Crank tells the story of Kristina Snow, a high-achieving 17-year-old whose life is quickly derailed after she visits her estranged father and tries crystal meth (or "crank") for the first time. After trying the drug only once, Kristina becomes addicted and starts to adopt an alter-ego for when she is under the influence called Bree. Using her persona, Kristina starts to become more engrained in the world of drugs; she engages in relationships with other addicts and makes dangerous choices that feed her addiction and take her away from her past life.
Kristina’s relationships with family members and peers are strained as she continues down a path of addiction. She begins to think of nothing other than scoring her next fix. Her relationships with Adam (who introduces her to the drug), Brendan, and later Chase are reflective of the chaos that is a drug user's life. When Chase gets Kristina pregnant but later overdoses, she is sent into a tailspin. Will she get an abortion? Or will she keep the baby and try to get better? She decides to keep her child and gives birth to a baby boy named Hunter. However, she continues to struggle with addiction despite wanting to change, hinting at the destructive hold the drug still has over her life.
It is evident why Crank is required reading for high school students across the United States—and the world. Hopkins' novel offers readers a potent warning about the dangers of trying drugs once. After all, Kristina becomes addicted after taking meth only once. At the same time, it shows readers how prolonged drug use can damage themself and those around them in an effort to scare them off from ever trying drugs, which (as with Kirstina) can create a cycle of dependency that's incredibly challenging to break.
Structurally, Crank is crafted in a way that mirrors Kristina's fragmented and oftentimes tumultuous reality. This is exemplified in her aforementioned Bree persona and the seemingly always-evolving relationships she has with romantic partners and her family, both of whom are often manipulated and shattered by her addiction, illustrating how drugs like meth can envelop and disrupt the life of the user and the lives of those around them.
Moreover, the novel doesn't hold back about the harrowing realities that often come with being a drug addict as a teenager. Throughout the novel, Kristina deals with unwanted pregnancy and dependency, which she can't readily stop even when she wants to—even after the birth of her son. This emphasizes the persistent and unforgiving nature of addiction and underscores the novel's message: drugs are incredibly dangerous and can lead to horrible things happening.
