Keir Sarafian may or may not just have raped Gigi Boudakian. Told on Keir’s first person narration, the first thing he tells the reader is “The way it looks is not the way it is.” And it looks bad. Gigi is screaming and crying, Keir is pleading and sick. How did they come to be here, in this concrete room in the middle of nowhere with nothing…but a bed? Keir will be the first person to tell you, he’s a good guy. He has two sisters and a widowed father who worships the memory of his mother. He’s the last person who would hurt a girl, especially Gigi, someone he’s known since he was a kid. So why is Gigi accusing him? Is it because she’s confused? Or is it because Keir isn’t as good as a guy as he claims to be? Readers will have to decide for themselves who is telling the truth, and they only have Keir’s side of the story to help them figure out who the real victim is. As Keir explains how he and Gigi journeyed to this point, he leaves some very clear clues that point to his innocence…or guilt. Raw, emotional, and incredibly well written, this less than 200 page nailbiter will have you guessing until the last page, whereupon you will then go back and re-read certain passages…just to make sure!
Inexcusable has a perspective that helps readers see the way many teens justify bad behaviors and fail to take responsibility for their choices and actions. For those who work to prevent substance abuse amongst teens, this story is strong support for the impact of alcohol and drugs on the teenage brain and how much the ability to reason is impaired by both. As a high school teacher, I believe that there are many possible applications for this book in high school classes.