Ayarbe exercises both enormous skill and restraint getting to the root of just how debilitating OCD can become, juxtaposing descriptions of the ways the mind’s compulsions can trip a trap of mental and physical anguish against a complex, credibly casted portrayal of teen social dynamics. A gripping, claustrophobic read. — Booklist (starred review)
A compelling entrée into the claustrophobic world of an OCD teen. Taut, suspenseful and well-realized — Kirkus Reviews
“Teen readers will be quickly caught up in the sheer momentum of Jake’s tale as he unwittingly reveals the source of his terrors and compulsions. This achingly believable novel is highly recommended for libraries serving young adults.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
COMPULSION is a starkly honest, compelling read. It will grab you and plunge you into the unusual, yet strangely familiar mind of Jake Martin and you will come out different. — Francisco Stork, author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD
When I finished, I closed the book and said, “Wow.” When an author can convey emotions and struggles of a character in a powerful way, you have a winning tale. Language, dialogue, and pacing is very realistic and stays true without falling back on clichés and stereotypes. A must read. — YABooksCentral.com
“Convincing and gut-wrenching. Jake’s story is a powerful one. If you’re up for a book that will drag your emotions in and hold them ’til the last page, Compulsion may be just what you’re looking for.” — melaniesmusings.net
A compelling and convincing narrative voice. Both poignant and earthy. Numerous shadowy flashbacks help build tension throughout the novel. Older teen readers will be quickly caught up in the sheer momentum of Jake’s tale as he unwittingly reveals the source of his terrors and compulsions. Achingly believable. Highly recommended. — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
One of the most realistic works of fiction portraying OCD that I have yet to come across. I’d love to see Jake Martin’s story discussed not just among YA readers but in psych classes and reading groups. — www.reclusivebibliophile.com
This is [a book] I recommend to anyone. It will be eye-opening. — www.flippingpagesforallages.blogspot.com
A must-read, especially for those who have an interest in psychology or who have some kind of experience with OCD. — ElliotReview.blogspot.com
A must-read, especially for those who have an interest in psychology or who have some kind of experience with OCD.
ElliotReview.blogspot.com
Convincing and gut-wrenching. Jake’s story is a powerful one. If you’re up for a book that will drag your emotions in and hold them ’til the last page, Compulsion may be just what you’re looking for.
Ayarbe exercises both enormous skill and restraint getting to the root of just how debilitating OCD can become, juxtaposing descriptions of the ways the mind’s compulsions can trip a trap of mental and physical anguish against a complex, credibly casted portrayal of teen social dynamics. A gripping, claustrophobic read.
Booklist (starred review)
COMPULSION is a starkly honest, compelling read. It will grab you and plunge you into the unusual, yet strangely familiar mind of Jake Martin and you will come out different.
When I finished, I closed the book and said, “Wow.” When an author can convey emotions and struggles of a character in a powerful way, you have a winning tale. Language, dialogue, and pacing is very realistic and stays true without falling back on clichés and stereotypes. A must read.
This is [a book] I recommend to anyone. It will be eye-opening.
www.flippingpagesforallages.blogspot.com
A compelling and convincing narrative voice. Both poignant and earthy. Numerous shadowy flashbacks help build tension throughout the novel. Older teen readers will be quickly caught up in the sheer momentum of Jake’s tale as he unwittingly reveals the source of his terrors and compulsions. Achingly believable. Highly recommended.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
One of the most realistic works of fiction portraying OCD that I have yet to come across. I’d love to see Jake Martin’s story discussed not just among YA readers but in psych classes and reading groups.
www.reclusivebibliophile.com
When I finished, I closed the book and said, "Wow." When an author can convey emotions and struggles of a character in a powerful way, you have a winning tale. Language, dialogue, and pacing is very realistic and stays true without falling back on clichés and stereotypes. A must read.
Ayarbe exercises both enormous skill and restraint getting to the root of just how debilitating OCD can become, juxtaposing descriptions of the ways the mind’s compulsions can trip a trap of mental and physical anguish against a complex, credibly casted portrayal of teen social dynamics. A gripping, claustrophobic read.
One of the most realistic works of fiction portraying OCD that I have yet to come across. I’d love to see Jake Martin’s story discussed not just among YA readers but in psych classes and reading groups.
This is [a book] I recommend to anyone. It will be eye-opening.
flippingpagesforallages.blogspot.com
Praise for Compromised: “A gut-wrenching, terrifyingly authentic story and memorably etched, courageous characters. Reminiscent of Adam Rapp’s 33 SNOWFISH, this challenging read will leave readers holding out a faint hope for Maya’s future.
Gr 9 Up—Told by the protagonist, using flashbacks and stream of consciousness, this story takes place over four days in the life of a teen with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Jake Martin is compelled to count, focusing on prime numbers. He can't leave the house without following his morning ritual. He is the star of the high school soccer team and they are poised to win their third straight championship, if only he can hold all the pieces of his life together for three more days. Readers are gradually clued in to deep secrets in the Martin family, but the nonlinear voice makes it difficult to follow all that is happening and has happened in Jake's life. His fear that he may be like his mother, a frightened ghost of a woman, keeps him from telling anyone about his compulsions and his obsession with primes. While it would be unrealistic to have a happy ending when so much is going wrong for Jake, the conclusion might make readers wish for more—more openness on Jake's part, more discernment on his father's part, more details on his mother's illness. While some readers may find the book confusing, the author succeeds at making it seem as though it were written by an OCD teen. A clever design touch: the chapters are numbered only with prime numbers.—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD
A compelling entrée into the claustrophobic world of an OCD teen. On the field, in the hallway and to his one good friend, Luc, Jake is Magic Martin, quirky but respected star soccer player. Only his sister, Kasey, now a high-school freshman, knows the truth about his family: Money is tight, their mother is mentally ill and their father is running on a constant low boil. And no one but Jake knows that he is constantly at war with the "spiders" in his brain, battling their encroaching, strangling webs by obsessively monitoring and manipulating numbers. The author immerses readers in Jake's anxious reality. Each short chapter begins with the time, the digits of which add, subtract, multiply or divide into a prime number ("OK") or don't ("Fuck"). Tiny, mundane actions—tapping the beak of a lawn flamingo, touching a grandfather clock—become fraught with tension. The author deftly illustrates the impact of Jake's obsessions without relying on exposition; readers see through Jake's eyes the paramount importance of maintaining the "magic" and through their own eyes the hours upon hours lost to counting and tapping. The climax is both inevitable and gripping, and, although Jake longs for the day the spiders retreat for good, the conclusion that he must instead learn to cope with their presence comes as a relief to both readers and protagonist. Taut, suspenseful and well-realized. (Fiction. 14 & up)
