Ivy

It’s not always easy being a teenager, especially for Ivy Stenova

Ivy by Sarah Oleksyk, tells the story of Ivy Stenova a teenage girl from Maine, who aspires to be a painter.  Her mother talks against her dreams and prefers for her to go to business school which causes Ivy a bit of resentment.  Ivy is self-centered, rude to her mom and friends, and doesn’t realize that she is the root to her own problems.  She has a “me against the world attitude”, and as a result of her anger, Ivy eventually becomes self destructive which causes her friends Brad and Marisa to decrease the amount of time that they spend with her.  She ends up getting in trouble at school which results in a suspension, and getting to a big fight with her mom, which causes her to run away with Josh who she met while on a field trip at an art convention in Boston.  Although Ivy barely knows Josh; she is willing to take that chance of running away with him.  Ivy believes that things are turning around for her, so she thinks.  Ivy begins a sexual relationship with Josh and becomes involved with using drugs.  While on her journey with Josh, Ivy begins to see him for who he really is and in turn comes to terms that she needs to make a decision about where she belongs.

To some degree I could definitely understand where Ivy’s anger was coming from in terms of her mother not encouraging her to pursue and follow her dreams.  In the end, you can clearly see Ivy’s transformation as she begins to reflect on her life and realize the mistakes she has made. 

Although I am not a huge fan of comic books, this Graphic Novel is a good quick read; however it contains nude pictures and sex scenes.  I would not recommend this novel for students sixteen years of age and under.