Sweet Valley University #33: Out of the Picture
by Laurie John
In Out of the Picture, the Sweet Valley gang is done with summer vacation and is taking a break from the Thriller Editions. You don’t have to have a good memory to pick up where the last linear book left off, because as usual, Laurie John includes a good recap in the beginning.
This book starts at the funeral, but thankfully, readers are given a bit of a break in the Kleenex department, since the last three linear books were sad enough. I found this volume sad in its own way, with the type of romantic mess Elizabeth has gotten herself into. She’s still involved in the Tom-Todd triangle, and Tom is revealed to be such a horrible bully, I don’t see how we’re supposed to be rooting for a reconciliation.
After all he put her through—public humiliation, deliberate cruelty, disbelief in her exposing claim—he’s finally realized that he was wrong, still loves her, and wants her back. He doesn’t tell her about his revelation in person because he fears getting laughed at but instead writes her a letter. When she doesn’t respond to his letter, he gets furious—so, how sorry was he in the first place? If his go-to emotion was anger that she didn’t take him back, he must not have thought what he did was unforgivable. Then, when he finally does get the opportunity to talk to her in person and make amends, he reverts to his bullying behavior of previous books: in public, he calls her a coward, immature, inconsiderate, and a bad journalist. What’s Liz’s reaction? “A twinge of guilt nagged at her. . . . Had she really abandoned Tom and the station at a time when they really needed her?”
In short, Elizabeth and Tom’s relationship is sick and controlling. Tom is emotionally abusive and resorts to the gaslighting tactic to make her doubt and blame herself. I’m older than this college gang, and I’ve lived through enough to recognize the signs of such a toxic relationship, but I fear the younger, innocent girls reading this book won’t realize what Tom is doing. I certainly hope this book is intended to be a warning, not encouraging a reconciliation.
More Sweet Valley University reviews here on Hot Toasty Rag!
This book starts at the funeral, but thankfully, readers are given a bit of a break in the Kleenex department, since the last three linear books were sad enough. I found this volume sad in its own way, with the type of romantic mess Elizabeth has gotten herself into. She’s still involved in the Tom-Todd triangle, and Tom is revealed to be such a horrible bully, I don’t see how we’re supposed to be rooting for a reconciliation.
After all he put her through—public humiliation, deliberate cruelty, disbelief in her exposing claim—he’s finally realized that he was wrong, still loves her, and wants her back. He doesn’t tell her about his revelation in person because he fears getting laughed at but instead writes her a letter. When she doesn’t respond to his letter, he gets furious—so, how sorry was he in the first place? If his go-to emotion was anger that she didn’t take him back, he must not have thought what he did was unforgivable. Then, when he finally does get the opportunity to talk to her in person and make amends, he reverts to his bullying behavior of previous books: in public, he calls her a coward, immature, inconsiderate, and a bad journalist. What’s Liz’s reaction? “A twinge of guilt nagged at her. . . . Had she really abandoned Tom and the station at a time when they really needed her?”
In short, Elizabeth and Tom’s relationship is sick and controlling. Tom is emotionally abusive and resorts to the gaslighting tactic to make her doubt and blame herself. I’m older than this college gang, and I’ve lived through enough to recognize the signs of such a toxic relationship, but I fear the younger, innocent girls reading this book won’t realize what Tom is doing. I certainly hope this book is intended to be a warning, not encouraging a reconciliation.
More Sweet Valley University reviews here on Hot Toasty Rag!