"Forgive Me Not" is an interesting read in that it deals with a topic few other YA novels tend to deal with, that of the juvenile justice system. In that way, it can be worth a brief read to see how someone who did their research into said system views its effects on the youths involved and their families.
That being said, I feel that the Trials, a dystopian take on what could happen if victims' families were allowed to decide the punishment of juvenile offenders, could have been handled in a more interesting way as it relates to our protagonists. Violetta's punishment is treated a lot lighter than her compatriots. While I understand that this decision is meant to highlight the themes of forgiveness and rehabilitation, I felt it undermined the themes of the systemic unfairness of a system supposedly meant to dispense justice and equity.
That being said, I feel that the Trials, a dystopian take on what could happen if victims' families were allowed to decide the punishment of juvenile offenders, could have been handled in a more interesting way as it relates to our protagonists. Violetta's punishment is treated a lot lighter than her compatriots. While I understand that this decision is meant to highlight the themes of forgiveness and rehabilitation, I felt it undermined the themes of the systemic unfairness of a system supposedly meant to dispense justice and equity.