Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

Lynch, C. (2005). Inexcusable. New York: Ginee Seo Books. ISBN: 0689847890

Plot Summary

  Keir has it all. He is smart guy, star athlete, and fairly good looking. He lives with his father who tends to be more of a friend than a father. Unfortunately, Keir rationalizes every wrong doing that he does, and readers begin to see a sociopath being born. When he intentionally cripples a teammate, he believes that it was an accident, when he takes drugs and drinks, it is harmless, and when he rapes his friend, he knows that he didn't mean it. This is a terrifying look at how evil is defended. 

Critical Evaluation

  I couldn't bury this book far enough down if I tried. I hated this book for its harsh reality of evil people rationalizing their actions and I loved this book for the insight it gave to people who try and make sense of  the evil. Keir is annoying from the get go. He defends his implorable actions and it makes you want to reach in the book and knock him upside the head. We also get a look into the making of someone who can cripple and rape without accepting blame. This book will stay with me for a long time, and I think Lynch hit the nail on the head when introducing young readers to a sociopath in the making. The characters are unbelievably believable and the story is a fast paced but so full of emotion and depth that I couldn't help but feel sorry for Keir, which made me want to bury this book even deeper and then dig it up to highlight the hell out of it.

Readers Annotation

  Keir thought he could rationalize anything, but what if the one thing he can't rationalize is himself?

Information about the Author

  Chris Lynch was born July 2, 1962 and he grew up in Jamaica Plain and attended Boston University. He was a truck driver, house painter, and proofreader before he turned to writing. His first published book was Whitechurch, which was published in 2000. He has written nine books for young adults. His influences range from John Fitzgerald to Tennessee Williams and constantly gets mistaken for Chris Crutcher. 

  He was married, has two grown children, and currently teaches a MFA Creative Writing Course at the Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He encourages new writers to be bold, be different, excite, amuse and scare themselves. 

Genre

  Fiction

  

Curriculum Ties

  Workshops or classes that teach sex education, drug and alcohol use, and sexual abuse recovery sessions. 

Booktalking Ideas

  - Did you ever feel sorry for Keir?

  - Did you ever see Keirs rationalization for his horrible deeds?

  - What do you think the symbolism of his curling up in a ball at the end meant? Do you think he finally realized what kind of person he was?

  - Do you think he can change?

Reading Level/Interest Age

  9-12th grade/ Young Adult

Challenge Issues

  Drug and alcohol use, rape, violence, abuse

   I would offer my library's Collection Development Policy which highlights how challenges and reconsideration's are handled. I would ask the challenger and the professional reviewing it to familiarize themselves with the book.

Reason for Selection

  I was introduced to this author in my 267 course and I wanted to read his works. Even though I swear that I am going to bury this book, I find myself reading it over again in hopes of finding reasoning behind Keirs actions.