Nothing Left to Lose

I read the book Nothing Left To Lose by Alex Flinn. This is the first book I have read by Flinn. I did some research and Flinn has also written Towering, Bewitching, Cloaked, Beastly, A Kiss In Time, Diva, Fade toBlack, Breathing Underwater, and Breaking Point. I really enjoy her writing style. She is very descriptive and has many good examples of show vs. tell. “But I remember the feeling, the shock to my arm as it hit hard bone, over and over. Then the relief as the bone crushed in. As Walker’s skull broke and let me inside. The warmth of the spattering blood hitting me, I was on the floor. This was the only way it would end, the only way was if I ended it. He was on the floor. I kept hitting him. Then he was just there motionless. Dead?” (Flinn 258). I think this is an excellent example of show verses tell, she makes you feel as if you are Michael and you are reliving the moment. Flinn wrote this book jumping from the view of the main character this year and last year. As she did this the timing was very good. A major event happened in the last year section, when she jumped to this year Michael was looking back on it or paying for his consequences. I really enjoyed having a different look and time line of what happened in the book.

Nothing Left To Lose revolves around the life of Michael. He starts out as a popular football player. His mother is single and goes through many boyfriends. She meets a very rich man named Walker. They get married Walker is very abusive. Michael notices many bruises and scars. Michael visits the traveling carnival; he meets a girl named Kirstie. They fall in love and by the time Kirstie has to leave Michael can’t control Walkers beatings at home. He strongly considers leaving home and running away, he quit football, no longer cares about school, and he is powerless at home.  “Because, in that one minute, I knew it. I knew that sooner or later he’d kill her. Maybe it would be a week or a month or ten years, but he would. And if I stuck around, I’d get to watch it, or maybe get killed too. Maybe I’d always known it. All the stuff I’d thought about wanting her to leave-it was just something I’d told myself. She’d never leave” (Flinn 222). He goes home to collect clothes to take with him on the road. But before he can leave he is told that his mother I pregnant. He decides he has to stay home and protect the baby. He walked in on Walker broodily kicking his mother’s stomach next he stabs Walker to death. He had to end it; either Walker was going to die or his mother and the baby. Now that Walker is gone he has no purpose at home. He catches up with the circus. Kirstie quit once Michael had left. Michael traveled with the carnival to search for Kirstie. Next, he reads a paper that a woman is put on trial for the murder of her second husband. Michael realizes that is about his mother, he travels home and seeks the help from a lawyer. 

I would recommend this book to my peers. It’s a page-turner; I couldn’t put the book down. I had to pace myself while I was reading. This book fits the basic wants from my peer group. It’s filled with betrayal, mystery, love, progression, and murder. Towards the beginning it dragged on. In the middle it was intriguing and exciting.

Book Review by Paige C.