Summary: Go Ask Alice is about a teenage girl, suffering from drug addiction. With her life spiraling down and out of control, she begins to write on her diary, where she tells her side of the story.Review: First of all, this YA novel is entirely a work of pure fiction. It is however made to be believed as a true story, which to me, is sort of like false advertisement. I don't really mind, and this doesn't detract me from appreciating the story and its message, but I can see how maybe others would be bothered by this.
Second, I do believe this is one of those books that I think are important to discover while at a younger age. The message is simple; Drugs are bad. Do not use them.
However, I do not recommend this so much to anyone older. The literary merit is close to zero, and most of the information about drugs are based on stereotypes and generalizations. At times, also, the situations, events, and even the main character herself, seemed over the top and a bit contrived. Because of this, I found it a bit difficult to relate to the character, and the experiences she was going through. I believe that with character-driven stories like these, it's extremely important to have a powerful and memorable protagonist. Unfortunately, like I said, I did not feel that Alice was memorable enough.
Having said that, I would probably not be reading this again, or get a copy for myself. I hope though, that people will not get me wrong. I do not think this is a bad book at all. I do appreciate it for its raw and emotional story, and its motives to influence teens to stay away from bad habits, as I think this is crucial. But as I already mentioned, this is one that is meant more for younger readers and teens, than any other age group. I give it 3/5.