Fighting Words from a 10 Year Old Who Speaks Up about Sexual Assault [MGLit Review]

Ten-tear-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom’s boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della’s own wolf — her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della’s world turns so far upside down, it feels like it’s shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she’s been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it’s time to be loud.

Goodreads

Review ✍🏻

This is a comprehensive review addressed to adult readers wondering about the content of this book. Therefore, it contains various spoilers.

I should have guessed the parts of the story that weren’t about me. I should have guessed what had happened to Suki. I’ve learned that some things are almost impossible to talk about because they’re things no one wants to know. Not even me. That’s the first hard thing I’m telling you. It might not look hard, not yet, but it’s very nearly the hardest thing of all. Sometimes you’ve got a story you need to find the courage to tell.

Fighting Words, 16%

Della

Some protagonists are the star of their own story more than others, if you know what I mean. Della is the star of Fighting Words. She makes a great narrator, telling her story with a clear, sharp voice. She’s been through a lot, and she doesn’t put up with crap – as she tells you on the second page. Della knows how to use her words, even if they aren’t school appropriate. Having a story like Della’s told through a voice like her in retrospect (I mean Della is telling you her story after it happened) makes it a little easier to digest. Della makes a memorable protagonist who shares her experiences in a compelling yet thoughtful manner.

The Hard Parts

Della warns the reader throughout about hard parts, acknowledging that one terrible experience isn’t yet the hardest part. But there’s no sugarcoating of those two hardest parts, the ones noted in the content warning above: her experience of sexual assault and her witnessing of her sister’s self-inflicted stabbing. Della describes what happens from her point of view, in a manner appropriate for a ten year old. These scenes make this book one I particularly need adults to read before passing on to a child.

What Clifton did to me is still not the hardest part of this story.

Fighting Words, 49%

For Della, the hardest part of her story is realizing what her sister has been going through. Their sibling relationship is stronger than most because of what they’ve been through together. Suki tries to protect Della by not telling Della what she (Suki) has experienced. It definitely made my heart ache to follow along as Della comes to realize that Suki has been hurt even worse than Della has.

School Ground Consent

What seems to be a minor subplot, somewhat mirroring the main storyline, comes to the front later in the story to emphasize consent. Della and her friends are regularly harassed by Trevor, who pinches their backs and laughs that they don’t wear bras. Della learns, from her experience speaking with a therapist, how to explicitly state she does not consent and bring attention to Trevor’s inappropriate behavior. Della’s school experience highlights the problem of permitting ‘boys will be boys’ behavior while also showing how to push back against such attitudes. When the teacher asks the girls why they didn’t speak up earlier:

Nevaeh said, “I told my teacher last year. Trevor said he didn’t do it. The teacher thought I was lying.”
Luisa said, “My dad says I have to fight my own battles. But I don’t like fighting.”
I said, “You think you already know all the answers about me. You don’t listen.”

Fighting Words, 90%

“I Called Him a Snowman”

The apparently strict rule against swearing in middle grade fiction leads to the somewhat awkward use of ‘snow’ throughout in place of stronger language. Della addresses this in the first pages of the novel, stating “Everybody I know uses bad words, just not written down.” As an adult reader, I find this frustrating. Just put the bad words in! I can sort of understand the rationale behind not doing so. But as Della bluntly points out, kids know bad words and hear them all the time. Is seeing them written in a book written for them such a problem? I dunno…

Suki says whenever I want to use a bad word, I can say snow. Or snowflake. Or snowy.
I kicked him right in the snow.
Don’t you take snow from nobody.
Yeah, that works.

Fighting Words, 2%

Note: Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof.

The Bottom Line 💭

Although Fighting Words won’t be suitable for all young readers (I would encourage its recommendation by adults only to children they know well), it is a strong addition to the growing body of middle fiction addressing sexual assault.

Further Reading 📰

🍂 Read an excerpt
🍂 Author website
🍂 Interview @ Publishers Weekly
🍂 Reviews: Karen @ Ms. Yingling Reads, Betsy @ Fuse8
🍂 Related: I reviewed Maybe He Just Likes You, a middle grade title about sexual harassment and consent for older readers (incidences are less explicit/violent).

PS – Twice I’ve noted in this post that I want adults to be careful before recommending this book to children. I don’t want that to be interpreted as ‘Jenna doesn’t think children should read this book’. No. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of children who really need or could learn from it. I just want adults to be mindful about how they engage with this text and share it with youth.