Pick the Lock

by A.S. King

From Michael L. Printz Award winner A.S. King, a weird and insightful new novel about a girl intent on picking the lock of her toxic family with punk rock and opera.Jane's mother is an artist constantly on tour to earn a living and support the family. While her mother is away, Jane lives in a Victorian mansion with her younger brother and their controlling, mendacious father and aunt, both of whom have conspired to confine Jane and Henry’s mother to a system of pneumatic tubes whenever she’s at home. Pick the Lock follows Jane’s bizarre and brilliant journey to rediscover and reconnect with her mother through punk rock and opera.

Genres: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Fiction, Mental Health, Horror, Audiobook

383 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

A.S. King is the author of the highly-acclaimed I CRAWL THROUGH IT, Walden Award winner GLORY O'BRIEN'S HISTORY OF THE FUTURE, REALITY BOY, 2013 LA Times Book Prize winner ASK THE PASSENGERS, 2012 ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, and 2011 Michael L. Printz Honor Book PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ and THE DUST OF 100 DOGS as well as a collection of award-winning short stories for adults, MONICA NEVER SHUTS UP.

Look for Amy's work in anthologies DEAR BULLY, BREAK THESE RULES, ONE DEATH NINE STORIES, and LOSING IT. Two more YA novels to come in 2016 & 2018. Find more at www.as-king.com.

p.s.- If I don't accept your friend request, don't feel sad. It's because I don't really use Goodreads even though I'm completely thrilled that you do!

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading A.S. King for over a decade now and some of her earlier works are among my favourite YA books. When King does it for me, her works are powerful, seared on my brain as Please Ignore Vera Dietz always will be... but when she doesn't? It's like the books are written in a language I don't speak.

Pick the Lock, like Switch and I Crawl Through It, was just way too abstract and weird for me.

At its core, it's a book about domestic violence told from the perspective of the victim's daughter. But wrapped around that core is a bizarre surrealist metaphor in which the mother lives in what is essentially a giant hamster tunnel.

At first I thought, okay, so it's a metaphor for her being trapped, but it just continued to get weirder and weirder and make less sense. I felt like lots of plot points were left unexplained-- indeed, I am half convinced that King deliberately tried to sow confusion throughout this story. The narrative was disjointed and jumped around all over the place, breaking into script and punk rock lyrics here and there.

Part of the story unfolds through a series of "home videos" that Jane uncovers, detailing the history of the abuse. I wasn't sure for a while if the "videos" were themselves a metaphor-- because the actual existence of such detailed footage seemed unlikely and surely the father would not have kept them if they did exist --but if they were, then that begs the question as to how Jane was able to tell the story at all. I guess writing surrealist fiction means you're not required to make sense.

I finished this book feeling like I didn't know what was a metaphor, what was a daydream and what was "real." I know books like that have an audience, but I'm just not part of it.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second A. S. King book so I was ready to be completely confused and let the bizarre world so close to our own but full of weirdness take over. It did take me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did I had a hard time putting this one down. This book was hard to read at times because of the accurate portrayal of the feelings of domestic violence. Most households don’t have a system of tubes built in where a mother could be locked up, but the manipulation and brainwashing against the survivor of domestic violence by the perpetrator using the kids was eerily accurate. This book focuses on Jane, a young girl who has been locked up in home since the pandemic. Despite the rest of the world getting back to things like school she has remained at home with her father doing the same geography worksheets for the 4th year in a row. She lives with her father Vernon and her little brother and her mother lives in a series of tubes throughout the house. This is the story of Jane figuring out the lies from the truth and growing up. This story is an ode against domestic violence and even has a punk rock opera. I won’t lie and say this book isn’t bizarre but it just works.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weird and wacky primal scream against domestic violence

I received this ARC for free in return for an honest review:

TW: Domestic violence and child abuse mentioned

“No one seems to ask, ‘Why doesn’t he stop hurting his family?’ Until people are willing to ask that question aloud, then I don’t think ‘Why doesn’t she leave?’ is worth shit”

"Pick The Lock" by A.S. King is a surreal narrative blending magical realism with critical social issues. Known for her distinctive style and provocative themes, King delivers a story that is both gripping and reflective, exploring the complexities of human nature, societal constraints, domestic violence, and child abuse.

The novel explores themes of freedom and resilience. It portrays the protagonist's journey of self-discovery and realization that her father is abusive. Through this journey, King explores the harm that domestic abuse and child abuse causes.

In "Pick The Lock," King uses a blend of realism and surrealism, shifting between the two fairly seamlessly. King's ability to weave in magical elements without losing the story's grounding in difficult issues works most of the time. Her dialogue is sharp and authentic, capturing the rage and sorrow associated with abuse. The punk rock opera was particularly enjoyable to read through and added some needed breaks from the tension of more difficult scenes.

Overall this was a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that will stick with me for a while. While the book tackles heavy themes, it does so with a sense of hope and empowerment, encouraging readers to find their own keys to freedom. "Pick The Lock" is a remarkable exploration of personal liberation and the power of self-discovery.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A.S. King is brilliant. Her mind is insane and I am obsessed with it. This book was wild and crazy and confusing and wonderful. Trigger warning for domestic abuse.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane is the main character and daughter to Vernon and Mina. Mina is a rockstar, literally. She supports the family. Jane’s only sibling is Henry and he is younger than she is. Vernon is the stay-at-home parent and has all these weird rules. He is verbally and mentally abusive to his family. The worst one he is abusive to is Mina. The children grow up in a very unconventional home.

I was really looking forward to the story, because it sounded unusual. That it definitely was. It took me a bit to get into it. I have never read a book like this one. It was fascinating in a very weird sort of way. Sometimes I felt like I could put this book down and walk away, but then I really wanted to find out what happened so I’d pick it back up. I was very disgusted by the way Mina was treated by her family. She supports her family and gets treated horrendously.

What I enjoyed most about the story was reading about Jane’s band. Her punk opera and her rhyming skills were interesting. This is one of the ways she copes with Vernon‘s abuse. Jane entertains herself with the home movies that read like a diary. Such a strange book that started making sense towards the end.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is a bit of mix, and I wish I could have a better review. I think this would be an interesting book for a teenage kid who love having an imagination but as an adult. However, as an adult, and maybe I’m a prude, but I felt like this is not an appropriate book for teens to read – there are some inappropriate and vulgar lines, such as (and I’m paraphrasing from memory), “my dad told me to menstruate all over the boys.” Which is weird and really uncomfortable for me to read. I feel like this book didn’t need these awkward lines and could have cultivated an interesting story, sparked some imagination, and show mental abuse between parent and child/spouse without the vulgarness.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today A.S. King's PICK THE LOCK is out in the world. It is a powerful, provocative, and utterly propulsive book about domestic abuse in different forms, and especially about emotional, psychological, and physical abuse of women. Truly, it is a masterpiece and one that deserves a wide readership so that we can all have these critical conversations out loud. Saying the quiet part loudly, that's doing it for the love.

An essay from Amy about her personal history with domestic violence and abuse, which birthed this book: https://booktrib.com/2024/09/23/pick-...

[Ashby Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start. Seriously, Pick the Lock by A.S. King is one of those books that left me with a head full of thoughts and no clear way to express them. But here goes—let’s start by saying that it’s about isolation, growing up under the thumb of an ultra-controlling parent, the blurry line between truth and perception, shapeshifters (yes, really), and, oh, punk rock operas. So again, where do I even start? Well, what I do know is that I could not put this strange, haunting, and completely wonderful book down.

This is exactly why I love diving into works by authors I’ve never read before. A.S. King was new to me, and after Pick the Lock, I’m definitely intrigued to check out more of her work. She pulls off a kind of storytelling that’s totally unique—equal parts bizarre and beautifully meaningful.

On the surface, this is the story of Jane, a girl trapped in the tightly wound reality of her abusive and controlling father. Jane is searching for her own truth, especially when it comes to her mother, and she’s doing it in a secret punk rock opera that she’s writing on the side. Yeah, you read that right. It’s part coming-of-age, part rebellion, and part discovery of the hard truths hidden in her family’s past. As Jane digs deeper, she sees things more clearly—about her parents, her upbringing, and herself. It becomes a mission not just to find the truth but to stop the cycle of abuse once and for all.

The best way to describe this book? A wild ride that makes you think long after the last page is done. I honestly recommend Pick the Lock to anyone who loves a unique, thought-provoking story. It’s one of those reads that lingers with you, leaving behind a few questions, some deep thoughts, and maybe a new favorite author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen of the YA magical realism books is out with another insightful title!
🐀
Jane’s mother is the leader of a famous punk rock band, but when she’s not out touring, she’s locked in their Victorian mansion by Jane’s father. Jane and her brother, Henry, have also been locked away since the pandemic, homeschooled by their ill-equipped and controlling father. But Jane’s mother has it the worst because her entrapment has her enclosed in pneumatic tubes. Now that Jane is getting older she’s seeing that what her life looks like compared to other teens isn’t normal.
🤘🏻
At its core this book deals with domestic violence, spousal control and brainwashing. It is wrapped up in a weird package, but if you’ve read King’s stories before then you know you’re in for a wild ride—just embrace it! This was definitely a fight the patriarchy, feminist, stand up to your abuse story and I’m here for it.

CW: pandemic, alcohol poisoning, alcoholism, emesis, child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, infidelity, toxic relationship, gaslighting, misogyny, confinement, religious bigotry, sexual harassment, sexism

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is weird, surreal, and so very good. Jane lives in a Victorian manor controlled by her father, Vernon. He keeps her mother locked in a system of pneumatic tubes. The story that unfolds is about being a mother, a daughter, and a woman in the world. The relationship explored between daughter and mother, and how the world determines and changes that relationship, is affecting.

The writing itself is beautiful. Parts of the novel are written as if they are staged as a play, or as part of a rock concert. Those scenes rolled out in my mind perfectly, and were such a fascinating way to write a novel. A. S. King, your experimental writing will always have my heart.

This book made me think about my relationship with my own mother. I loved it. 10/10.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonkers. Loved it.

[Britt Buckenroth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a weird and interesting novel. A.S. King is a storytelling marvel. An extremely interesting look at domestic violence through interesting characters and an even more compelling plot.

It's weird but worth it.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am yet again awed by the way Amy King can channel her rage at the injustices teens experience— in this case, domestic abuse— and shape it into something that readers can grab hold of…. an anger life raft of sorts.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! I couldn't put it down. I have read almost all of A.S. King's books and this is my current favorite. I hope to see this performed on stage some day!

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

more like AS QUEEN

[Brittney]

A. S. King's Pick the Lock opens with an intriguing prologue that signals readers will embark on a journey exploring complex family dynamics, uncomfortable truths, and a young protagonist's grapple with morality. The haunting line, “I do not lie to God,” sets the tone as the narrator, Jane, reflects on her sense of self and moral compass, contrasting sharply with her father’s duplicity. This distinction foreshadows a profound, tangled relationship between Jane and her family, particularly her father, whom she sees as both a captor and a false teacher.

Through a cinematic style, King introduces a chilling “home movie” technique, allowing readers to witness Jane’s life through security footage, preserving traumatic memories under the guise of ordinary scenes. The passage featuring Henry’s fearful encounter with birds and Vernon’s cold indifference encapsulates a family dynamic simmering with tension, control, and, ultimately, neglect. This cleverly crafted narrative device pulls readers into Jane's mind as she tries to reconcile her fragmented memories with her present understanding, capturing the distortion and influence of a father who appears to both manipulate and idealize his family.

The characters' voices are crisp and hauntingly clear, particularly in the excerpt from a “home movie” set in 1999, which provides insight into her parents’ early relationship. This moment in the rose garden — with her mother’s punk-rock grit and her father’s seemingly insecure adoration — hints at the early seeds of their relational fracture. King's careful character portrayals promise an unraveling tale of trust, power, and truth, pushing readers to question what is real and how the stories we inherit shape our identity.

Pick the Lock has all the hallmarks of a gripping psychological exploration, written with King's trademark blend of honesty, darkness, and empathetic complexity. This novel promises an unforgettable ride for those interested in character-driven narratives and the raw, often harsh truths of familial bonds.

[Nat]

I can't rate this book. It's too deep, too big for a mere rating. I didn't know what to make of it at first, but once I got into it, it was a lot. Not your average book, but a worthy read.

[Penelope · Rating 1 out of 5]

summer reading

[jov · Rating 3 out of 5]

the reason why i love to go to the library is being able to randomly pick a book up, purely from the title or the cover or the blurb, and then finding a favourite book or author from that

i think i might have found a new author to read from. which you might think is strange, considering that i gave this book 3 stars and not a higher rating. The parts I thought were really well done were how the dad manipulated the children into hating their mother. Kids are impressionable, and tend to internalise what adult figures tell them and mimic their behaviour. they question "is that true, did that really happen, but i don't remember that happening you are lying!" but due to the isolation from other adult figures, accept it as a fact. It is only until they get older and find out more information that they start questioning even more, and that's the situation jane finds herself in. I did think it was odd that the home movies were able to be accessed by the ipad, considering the dad's overbearing control I would have thought he would have better security. I also found it strange that the whole underground part of the tunnels was able to exist but as long as you don't pay too much attention to the logistics of everything, this book is one that covers manipulation and brainwashing of victims of domestic violence well

[Allison Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was IN, then I was not feeling the fantastical element, then King NAILED THE LANDING and I was back on this train.

[Rose Aria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book.

Wow. Pick the Lock by A.S. King is brilliant. In fact, I think it's my best read so far this year by a wide margin. The format of the book is innovative, alternating between home movie scenes with commentary, regular storytelling, and scenes from the main character's punk-rock opera. The story itself is bizarre, riveting, and terrible at the same time. It does deal with a lot of domestic abuse, but the difficult topics are morphed into a compelling social commentary through the metaphor of the System of tubes to which Jane's mother is confined. Each character is interesting and has their own backstory and personality. I feel like I could easily read a whole book about Milorad and Brutus in particular.

As a survivor myself, I loved how this book eases you into understanding the path to accepting abuse without leaving. It also shows how the most severe separations from what is acceptable can occur right in front of people (such as the many fans of Mina or Jane's classmates) without anything being recognized or addressed.

The only negative that I have about this book is I HATE the cover. It doesn't do the story justice at all in my opinion, and I would never have chosen this book just by looking at it.

Writing: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Setting: 5
Enjoyment: 5

[Sarah Krajewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

16-year-old Jane hasn’t returned to school since the pandemic in 2020. Now it’s 2024, and Jane and her younger brother Henry are still stuck in their old Victorian mansion. Their mother, Mina, is often gone, traveling the world with her punk rock band, Placenta. When she is home, their father, Vernon, confines her to a tube-like system in their home. Mina sits inside a capsule, watching her family. At first, Jane sees this as normal, for she trusts her father when he says he loves them, but their mother doesn’t. Vernon has “homeschooled” his children since the pandemic, but, after finding some security footage, Jane begins to discover that something is wrong. Her family is dysfunctional, yes, but there’s more to it. When she begins to realize how brainwashed her, her brother, and her mother are, Jane tries to fight back in any way she can. What starts as talking back to her father and ditching the “suitors” he picks for her soon turns into fighting a whole system, and she captures her desires to break free, and save her mother, in her writing: a punk opera.

Jane is one kick-ass teen! Rebellion through the System. The amount of brilliance in A. S. King’s latest is visible on every page.

[Ray Shapiro · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO BAD DUDE. it covered some serious topics and was entertaining. that’s all it has going for it. the writing was awful, the grammar was bad, the songs were terrible, there wasn’t a single real plot twist, it took forever for anything to happen, she was barely at school. the characters talk weird as hell, i couldn’t tell when we were or where we were. i hated that it was set in the present like no. the climax was ok, after that was awful, after that was fine. it was entertaining to yell at it all the time i'll give it that. it looked so good from the cover but then it’s a PUNK ROCK OPERA?! bs. and why was she so weird abt being gay. can i read ONE book without a gay person. why did her friend fist bump and congratulate her TF??? one of them was literally non-binary and you thought they would judge you for being gay? god i fucking hated this book that was 400 pages for absolutely nothing.

[Hannah Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and publisher for choosing me as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a book by A.S King and it did not disappoint.

First, I really enjoyed the writing style. The layout of the home movies and then Jane as her punk rock version. It made the book easy to follow and a super quick read for me.

Second, I really liked the switch between surreal and reality. I would have never even thought to put someone in a pneumatic tube system, like what?! Wild.

Third, I can appreciate shedding light on DV in families and how easily it can be hidden.

Definitely recommend and will be reading more from this author!

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read anything by this author and wasn't sure what to expect so I went in completely blind and I'm so glad I did. The darker theme of domestic abuse is present, however, I found the victim's response to it unique and brave. I loved getting the story through Jane's eyes and her snarky teenage tone. She is trying to understand what's going on with her mother and processing through writing a punk opera. The characters are incredibly fascinating and the writing style very entertaining. I'm looking forward to checking out the author's backlist.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cheska Colombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s like one of my favorite authors had 5 minute access to my brain, saw the part that loves punk and musicals and feminism and was like BET, we’re doing that next.

I was concerned at first when I realized it was another AS King book featuring a labyrinthian home situation but it clearly became clear that this was a lot different than the others. I love love love the way that AS King leads us to unfurl a living situation or set of life circumstances by putting non sequential things together. Using surveillance footage to go alongside Jane’s major realization was so effective and it made Jane another AS Ling protog I’d love to be friends with.

[Chris G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

King's confident, unique storytelling style meshes the libretto for teen Jane’s rock opera about life with her abusive, terrifying father Vernon with a timeline of events in Jane’s life. Clues about the lives of the wealthy family’s house-help, postcards from Jane’s touring rock star mother Mina, security camera captures, and reflections from the shapeshifting rat who lives in the pool house help weave an original, intriguing story of abuse, filled with symbolism, guilt, and hope. Difficult to describe, hard to put down. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be one of the best books l've read this year. Pick The Lock tells a heartbreaking story of abuse and toxic relationships, offering a realistic depiction of domestic violence. At the same time, it is an inspiring story of overcoming trauma and ultimately finding forgiveness.
This novel delves into themes of freedom and strength , following Jane’s path of self-discovery as she comes to realize her father is abusive. Through her journey, the author examines the damaging effects of domestic and child abuse.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I wasn’t reading this it was all I could think of and that’s why I read it in two days!

The beginning and all of the depictions of abuse are so genuinely harrowing that is really is a difficult read. I wasn’t entirely sure the system reveal really worked for me but king is a fucking icon so she can do what she wants.

Also, the line, “Your dad said nothing was off limits,” is going to haunt my dreams for the rest of my life. 😐

[~just one hopeless romantic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick the Lock by A.S. King reminds me of the Royal Tenenbaums, in a sort of weird amazing way. This book was extremely strange, but it really shed a light on domestic violence in a way that has never been done before. I loved the songs that Jane had written for her punk opera, and I loved the vibe of this book. A.S. King caught lightening in a bottle while writing this book. Pick the Lock is an extremely inspiring, empowering book that is not like anything else. 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️