What Red Was by Rosie Price is a quiet, leisurely-paced book with dark subject matter. Set in England, it follows a college-age woman named Kate, who comes from a working class background. She forms a close friendship with Max, a good-natured upper class kid who invites Kate into the fold of his affluent yet troubled family. One night, during a party at Max's family's estate, Kate is assaulted by a fellow guest. What follows is a journey into the trauma of such an experience. Clearly, this novel touches on a number of important topics, but there just wasn't enough plot, or enough focus, to hold my interest.

This book was too graphic for my tastes. Sorry but I just couldn’t keep reading it. I feel it was a honest attempt at realistic book about a rape but just was a little too much for me.

An incredibly powerful novel in this time of “me too” reads. I was especially loved by the idea of outside forces power over our friendships or relationships. Reminded me of Sally Rooney’s books which I adore.

The topics in the book (sexual assault and trauma) are timely and important, and are what, ultimately, drew me to this novel. I think I expected the chaotic feeling of the novel and think it may have actually added to the emotion as I read, but I think that melodramatic undertones took away from the message. Overall, I can’t decide if the plot confusion was intentional or not... I know that the characters were the book’s saving grace. The secondary characters, especially, are what made me keep reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I included this book in a roundup of books about women's issues in the Toronto Star. It ran in the paper on xxxxx, online a few days before.

What Red Was, Rosie Price

At the centre of this book is a young woman who is raped in an upstairs bedroom during a party. She does not scream. She says no to the man but wonders if she did enough. She does not report it to the police. Months pass before she tells anyone. An important book that slowly, painstakingly describes the aftermath of a banal act that has bone-deep consequences. The author of this memorable first novel is 26 and shares several biographical elements with her central character. She understands her subject well.

A brutally sharp and revealing novel that tears back the layers of friendship, assault and gingerly finds a way back to healing. An edgy read that glosses over nothing and is emotionally raw and skillfully written.