Crossing the Line - Softcover

Dianne Bates

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1876462701 ISBN 13: 9781876462703

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

Orphaned then abandoned by long-term foster carers, teenager Sophie lives with Amy and Matt. For a long time and unknown to others, Sophie has been self-mutilating: more recently she has been in therapy. Concerned about Sophie’s increasing depression, the doctor admits her to a hospital. There Sophie is placed in an adolescent ward where she forms tentative relationships with other troubled teenagers and begins sessions with psychiatrist, Helen Marshall. However, the doctor crosses the patient-therapist line, but so too does Sophie ...

About this title

About the Author

Dianne (Di) Bates has authored over 90 books for young readers including the prize-winning The Last Refuge which sold into Europe. Di has won national and state awards for her books, and has edited Australian children’s magazines. Currently she compiles Buzz Words (The Latest Buzz on Children’s Books), an online magazine for people in the children’s book industry. Her website is www.enterprisingwords.com

Review

Crossing the Line is a confronting story that would appeal to young adults due to the increasing prevalence of self-harm. This is a well-written narrative with appropriate dialogue used for the desired audience. Sophie as narrator intensifies the story and engrosses the reader as you are taken on the emotional journey of her obsessions, depression and need for affection. This is more than the typical “teenage self- mutilating fiction” and the ending leaves you with a sense of hope for a new beginning.

“The subject matter of Crossing the Line is confronting, even gruelling. Sophie, as main character and narrator, moves in and out of therapy, in and out of relationships, craving affection and intimacy, yet simultaneously bristling, defensive and distrustful. Her strong presence dominates the novel. Sophie falls into a transference relationship with her therapist, which leads to emotional obsession and stalking behaviour even more extreme than her acts of self-mutilation. What makes the story believable is the raw intensity of her voice and point of view. Sophie is a troubling and uncomfortable character, yet undeniably, overpoweringly real. Dianne Bates’s book will be a valuable text to stimulate discussion, especially among teenage girls”.

"Crossing the Line is a compassionate story of teenage struggles and one that is willing to look at the harder issues faced by teenagers today. Sophie’s character develops from a confident young girl trying to make a new start, to a distressed teen in a situation she cannot control. The only person she believes she can trust rejects her, and the one person she can trust, she rejects. It is an emotional roller coaster not only for Sophie, but also for the reader. It is a story that could have more than one outcome and as a reader you hope that the final pages offer a positive one. Rather than provide endings, Crossing the Line offers new beginnings and encourages readers to believe that there is a brighter side to life, once you have made it through the darkness. Crossing the Line is a well written and sensitive look at a difficult and emotional topic, and a book you will have finished before you realise you have even started."

Realistic. The fist person narrative invites the reader into the troubled mind of the protagonist to comprehend her need to self-harm. As the reader gets to know Sophie and empathize with her, stereotypical views are challenged. The dialogue is natural and appropriate for teenagers, At times uncomfortable and confronting to read, the plot encourages an awareness of issues to help de-stigmatize mental illness. The controversial themes dealt with in the novel – self-harm, stalking, obsession and mental illness may be unpleasant to some. These issues however are real problems in our society. Self-harm is a prevalent issue in some high schools and this book may be a catalyst for teachers, parents, or caring adults in discussions with students. “Crossing the Line” will be a valuable addition to the secondary library collections.

“One of Australia’s best-known children’s authors.”

“ ... a moving story ... treated with an acute awareness of young readers’ level of understanding”

“ ... a very powerful story of hope and fear and of the strength of the human spirit.”

‘Crossing the Line was written with great care . . . and I highly recommend it.’

‘This is a moving and sensitive story for the more mature young reader . . .’

‘Bates is an experienced and gifted storyteller who has handled the difficult and confronting themes of self-harm and stalking with great insight.’

About this edition

• Publisher: Ford Street Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1876462701
• ISBN 13: 9781876462703
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 215