Anna's Story
by Bronwyn Donaghy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bronwyn DonaghyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-08-07
ISBN: 0207191840
Number of pages: 254
Publisher: Harper Collins World
Book Reviews of Anna's Story
Book Review: Many Questions Unanswered
Summary: 2 Stars
While Anna's Story is probably the most comprehensive account available on the death of Anna Wood, it is quite disappointing for those who want to understand why the 15 year old high school studnet died. As one gets further into the book, it becomes apparent that Bronwyn Donaghy is not just reporting the circumstances of Ms Wood's death but also has a specific agenda she wants to put across: namely, that illicit drugs are bad and that more should be done to stop young people using them. That the author adopts this position in recounting the story of Anna's death is not in itself problematic; the problem is rather that Donaghy does not really discuss the merits of her position, preferring instead to rely on the tragedy of Anna Wood's death to justify this position on drug use. The result for the reader is that many important questions are left unanswered.
Firstly, it is not at all clear why Anna died when her friends, who had also taken ecstasy, did not. To some extent this is explained because ecstasy has different effects on different people, but we are not given much information of what it was about Anna's case that ensured she suffered differently to her friends. Donaghy reveals how this is partly explained by Anna's suffering from hyponatremia (water intoxication), though this leaves the reader with the impression that Anna would have lived after taking the ecstasy had she simply not drunk so much water. It is clear, nonetheless, that Donaghy believes ecstasy is far more dangerous than that, but again the reasons for this view are not put straight-forwardly across.
Furthermore, the more fundamental questions concerning Donaghy's position on drug use are left unanswered. Anna Wood lived in a time when drug education in schools was commonplace, yet she still took illicit drugs (it is revealed that she had used ecstasy, marijuana, and speed on three different occasions prior to her fatal consumption of ecstasy). Indeed, illicit drug use among high school students existed for a long time prior to Anna Wood's death and continues to this day, but the reasons why teenagers (and adults for that matter) engage in this activity are not addressed by Donaghy. Donaghy quotes a variety of sources critical of drug decriminalisation who argue for stricter policing to end drug use, but the reader again may want to challenge this position given that tougher drug penalties have been advocated for a long time yet illicit drug use continues.
Ultimately, "Anna's Story" is disappointing for the inquiring reader because Donaghy does not provide answers to these questions. While we get a fairly good overview of the circumstances that led to Anna's death and the people affected by it, we are left unconvinced by the position Donaghy advocates as a result of this event, if only because she does not seem to explain it in greater detail.
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