You Against Me in Mock Printz 2026

Aug 08, 2010 Tatiana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2011, starred-2011, 4

3.5 stars.

You Against Me was one of my most anticipated books of 2011. So much so that I was 100% sure I would give it 5 stars. Jenny Downham's debut Before I Die left me a sobbing mess (I am in a minority here thought, most of my co-readers did not join the cryfest). I expected the same from her second novel. You Against Me was good, just not as good as it could have been.

Let me just say, the plot itself is fantastic. The two main characters in this love story - Mikey and Ellie - have a very co ...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Bethany Miller rated it liked it

Shelves: royal

3.5 stars

Mikey, a working class guy, meets Ellie, a wealthy student, when Mikey and his friend crash a party at Ellie’s house. Ellie’s parents are throwing the party to celebrate her brother Tom getting released from jail. Why was Tom in jail? He’s accused of raping a girl – Mikey’s sister Karyn. Ellie was home the night the rape allegedly occurred but has told the police she was asleep the whole time and didn’t see or hear anything. Mikey goes to the party expecting to get revenge on Tom, but i 3.5 stars

Mikey, a working class guy, meets Ellie, a wealthy student, when Mikey and his friend crash a party at Ellie’s house. Ellie’s parents are throwing the party to celebrate her brother Tom getting released from jail. Why was Tom in jail? He’s accused of raping a girl – Mikey’s sister Karyn. Ellie was home the night the rape allegedly occurred but has told the police she was asleep the whole time and didn’t see or hear anything. Mikey goes to the party expecting to get revenge on Tom, but instead he meets Ellie. Ellie is on the outskirts of the party when Mikey approaches her and the two begin to talk. Mikey gives Ellie his number at the end of the night, and he tells himself that he will use her to get information about her brother. Ellie has no idea that Mikey is Karyn’s sister until she seeks him out at the pub where he works, and the owner mentions his last name. Ellie quickly puts two and two together and realizes that Mikey has ulterior motives for wanting to get to know her better. Instead of confronting him, she pretends that she is still in the dark and plans to use him in the same way he had intended to use her. Despite their intentions, the more time the two spend together the closer they become. As Ellie thinks more about the night that Karyn came home with Tom, she begins to remember details that make her question whether her brother’s innocence. Tom’s trial is set to begin, and Ellie must decide whether she will come forward with all that she remembers or keep it to herself in order to protect her brother. Mikely and Elie must also decide if their feelings for one another are enough to overcome all of the obstacles that stand in their way.

Many teen novels deal with the topic of date rape; however, You against me brings a unique perspective because the author focuses on the siblings of the two people directly involved. The story is told in the alternating perspectives of Ellie and Mikey; both are fully developed, well rounded characters. Ellie faces an impossible dilemma. In order to come forward with the truth, she must turn against the brother who has always been good and loving to her and risk alienating her parents. Mikey’s conflicts are also poignant. He is struggling to keep his family together in the face of his mother’s drinking problem, his sister Karyn’s total withdrawal from life, and social services descending on little sister Holly whose lack of school attendance has brought up questions about her home life. Though the novel’s ending verges on being too tidy to be completely realistic, most readers will find the conclusion satisfactory. Downham conveys the message that violent acts can be perpetrated by individuals who seem normal, friendly and even loving. She also shows readers that crimes such as this have more than one victim. Recommended for more mature readers who enjoy realistic teen novels that deal with heavy topics such as Speak, Thirteen Reasons Why, and Just Listen.
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Oct 06, 2011 Ellen rated it really liked it

Mikey's sister, Karyn, claims she was raped by Tom Parker. Working class Mikey seeks revenges on upperclass Tom, but finds Tom's sister Ellie instead. Both teens are dealing with complicated home lives, and find escape, solace and mutual attraction in their encounters. While the jump to physical intimacy rang a bit false, the rest of the book made a great read for those looking for well-written realistic fiction with believable characters. ...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Mary rated it liked it

The complexity of date rape and its consequences for the victim, the accused and both their families are examined in this British Young Adult Novel by Jenny Downham. The relationship between the victim's brother, Mikey, and the accused's sister, Ellie, provides an interesting twist on family loyalty vs. love. A great discussion book for older teens. The title tells the whole story in three short words. ...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Gail rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary-fiction, 2012

Slightly disappointing. Good premise, but the heavy British dialect will turn off some readers, and the *slight spoiler* kind of ambiguous ending may leave the ones who make it through frustrated. There are almost 2,000 kids in my high school, and I don't think I needed to buy two copies of this. One would have done it. ...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Kristy rated it liked it

Downham is a undoubtedly a talented author, but this book just wasn't as powerful as I had hoped. I didn't feel as engaged as I thought I would be considering the subject matter. It was hard to feel empathy for the characters, because they felt so removed. Perhaps I would've enjoyed it more if it was written as a first-person narrative. ...more

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