What do you think?
Rate this book
Cutting Edge
The Finer Points of Becoming Machine
Growing up with a violent, control freak father, sixteen-year-old Emma Banks has had a tougher ride than most. Unable to cope with the horrors of her childhood, Emmaâs world unravels in a spiral of drug abuse and self-harm. Following a failed suicide attempt, she finds herself committed to a secure psychiatric institution where she is finally forced to confront the painful past she has been trying to escape. Now she must fight the instinct to run and hide, and piece together a way forward.
Cutting Edge is a gritty quick read series for teens and young adults who find conventional fiction irrelevant to them or too hard to read. The new titles in the series tackle contemporary issues such as gun crime, incest, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and mental illness. Packed with drama and emotion from one page to the next, readers will be truly compelled by these gripping and satisfying stories. Carefully chosen fonts, simple layout and controlled vocabulary help carry readers from beginning to end without any hint of chore-factor creeping in.
Cutting Edge is a gritty quick read series for teens and young adults who find conventional fiction irrelevant to them or too hard to read. The new titles in the series tackle contemporary issues such as gun crime, incest, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and mental illness. Packed with drama and emotion from one page to the next, readers will be truly compelled by these gripping and satisfying stories. Carefully chosen fonts, simple layout and controlled vocabulary help carry readers from beginning to end without any hint of chore-factor creeping in.
- GenresYoung AdultFiction
200 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
1 person is currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Emily Andrews
8Ìýbooks4ÌýfollowersEmily was born in Southern California and currently resides in Seattle, Washington. Her interests include writing fiction and poetry, indie/punk rock and industrial music, journaling and old horror movies.
Emily has had several of her poems published through the International Library of Poetry and Poetry.com, and has also had her poetry featured on one of their spoken word albums.
The Finer Points of Becoming Machine is her debut novel.
Emily has had several of her poems published through the International Library of Poetry and Poetry.com, and has also had her poetry featured on one of their spoken word albums.
The Finer Points of Becoming Machine is her debut novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 12, 2017
Emma, a teenager with some issues. She's what people would more say "a girl from the movies". Shes in high school and has an older boyfriend named Donnie he's a 21 year old musician with bleached blonde hair. Everything was going perfect in the relationship, so she thought. Everything at home was bad. She felt like Donnie was the only one that she could talk to and the only one that really loved her back.Her dad and her were best buds when she was little. Then she grew up to look like her mother. Her dad didn't like the image and just like he did to her mom he abused her. She would always somehow cover the bruises for school.When they were to big to cover she would just say she had gotten in a car accident. So when Donnie broke up with her she sadly became suicidal.
She was sent off to a hospital for people like her for a few days but she only got worse so then stayed for weeks. When she finally cane out she wasn't happy with what happened and that's for you to figure out.
She was sent off to a hospital for people like her for a few days but she only got worse so then stayed for weeks. When she finally cane out she wasn't happy with what happened and that's for you to figure out.
June 16, 2011
At the start of this book I found myself instantly hating the protagonist - 16, sex drugs & rock 'n' roll who attempts suicide when her boyfriend dumps her and her mummy doesn't sound like she loves her. But as I read the rest of the book, I found it did re-open old wounds and I understood Emma's mindset. The ending is very much true in most cases, which brings home the purpose of the book.
February 28, 2012
I got this book because the back said it was a gritty read. I did not find it gritty. It sounded like a lesson from an adult to a kid on why they should not commit suicide. I can't imagine any kid taking such an obvious book to heart without some serious eye rolling. No one wants to be preached at. The best part of the book was the ending--a little predictible, but still true.
March 28, 2010
I liked this book. However it was really grim and depressing in some places! Overall though, i liked it.
March 4, 2013
amazing book - teen fiction so a bit shorter but I wish she would write much more!
a bit graphic at the very start but thoroughly engaging!
a bit graphic at the very start but thoroughly engaging!
December 19, 2015
I didn't like the main characters attitude, how she constantly changes between things she wants to do and how it ended.
April 23, 2016
i share her pain and its a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.