Keep Running

I first read this as an older teen and have reread it several times since as an adult. It's one of my favorites but I'm not sure my motives are pure... While it's specifically addressed in the story that nothing sinister is going on between the young girl the story centers on and her rough kidnapper, even as a teen I couldn't help but get drawn in to imagining something inappropriate was going on.

One could easily compare the book to the 1959 movie "Tiger Bay" (Haley Mills, Horst Buchholz). A girl is kidnapped and in the frantic journey that follows, a bond is forged between her and the kidnapper. However, in "Ask Me No Questions" the girl is just a little darker - Her behavior throughout the story, and especially at the end, seems show more slightly less than innocent/moral. The entire book is a little darker than "Tiger Bay" - Moments of true violence still shock me during rereading. The kidnapper is definitely a bad guy, make no mistake. And yet, the relationship between the two by the end seems somehow more than Stockholm syndrome... As I said, the girl seems slightly bent herself and many of her choices seem her own. I suppose some might not give the story that much credit and see it differently.

It would be hard for me *not* to recommend this book since I love it so much, but perhaps that's just my personal taste speaking. I do think it's very well written - I see everything vividly in my mind and even after several readings I find myself entirely engaged in the action. Both characters are interesting (flaws and all) every step of the way. It's considered a YA novel and isn't particularly explicit but I would warn unusually sensitive readers - The few moments of violence are very effective and the characters are definitely dark. show less