Review: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Publisher: Atria Books
Publishing Date: October 18th, 2011
Genre: Adult, Verse Writing, Fiction
Pages: 529 pgs
ISBN: 9781451626339
Source: Borrowed from my local library

Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:
THREE FEMALE FRIENDS FACE MIDLIFE CRISES IN A NO-HOLDS-BARRED EXPLORATION OF SEX, MARRIAGE, AND THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE.Holly: Filled with regret for being a stay-athome mom, she sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Will it bring the fulfillment she is searching for?Andrea: A single mom and avowed celibate, she watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband?Marissa: She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay, rebellious teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts.As one woman’s marriage unravels, another’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s reconfigures into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness.Unflinchingly honest, emotionally powerful, surprisingly erotic, Triangles is the ultimate page-turner. Hopkins’s gorgeous, expertly honed poetic verse perfectly captures the inner lives of her characters. Sometimes it happens like that. Sometimes you just get lost.Get lost in the world of Triangles, where the lives of three unforgettable women intersect, and where there are no easy answers.

My Review: 
I really enjoy Hopkins' books for teens and so when I saw this book at the library I had to take it out and see what she could write for adults. Hopkins is not one to shy away from controversial topics and she doesn't shy away in this novel either. It is told in the perspective of 3 different women who are all connected in some way. Each woman is dealing with different situations when it comes to their relationships with the opposite sex and with their families.
This book is full of adult content and is definitely not a book intended for teens. The book is chalk full of infidelity, promiscuous sex, teen pregnancy, cancer and homosexuality. It seems like Hopkins threw in every controversial issue all into one book. That is not to say that it is not done well but at times it seems like things aren't as well explored as I would have liked.
I love that Hopkins continues with her style of writing in verse. I quite enjoy reading books that are written in this fashion. They are easy to read and it goes by quickly.
I have to admit that while some things shocked me, other parts of the book were quite emotional. I will admit to crying but that doesn't seem like anything new with me. I think that if you are the least bit squeamish I would stay away from this book but if you are willing to give something new a try I would definitely pick this book up. It is well written and I give it 4 out of 5 stars.