victim's brother and the alleged rapist's sister. And they decide to date to get information from the enemy's lair. Now do you understand how this can blow up in every character's face? Especially when they truly start falling for each other?I liked You Against Me because we're showed the other side of the spectrum, so to speak. Everyone tends to know that rape affects the victim and her family in atrocious ways, but we sometimes overlook the impact in can have on the alleged rapist's family. Most of the time, these people believe with all their hearts that their son, brother, grandson, etc., would never do something like what they're accused of doing. Meanwhile, most of us think that they must have known and don't understand why they're still standing behind the alleged rapist. And we tend to persecute the family just because they're realted to the alleged rapist even if it does seem a bit unfair.Intriguing Premise? Check. Now, I liked most of the characters. Sure, Mikey was clueless more often than not, but he does seem to want to do the right thing. Ellie, on the other hand, I could never warm to. She just did things that I would NEVER agree with, brother or no brother. So, I just couldn't like her. Another thing that I didn't like is that we're never shown more than a few glimpses of Mikey's sister, the rape victim. I understand that You Against Me was supposed to showcase the siblings feelings, but I feel that so much of the story was based on Karyn yet we never get insight into her feelings. We get more insight into Tom's, the alleged rapist, feeligns.So, I found You Against Me to be a pretty good novel. It was intriguing and it was a page-turner. Read it in about a day while my power was out due to Hurricane Irene. It's good enough for me to want to check out Before I Die, which people seem to prefer to You Against Me.

[elaine3pearson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story, lots of layers. makes you think. Y10+

[shiirleyyyxxx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book had been on my TBR shelf for a while and wow, it was an amazing read! This book left me with conflicting emotions and on more than one occasion I was left to ponder what I would have done had I been the character. A book that leaves one with lingering thoughts is always a fantastic read!The book revolves around Ellie Parker and Mikey McKenzie whose families are both experiencing very heartbreaking ordeals. Ellie's brother Tom has been charged with sexual assult and their family must do everything possible to prove his innocence and prevent him from going to prison. Meanwhile, Mikey's sister claims that a boy has assulted her and Mikey has vowed to seek revenge for his sister's sake. Yet, what will happen when Ellie and Mikey meet?Throughout the entire novel, I could not help but ask myself :"What would I do If I was in her situation?" Would I defend my brother and save the family or would I tell the truth and watch as my family falls apart bit by bit. Those are the challenging and conflicting thoughts that will spin through your mind when you read this novel. Downham has truly captured the sense of loyalty one feels towards one's family and the mixed feelings of love and betrayal one might under such distressing circumstances. Downham has written a marvelous book showing the mind of a typical teenager and the consequences involved after a night of drinking and flirting. She has shown how the society reacts to a situation where the victim clearly liked the guy she claims to have raped her. She writes about denial, the refusal to believe the truth and how lying and making up excuses for oneself may provide answers but at the end of the day, can one really keep a secret of that extent? My only complaint is that the book could have been more intense with more underlying issues involved. But overall, Jenny Downham's second novel is a very strong and powerful read and I definitely recommend reading it!

[ramonawray · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The writing didn't disappoint. Jenny Downham writes like nobody else. But You Against Me was no Before I Die. This is a book very focused on the subject matter - rape. This was about the social issue of young girls being assaulted, choosing or not to talk about it, dealing with what comes after. It was brilliant because the perspective shifted between the the families, the assaulter's and the victim's, and the story was told not from their perspective but from that of those closest to them. The story came from the people who loved them.I don't know, I want to believe that a sister would do the right thing, like Ellie did in the book, but would she really?There was a love story too, but within this frame, so nothing like Before I Die had to offer. The romantic scenes were perhaps the best in the book. Clean and desperate and written with that bare honesty that I haven't found in any other's writer style. I think Jenny Downham has an amazing talent when it comes to that.Before I Die was dark too, but it was a different shade of dark. You Against Me was cut was another cloth altogether. They're both extraordinary books but, personally, I will always prefer the first one.

[sch_94 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Summary: Ellie and Mikey are two people who shouldn't be friends. Living on opposite ends of the socio-economic ladder, Ellie's high up family would never be caught dead with someone from Mikey's part of town. It's unlikely that the two would ever meet under normal circumstances...But then Ellie's brother is accused of raping Mikey's sister, and Ellie and Mikey's lives are thrown into turmoil. While both sides are still awaiting a trial, Ellie's brother Tom is out on bail while he awaits his hearing - because of this, Mikey's sister Karyn refuses to leave their tiny apartment. And both sides are certain that they're the victims in the situation.So Mikey hatches a plan: get little Ms. Perfect to fall for him and convince her to spill her guts about her brother, incriminating him instead of testifying that he's innocent - after all, Ellie is the only other witness to what happened on the night Karyn was over...But then Mickey starts to forget the plan - starts to forget that he's supposed to make her fall in love with him, instead of the other way around... My Thoughts: Let me just start off by saying that I absolutely adore books written by YA authors in the UK - I love the language and the glimpse into what life is like across the ocean for teens like myself. Anyway, I chose this book because I was hearing wonderful things about it from my friends who enjoy contemporary literature, and I was in the mood for a book that really hit home. So I picked it up and starting reading. After about 50 pages, I started to realize just how awesome the writing was: Jenny Downham's writing is probably the most realistic and age-appropriate I've ever read. She manages to pull you into the novel and allows the characters to subtely describe the setting for you, so you never feel overwhelmed by information. I found myself picturing Ellie's Gran's cottage, Mikey's apartment, and Dex's pub with such clarity that I couldn't believe they were fictional places. My favourite part of the book was probably the characters, because they were so realistic that you begin to feel like you know them. My heart ached for Ellie and everything she was going through, and there were times when you just wanted to slap her father for mistreating her the way he does.Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this book to older, more mature YA reader (I'd say over 16 would be alright). There are a lot of mentions of tobacco and other mature themes, but it is definitely worth it and really helps you learn to take a walk in other people's shoes.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let me just say that I'm really enjoying books with real life issues. I love these books because its real. It's something that happens in life everyday and something you can relate to if you have gone through it. These books aren't about powers and superheros. Its about someone having the courage to stand up and do whats right.What would you do if you someone hurt your sibling? You stand up for them right. In this book, the reader see's from both families point of view of whats goes on with the accused and the victim. The bother and sister each experience the after math of the incident hurting them as well. Mikey, I admit, I dislike from the very beginning. Why? I dislike the way he approach things with Ellie. Here his sister get raped and he is just as low as Elli's brother. I did warmed up to him after his real feelings started to show. I just dislike his way of doing things.Ellie, I admire you. Her willingness to stay by her brother is touching. But what touched me more, was her strength to tell the truth. It takes a lot to stand up for your family, but it take a great deal more to stand against them when their wrong. Her courage, her strength I loved. I loved the plot and the way it flowed. There was so much to the story and each piece of it was revealed at a right time. The reader get to see all of the characters emotions and turmoil. Simply a wonderful read.

[arkgirl1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A moral dilemma is at the core of this book - where do your loyalties lie ... with family, with truth or with someone you fall in love with? In this young adult novel the writer explores how families cope after an accusation of rape but interestingly the focus is not on the 2 main protagonists but on their siblings: Mikey, the elder brother, who wants to gain revenge for the 'attack' on his sister; and Ellie who is struggling with supporting her brother and her own memories from being there that night. When Mikey and Ellie meet they feel a connection and their relationship is the core of the book as we examine the emotional fall out from the event. I found myself drawn into their story and cared about their characters much more than the 2 at the centre of the legal action and court case.My slight criticisms: I do feel that some of the family members are a little 2-dimensional with Mikey's drunk and dysfunctional mother and Ellie's controlling father; and I would probably have liked to hear a little more from Mikey's sister. Despite those qualifications I think it is a excellent book for more than just the young adult market as it challenges you to think and it would be great for book clubs provoking much discussion on a tough topic.

[dubaireader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very similar to The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult.This reminded me a lot of Jodi Picoult's Tenth Circle, adapted for a slightly younger audience, but essentally the same story. Having said that, it was well written, engaging, with believable characters and emotions.Mickey is 18, having left school at 16 and gone to work in a pub where he is showing a talent for cooking. His sister, Karyn, is only 15 but has got herself a bit of a reputation with the boys. They live in a crumbling estate with their depressed, alcoholic mother and a younger sister.Ellie (16) is the total opposite in many ways - she comes from the wealthy side of town, lives with both parents in huge house with vast gardens and is studying for her exams. She also has an older brother - and when he is accused of assault by Karyn, both families fall apart.Whilst the differences between the two families are a bit cliched, the effects on both are remarkably similar, resulting in doubts and incriminations on all sides.I think this novel is well targeted for its age group and I would recommend it as a starting point for teenage school discussions. There are plenty of subjects raised here - from the stereotypes of rich vs poor and their behaviours, to what constitues assault when the victim is drunk, with a reputation - and plenty more inbetween. This is where I see the strength of this book.If, however, you've already read The Tenth Circle then I'd probably give it a miss.

[booksforcompany · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

For me when l started this book it was important Jenny explored the characters as much as she did in her previous book 'Before l die', even the characters which weren't in 'Before l die' much were explored and you felt like you knew them. This book is exactly the same, every character has their own personality and feelings which makes you feel like you are getting to know people as you read this book. l fell in love with Mikey who just wanted to do the best he could. Jenny's writing style is very unique and this writing style continues into 'You Against Me', some sentences are written in a very relaxed, simple way but this seem to suit the book. It's hard to explain unless you have read it yourself!The ending is left quite open l guess but l think this was actually very clever as the main storyline within this book changes as the book gets further in and l felt as a reader the end included the most important part for me.I loved how the relationships changed as the book went on and the choices which the different characters had to make. l felt it was all very 'real' and never did l feel 'That's unrealistic and wouldn't happen at all'. Jenny dealt with very intense situations in this book but because of how they were written l felt this book was suitable for younger readers such as 12/13 even though the topic which is wrote about.

[themadhatters_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderfully written novel dealing with some very serious issues. A boy and a girl meet who are on separate sides of a criminal investigation/legal battle involving rape. They have to deal with their opposing views regarding their siblings (who are the main players in the criminal investigation) while working on their own budding relationship. I found it difficult to read at times, but overall, it was a great book.

[nicx27 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Mikey and Ellie. Mikey's sister has accused Ellie's brother of a serious offence against her. Although Mikey and Ellie didn't know each other before, when they meet they find themselves attracted to each other. The blurb for this book is very simple but very appealing, and I was pleased to be able to get hold of a copy after loving Jenny Downham's first book, Before I Die. You Against Me is very moving as it examines the feelings that Mikey and Ellie encounter, and also those of their families and how they deal with the fallout from the crime. I thought the author described perfectly the feelings that the two teenagers had when they thought about or saw each other and I found it to be a beautifully written book in that respect. I also thought that she captured very well the feelings of being torn between loyalty to family and doing the right thing. I believe it's classed as a young adult novel, but it's actually an excellent example of a crossover novel, a book that can be read by both teenagers and adults without being too grown up or too dumbed down respectively. Excellent read - highly recommended.

[celerydog_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Date rape. Illicit romance/Romeo and Juliet. Good writing, especially of the confusion of the 2 lead characters feelings for each other. 14+, because of explicit sexual references and content.

[jessicalouise23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me start off by telling you that I wasn?t a huge fan of Jenny Downham?s debut novel Before I Die. I did enjoy it but I was in the small majority of people who didn?t love it as much as I originally thought I would. That being said when You Against Me dropped through my letterbox for review I was very excited to read it. The synopsis sounded so interesting and epic that I was not only willing but actually looking forward to giving Jenny Downham?s books another go and I?m very glad that I did!Mikey and Ellie lead two very different lives. Mikey lives in a block of flats and has to work to support his sisters and drunk of a mother whilst Ellie lives in the nice part of town in a big house with a security gate. Mikey and Ellie?s worlds should never meet but when Mikey?s sister claims that Ellie?s brother raped her two families collide. Ellie being the only other person in the house when the rape took place is the only person who really knows what happened that night, and so Mikey starts to date her- without Ellie knowing who Mikey really is- to try and figure out exactly what Ellie knows. But as the unlikely couple begin to fall in love the truth about what really happened that night becomes more important than ever as it stops being Mikey against Ellie and becomes them against their families.What I found really clever about this book is the play on the title which becomes more and more apparent as you carry on reading. You Against Me can stand for so many things. At first it?s very clear that it?s Mikey?s family against Ellie?s family, but that then shifts when Mikey and Ellie fall in love bringing you against me to imply more of an embrace, two people holding and supporting one another. Then as the story develops further the couple against their own families. I really loved that nice little touch to it and how it can be interoperated into so many things that fit with this book. You Against Me is very much a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. It?s a story about loyalties and with whom they rest. It?s about following your heart and standing up for what?s right.I found You Against Me to be a highly suspenseful read as the reader doesn?t know what really happened the night of the rape until the end so you spend the whole book trying to figure out if Ellie?s brother really did rape Micky?s sister, and to top it off you know that when the truth comes out it?s going to completely destroy one family and provide the other a starting point to rebuild their lives from. It was horrible to see the aftermath of that one night and the devastating effects it had not just on the individuals but on both of their families too. You become so attached to both Ellie and Mikey that you don?t want to see either of them suffer and it?s hard to know one of them will in the end when the truth comes out. Even though this book deals with the serious subject of rape it has a gleam of light with Mikey and Ellie?s new found romance. It adds the silver lining that this book needs.The only problem I had with this book is the writing. I?m not a huge fan of how Jenny Downham writes and this was a problem I had with Before I Die also. I love Jenny?s story ideas but I feel that her writing simplifies for the teen reader too much. Sometimes it feels like she?s trying too hard to be down with the kids. Whilst this took away from my enjoyment of reading Before I Die I could overlook it for You Against Me because the story is just too good to pass up on.You Against Me is a quick yet powerful read that I would certainly recommend. Fans of Before I die are going to love it and those who didn?t enjoy Before I die like myself are going to see a big improvement. I was pleasantly surprised with this one. 4 stars.

[damarisgcr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You Against Me has to be one of the most touching stories I've read in a long time. It involves two families, both being torn apart by an irresponsible decision made by two immature teenagers, and two individuals who get ripped apart inside by love and doing what's right for their families. Mikey's sister says that a boy name Tom raped her. When all this comes out in the open, their lives completely take a turn for the worse. Karyn refuses to leave the house, their mother is slowly drowning herself in pain and guilt, and Mikey is killing his brain trying to figure out how to make things better for them all. He's angry and wants justice. Ellie's brother Tom says he is innocent. Ellie feels it’s her job to protect her brother and believe in him. Her family is suffering because of Karyn's accusations. All she wants is for life to go back to the way it was before Karyn. It's killing her to watch her brother worrying all the time and always on edge. What they both need is a way to clear their heads. For something to distract them from everything that is going on. To feel alive and pretend for one second that their lives are completely different. They find this by being with each other knowing that any minute this can all blow over their heads. They begin sneaking around with each other and giving each comfort that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Of course there are trust issues between the two, but they never once doubt how they feel for each other. Neither one of them expected to fall in love. The guilt of betraying their families was big on their heart. I was seriously at the edge of my seat with hundreds of butterflies in my stomach whenever they got together in the book. I was waiting for them to get caught, or for something crazy to happen. I felt so bad for them and their families, but I was rooting for them. They just needed to be together. Jenny Downham touches a very scary and intense subject that I believe can help victims who have or know someone who has gone through something like this. Not so much the romance part of it, but the issue of rape. Mikey and Ellie’s world was so believable, that I felt like I was going through it all along with them. I don’t know what I would do if I was torn between the truth and a lie. When the truth finally comes out, things just get even more extreme for Mikey and Ellie and they find themselves even more lost and confused than before. This story was just beautiful in every way. The outcome was heartbreaking, but a relief at the same time. I loved it!You Against Me is definitely for a much more mature audience.5 out of 5 Stars!

[souci_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is pure genre fiction, on a number of accounts, but quite deft. I read once that we judge the formulaic not by its originality, but by its fulfillment of the formula. By that measure, this book is successful.Here we have yet another version of Romeo and Juliet - two families at war over the most serious of crimes between them, the young blade of one family and the shy innocent of the other falling in love before she knows their families separate them. Romeo and Juliet, or should I say Mikey and Ellie, are perfect teen-novel characters. He is kind and caring, despite his desperate background, and stunningly attractive. He works in a pub kitchen, hoping to become a chef. It is one of the leit-motifs of the novel, his food preparations, alluding to his state of mind, his growing wisdom and even his dangerous and difficult situation. She is studious, and thoughtful, with a scar on her face from a dog bite in her youth (not sure what to make of that). Her motif is nature, the imagery expanding from birds to whales, as she gains in independence and rebelliousness.The supporting families are still more sketchy and stereotypical: on the one hand Ellie's family, from the world of the highly entitled, are exam-taking, golf-playing and rich, with the father and son united in their bullishness and TV tastes, and a repressed and proper mother; on the other, there is the distressed and fatherless family of smokers living in a public estate, comprising not only the sweet Mikey himself, but the creative and light-hearted 8-year old sister, the feckless yet loving mother. Even the victim of the situation, Mikey's middle sister, is hardly drawn out. For much of the novel she is only a bundle of nervous rage refusing to leave the house. She is only a catalyst. Her story does not matter here.In this case, the issue itself, the crime between the families, is also a hot-button genre for our times: did a slightly older, privileged boy (her brother) actually rape the 15-year old drunk, mini-skirted, poor girl (his sister), or was she asking or even hoping for sex with him?The Romeo and Juliet theme continues as the two families spin towards implosion, and the two lovers realize that they cannot survive the situation. (Da-da-daaa–imagine the dramatic music) Or can they????Although I read the praise for Downham's first book as "luminous" and "thrilling" and "mold-breaking", I found this book to be no more than competent and readable. It's not art, but I think girls will take it out of the library in droves.

[crashmyparty · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You Against Me is the second novel of Jenny Downham, whose first offering Before I Die I couldn't connect with. Though I found it well written, there was something missing that just didn't make it work for me. I did not have that problem with You Against Me.I was drawn straight into the very different worlds of Ellie and Mikey from the start. At that point, I could understand both of them and what they were fighting for - Mikey to protect his sister, Ellie to save her brother. I couldn't imagine a worse position to be in and I questioned everything as I was reading - what would I do in the same position? With Mikey and Ellie so clearly attracted to one another, how on Earth do you make that work with the shadow of what happened hanging over you? I wanted them to work through it somehow, I cheered for them, but once more of the truth came out it was hard to feel for Ellie.Family ties are very important in this novel, and for Ellie to fight them must have been so hard, I realised more as I thought of it. Especially with parents so adamant their son was right, and Ellie questioning everything she thought she knew about the brother who had always loved and protected her. The moment she found herself scared of him, I thought, was the moment she should have told the truth. But reality is a lot more complicated and people don't always do what you think they should. Downham showed this in her novel, as well as how the event impacted the people involved, in a realistic and believable manner. The ending was quite sweet and I liked it, yet I'm still dying to know what happened next and am worried that Tom gets off. Still, the ending leaves you with the hope that what's good and right will prevail. I don't feel sorry for him at all and I don't believe he's realised what he has done to the people around him and to the girl he hurt. That's frustrating.Still, a fantastic novel that will leave you thinking, I am looking forward to more from Downham.