Crank

By Ellen Hopkins

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: a gifted student, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is a total opposite to Kristina - she's fearless.

Through a boy she meets, Bree is introduced to the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul and, ultimately, her life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: May 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781471103438

Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous young adult novels, as well as the adult novels such as Triangles, Collateral, and Love Lies Beneath. She lives with her family in Carson City, Nevada, where she has founded Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource initiative. Follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsLit.

Reviews for Crank

[beth.clarke · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can only recommend this with reservations. Some high school students will love this book, but the content is hard to read. The drug use and teenage sex (rape) is difficult content to read.

[thoughtsofjoylibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Crystal meth (aka - crank, aka - the monster) is a highly addictive drug and Kristina (aka - Bree), a 17-year-old based on Hopkins' daughter, is introduced to "the monster" as Bree. Once the introduction turns into an acquaintance, it's a slippery slope for Kristina - one that is as uncontrollable as speeding down an iced-covered mountain on a round sled.This was a very scary book. Several times I shouted in my mind, "WHAT!?! What are you doing?", so from that perspective - I was deeply involved and thought it was a great book. However, there were two major issues that prevented it from feeling realistic. One - the mother lets Kristina visit her estranged father and two - the "action" begins with a snap of a finger. Even at other times within the book, I felt like everything just happened so fast! Now that could be the whole point with the drug, but not prior to the drug. Needless to say, this was a very devastating, but informative look into where making poor choices can lead.Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy

[chaoticbooklover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure why i waited so long to read this one. I love novels written in verse. I couldn't relate to Kristina or any of the characters, but I was sucked into the story and almost felt as though I was flying right along with them. I learned to hate Brenden, love Chase; especially at the end. For a college bound kid, he really stepped up to the plate even after he found out it wasn't his place to. The ending was very abrupt and I can't wait to start the next book to find out what happens.

[sharonmariabidwell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting exercise in poetry and the subject matter of drugs is eye-opening to adults and teens alike.

[marcejewels · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but wished it wasn't in Verse, that part didn't really do it for me but the story was amazing, you go through emotions reading this. Anger, disgust, and sympathy were my main feelings and this is how the author won me over, I enjoy going through emotions when reading a story.Kristina starts using meth which is called The Monster, Crank, and then she becomes Bree, the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other shoulder is Kristina. It was quite interesting how we heard from Kristina or Bree and the back and fourth, pull and push, but the Bree on Crank always won over.The story of the downward spiral of destruction felt so real and was quite an eye opener. As a parent it made me question what I would do. I tell myself I would ask my child if they were on drugs and if I felt all the signs were there I would somehow get them tested and get the help they needed. This is what I tell myself but of course you never know until you are in the hard situation and have to make the decision. So many story lines were just so unbelievable but I am not naive and know they are true and happen ever day, sad sad sad.This is a dark story but one that is so important.

[ekanderson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While visiting her deadbeat dad in New Mexico, 17-year-old Kristina discovers Bree, the other side of herself that seems not to mind her dad's dingy apartment on the wrong side of the tracks, the kind of girl who can fall for Adam, who lives downstairs. Adam introduces her to the monster, professes his love, and by the end of three weeks, Kristina is on the plane home, still a little high. Before long, she is struggling with addiction, ditching her good-girl reputation for new boys - some good, some not so good at all - new friends, and bad grades, since all these things lend themselves to her new habit. Before long meth is all she can focus on, and she has to fight to find Kristina inside the girl that Bree constructed.Crank, written entirely in verse, is an emotional purge of a novel. While the poetry leaves much to be desired - while there are a few gems, at best, most of it relies on gimmicks and typography - the story itself is solidly constructed. Hopkins' words are chosesn carefully, and her approach is direct and frank without being unpalatable or unaccessible to the reader. The character of Kristina is present on each page, confessing, and allowing the reader to experience the sensations of her rollercoaster ride with "the monster." For some, this novel could certainly serve as a deterrent. But any reader will find Crank gutwrenchingly sad and, most certainly, important.

[takemeaway9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Crank by Ellen Hopkins is the first in a trilogy about a teenager's addiction to Crystal Meth, or Crank. The entire book is written in verse form, each page a different format of verse. This ironically addictive format gives the writer a limited amount of words to convey the storyline as well as the emotions associated within it, which makes it all the more poignant. Kristina was a blond, straight-laced, high school student who spent part of a summer visiting her father. During that visit she learns her father is not the prince she always thought he was, and she forays into a world of drugs and falls in love. It is during that visit that her alternate personality, Bree, is born.Upon returning to Reno, where she lives with her mom, stepdad, brother, and sister, she finds she is addicted to "the monster" and will go to surprising depths to get her fix. The rest of the book chronicles her descent and the consequences that occur.This book was so interesting and I'm surprised that I'm only recently hearing about the series, as this book was published 5 years ago. As I mentioned above, the story and format made it addictive to me, as a reader. Many books have been written about addictions and drug use to the point that a large majority are unoriginal or repetetive in their tellings. This unique book made the often-told story interesting as well as the emotions experienced by the main character. I look forward to reading the next in the series!

[ariana723 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was absolutely amazing. It's a classic, its the type of book that you can read several times and fall in love with it completely all over again. From the first time I read it, it captivated me. It takes you into this innocent girls life who plays with the monster and lets it consume her. Ellen Hopkins is an absolute genius, she incorporates poetry and imagery into these books in a way that is indescribable. Truly I recommend this book to anyone, somehow we can all relate to it.

[sadiereads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Crank is the harrowing tale of Kristina's, aka Bree's, introduction to, and subsequent battles with, "the monster", aka crystal meth. I particularly liked the comparison of before and after the monster. In the "before" passage, the words are ordered in a diagonal slant across the page. "After" the monster, or in the midst of the monster, the words are scattered on the page. This style shows rather than just tells the difference in thought process and life style on an off of meth.

[kac2995 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this book is a great book..... even parents will like it. it shows how drugs and things are bad for you

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

The word "intense" kept coming to my mind while reading this novel in verse. Ellen Hopkins takes you on a wild ride through the eyes of Kristina, good girl gone bad. We see Kristina fight with her inner alter ego Bree who has the boldness that Kristina has never felt. Bree is discovered while on a trip to visit her addiction addled father in New Mexico. In her three weeks there Kristina is introduced to a whole new world of boys, drugs and danger. Once home in her comfortable middle class existence Kristina struggles to break free of Bree's need for meth and falls further and further under it's thumb. Very strong themes with a fast paced tone, reader's get sucked into this downward spiral.

[jennah10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful, reality-checking book. Highly recommended.

[millerloo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I gave this book a 5Q because its quality was striking. The character of the writing was so personal and descriptive that I connected with the narrative of Crank better than I ever have any book of verse. I have never read a collection of poems that became a page turner for me but Crank changed that. I gave the popularity a slightly lower score of four because I think that the book may be over the heads of some younger teens, and also because teens are more resistant to read novels in verse as a general rue. Crank was a stunning portrait of the descent of a girl into a quick and dirty addiction, but what makes it so gripping is the authorship by Hopkins. As a woman who lost her daughter to meth, the parental neglect of Kristina represents a palpable guilt that Hopkins must feel for not getting her daughter the help she needed in a timely fashion. Each page is riddled with what might have been if she had not neglected her baby and I found myself consistently angry with her throughout the novel. Crank is a gripping, tangible horror-story that reverses the traditional coming of age plot line into the story of an un-coming of identity.

[nch05 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Such an unusual writting style. While I apreciated the art of the way that the prose were presented, im not sure if it enhanced or distracted from the writing.

[juliaellen_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting look at addiction with a modern writing style.

[wanderingeileen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I told my leetle seester about the 52 Book Challenge, she handed me "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins.Now, you should know something about me: I've never read the Twilight books. In my adolescent days you couldn't drag me out of the teen section in a book store. I was the kid who read unicorn novels at recess. However, I gave up on tween novels years and years ago (OK, I set my last one down maybe six years ago). This book is written for 14-year-olds, but my sister -- despite being barely into "teen"-dom -- is also one of the most intelligent human beings I am privileged to know. She can pick out Bach by ear on a cello, for Einstein's sake.So when she handed me the book and told me it was good, I accepted.First, you should know that although "Crank" is thick -- 537 pages -- it is, in fact, a quick read. Hopkins wrote the book in a lyrical, poetic form. At times, this is annoying. There are a lot of tabs, awkward spaces and she fully employs the use of shape poems, which I thought could be left in elementary school.And at times, it is beautiful. The book opens with "Flirtin' with the Monster."Flirtin' with the MonsterLife was goodbefore I metthe monster.After,lifewas great. Atleastfor a little while.And yet, through the use of poetry, Hopkins cuts through a lot of the B.S. that so often fills teen novels. In doing so, she finds her character's voice without the struggle other authors might have been through. She gets straight to the heart of the character, a 17-year-old girl named Kristina who, while on vacation visiting her father, discovers an alter-ego she calls Bree.During her summer vacation, she also discovers her two first loves: a boy named Adam, and methamphetamine.Now, I am cautious when it comes to teen novels about drugs. There's a certain degree of D.A.R.E.-like smoke-and-mirrors that come into play in this book. Kristina, or "Bree" when she's using, gets caught up in an unusually fast downward spiral. She snorts meth, and is addicted immediately. A "good" girl turns bad, following the "monster" on her path to destruction. This downward spiral leads to really bad choices, instant rebellion, the disentigration of her relationships and a lot of other tragic stuff that I won't spoil for you. Don't get me wrong: here in Appalachia, we see a lot of the damage that meth, or "crank," can do. It's a highly dangerous drug with a high potential for addiction. As a journalist, I once covered a drug bust in which cops took apart a "mobile meth lab" that someone was traveling with in their car. They carefully took from the car's back seat jars of chemicals and bags of sticky yellow-white substance. They also removed from that red sedan a black child's booster seat. Not exactly what I'd call responsible living.Reading "Crank" in the land of billboards that depict meth addicts with rotted teeth and dull eyes -- and the land of frequent double-wide fires -- has definitely given me perspective. However, I tried to read this book, to hear it's message, with the eyes, ears and heart of its audience: a 14-year-old. I feel that this novel, like so many other good teen novels, not only speaks about drugs, but about the uncertainty of adolescence. It is a time of great, scary, beautiful change. It's easy to feel alone, as though no one in the world understands; it is a time of learning about oneself, and about others. "Crank" speaks to all of that. The author certainly has an investment in scaring children away from meth. In the author's note, Hopkins writes: "While this work is fiction, it is loosely based on a very true story -- my daughter's. The monster did touch her life, and the lives of her family. My family. It is hard to watch someone you love fall so deeply under the spell of a substance that turns him for her into a stranger." I'm grateful my sister handed me this book. It gives us a lot of things to talk about: first love, illegal drugs and sex. After finishing this poetic novel, I don't think this book leans too heavily against the "don't do drugs" mantra; I think, in the end, it is a beautiful way to start a conversation. In the end, I think that's the best thing that parents, siblings and mentors can do to steer teens away from dangerous situations: talk to them. I'm all for open, honest conversations -- and listening. I'm an advocate for building trust and for communication.In the end, I would reccomend this quick read and quick glimpse into the mind of a teenage girl who loses her way. It might help you start a conversation with an adolescent who is important to you -- a conversation about things that are not, at all, easy to talk about. Ultimately, it might also cause you think back on that time in your life, and how dramatically things might have changed.

[she5ra77 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Crank was written by the mother of a teen girl who fell into methamphetamine use. It was a very insightful, heart-aching, and utterly sad book. It reminded me somewhat of Nick Sheff's autobiography titled Tweak, in which he recounts his own struggles with the "monster." What was unusual for me was the fact that this book was written in verse. I can't say I've ever read a novel in verse before, so at first it didn't come naturally to me; however, it didn't take me long to get the rhythm of it. And something about the verse's simplicity, yet complicated poetic quality lent itself very well to the subject matter.Obviously this book deals directly with identity. The daughter is struggling throughout the book with her identity--who is she, how her mom and step-father feel about her, where does she belong, does her family love her, who is she besides a girl who gets straight As (is that her only value), what is love, etc. She also struggles with two seemingly separate identities: Bree, the "naughty" girl and Kristina, the responsible, good girl. The book details sensitive subject matter, such as teenage sex and pregnancy, rape, alcohol and drug use, and drug dealing.Here is a quote from the book that I think would stimulate a discussion:Choices, ChoicesLife is full of choices.We don'talways makegood ones.It seems to Kristinayou gotta be crazyto open yourwindows, invite the demons in. Breethrows rocksat the feebleglass, laughs.I gave Crank a VOYA rating of 5Q: Hard to imagine it better written, and a Popularity rating of 5P: Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it. I was on the wait list at the library for 6 weeks and still never got a copy of the book. Looking at our holdings records, it showed that we had many copies, but that most were "assumed lost" because they hadn't been returned! Other copies were weeded....so when it came down to it, we didn't have many copies left at all. I ended up having to go and buy the book.

[barbarasbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kristina is the perfect student and daughter, shy, hard-working, highly motivated-until she decides to spend 10 days with her father who is alcoholic, drug addicted and lazy. There she meets Adam-and crank- and quickly becomes a different person-"Bree"-to be exact. "Bree"-who runs with the wrong crowd, gets high on anything available and will do anything....ANYTHING to get her next high. This book left me breathless! Written in verse, it is the perfect medium, as you move as quickly from perfect student to complete addict as Kristina did. Very disturbing, very realistic, totally heartbreaking. Based on the author's daughter's experience which makes it even more heartwrenching.

[edward6montoya · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Crank is a real shocker. its one of my favorites out of the Ellin Hopkins collection. Its gritty its intense its confusing and amazing. It has a very shocking and mind changing towards the book ending.

[calibrary1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book review by Erica, posted by CA Library:"Crank by Ellen Hopkins is a great book for a fast read. It is for more of an eighth grade to twelfth grade reading level. There are some very inappropriate parts in the book. Once you start you never want to put the book down. Crank gives details for the teenage life. There is a lot of peer pressure, drugs, and more. Ellen Hopkins writes most of her books in poetic form about teenage drama. At times the book can be confusing. For example, the main characters name is Kristina, but she is also known as Bree. After reading this book your life is changed for good. I loved the book because it is such a fast easy read and it explains what almost every teenager goes through. In this book, there are very many characters. I can’t wait to read Ellen Hopkins’ next book. Hopefully, you will love this book and not want to put it down, just like I did. Remember Crank by Ellen Hopkins. I give it 4 out of 5 stars."

[lynnsigman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great poetic telling of Kristina's introduction to "the monster", aka meth. Based on true story of author's daughter. YA.

[7alyssae7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

crank was the first book by ellen hopkins that i read. i really liked this book. i think the story line of this book is good. its like a typical story about a teen getting into drugs and boys. but i liked how this girl goes by 2 different names like she really is 2 different people.

[jackiewark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

High school junior Kristina Snow seems to have a perfect life. But, when she visits her father in Albuquerque, she meets the monster, Crank. Her father is not what she remembered, he is a druggie himself who doesn't really care about his daughter. For the three weeks she is there, Kristina befriends Adam, who introduces her to his drug of choice. And, ever since, she has sought out the monster. Back home, she seeks out new friends, neglects school and grades, and will do just about anything to get her fix. She meets Brendan, gorgeous and athletic, who rapes her. Chase comes along to soothe her fragile being and supply her with sex and the occasional drug party. When Kristina discovers she's pregnant, her suspicious mother and step-father learn just what Kristina's life has become. Crank is a powerful story that all teens should read. The monster crank is always on your mind once you've been introduced. It carries you away from friends, family, responsibilities, and financial security. Where will Kristina end up now that she has another life to care for and love? Crank is a sad and unfortunately too true account of drug addiction, based on the author's daughter's teenage years.

[rebachin_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting find considering the question I was mulling over in my earlier post regarding girls who pretend to be someone else when they are "snogging" with a boy. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughterno gifted high school juniorno Kristina Georgia Snow. There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristian won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.

[breadnbutter · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I will admit, I did not read a single review of what this book was like before getting it. I saw it was on swap and I thought to myself, "Oh I think I've heard people say this one is good, so I will go ahead and get it." I was pretty much just expecting a drug related teen drama a la Go Ask Alice (the covers are even similar...well as much as white text on a black cover can be similar). However, as soon as I open the book, I see it is all poems. Each and every page is formatted like a teenager would do in her notebook; some scattered and free form verse, writing diagonally and upside down on the page. Yes, it is written from a teenager perspective, but I will admit that I was not looking forward to reading 530 pages of poems. I wanted to dislike it immediately. I read it (in one sitting) wanting to hate it and just get it over with. But I didn't. However, I can't, in all honesty, say that I liked it either.I will say that the use of the poems allowed a lot of the extraneous fluff to be taken out and what you are left with is very succinct tale of the downward spiral of a teenage girl into the world of drugs. The story itself is assuredly engrossing. The reality of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll turns out isn't all Kristina thought it would be. What makes this book special (and also hard to say anything bad about) is the fact that the story is actually a semi-biographical account of the author's daughter. I don't really feel that makes her an expert necessarily on her daughter's emotions as she goes through her harrowing, drug-crazed journey, but it does make it that much more heart-breaking.In the end, I decided that the use of the poetry format really did make sense. Quick thoughts and short phrases really leaves the reader wanting to know more, which in turn keeps the interest high and the pages flying by.

[emma_mc_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amazing. Written purely in poems, the story of Kristina/Bree and her struggle with the "monster" (meth) has you hooked, just like her. Kristina is your average, intelligent teenager, who makes one wrong decision that escalates tenfold. Her situation goes from bad to worse, but the book itself just gets better. So real, so honest, and so disturbing, it's impossible to put down. "Crank" uncovers the dark side of drugs, and proves nothing is what it seems.

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once I became accustomed to the writing style, I was quickly immersed in this incredible story. I wish this book would have been available when I was a teenager. It is reminiscent of Go Ask Alice with that same strong voice that doesn't shy away from the ugly, painful, and difficult truths. The writing was stunningly compelling with countless powerful quotes and a story both poignant and insightful. The contrast of the beautiful lyrical verse and the hard ugly truth of addiction was fascinating. I'm so glad I finally took the time to read this and thank everyone who recommended this to me. I, in turn, recommend this to any teenager and parent of a pre-teen or teenager as well as to anyone who appreciates stories with this kind of honest emotional depth and so-called controversial subject matter.

[br14alke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When you picture a drug addict what image comes to your head? Certainty not Kristina Snow, a strait a student, But with a crazy alter ego (Bree) and an abusive dad anything is possible. Kristina is sent to live with her dad for the summer, and that is where she meets Buddy (Adam). Instantly she is introduced to love, and crank. You follow Kristina as she becomes more like Bree, and more addicted to substances. Ellen Hopkins leaves it all on the table, and doesn't hold back. You feel like a first-hand witness on Kristina’s down fall. Drugs, rape, and love is now the life of Kristina, as she battles normal teenage problems, and problems no teenager should face. One of the best books I have ever read. It’s scary good.

[khager_9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my first foray into the world of Ellen Hopkins but it won't be my last. I'm pretty sure all of her novels are written in verse, but I know Crank and the other two books in the trilogy are. I'm always hesitant to read series-of-poems-as-novels, although this book makes me question why that is. Anyway. Kristina is 17 and by all accounts a really good girl. She's the one who has a small group of really good friends, always does her homework, gets along with parents and siblings. You know the type. And then she goes to visit her dad for a few weeks over the summer. She meets a boy and starts down the recreational drug use path. And then her life, as she knew it, was over. She starts going by Bree and her life goes from saving money to get a car to spending money to get cocaine. I know this book pretty much lives on the banned book list but as a parent, I'd pretty much make my hypothetical kids read it once they became teenagers. It's sad and scary and drives home the fact that it's not just "those types of kids" that end up using drugs. It's smart kids, kids from good families with parents who care about them and are actively involved in their lives. And it shows them that most of the time, you may not realize you have a problem until it's too late to do something about it easily.Amazing, heartbreaking book. I'm about to start the sequel.

[nism0430 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Crank is raw and real, and shows the highs and lows of trying the drug Meth, a.k.a. taking a walk with the monster, Crank. In the novel, it all starts when the main character, Kristina Georgia Snow is sent to her fathers house and meets Adam, who introduces her to the drug. Kristina called herself Bree to the new people she met. Bree was her alter-ego. Someone who was outgoing and carefree while Kristina was held back and shy. Adam's name when he was on Crank was Buddy. She ends up dating two guys after she goes back to her mom's house, and later finds out she's pregnant. The ending of this book is not as tragic as the others Ellen Hopkins has written, but there is a sequel to Crank called Glass.