Nicole Kroon on the Gripped Book Series’ Characters

An Interview with Nicole Kroon—North Andover, Massachusetts

After reading Gripped Parts 1-5 by Stacy Padula, junior in high school, Nicole Kroon, was asked to share her honest opinion about the characters in the series.

1. What did you like best about this book and who is your favorite character in the series at this point?

My favorite part about this book was the constant suspense over if Taylor was going to be alright and what would happen to Missy and Luke, both with their relationship and with the people who followed them to the hotel. Up until this point, I think that Jordan is my favorite character. I gained a lot of respect for Jordan after reading the past few books, and the more I learn about him, the more I like him. He has a strong moral code, works hard even without his parent’s full support or attention, and has proven himself trustworthy to people like Michelle, who counted on him to keep secrets to himself even when it put his relationship with his own brother at risk. He also didn’t seem like he gave up on Taylor after his issues, showing that he has the toughness to stick things out with people he cares about, even when it gets hard. That’s why I think Jordan is my favorite character. 

2. What do you hope happens to:
   1. Taylor: I hope Taylor is about to get out of drug dealing without hurting himself or his friends and family. However, I think he still has a long way to go to fully make up for all the trouble he caused in Montgomery Lake High (and beyond), so I don’t think he should walk away completely without any consequences. 
   2. Cathy & Chantal: I really hope they’re able to fully talk things out, not just between themselves, but also between all their friends. I want them to all be able to be friends again, and I think that it’s especially important to Cathy that she and Chantal make up. It’s been wearing on her mind a lot, and was likely the root of so many of her mental issues, so I really want the sisters to start mending their broken relationship. 
   3. Cathy & Jason: I hope that Cathy and Jason are also able to talk things out. I think there’s a lot left unsaid between the two of them, but I don’t think they should rush right back into a relationship. Especially after how bad their last relationship ended, I would hate to see either one of them hurt again by being together. 
   4. Luke & Missy: I want Missy and Luke to be able to work things out. I think that deep down, Missy cares about Luke even if she doesn’t always express it in the way that Luke expects. I know Luke cares a lot about making Missy happy, and while I obviously want her to be happy, I also think that Luke should focus more on making himself happy. But I think that he can still do this while with Missy, they might just have to change a few aspects of their relationship. 
3. How has your opinion of the characters evolved overtime?
   1. Taylor: Before Gripped 5, I still didn’t fully trust that Taylor really wanted to get out of drug dealing. I knew he was on the right path, but I wasn’t sure if he’d have the guts and desire to stick it out and see it through. However, after reading Gripped 5, I do believe that Taylor means what he said about staying clean and ending the drug dealing. After seeing the damage he’s unintentionally caused, I think Taylor is willing to do a lot to set things right, so I definitely have a lot more faith in him now than I did before. 
   2. Jordan: Prior to Gripped 5, I liked Jordan and thought that he was doing pretty well for himself, despite how bad things turned out for his brother Taylor. After reading Gripped 5, I had more respect for how hard he’s worked even when the spotlight wasn’t on him. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn how long Jordan had kept Michelle’s secret at her request, even after seeing how much it damaged his relationship with Marc. 
   3. Marc: Before this book, I liked Marc a lot. I thought that he had a strong moral compass and was a good person. After reading Gripped 5, I still think he’s a good person but after seeing how he thinks about Jordan I lost a little respect for him. He’s unfairly making assumptions and judging his brother without any real basis for his accusations. 
   4. Missy: Before this book, I didn’t know too much about Missy personally, other than that she was Luke’s party-loving girlfriend. But after reading this book I really got a better look at Missy and it was really interesting to get into her head and see what she was thinking when she was at the club. I think that deep down, Missy does care about Luke even though it can be hard to see it sometimes. 
   5. Luke: When I first started Gripped 5, I mostly thought of Luke as a well-meaning but slightly mistaken character who couldn’t see the dangerous consequences of giving his friends drugs. But now I can see that Luke is starting to realize his mistakes and stand up for himself a little more, for example, in his relationship with Missy. This makes me like Luke a lot more, knowing he’s starting to go down a better path for himself. 
   6. Laurelle: Similarly to Missy, I didn’t personally know Laurelle that well before Gripped 5. However, now I know more about her and her relationship with Pat, and I like Laurelle. However, I think she’s a tad irresponsible, as many of the kids are, and could benefit from a reality check that might make her stop taking drugs and focus more on healthier things. 

About Nicole Kroon

Nicole is a junior at North Andover High School and will graduate in 2025.  Her favorite subjects in school are math and biology.  She loves reading and traveling with her family and enjoys going on challenging hikes.  Most recently she visited Iceland, where she hiked on several amazing trails.  Nicole is a varsity runner on the Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track teams at her school, and she also volunteers in the Youth Track and Field program.