Book Review: Empty by K.M. Watton

Image (c) Simon Pulse

Empty by K.M. Walton
Release Date: January 1st, 2013
Book Format: eBook
Rating: Three stars

Dell is used to disappointment. Ever since her dad left, it’s been one let down after another. But no one—not even her best friend—gets all the pain she’s going through. So Dell hides behind self-deprecating jokes and forced smiles.

Then the one person she trusts betrays her. Dell is beyond devastated. Without anyone to turn to for comfort, her depression and self-loathing spin out of control. But just how far will she go to make all of the heartbreak and name-calling stop? 

Trigger warning for emotional trama, rape, and fat shaming.

I've been trying to think of a way on how I can word this review without sounding horrible, but honestly... I can't think of a way to even discuss this book without sounding like I might offend someone.

We follow a girl named Dell with her full name being Adele. She lost her father through a divorce and, in response, Adele's mother is struggling to make ends meet and is currently on medicine to keep her depression under control. Dell used to be on the softball team but, due to her sudden weight gain, the coach decides to cut her off (am I the only one who've wondered why the coach didn't talk to her on how- or why- she could help her and discuss what could have happened about her weight gain or...? Certainly someone would have discovered that she lost her father through a divorce, maybe). Now it seemed like her future is lost when it comes to getting any softball scholarships. She's constantly vocally abused, even from her 'best friend' who's slowly slipping away into the 'popular girls' group. With that in mind, it's easy to think that she's alone and have no one to turn to. Everything is going wrong and Dell's very unsure on what she should do.

The point is- it is an very emotional book. I can see why many people would give this book a high rating. I don't know how realistic it is, honestly, because I've never been through Dell's shoes. I've been through being bullied and not having much friends to talk to when I was in school. In fact, my closest friends ended up being librarians. But I don't know how it feels to be over-weight. I just don't, and I don't know if I can give a proper review because of it.

I've seen other reviews and they've compared this book to other books that are written better, like Speak for example (which is a really good book and I'd highly recommend). I'd probably read some of those books and compare and contrast... eventually. But I don't know. I've noticed that this is one of those books you either love or you either hate. I'm just stuck on the fence on this one.

I'll will say that if you get triggered by rape and fat shaming, I wouldn't read this. Realistic or not, it still hurts and it made me emotionally sad.

Review originally posted and shared on January 30th, 2014