Grown

“There’s blood everywhere. No, not blood. Beet juice. [...] Blood means more than I can comprehend.”

The opening chapter of Grown establishes the greatest mystery of the novel: Who killed Korey Fields, and what would motivate someone to murder one of the greatest superstars of all time? Enchanted’s immediate denial of the blood around her hints both at her inability to deal with the reality of what has happened and her age-appropriate childishness. 

“Maybe I’m hallucinating. Because there’s absolutely no way Korey Fields would ever be into me.”

Like many teenage girls, Enchanted develops a crush on a much-older celebrity. While such crushes are generally considered harmless, Enchanted finds herself in an unusual predicament: Korey Fields is actually expressing interest in her. He is flirtatious in a way that makes Enchanted dizzy with disbelief. This initial interaction might feel innocent, but it hints at the inappropriate nature of their developing relationship.

“Korey Fields is twenty-eight years old. He’s young. But not that young.”

In Chapter 6, Jackson introduces the legendary Korey Fields: his family history, his musical talents, and his superstar status. She also points out that Korey is very attractive. Most importantly, Jackson states that Korey is 28, and although he is considered “young,” he is still too old to be paying a 17-year-old girl the kind of attention that he has been giving Enchanted. The final lines instill a deep feeling of unease in the reader.