The Tulip Touch (book review)

The Tulip Touch, by Anne Fine, is the story of Natalie. She and her family have always lived in hotels, but when they move to The Palace, Natalie's life changes forever. For this is where she meets Tulip. No one else has befriended Tulip, and it's easy to see why. She tells the most outrageous lies and is mean to everyone else. But Natalie is somehow drawn to her. Her dad calls it "the Tulip Touch". At first, Natalie has nothing against the games they play, like Stinking Mackerel and Road of Bones. But the games start getting more and more gruesome and dangerous. Does Natalie have what it takes to say good-bye to Tulip, once and for all?

This was a very sad book. It was the story of a child who, abused at home, takes her anger and sadness out on everyone else. Near the end of the book, Natalie says, "I felt sorry for Tulip, and guilty. Guilty."