Inexcusable (2005) is a young adult novel by Chris Lynch, narrated by high school senior Keir Sarafian, who struggles with substance abuse and faces an accusation of date rape from his classmate, Gigi. Told entirely from Keir’s perspective, the novel uses narrative uncertainty to question whether someone can commit a terrible act without intending to, and whether intent excuses harm. As Keir recounts his troubled family life, bullying, substance use, and strained relationships, the story highlights his unreliable self-justifications and the ways denial and male-centered narratives obscure issues of consent. Ending without resolution, Inexcusable underscores how rape culture thrives on ambiguity, power imbalance, and society’s tendency to privilege the voices of men over women.
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