California Diaries #4: Amalia
Ugh, James is the worst. His character description should basically be “his eyes are red, like the flag; his long hair is tinted a flag shade of red; his smile exudes the musty yet dangerous classic abuser traits his personality embodies.” I mean, seriously. RUN, AMALIA, RUN!
Okay, perhaps I should back up. Amalia likes James, who plays guitar in the local rock band Vanish (which Maggie joined as a backup singer and songwriter), but she doesn’t know what they are. Friends? Boyfriend and girlfriend? James is sixteen and Amalia’s thirteen, which is red flag enough for me, but James is also suspicious and possessive and moody and demanding. He gives Amalia an anklet with their names linked for Christmas before they’ve even discussed whether they’re a couple, and then he gets mad when she doesn’t wear it. He’ll blow her off and then apologize and compliment her to get back into her good graces. Oh and not to mention, he’s totally smirky and shitty every time he implies Ducky is gay and that that would be something to be embarrassed about or ashamed of. So, like I said… RUN, AMALIA, RUN!
Meanwhile, Amalia accompanies her sister Isabel to volunteer at Gaea, the local women’s shelter. Amalia bonds with a kid named Mikey, whose mother gets beaten by her husband when she tries to reunite with her family. Then, Mikey’s dad comes and friggin’ kidnaps him from the shelter. All this despite — or in spite of — the existing restraining order against him. Luckily, Mikey is found and returned to his mother, and they are able to move away to a secret place, but the fact that Mikey’s dad is released shortly after is an indictment of the justice system and how it does not serve survivors of domestic violence and stalking.
Speaking of stalking, Amalia finally realizes that James is a piece of shit. A few wise words from Isabel help:
Not to mention James not helping his own case at all:
Every time Amalia gives him a chance to explain himself, he proves himself to be shittier and shittier. He almost hits her once. He even pulls the classic move of telling her he’ll die without her, implying that he’d kill himself and it would be her fault. Happily for Amalia, her family and friends and even James’ own bandmates side with her, call him out, and kick him out of the band. (Normalize men calling out other men for shitty behavior!!!) Does he take it? Sort of. Instead of outwardly fighting it, he just starts spreading rumors about Amalia hooking up with a bunch of different guys (including Ducky, and Maggie’s crush Justin Randall) and signs up to be on the same school committee as her. The books ends with him leaving a note in her locker about how they’re “meant to be.” UGH. I hope the plot of the next California Diaries book is me coming to town and kicking his ass!
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