Review: That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

Title: That's Not What Happened
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: August 28th 2018
Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult contemporary
Source: Purchased
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It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story--that she died proclaiming her faith.

But it's not true.

I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight . . . but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did--and didn't--happen that day.

Except Sarah's martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don't take kindly to what I'm trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what's right. I don't know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up . . .

I made the mistake of reading this book without taking a look at the description of it beforehand (if I already know I like an author, I will read their book without looking at any info on it because I like to go into a book not knowing anything), so I was expecting another fun, light-hearted read like the previous Kody Keplinger books I've read. And even though I had been in the mood for a fun, fluffy read, and that is absolutely not what I got with That's Not What Happened, it was a great read nonetheless, and I'm excited that Keplinger is trying something a little new!

That's Not What Happened is definitely an emotional read. I've read a few YA takes on school shootings, but none that were primarily about its survivors a few years after the fact. Being set so much later than the actual event does not make it any less heart-breaking; seeing how much the survivors are still suffering from having lost their friends and witnessed this traumatic event was a unique take on this issue and just as emotionally powerful. 

I'm split on what to make of the premise of this novel, which seems to be a fictionalized account of Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott who were seen as Christian martyrs after Columbine. If the novel didn't have this resemblance to these real-life victims of a school shooting, I would have loved this story and its discussion of religion. The novel isn't explicitly critical of religion, but Christianity is not exactly portrayed in the best light, since many of the very religious characters are complete hypocrites who mistreat two young girls when they speak out against the story they've been holding onto. Parts of this seemed unrealistic to me--would they literally run a girl and her family out of town for speaking up and saying that part of the story they believe in is not true??--, but I don't know too much about small religious towns, so maybe I'm just naive. It definitely encourages an interesting discussion of organized religion.

However, since it does share this resemblance to these real-life people, I wasn't sure how to feel about this. Sarah's family, who seem to be a fictional version of Rachel Scott's family, are not portrayed particularly positively, which could be seen as disrespectful (since, to my knowledge, the real-life girls' declarations of faith have not been disproven?). To me, this didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the novel, but it does feel a little iffy thinking about it afterwards. 

Asides from this potentially problematic premise, I loved everything about this book. Lee is a great character; she's a little oblivious at times, and stubborn about insisting that others' mourning should look like hers and refusing to understand why it might not, but definitely a realistic and lovable character. The cast of Lee's friends/fellow survivors is also well done, and I especially loved the romance. Lee is asexual (which I don't think I've ever seen in YA before), and I really liked the way the discussion of this was integrated into the romance in ways that respected asexuality as a legitimate identity, introduced you to some of the issues asexual people might face while dating, and still made for a swoonworthy romance.

This was a very enjoyable read on many levels, and, even if the premise might be a little problematic, it would make for some very interesting discussion material!