Coming of Age
The book is a clear exploration of Nadia’s coming of age story. After she loses her mother, she is forced to come to terms with death at such a sensitive age. Like all teenagers, she grows into her rebellious stage. Due to a lack of parental authority to monitor her every move, she spirals out of control. She begins consuming alcohol and engaging in underage and unprotected sex. Nadia ends up pregnant and is faced with the option of abortion. She is rapidly thrown into adulthood through these complicated and life-changing decisions. Through these experiences and others, Nadia grows up into a responsible adult who learned to navigate life, the harder way.
Early Pregnancy
While Nadia is still in her teens, she becomes sexually involved with Luke. As minors, they are exposed to the trappings of early pregnancy and the damage it might have on their future. Early pregnancy is a huge issue, one that society has greatly condemned. Because they are children and cannot be held responsible for their actions, the burden of raising an unplanned child falls to the parents who have no choice but to adhere to the circumstances.
Religion and Abortion
The controversial debate on whether abortion can be justified or not as prevalent in this book. Luke’s father who is a pastor and a congregational leader support Nadia’s abortion. As a man of faith, his congregation expects him to be against abortion and abstain from promoting it in any form. When the congregation learns of his actions, they are greatly disappointed and leave the church in droves. While there’s always a heated debate on what’s right or wrong with abortion, the fact that Nadia had an abortion, freed her from having to be a mother at an age where she was ill-equipped to be one.
