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Still Life with Tornado
“I am sixteen years old. I am a human being.”
Actually Sarah is several human beings. At once. And only one of them is sixteen. Her parents insist she’s a gifted artist with a bright future, but now she can’t draw a thing, not even her own hand. Meanwhile, there’s a ten-year-old Sarah with a filthy mouth, a bad sunburn, and a clear memory of the family vacation in Mexico that ruined everything. She’s a ray of sunshine compared to twenty-three-year-old Sarah, who has snazzy highlights and a bad attitude. And then there’s forty-year-old Sarah (makes good queso dip, doesn’t wear a bra, really wants sixteen-year-old Sarah to tell the truth about her art teacher). They’re all wandering Philadelphia—along with a homeless artist allegedly named Earl—and they’re all worried about Sarah’s future.
But Sarah’s future isn’t the problem. The present is where she might be having an existential crisis. Or maybe all those other Sarahs are trying to wake her up before she’s lost forever in the tornado of violence and denial that is her parents’ marriage.
“I am a human being. I am sixteen years old. That should be enough.”
Actually Sarah is several human beings. At once. And only one of them is sixteen. Her parents insist she’s a gifted artist with a bright future, but now she can’t draw a thing, not even her own hand. Meanwhile, there’s a ten-year-old Sarah with a filthy mouth, a bad sunburn, and a clear memory of the family vacation in Mexico that ruined everything. She’s a ray of sunshine compared to twenty-three-year-old Sarah, who has snazzy highlights and a bad attitude. And then there’s forty-year-old Sarah (makes good queso dip, doesn’t wear a bra, really wants sixteen-year-old Sarah to tell the truth about her art teacher). They’re all wandering Philadelphia—along with a homeless artist allegedly named Earl—and they’re all worried about Sarah’s future.
But Sarah’s future isn’t the problem. The present is where she might be having an existential crisis. Or maybe all those other Sarahs are trying to wake her up before she’s lost forever in the tornado of violence and denial that is her parents’ marriage.
“I am a human being. I am sixteen years old. That should be enough.”
295 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
222 people are currently reading
14834 people want to read
About the author
A.S. King
23 books3,734 followersA.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!
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!
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October 17, 2016
But now it’s been so long that if I bring it up, I’ll look like a girl who can’t let go of things. Teenage girls always have to let go of things. If we bring up anything, people say we’re bitches who can’t just drop it.
If you're familiar with A.S. King, then you'll probably understand immediately that this book is not what it first seems. If you're new to her books, then expect to be taken into a weird world of existentialism and magical realism before what's really going on becomes apparent. Her books are not for everyone, but I personally love her fresh, imaginative take on subjects that have been done to death.
Abuse and family are not new topics in YA. The genre is filled to the brim with many different books that deal with one or both. But King doesn't play by the usual rules. Still Life with Tornado is full of strangeness from the very first chapter. Sarah is experiencing an existential crisis - she has stopped going to school and she's obsessed with the lack of originality in the world around her. She wanders around each day, meeting various past and future Sarahs (ten year old Sarah, twenty-three year old Sarah, etc.).
If this was any other author, I would probably have assumed the book was all about internal teen angsting. But, of course, it soon becomes apparent that this is not really a book about Sarah at all. Or, rather, it's about so much more than her. It's about her absent brother and the reason he left. It's about her mother and father and their toxic relationship. It's about what happened in Mexico six years ago.
Gradually, all of this is revealed. The author carefully peels back layers until a story about a teenage girl on a quest for art and originality becomes a dark, haunting tale of relationships and sad secrets left festering in the closet for years.
Ultimately, the book looks at the ways people abuse power and the devastating effects of doing so. It hit me pretty hard. Perhaps more so because it seems so quiet and unassuming at first, quite literally a still life with tornado. The more you realize Sarah's role in this story - a role she never asked to play - the sadder it becomes, and I was left feeling quite hollow and drained.
A very effective, emotional book with an experimental style that gets it JUST RIGHT.
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March 6, 2019
Now it's been so long that if I bring it up, I'll look like a girl who can't let go of things. Teenage girls always have to let go of things. If we bring up anything, people say we're bitches who can't just drop it.
This book changed me as a person.
Still Life With Tornado is about a lot of things, but most of all, it's about how teenagers are discounted - especially teenage girls. Teens are vehicles for drama rather than being real people. Our feelings aren't feelings - they're drama. And this becomes even worse in cases of abuse, in relationships with parents, because no one will listen. It's easy to pat the kid on the head and say it's okay, you imagined it, everything will be fine. But does that even matter? Your kid is there now, they're being screwed up now.
God, maybe it's hard to convey how much this book meant to me. Even these words are coming off as teen angst to half my readership, aren't they? Maybe it's worth considering: why is it teen angst when it's a sixteen-year-old and real emotions when it's a forty-year-old? What's the real difference when both of us are people, humans with emotions and feelings and moods and anger?
I don't know why I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm scared to make my mother angry. My emotions are smaller than they should be. I'm the one who should be angry, but I'm cranky or upset. As if a sixteen-year-old can't be angry for real.
Okay. Let's talk about why this book Sarah's voice especially stands out here. She's a very different person from me, but her voice felt so incredibly authentic to me. She speaks in absolutes, all-or-nothings. I just felt as if I could dissect her voice, dissect every thing she said, and get to the heart of her character.
This book is also about another topic, and I think it'll be quite easy to guess if you check a few reviews. And maybe it’s best to go in cold and not knowing what this book is about, but as it might be triggering for readers: this book deals primarily with abuse. And I absolutely adored how this topic was dealt with.
Hitting a person is the same as screaming at a person, is the same as head hands and traps and bait and all that hard-to-define emotional abuse. This is why I never said anything about Miss Smith. It's why I never took my headpiece seriously. It's sneaky. It hides under other words and other actions. That's all abuse ever is. That sliver of tissue is power.
A quick note about the topic for those who have read this book:
This is a very odd book and one that might not be for everyone. But if you connect with this story emotionally to the same degree I did, I'm 200% sure you will adore it. This story felt so real and so vivid and so relatable to me, and there's no way to quantify that, no way to review it. An important, emotional, and utterly worthwhile book.
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February 15, 2021
►Nothing's really original so let's not start, alright?
"In eight days of riding around, that's what I've discovered. It's raining bullshit. Probably all the time."
I'm gonna be unoriginal and repeat what my fri en ds already said : don't be fooled and think that it's about an angsty teenage girl. It's really not. Or maybe it is, partially, but A.S. King challenges the way we see angsty teenage girls. After all, aren't we all a little unfair when judging them? What's our goal when we deny their right to be upset about things?
"But now it’s been so long that if I bring it up, I’ll look like a girl who can’t let go of things. Teenage girls always have to let go of things. If we bring up anything, people say we’re bitches who can’t just drop it."
Think about this for one second.
Go on.
Now : what does that say about us as a society? Because I don't know about you, but I'm not sure that it stops at some point in our life. I can't even express how furious that makes me feel.
...people say we're bitches
who can't just drop it...
This sentence, here? It brings our world into a cruel and unforgiving light, making me want to throw up a little. We're so quick to judge people and assume that their problems aren't that bad. We're so quick to dismiss their struggles and tell them they're overreacting. Especially when they're women.
But what's less original than identifying with the main character? Granted, it's not something that makes me feel comfortable.
Sarah, though. Why, thank you, that hit me pretty hard.
I'm perfectionist.
In my bubble.
I forget stuff.
Personal stuff.
I'm not talking about, oh, crap, that letter! stuff.
I'm more talking about, wow, how could I even forget THIS happened?? stuff.
I have a very good memory, thank you very much.
It's just - selective, unreliable, when I'm concerned : nearly perfect for the most random things, including school stuff, but comes a big emotion and pfiouuuu here it goes.
In limbo.
It does not mean that I will never remember again, oh, no! It would be one million times easier. My limbo is usually the most active around, I don't know, midnight? When I can't do anything about it? When my mind is going round and round in circles? And then I'll forget.
Again.
If Sarah moved me, Helen destroyed me. The family's relationships were so complex and heartbreaking. Again, A.S. King brought such realistic characters to life, how could they not touch me in my very core?
Next would be this : it looks the same as so many books but really it's different. Trust me. It may be the touch of magical realism she always incorporates in her stories. It may be her writing, beautiful but so very honest. Or she may be that good, but even if the issues she deals with never strike as being original, if I may say, her books are impossible to compare to anything I read before.
Finally, what's less original than complaining about issues let open in the end? So let's do this.
Except... Except I won't, because when your stories ring so true, there's no such thing as an unrealistic open ending. It's only life. Period.
► I would say that I was pleasantly surprised, except it would be a lie : A.S. King is so constantly good at dealing with somewhat common issues. Her stories are just my kind of weird and manage to hit me all the same. Of course I recommend.
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September 6, 2021
Writing a review for this book doesn't seem original.
October 13, 2016
Sarah is in the middle of an existential crisis. She stops going to school and spends her days visiting abandoned structures in Philadelphia. An event at an art show triggered her crisis, but she actually started falling apart a long time ago. The key to unlocking the cause of her disillusionment may be confronting the events of a family vacation to Mexico when she was ten-years-old. Her older brother Bruce hasn't talked to the family in the six years since then. She can't remember what happened and her parents refuse to talk about it.
Sarah was an aspiring artist and I loved how that part of her life is integrated into the story, especially the concept of a tornado as something that is one thing on the outside, but another thing on the inside. Sarah is at a point in her life where adults are constantly asking her about her future, but she hasn't even dealt with her past. She's unable to stay in the present, which is where the future and past Sarahs come in. Versions of Sarah at different stages in life materialize to help her process her trauma. Ten-year-old Sarah is still a happy kid and the memories of the vacation are still fresh for her. Twenty-three-year-old Sarah can barely remember being sixteen and thinks sixteen-year-old Sarah is silly and dramatic. Sixteen-year-old Sarah looks up to forty-year-old Sarah who is the most self-assured. What surprised me is that these Sarahs aren't hallucinations; other people can see them.
Sarah's mom Helen gets to tell her side of the story. Helen's chapters help illuminate parts that Sarah doesn't understand. Helen's story shows how easy it is to get stuck in a bad situation and how hard it is to see in the middle of a storm.* It also shows how attempts to make things better can actually make them worse. Likewise, sometimes making things worse can make them better.
There are also flashbacks to the family vacation. Everything seems relatively normal at first, but there are clear indications that there is something stirring under the surface. ("Can’t you just pretend to have a good time?” “Why pretend? Aren’t we doing enough pretending as it is?") Between her mother's chapters and the day-by-day reveal of the trip to Mexico, we get a clearer picture of why Sarah is so depressed.
I identified with twenty-three-year-old Sarah at first, because I didn't know if would be interested in sixteen-year-old Sarah for the entire book! Like the protagonist in We Are the Ants, Sarah is depressed and expresses repetitive thoughts. She has received so many (unintentionally) damaging messages from trusted adults, that she now feels very little control over her life. She wants to disappear and is no longer interested in the hobbies she used to love. Sarah knows that "breaking your brain is the same as breaking your arm", but she still feels shame about her situation. Sarah initially sees her problems as too small to bother anyone with, but she learns that her problems do matter. She doesn't have to be strong and deal with it alone. It's refreshing that romance was not part of this book. Sarah's potential recovery has to come from within herself with the support of her family.
Still Life with Tornado deals with mental health, the many forms of abuse, and family issues. Sarah's story is much darker than mine, but I could relate to the disillusionment that springs from a confusing parental situation that's never directly addressed. I loved the concept of different Sarahs, the way art played a part in the story, and Sarah's realizations at the end. If you liked We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson, you might be interested in this book.
* I was reminded of a quote from Cruel Beautiful World: "You don't know what you're seeing sometimes, when you see it .....You don't know how bad it can get."
_____________
I received this book for free from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. It's available for purchase.
Here’s what I think. I think we’re really smart when we’re young. Ten-year-old Sarah is smarter than I am because I��m six years older. Twenty-three-year-old Sarah is dumber than me because I’m sixteen. Someone somewhere was way older and richer and dumber than all of us and paid forty-five million dollars for a bunch of dots. I think this kind of smart isn’t something they can measure with tests. I think it’s like being psychic or being holy. If I could be anyone for the rest of my life, I would be a little kid. (Sarah)
Sarah was an aspiring artist and I loved how that part of her life is integrated into the story, especially the concept of a tornado as something that is one thing on the outside, but another thing on the inside. Sarah is at a point in her life where adults are constantly asking her about her future, but she hasn't even dealt with her past. She's unable to stay in the present, which is where the future and past Sarahs come in. Versions of Sarah at different stages in life materialize to help her process her trauma. Ten-year-old Sarah is still a happy kid and the memories of the vacation are still fresh for her. Twenty-three-year-old Sarah can barely remember being sixteen and thinks sixteen-year-old Sarah is silly and dramatic. Sixteen-year-old Sarah looks up to forty-year-old Sarah who is the most self-assured. What surprised me is that these Sarahs aren't hallucinations; other people can see them.
The older people get, the less they can do about things. They seem to be stuck. They seem to be glue. (Sarah)
Sarah's mom Helen gets to tell her side of the story. Helen's chapters help illuminate parts that Sarah doesn't understand. Helen's story shows how easy it is to get stuck in a bad situation and how hard it is to see in the middle of a storm.* It also shows how attempts to make things better can actually make them worse. Likewise, sometimes making things worse can make them better.
There are also flashbacks to the family vacation. Everything seems relatively normal at first, but there are clear indications that there is something stirring under the surface. ("Can’t you just pretend to have a good time?” “Why pretend? Aren’t we doing enough pretending as it is?") Between her mother's chapters and the day-by-day reveal of the trip to Mexico, we get a clearer picture of why Sarah is so depressed.
But now it’s been so long that if I bring it up, I’ll look like a girl who can’t let go of things. Teenage girls always have to let go of things. If we bring up anything, people say we’re bitches who can’t just drop it. (Sarah)
I identified with twenty-three-year-old Sarah at first, because I didn't know if would be interested in sixteen-year-old Sarah for the entire book! Like the protagonist in We Are the Ants, Sarah is depressed and expresses repetitive thoughts. She has received so many (unintentionally) damaging messages from trusted adults, that she now feels very little control over her life. She wants to disappear and is no longer interested in the hobbies she used to love. Sarah knows that "breaking your brain is the same as breaking your arm", but she still feels shame about her situation. Sarah initially sees her problems as too small to bother anyone with, but she learns that her problems do matter. She doesn't have to be strong and deal with it alone. It's refreshing that romance was not part of this book. Sarah's potential recovery has to come from within herself with the support of her family.
Here’s why I like making things. I like making things because when I was born, everything I was born into was already made for me. Art let me surround myself with something different. Something new. Something real. Something that was mine. I don’t know if this means I could also be a competent architect. Or a car mechanic. Or a carpenter. I just like constructing new things that are real. I believe this is a side effect of growing from seed in soil made of lies. I believe this is a side effect of being born into ruins—this need for construction. (Sarah)
Still Life with Tornado deals with mental health, the many forms of abuse, and family issues. Sarah's story is much darker than mine, but I could relate to the disillusionment that springs from a confusing parental situation that's never directly addressed. I loved the concept of different Sarahs, the way art played a part in the story, and Sarah's realizations at the end. If you liked We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson, you might be interested in this book.
You can't change people with love. It doesn't work that way. (Helen)
* I was reminded of a quote from Cruel Beautiful World: "You don't know what you're seeing sometimes, when you see it .....You don't know how bad it can get."
_____________
I received this book for free from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. It's available for purchase.
August 11, 2016
I love to be surprised by YA authors who manage to find a new angle from which to write about the same topics, too well-trodden in YA lit. Here is a fresh take on the family-abuse scenario. Of course, this A.S. King, so some magic realism is in the mix. "Still Life with Tornado" follows King's winning formula, but this formula still works for me.
May 22, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Before I even begin, let me forewarn you that there is no way this is going to amount to any semblance of an informative review (so different than usual, right????). This is my fourth or fifth A.S. King book and at this point I pretty can only say . . . .
My first King experience was Everybody Sees the Ants (which I read back in the day when my reviews pretty much said Earth shattering stuff like “dis was gud”) and everything I’ve read since has been progressively more strange . . . . .
I fear if I start typing too many words I’ll end up typing all of them and spill the entire storyline here. Let me just say that I appreciated that although the propellant of the entire book was . . . .
“Maybe I’m snapping. Maybe I’ve already snapped and I’m coming back to real life. Maybe this is some sort of existential crisis.”
The catalyst behind Sarah seeing (literally, not figuratively) so many versions of herself wasn’t due to the oft used “superbads” like mental illness or rape, but another (triggery) item that impacts many families (as well as an additional item that explained why Sarah’s views on becoming an artist had done such a 180).
If you’re looking for a completely unique voice in young adult literature, A.S. King may be the author for you. 3.5 Stars, but rounded down because it took a pretty open mind (amazing that I sometimes have one of those, huh?) to ride this one out to the point where things started making sense.
Before I even begin, let me forewarn you that there is no way this is going to amount to any semblance of an informative review (so different than usual, right????). This is my fourth or fifth A.S. King book and at this point I pretty can only say . . . .
My first King experience was Everybody Sees the Ants (which I read back in the day when my reviews pretty much said Earth shattering stuff like “dis was gud”) and everything I’ve read since has been progressively more strange . . . . .
I fear if I start typing too many words I’ll end up typing all of them and spill the entire storyline here. Let me just say that I appreciated that although the propellant of the entire book was . . . .
“Maybe I’m snapping. Maybe I’ve already snapped and I’m coming back to real life. Maybe this is some sort of existential crisis.”
The catalyst behind Sarah seeing (literally, not figuratively) so many versions of herself wasn’t due to the oft used “superbads” like mental illness or rape, but another (triggery) item that impacts many families (as well as an additional item that explained why Sarah’s views on becoming an artist had done such a 180).
If you’re looking for a completely unique voice in young adult literature, A.S. King may be the author for you. 3.5 Stars, but rounded down because it took a pretty open mind (amazing that I sometimes have one of those, huh?) to ride this one out to the point where things started making sense.
October 25, 2016
“There are far too many silent sufferers. Not because they don't yearn to reach out, but because they've tried and found no one who cares.”
----Richelle E. Goodrich
A.S. King, an award winning and bestselling American author, pens a heart wrenching tale of abuse, magical realism, teenage existential crisis in her new YA novel, Still Life with Tornado where the central characters of 16 years of age is a victim of existential crisis who has lost the creativity and power to imagination to create new art, all the while internally suffering for the bruises that she got six years ago on a trip to Mexico and also the virulent life that is closing in on her her, thereby choking her to a mental paranoia. Running away seems the only answer, but will all her questions be answered?
Synopsis:
“I am sixteen years old. I am a human being.”
Actually Sarah is several human beings. At once. And only one of them is sixteen. Her parents insist she’s a gifted artist with a bright future, but now she can’t draw a thing, not even her own hand. Meanwhile, there’s a ten-year-old Sarah with a filthy mouth, a bad sunburn, and a clear memory of the family vacation in Mexico that ruined everything. She’s a ray of sunshine compared to twenty-three-year-old Sarah, who has snazzy highlights and a bad attitude. And then there’s forty-year-old Sarah (makes good queso dip, doesn’t wear a bra, really wants sixteen-year-old Sarah to tell the truth about her art teacher). They’re all wandering Philadelphia—along with a homeless artist allegedly named Earl—and they’re all worried about Sarah’s future.
But Sarah’s future isn’t the problem. The present is where she might be having an existential crisis. Or maybe all those other Sarahs are trying to wake her up before she’s lost forever in the tornado of violence and denial that is her parents’ marriage.
“I am a human being. I am sixteen years old. That should be enough.”
Sarah, the 16 year old one, is running. She is not running from herself, she is running away from the virulent relationship between her mother and father between whom she is trapped into. Sarah faces problem with her creativity as she fails to create any original with her talent, instead she follows a homeless painter, Earl to a wild road trip, only to find conclusion to her own future, past and present. But the problem lies deep within her mind and her soul, where there are three more Sarahs (a 10 year old, a 23-year old and a 40 year old) who are trying to let Sarah quench her thirst for the lingering questions for so long and to find solutions to the existing problems of her life.
So many diverse characters lying deep within the boundary of one central character, each being a stranger to one another. From the synopsis itself, the book enchanted me with the idea of multiple characters embodied within one, but once I trod my way into the story, I was taken aback with the surprise that was waiting for me in the folds of this story, that is, mind it, not only purely dark and raw, but also extremely real and painful to grasp it into our emotional systems.
The author's writing style is extraordinary, very strong and complete with layers that are revealed one after another in a gradual flow. The narrative is highly engaging right from the very beginning and holds the power to questions it own retrospective voice, all the while keeping the readers glued into its deepest core. The emotions run deep, raw and wild without any limitation and holds the power to drown the readers with its intensity. The pacing of the story is bit moderate as the story unravels through tons of layers that only gives depth and insight into the characters' lives.
The characters are extremely well developed with enough realism reflecting through their demeanor. The central character, who is a 16 year old girl, has been voiced strikingly through the storm that is raging on in her mind and soul, and also through the distinction among the three other characters lurking deep within herself who are diverse in their manners and behavior. But what actually makes Sarah an exceptional character is not her emotional or mental turmoil, but the way she handles her life after meeting Earl, how she fights to bring balance in her life is brilliantly portrayed. Sarah is psychologically flawed, yet her flaws and darkness will keep that grip into the readers' minds all throughout the story line. The other characters, especially the mother, father, lost brother and Earl, all play a major role to the story which the author have smartly captivated through Sarah's tale.
If you think even for once that this book is about abuse, then you're wrong, marriage and messed up relationships play a huge part in this story, while the backdrop being of teenage abuse and mental trauma. Although in this story, the author draws a fine line that runs closely together between imagination and reality so the readers might get lost into a seedy world of realism and imagination.
In a nutshell, this story is unique, heart breaking, enlightening and alluring enough to make the readers feel for the story as well as for the characters and I bet there are many teenager readers, who are either facing the same trouble like Sarah or have faced them in the past, will relate to this story strongly.
Verdict: A must read not for the story but for a teenage fractured protagonist.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Richelle E. Goodrich
A.S. King, an award winning and bestselling American author, pens a heart wrenching tale of abuse, magical realism, teenage existential crisis in her new YA novel, Still Life with Tornado where the central characters of 16 years of age is a victim of existential crisis who has lost the creativity and power to imagination to create new art, all the while internally suffering for the bruises that she got six years ago on a trip to Mexico and also the virulent life that is closing in on her her, thereby choking her to a mental paranoia. Running away seems the only answer, but will all her questions be answered?
Synopsis:
“I am sixteen years old. I am a human being.”
Actually Sarah is several human beings. At once. And only one of them is sixteen. Her parents insist she’s a gifted artist with a bright future, but now she can’t draw a thing, not even her own hand. Meanwhile, there’s a ten-year-old Sarah with a filthy mouth, a bad sunburn, and a clear memory of the family vacation in Mexico that ruined everything. She’s a ray of sunshine compared to twenty-three-year-old Sarah, who has snazzy highlights and a bad attitude. And then there’s forty-year-old Sarah (makes good queso dip, doesn’t wear a bra, really wants sixteen-year-old Sarah to tell the truth about her art teacher). They’re all wandering Philadelphia—along with a homeless artist allegedly named Earl—and they’re all worried about Sarah’s future.
But Sarah’s future isn’t the problem. The present is where she might be having an existential crisis. Or maybe all those other Sarahs are trying to wake her up before she’s lost forever in the tornado of violence and denial that is her parents’ marriage.
“I am a human being. I am sixteen years old. That should be enough.”
Sarah, the 16 year old one, is running. She is not running from herself, she is running away from the virulent relationship between her mother and father between whom she is trapped into. Sarah faces problem with her creativity as she fails to create any original with her talent, instead she follows a homeless painter, Earl to a wild road trip, only to find conclusion to her own future, past and present. But the problem lies deep within her mind and her soul, where there are three more Sarahs (a 10 year old, a 23-year old and a 40 year old) who are trying to let Sarah quench her thirst for the lingering questions for so long and to find solutions to the existing problems of her life.
So many diverse characters lying deep within the boundary of one central character, each being a stranger to one another. From the synopsis itself, the book enchanted me with the idea of multiple characters embodied within one, but once I trod my way into the story, I was taken aback with the surprise that was waiting for me in the folds of this story, that is, mind it, not only purely dark and raw, but also extremely real and painful to grasp it into our emotional systems.
The author's writing style is extraordinary, very strong and complete with layers that are revealed one after another in a gradual flow. The narrative is highly engaging right from the very beginning and holds the power to questions it own retrospective voice, all the while keeping the readers glued into its deepest core. The emotions run deep, raw and wild without any limitation and holds the power to drown the readers with its intensity. The pacing of the story is bit moderate as the story unravels through tons of layers that only gives depth and insight into the characters' lives.
The characters are extremely well developed with enough realism reflecting through their demeanor. The central character, who is a 16 year old girl, has been voiced strikingly through the storm that is raging on in her mind and soul, and also through the distinction among the three other characters lurking deep within herself who are diverse in their manners and behavior. But what actually makes Sarah an exceptional character is not her emotional or mental turmoil, but the way she handles her life after meeting Earl, how she fights to bring balance in her life is brilliantly portrayed. Sarah is psychologically flawed, yet her flaws and darkness will keep that grip into the readers' minds all throughout the story line. The other characters, especially the mother, father, lost brother and Earl, all play a major role to the story which the author have smartly captivated through Sarah's tale.
If you think even for once that this book is about abuse, then you're wrong, marriage and messed up relationships play a huge part in this story, while the backdrop being of teenage abuse and mental trauma. Although in this story, the author draws a fine line that runs closely together between imagination and reality so the readers might get lost into a seedy world of realism and imagination.
In a nutshell, this story is unique, heart breaking, enlightening and alluring enough to make the readers feel for the story as well as for the characters and I bet there are many teenager readers, who are either facing the same trouble like Sarah or have faced them in the past, will relate to this story strongly.
Verdict: A must read not for the story but for a teenage fractured protagonist.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
October 4, 2016
I just finished and like usual, I have no idea wtf I just read. And I love it.
Being inside Sarah's head is unlike any other monologue. It's messy and confusing and heartbreaking. We get snippets of POV from Sarah's mom, Helen, and they're even worse.
There were layers upon layers upon layers and each one is revealed so deliciously slow. We were learning things the same time Sarah did. There isn't anything I can say or try to explain that will make the plot arc make sense. It's a jumble of past and present and it's a story told in a way that only A.S. King could tell.
As always, I'm left with a lot of confusion and a real sense of satisfaction. If you're not reading A.S. King's books, you should be.
**Huge thanks to Dutton Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Being inside Sarah's head is unlike any other monologue. It's messy and confusing and heartbreaking. We get snippets of POV from Sarah's mom, Helen, and they're even worse.
There were layers upon layers upon layers and each one is revealed so deliciously slow. We were learning things the same time Sarah did. There isn't anything I can say or try to explain that will make the plot arc make sense. It's a jumble of past and present and it's a story told in a way that only A.S. King could tell.
As always, I'm left with a lot of confusion and a real sense of satisfaction. If you're not reading A.S. King's books, you should be.
**Huge thanks to Dutton Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
June 13, 2017
Initial reaction:Probably one of the most original and engaging stories I've read of its measure. Sarah's story and different personalities really held my attention throughout the read.
Full review:
It's on an ironic note that while that the protagonist of this book (Sarah) was worried about being "original", "Still Life with Tornado" is truly one of the most original reads I've seen in the YA spectrum to date. I honestly have never read a story quite like this - blending a bit of speculative fiction/magical realism with a rather heavy coming of age tale.
Sarah is a 16-year old with a difficult life that steadily takes turns for the worst. It's bad enough that she stops going to high school and wants to drop out prematurely (for reasons that are unknown to the reader at first), but she's also lost what was once her primary love: art. Her home life is fragmented - her parents constantly fighting and she hasn't been in contact with her older brother in years after a vacation that went horribly wrong almost from the very beginning. She's not sure what she should do and where she should go in the present day, only searches for things that she thinks are "original" or stand out in ways that her current life can't provide. Her "existential crisis" takes an unexpected turn as she suddenly encounters other versions of...herself. In public. Where other people can see and interact with them as well.
Sarah's forced to confront some very stark truths in her past and present while meeting her 10-year old, 23-year old, and 40 year old selves. Some of these encounters bring lightly humored situations - I really enjoyed getting to know the unique personalities each "Sarah" has and ultimately how they get 16-year old Sarah to react. Other moments with their interactions showcase more painful moments in Sarah's life, ultimately culminating where she's called to face the truth and stand up to challenges in ways she didn't think she could before. Sarah's POV is supplemented with her mother's to provide context in past events that lead up to the current state of their home life, even in events that Sarah herself was too young to witness or absent for the observation into what lead up to the present day. I applaud A.S. King for providing such an intimate portrait of a young woman who has to come to terms with the abusive relationships around her - not just at home but at school as well.
It's hard not to be invested in this story for the slow burn and reveals it provides - taking an eye to each of the primary characters and exploring levels of depth through their interactions and observations. I felt that 16-year old Sarah's voice resonated with me because she feels like a real teenager struggling through several emotional upheavals, but yet is in this unique scenario where she's allowed to confront those events.
I really enjoyed this novel, not just through the characters and plot, but the strength of King's writing. Definitely a book I'm glad to have in my personal library and one I'd definitely read again and recommend.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
Full review:
It's on an ironic note that while that the protagonist of this book (Sarah) was worried about being "original", "Still Life with Tornado" is truly one of the most original reads I've seen in the YA spectrum to date. I honestly have never read a story quite like this - blending a bit of speculative fiction/magical realism with a rather heavy coming of age tale.
Sarah is a 16-year old with a difficult life that steadily takes turns for the worst. It's bad enough that she stops going to high school and wants to drop out prematurely (for reasons that are unknown to the reader at first), but she's also lost what was once her primary love: art. Her home life is fragmented - her parents constantly fighting and she hasn't been in contact with her older brother in years after a vacation that went horribly wrong almost from the very beginning. She's not sure what she should do and where she should go in the present day, only searches for things that she thinks are "original" or stand out in ways that her current life can't provide. Her "existential crisis" takes an unexpected turn as she suddenly encounters other versions of...herself. In public. Where other people can see and interact with them as well.
Sarah's forced to confront some very stark truths in her past and present while meeting her 10-year old, 23-year old, and 40 year old selves. Some of these encounters bring lightly humored situations - I really enjoyed getting to know the unique personalities each "Sarah" has and ultimately how they get 16-year old Sarah to react. Other moments with their interactions showcase more painful moments in Sarah's life, ultimately culminating where she's called to face the truth and stand up to challenges in ways she didn't think she could before. Sarah's POV is supplemented with her mother's to provide context in past events that lead up to the current state of their home life, even in events that Sarah herself was too young to witness or absent for the observation into what lead up to the present day. I applaud A.S. King for providing such an intimate portrait of a young woman who has to come to terms with the abusive relationships around her - not just at home but at school as well.
It's hard not to be invested in this story for the slow burn and reveals it provides - taking an eye to each of the primary characters and exploring levels of depth through their interactions and observations. I felt that 16-year old Sarah's voice resonated with me because she feels like a real teenager struggling through several emotional upheavals, but yet is in this unique scenario where she's allowed to confront those events.
I really enjoyed this novel, not just through the characters and plot, but the strength of King's writing. Definitely a book I'm glad to have in my personal library and one I'd definitely read again and recommend.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
February 7, 2017
"Actually Sara was several human beings at once."
Sara is a 16 year old artist, because of circumstances in her past that she has suppressed, has lost the ability and the will to draw or create anything. Meanwhile, she stops going to school and wanders the streets of Philadelphia where she meets her 10 year old self, 23 year old self and 40 year old self.
Now before you assume this a result of some sort of schizophrenic break (like I did), the rest of the people in her family see all these of Saras as well. So not a mental disorder.
It's a unique premise, and in a book that was all about the fact that 'there are no original ideas', it really missed an opportunity to be original. The 'how' of the appearance of the Saras was never explained, which is something I really wanted to know. The 'why' of their appearance was barely explored and unsatisfying. Each one of the Saras could have been fleshed out and given a deeper meaning for showing up in her life, but they were each basically boring.
This could have been a really interesting book and it fell short.
Sara is a 16 year old artist, because of circumstances in her past that she has suppressed, has lost the ability and the will to draw or create anything. Meanwhile, she stops going to school and wanders the streets of Philadelphia where she meets her 10 year old self, 23 year old self and 40 year old self.
Now before you assume this a result of some sort of schizophrenic break (like I did), the rest of the people in her family see all these of Saras as well. So not a mental disorder.
It's a unique premise, and in a book that was all about the fact that 'there are no original ideas', it really missed an opportunity to be original. The 'how' of the appearance of the Saras was never explained, which is something I really wanted to know. The 'why' of their appearance was barely explored and unsatisfying. Each one of the Saras could have been fleshed out and given a deeper meaning for showing up in her life, but they were each basically boring.
This could have been a really interesting book and it fell short.
October 3, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This book surprised me. I really didn't know what to think going into it. I grabbed it just because it looked somewhat interesting. I actually try not to read too much about a book before I sit down to read. For much of the book, I had no idea where things were going but I couldn't stop reading. Things shifted in the story at a point and what this book is really about became more clear. In the end, I really enjoyed this story.
Sarah is in the middle of a crisis. Nothing seems original to her and she doesn't want to do much of anything. She is about to be expelled from school since she hasn't been going. Nothing original happens there anyway. Past and future Sarahs keep popping into her life but don't always offer a whole lot of help. She spends her days following a homeless man around, walking around abandoned buildings, and trying to be original.
I really thought for the first part of the story the book was about mental illness. Sarah seems so depressed and when she started running into other versions of herself, I was sure she was hallucinating. I was wrong. This book is really about something else that starts to be unraveled as Sarah works to piece together her past. The bit of magical realism in the story was surprising but it helped to tell the story in a unique manner.
This was a really fast read for me. The way that the story was told was captivating. I knew that there was something going on and I had to keep reading to find out what it was. I liked that a bit of magical realism made its way into the story since it was completely unexpected. Sarah voice was compelling. From the very beginning of the book, I felt for this girl and wanted to find out what brought her to this place in life.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I think that it is a book that touches on a difficult topic in a completely new way. This is the first book by A.S. King that I have had a chance to read but I definitely plan to check out more of her work in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Dutton Books for Young Readers via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This was a really fast read for me. I had no idea where the book was going for the first part. Things shifted gears into something different than I expected. I really liked the way the story was told and I found this book incredibly hard to put down.
This book surprised me. I really didn't know what to think going into it. I grabbed it just because it looked somewhat interesting. I actually try not to read too much about a book before I sit down to read. For much of the book, I had no idea where things were going but I couldn't stop reading. Things shifted in the story at a point and what this book is really about became more clear. In the end, I really enjoyed this story.
Sarah is in the middle of a crisis. Nothing seems original to her and she doesn't want to do much of anything. She is about to be expelled from school since she hasn't been going. Nothing original happens there anyway. Past and future Sarahs keep popping into her life but don't always offer a whole lot of help. She spends her days following a homeless man around, walking around abandoned buildings, and trying to be original.
I really thought for the first part of the story the book was about mental illness. Sarah seems so depressed and when she started running into other versions of herself, I was sure she was hallucinating. I was wrong. This book is really about something else that starts to be unraveled as Sarah works to piece together her past. The bit of magical realism in the story was surprising but it helped to tell the story in a unique manner.
This was a really fast read for me. The way that the story was told was captivating. I knew that there was something going on and I had to keep reading to find out what it was. I liked that a bit of magical realism made its way into the story since it was completely unexpected. Sarah voice was compelling. From the very beginning of the book, I felt for this girl and wanted to find out what brought her to this place in life.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I think that it is a book that touches on a difficult topic in a completely new way. This is the first book by A.S. King that I have had a chance to read but I definitely plan to check out more of her work in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Dutton Books for Young Readers via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This was a really fast read for me. I had no idea where the book was going for the first part. Things shifted gears into something different than I expected. I really liked the way the story was told and I found this book incredibly hard to put down.
July 15, 2017
3.75 ⭐️
This was very real and unreal at the same time. Sarahs parents want her to be an artist, she wants to be an artist but she doesnt really care to be an artist, but thats what she's supposed to be.
I dont really understand the multiple Sarahs young and old that confused me and makes me think i missed something.
If you watch the show the middle you know that it is very much like real life but a bit exaggerated. This book tried to be very real i think but it was very slow and didnt really pick up until i was half way through. Once it did pick up everything flowed and was intricate and beautiful.
It was a good book but it was weird and slow to start but then got faster and still weird with the multiple sarahs but it had an interesting premise and i loved all of her art and what she says about art and creativity and how nothing is new "everything is unoriginal".
I really liked Sarahs relationship with her brother, bruce.
"I am a human being"
"I decide to tell him about 10 year old Sarah, its time they meet"
This was very real and unreal at the same time. Sarahs parents want her to be an artist, she wants to be an artist but she doesnt really care to be an artist, but thats what she's supposed to be.
I dont really understand the multiple Sarahs young and old that confused me and makes me think i missed something.
If you watch the show the middle you know that it is very much like real life but a bit exaggerated. This book tried to be very real i think but it was very slow and didnt really pick up until i was half way through. Once it did pick up everything flowed and was intricate and beautiful.
It was a good book but it was weird and slow to start but then got faster and still weird with the multiple sarahs but it had an interesting premise and i loved all of her art and what she says about art and creativity and how nothing is new "everything is unoriginal".
I really liked Sarahs relationship with her brother, bruce.
"I am a human being"
"I decide to tell him about 10 year old Sarah, its time they meet"
July 9, 2017
I'm very surprised by this book, wow just wow it was very strange but very unique in it's own way and i actually really enjoyed this one more then expected.
It was a good story and excellent writing, i got the chance to meet the author speak about her writing processes and how she comes up with book ideas. Her writing and the way she thinks are very similar which is so good to see in real life and on the page.
I had never read a book by A.S. King before or even heard of her books until i went to the event in my state, I'm glad i got the chance to learn a bit more about the author and her books!
definitely cannot wait to read more from this author in the future
It was a good story and excellent writing, i got the chance to meet the author speak about her writing processes and how she comes up with book ideas. Her writing and the way she thinks are very similar which is so good to see in real life and on the page.
I had never read a book by A.S. King before or even heard of her books until i went to the event in my state, I'm glad i got the chance to learn a bit more about the author and her books!
definitely cannot wait to read more from this author in the future
September 3, 2020
3/5 ★
i love art related books, and STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO was exactly what my art-lovin'-self needed. the story follows a girl who is struggling with an 'existential crisis' and can't seem to draw anymore. in reality, i think she's suffering from PTSD. i didn't expect this book to be about tough situations, but i didn't mind that it was.
one thing i enjoyed was that there is no romance – at all. it's rare to find a contemporary YA novel with absolutely no romance, and i felt that this was more realistic. the protagonist talks about how she loves art more than anything else, and i could see that parallel in my real life. i also liked the writing style as there were lots of repetitions and metaphors.
although there aren't many things i DIDN'T like about STILL LIFE, i simply didn't find it memorable. as i write this, it's been a week since i finished the book and i can't remember the main character's name. in this way, i'm a little disappointed because i was hoping it wouldn't be this lackluster. i was also hoping the ending would have more closure. there were two conflicts brought up in the plot and we only know the end result of one. *sigh*
STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO was alright. i really enjoyed the writing and found myself smiling and frowning with the characters. however, i didn't connect deeply with the story and found it average.
i love art related books, and STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO was exactly what my art-lovin'-self needed. the story follows a girl who is struggling with an 'existential crisis' and can't seem to draw anymore. in reality, i think she's suffering from PTSD. i didn't expect this book to be about tough situations, but i didn't mind that it was.
one thing i enjoyed was that there is no romance – at all. it's rare to find a contemporary YA novel with absolutely no romance, and i felt that this was more realistic. the protagonist talks about how she loves art more than anything else, and i could see that parallel in my real life. i also liked the writing style as there were lots of repetitions and metaphors.
although there aren't many things i DIDN'T like about STILL LIFE, i simply didn't find it memorable. as i write this, it's been a week since i finished the book and i can't remember the main character's name. in this way, i'm a little disappointed because i was hoping it wouldn't be this lackluster. i was also hoping the ending would have more closure. there were two conflicts brought up in the plot and we only know the end result of one. *sigh*
STILL LIFE WITH TORNADO was alright. i really enjoyed the writing and found myself smiling and frowning with the characters. however, i didn't connect deeply with the story and found it average.
August 7, 2017
【Likes】
• magical realism (I liked how seeing her past and the future made her decide who she is in the present. And this idea had become perfect with the other Sarahs.)
• writing (It was easy to read and made me want to keep reading. Even though it had many problems that I'll mention in the dislikes.)
• characters (The characters were different with distinguishing characteristics.)
• ending (it wasn't a dark ending so it was great.)
• emotions (I could empathize with Sarah's emotions, especially when she was scared or sad.)
〖Dislikes〗
• swears (so many)
• drama queen (Sarah kept repeating "You think I'm just a teenager so it's all drama". Well, repeating that doesn't make her not-a-drama-queen. She was a drama queen. Doesn't mean she should be ignored, no. But she made problems bigger than they really were by overthinking.)
• trying to be deep (The book tried so hard to act like it's a deep book! But actually it wasn't. Repeating phrases like "he was art" or "nothing ever really happens" or "that wasn't original either" doesn't make a book deep. I just couldn't stop feeling like the author wanted to make the book sound like John Green's books with metaphors and all. But it wasn't even close.)
• repeating (ugh. So much repeating.)
• magical realism (I liked how seeing her past and the future made her decide who she is in the present. And this idea had become perfect with the other Sarahs.)
• writing (It was easy to read and made me want to keep reading. Even though it had many problems that I'll mention in the dislikes.)
• characters (The characters were different with distinguishing characteristics.)
• ending (it wasn't a dark ending so it was great.)
• emotions (I could empathize with Sarah's emotions, especially when she was scared or sad.)
〖Dislikes〗
• swears (so many)
• drama queen (Sarah kept repeating "You think I'm just a teenager so it's all drama". Well, repeating that doesn't make her not-a-drama-queen. She was a drama queen. Doesn't mean she should be ignored, no. But she made problems bigger than they really were by overthinking.)
• trying to be deep (The book tried so hard to act like it's a deep book! But actually it wasn't. Repeating phrases like "he was art" or "nothing ever really happens" or "that wasn't original either" doesn't make a book deep. I just couldn't stop feeling like the author wanted to make the book sound like John Green's books with metaphors and all. But it wasn't even close.)
• repeating (ugh. So much repeating.)
February 13, 2021
This must be one of the most strange books I've ever read and I've read a lot of books. The topic in here is very heavy and to make it more confusing there are very strong elements of quantum mechanics in the story as well. And it's those quantum elements that really make the story so bizarre. As I was reading I truthfully didn't know if the main character was going crazy or what...and yes, it can also be a little frustrating too maybe because it's just so out there. The book isn't really advertised as sci-fi or anything but if you decide to read this be ready for some next level weirdness.
But I do think this story is worth reading. It's about a girl who's feeling very alone and left out of life. She's having emotional problems so she quits school to just wonder around and do some things she shouldn't be doing (nothing illegal really). Art is her life and she's lost her muse due to some heartbreaking incidents at school. But she's very tight lipped and won't tell anyone what had happened. She just feels hopeless. She's lost her drive and just doesn't care about stuff...like going to school. And it doesn't help any that there are family problems at home too.
It was a bit hard to read this book. It's rather odd and depressing too. And the subject matter is very serious. It's not a page turner or anything. But on the end it shows you have to stand up for yourself.
The main thing that kept me reading this is I wanted to learn what dark things were in the family's past...what had happened on that trip to Mexico. It didn't go the way I had thought it would. But that's ok... It does show how deeply hurt people can be by mean cruel people. A lot of the story line is about bullying. And being bullied makes your emotions swirl like a big black tornado with different things caught up in it.
But I do think this story is worth reading. It's about a girl who's feeling very alone and left out of life. She's having emotional problems so she quits school to just wonder around and do some things she shouldn't be doing (nothing illegal really). Art is her life and she's lost her muse due to some heartbreaking incidents at school. But she's very tight lipped and won't tell anyone what had happened. She just feels hopeless. She's lost her drive and just doesn't care about stuff...like going to school. And it doesn't help any that there are family problems at home too.
It was a bit hard to read this book. It's rather odd and depressing too. And the subject matter is very serious. It's not a page turner or anything. But on the end it shows you have to stand up for yourself.
The main thing that kept me reading this is I wanted to learn what dark things were in the family's past...what had happened on that trip to Mexico. It didn't go the way I had thought it would. But that's ok... It does show how deeply hurt people can be by mean cruel people. A lot of the story line is about bullying. And being bullied makes your emotions swirl like a big black tornado with different things caught up in it.
February 9, 2017
Damn.
A.S. King doesn't play around- she is easily one of the best YA writers today; I would recommend any of her books in a heartbeat. Each one filled with magical realism elements that are unique & stand out from other books with similar concepts; characters that you don't quite understand at first only to have them completely shatter your heart at the end. That's pretty much what I would summarize her work down to: books that can crush you with one blow. Each one powerful enough to hold your attention to read in 1 (2 if it hurts too much) sitting; these are reminders of what I wish to aspire to. Substance; there is only substance. No filler. No bullshit.
Sixteen year old Sarah is surrounded by brokenness. Broken parents (who are only together because they made a deal to stay until Sarah leaves...among the fact that her mother, Helen, cannot bring herself to become unstuck. How can you see the remnants of the decay when the black smog is choking you?) Broken family life- besides feeling increasingly more lonely with her parents she misses her older brother Bruce & doesn't understand why he is gone; why her parents act like he never existed. Broken school-life- something happens at school that causes Sarah to not want to go back; being a (near, in her case) high school dropout is still a taboo subject I feel especially in literature so I really appreciated the approach of not being condescending towards her or making her out to be anything less than human. Yes, these things are important to me.
But the person who is the most broken is Sarah. She no longer finds happiness in art & decides to stop. This broke my heart as I could easily relate to giving up to what made me happy, being lost for a while. Sarah doesn't know the whole story of her family, only that it is different. It is like smelling burning plastic on the stove but you can never fully scrape it off; the smell of rotten decay can never be fully gone until you have escaped. Until you have escaped the person who makes you feel like staying stagnant is normal. The person who makes you feel like being stuck is as good as your life is meant to get.
Obviously, I could resonate with this story. Sarah's pain & confusion bled into me like I was seeing my own childhood being played out across the pages. Highly recommended; there needs to be more books like this.
This is exactly the kind of book I needed when I was ten years old. Then maybe I would have learned how to get rid of that armor a long time ago; I would have learned how to not become so heavy.
A.S. King doesn't play around- she is easily one of the best YA writers today; I would recommend any of her books in a heartbeat. Each one filled with magical realism elements that are unique & stand out from other books with similar concepts; characters that you don't quite understand at first only to have them completely shatter your heart at the end. That's pretty much what I would summarize her work down to: books that can crush you with one blow. Each one powerful enough to hold your attention to read in 1 (2 if it hurts too much) sitting; these are reminders of what I wish to aspire to. Substance; there is only substance. No filler. No bullshit.
Sixteen year old Sarah is surrounded by brokenness. Broken parents (who are only together because they made a deal to stay until Sarah leaves...among the fact that her mother, Helen, cannot bring herself to become unstuck. How can you see the remnants of the decay when the black smog is choking you?) Broken family life- besides feeling increasingly more lonely with her parents she misses her older brother Bruce & doesn't understand why he is gone; why her parents act like he never existed. Broken school-life- something happens at school that causes Sarah to not want to go back; being a (near, in her case) high school dropout is still a taboo subject I feel especially in literature so I really appreciated the approach of not being condescending towards her or making her out to be anything less than human. Yes, these things are important to me.
But the person who is the most broken is Sarah. She no longer finds happiness in art & decides to stop. This broke my heart as I could easily relate to giving up to what made me happy, being lost for a while. Sarah doesn't know the whole story of her family, only that it is different. It is like smelling burning plastic on the stove but you can never fully scrape it off; the smell of rotten decay can never be fully gone until you have escaped. Until you have escaped the person who makes you feel like staying stagnant is normal. The person who makes you feel like being stuck is as good as your life is meant to get.
Obviously, I could resonate with this story. Sarah's pain & confusion bled into me like I was seeing my own childhood being played out across the pages. Highly recommended; there needs to be more books like this.
This is exactly the kind of book I needed when I was ten years old. Then maybe I would have learned how to get rid of that armor a long time ago; I would have learned how to not become so heavy.
March 15, 2018
this was a ... weird read for me. it was interesting but hard to get into, and overall, i was getting some weeeirdd vibes. i didn't love sarah; her narration was repetitive, melodramatic, and teenage-angsty. i'm not trying to discredit what she had been through or her experience, but i personally just did not like the writing of the story. helen's (her mother's) chapters were my favorite because they were like mini life lessons and the few pages we got from her were more powerful than the many MANY we got from sarah. i would've actually loved to see an entire adult book from helen's perspective.
i think this is an important story, for sure, but the execution was not effective, at least for me. the mental illness representation was very shaky (it didn't specify what exactly sarah was going through) and i felt a bit that it romanticized mental illness by comparing it with art. no thank you.
i think this is an important story, for sure, but the execution was not effective, at least for me. the mental illness representation was very shaky (it didn't specify what exactly sarah was going through) and i felt a bit that it romanticized mental illness by comparing it with art. no thank you.
August 6, 2017
‘Moving, unapologetically strange, skilfully constructed…. Read this book, whatever your age. You may find it’s the exact shape and size of the hole in your heart.’
New York Times
‘You’ll find Still Life’s exploration of an artist’s inner strength particularly enriching.’
Teen Vogue
‘King understands and writes teen anxieties like no other, resulting in difficult, resonant, compelling characters and stories.’
Kirkus
‘A.S. King has always brought her unique touch to her YA novels, but she may have outdone even herself in Still Life with Tornado.’
Bustle
‘The presentation of the surreal as real, the deeply thoughtful questions she poses, the way she empowers her teenage characters to change the trajectory of their lives—King writes with the confidence of a tightrope walker working without a net.’
Publishers Weekly
‘Still Life with Tornado is a slow-burning but fascinating book…With elements of magical realism, this novel is one that will have you glued to the pages. The writing is as lyrical as it is poignant, and I couldn’t recommend this one enough for people wanting to delve into the sub-genre I call existential contemporary.’
Written Word Worlds
‘A slow burn of a novel concerned with the difficulty of coming to terms with life as it is...A riveting and rewarding read.’
Adelaide Advertiser
‘Still Life With Tornado is the perfect blend of magic, mystery, and real life. It’s clever, heartbreaking, and hopeful.’
Bookish Manicurist
‘A.S. King shows a deep understanding of teen anxieties and writes with streetwise humour, tenderness and originality…Hers is a magical style that dances off the page.’
Otago Daily Times
‘Amid the dark ubiquity of fractured relationships, crumbling families, adolescent angst and rebellion that characterises YA fiction, it is an unusual novel that rises above that common ground, that explores that generic territory in a fresh and compelling way. A.S. King is one writer who does just that.’
Magpies
‘An authentic representation of the effect of domestic violence on an ordinary family, and the complex consequences of trying to keep together while being as wind-swept as a tornado. A thoughtful read.’
Reading Time
‘A fantastic mix of contemporary and magic realism with some of the most well-developed characters I have ever read. If you’re a fan of character-driven novels, then this one is for you…This book has gotten under my skin.’
Younger Sun
New York Times
‘You’ll find Still Life’s exploration of an artist’s inner strength particularly enriching.’
Teen Vogue
‘King understands and writes teen anxieties like no other, resulting in difficult, resonant, compelling characters and stories.’
Kirkus
‘A.S. King has always brought her unique touch to her YA novels, but she may have outdone even herself in Still Life with Tornado.’
Bustle
‘The presentation of the surreal as real, the deeply thoughtful questions she poses, the way she empowers her teenage characters to change the trajectory of their lives—King writes with the confidence of a tightrope walker working without a net.’
Publishers Weekly
‘Still Life with Tornado is a slow-burning but fascinating book…With elements of magical realism, this novel is one that will have you glued to the pages. The writing is as lyrical as it is poignant, and I couldn’t recommend this one enough for people wanting to delve into the sub-genre I call existential contemporary.’
Written Word Worlds
‘A slow burn of a novel concerned with the difficulty of coming to terms with life as it is...A riveting and rewarding read.’
Adelaide Advertiser
‘Still Life With Tornado is the perfect blend of magic, mystery, and real life. It’s clever, heartbreaking, and hopeful.’
Bookish Manicurist
‘A.S. King shows a deep understanding of teen anxieties and writes with streetwise humour, tenderness and originality…Hers is a magical style that dances off the page.’
Otago Daily Times
‘Amid the dark ubiquity of fractured relationships, crumbling families, adolescent angst and rebellion that characterises YA fiction, it is an unusual novel that rises above that common ground, that explores that generic territory in a fresh and compelling way. A.S. King is one writer who does just that.’
Magpies
‘An authentic representation of the effect of domestic violence on an ordinary family, and the complex consequences of trying to keep together while being as wind-swept as a tornado. A thoughtful read.’
Reading Time
‘A fantastic mix of contemporary and magic realism with some of the most well-developed characters I have ever read. If you’re a fan of character-driven novels, then this one is for you…This book has gotten under my skin.’
Younger Sun
January 8, 2017
I know you wanted to let it go. I did, too, when I was you. But some things you just can't paint over.
This novel snuck up on me. I honestly did not expect to fall in love with it as much as I did. I even contemplated marking this one as a DNF for, oh, I don't know, about the first 40 pages or so. The repetitiveness of the text was a little frustrating initially, and it didn't serve to capture my interest as fast as I would have liked. But out of nowhere, this novel snatched me up and even now it still has me in its grips.
The writing here is brilliant, but it did take me a while to see that due to the deliberate ambiguity of the opening chapters. But once I got past that hump I was completely enraptured by A.S. King's prose. It's tight and even, clever, and full of meaning. The narrative is alluring and beguiling, the characters dynamic, the plot, well, the plot was a bit confusing at first, but it's compelling and intriguing and nothing like I've ever read before.
I did dock a star because at times I felt the plot wander about too much and there were just a few loose ends that I wish the author would have taken the time to explore, explain, and tie up. There's also a lot of questions I still have about Sarah's emotional trauma and how that has affected her mentally, and also how her relationship with her family is impacted by her new revelations. And don't even get me started on all the Sarah's. My complaint there is that I wish the present day Sarah could have had more interactions with them because I really enjoyed them.
Simply put, this book is art. It’s original and abstract. It's captivating and inspiring. It's the kind of art that you really have to look at and absorb. Passing glances simply won't do. It's the quiet type of art that makes you self-reflect. The type that brings deep emotions out of you. The kind of art that makes you look at the world differently, and makes you think differently.
And, well, now I need to get my hands on some more of A.S. King's art.
It’s hard to believe that some people can be so cruel to other people. But then, it’s not. I work here. I see things. I know things.
And then I look in the mirror and there I am.
Pretending. Always pretending.
November 13, 2017
There is a long list of things that I really loved about this book. I really appreciated the fact that although there were different narrators - Sarah's dad wasn't one of them. I find that some author's feel the need to give perspective from an abuser.. and it's not necessary.
A.S. King definitely has an acquired style of writing and it's not for everyone - but I'm finding it's for me. The past, future, and really future, Sarahs were an interesting take that could have been used as metaphors but were instead part of the story.
A.S. King definitely has an acquired style of writing and it's not for everyone - but I'm finding it's for me. The past, future, and really future, Sarahs were an interesting take that could have been used as metaphors but were instead part of the story.
December 11, 2017
Not my favourite A.S. King book, but still poignant and easy to read with just the right amount of magic
May 22, 2017
First up, I have to tell you I am not related to A.S.King although I would love her writing talent.
Still Life with Tornado is a book about art and the art of living. It tells the story of 16-year-old Sarah who is having an existential crisis. Sarah's family is breaking apart or is it already broken? It's a novel about Sarah making peace with her life; with the bits that feel like a burr in her sternum; with the history that has caused the burr and it tells what happens when Sarah drops out of school.
Themes of abuse, family breakdown, and self-identity dominate but moreover this is a book about coming through the fire alive and about seeking your truth.
A wonderfully written and perfectly structured novel of survival. Perfection from King.
Many thanks to my friends at Text Publishing for sending this gem of a book.
Still Life with Tornado is a book about art and the art of living. It tells the story of 16-year-old Sarah who is having an existential crisis. Sarah's family is breaking apart or is it already broken? It's a novel about Sarah making peace with her life; with the bits that feel like a burr in her sternum; with the history that has caused the burr and it tells what happens when Sarah drops out of school.
Themes of abuse, family breakdown, and self-identity dominate but moreover this is a book about coming through the fire alive and about seeking your truth.
A wonderfully written and perfectly structured novel of survival. Perfection from King.
Many thanks to my friends at Text Publishing for sending this gem of a book.
October 18, 2016
I'm not trusting myself to review this one because I really love the author that if I tried to write something about this book, I'm afraid I might blurt out a marriage proposal for this woman (that's how I love her, haha). She always put the books she wrote on a higher class of YA (at least for me). Every.Single.Time. But really, I wish I could tell you at least what this book is about, but it's many things. Like I expected, I get annoyed and won't connect with the character at first. But as the story goes, I knew that A.S King worked her magic writing this perfectly because for all I know, I already love this book. Okay, actually no, I already love this book even before it was published. I just saw the blurb and count down the days until I get my hands in this book and now that I did, I am beyond happy savoring this.
Her writing is an art - that's how closely I could describe it. Everything fit and worked out the way it's supposed to be. So yeah, biased opinion it is, and that's why I won't write a review but, whatever. Lol. This is just love at first sight and I'll love this book until I can't. ♥
Her writing is an art - that's how closely I could describe it. Everything fit and worked out the way it's supposed to be. So yeah, biased opinion it is, and that's why I won't write a review but, whatever. Lol. This is just love at first sight and I'll love this book until I can't. ♥
August 15, 2019
I'm a little on the fence with this one. The story is engaging and I really wanted to know what happened, but I found the main character, Sarah, extremely annoying for the first half of the book. Clearly, she is acting out from some sort of trauma that she has experienced, but it just annoyed the hell out of me--I don't know why. It just seemed random. I mean, following a homeless man around? Eating out of garbage cans? Sleeping on a park bench at night and going for a week without bathing or changing clothes? I just didn't see the connection or the point. It reminded me quite a bit of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, but I thought Anderson presented it more cohesively and meaningfully.
I did like the element of magical realism with the main character's appearances at various ages. After about the halfway mark, when the family's secret and the source of Sarah's trauma is revealed, the story really became gripping. I did find it a little difficult to believe that Sarah's father is able to control his rage and his behavior for so many years after having beaten his wife and son frequently for years. He apparently did not go to counseling or attempt behavior modification--he just stopped. I'm not an expert, but I thought that people who have rage disorders or who get pleasure from inflicting pain on others are like addicts and unable to turn it on and off like a tap.
Those are minor grievances. It's an engaging story and will no doubt hold teenagers enthralled.
I did like the element of magical realism with the main character's appearances at various ages. After about the halfway mark, when the family's secret and the source of Sarah's trauma is revealed, the story really became gripping. I did find it a little difficult to believe that Sarah's father is able to control his rage and his behavior for so many years after having beaten his wife and son frequently for years. He apparently did not go to counseling or attempt behavior modification--he just stopped. I'm not an expert, but I thought that people who have rage disorders or who get pleasure from inflicting pain on others are like addicts and unable to turn it on and off like a tap.
Those are minor grievances. It's an engaging story and will no doubt hold teenagers enthralled.
February 17, 2020
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Original, bold premise. Honest, profound exploration of pain and trauma (albeit initially blocked/disregarded by the characters). Validation of teens' feelings and issues.
Cons: The main character's dry, sometimes self-deprecating quips may not sit well with everyone.
WARNING! Domestic abuse. An inappropriate relationship (barely on page).
Will appeal to: Those who want to look at all-too-real teen problems through a surreal, but exactly because of this, sharper-than-average lens.
If you're familiar with A.S. King's books, you know what you're getting into 😉. If not, but the blurb didn't scare you all the same, you're probably well-equipped to enjoy this one, especially since it's definitely more accessible than I Crawl Through It - if you can suspend disbelief.
ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Honest confession: I usually don't fare well with straight-up contemporaries, even when they don't involve romance. I need a unique premise, or better, a unique angle, when I read a story that deals with everyday's problems, or coming-of-age, or family, or all the things you can find in a contemporary book beside romance. That's why I love A.S. King's YA novels - she's able to keep me engrossed in what, without her peculiar brand of magical realism/surrealism, would be "average" stories about "average" issues (of course they're not average, but common enough that you feel like you don't need one more specimen sometimes). She's able to add a fourth dimension to teen (and sometimes adult) pain, and to filter it through a lens that, instead of making it look blurry, actually sharpens every little detail and ensures that it matters. How many books about self-questioning teens with a toxic family and an equally toxic school environment are there? And yet, Sarah - despite coming in a few different versions from different times, or because of that - is unique. Maybe even more than in her other books (though I have only read three of them so far, but still), King makes sure that she is...and that she matters. That, even when Sarah reflects on her problem at school that started it all, and tries to see it in perspective on the backdrop of her family's implosion, the same problem matters. The author makes an excellent point about teens (and especially teen girls) being dismissed as "whiny" when something eats at them that adults deem as not important enough - or at all. That's why we need a King in our life - and all her Sarahs. [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Original, bold premise. Honest, profound exploration of pain and trauma (albeit initially blocked/disregarded by the characters). Validation of teens' feelings and issues.
Cons: The main character's dry, sometimes self-deprecating quips may not sit well with everyone.
WARNING! Domestic abuse. An inappropriate relationship (barely on page).
Will appeal to: Those who want to look at all-too-real teen problems through a surreal, but exactly because of this, sharper-than-average lens.
If you're familiar with A.S. King's books, you know what you're getting into 😉. If not, but the blurb didn't scare you all the same, you're probably well-equipped to enjoy this one, especially since it's definitely more accessible than I Crawl Through It - if you can suspend disbelief.
ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Honest confession: I usually don't fare well with straight-up contemporaries, even when they don't involve romance. I need a unique premise, or better, a unique angle, when I read a story that deals with everyday's problems, or coming-of-age, or family, or all the things you can find in a contemporary book beside romance. That's why I love A.S. King's YA novels - she's able to keep me engrossed in what, without her peculiar brand of magical realism/surrealism, would be "average" stories about "average" issues (of course they're not average, but common enough that you feel like you don't need one more specimen sometimes). She's able to add a fourth dimension to teen (and sometimes adult) pain, and to filter it through a lens that, instead of making it look blurry, actually sharpens every little detail and ensures that it matters. How many books about self-questioning teens with a toxic family and an equally toxic school environment are there? And yet, Sarah - despite coming in a few different versions from different times, or because of that - is unique. Maybe even more than in her other books (though I have only read three of them so far, but still), King makes sure that she is...and that she matters. That, even when Sarah reflects on her problem at school that started it all, and tries to see it in perspective on the backdrop of her family's implosion, the same problem matters. The author makes an excellent point about teens (and especially teen girls) being dismissed as "whiny" when something eats at them that adults deem as not important enough - or at all. That's why we need a King in our life - and all her Sarahs. [...]
Whole review here.
August 10, 2024
“Art is what you believe no matter what other people think.”
Teen is defined as “the years of a person's age from 13 to 19”. Angst is defined as “a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity". Combine them and you get a term used by most to casually dismiss a younger person’s struggles. This is where I admit to using it as part of the self-deprecating humor package I whip out for convos about my own past. Life is hard regardless of your age. Not all of us get through those years without suffering a scratch or two on our soul.
This book is about the struggles of a young girl through that time in her life. When things that were once simple become complex, and the weight of it all hits like a freight train. Sarah is lost. Sarah is confused. Sarah is trying to make sense of what has happened and what is happening.
This book started out strong. The writing kept me engaged, the characters were a win, and the story had my attention at 100%. I was jotting down quotes left and right, which is always a mark of excellence. Things to note: The mom sharing stuff from her own perspective mirroring her daughter doing the same in her life was pretty freaking awesome. Me being a mom to a recent teen and a current teen probably makes my opinion biased. Take that with a grain of salt and all that shit.
The two star rating drop happened because of weird stuff. To be clear, weird is fine. Weird is fun. I like weird. What I don’t like is what happened with weird and this book. It kept popping up past the point it was needed, and there was never an explanation, or any closure provided for it. It became its own “look at me” thing, which detracted from the story.
Here are some quotes from the book that caught my eye:
“That was how they showed me my place.”
“Things happen that aren’t my fault and I say I’m sorry.”
“People pleasers make the best victims.”
“But who’s to say what’s stupid and what’s not stupid when your life falls apart?”
“Make a note: You can’t change people with love. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Some things you just can’t paint over.”
Three stars to a book that was a thing until it wasn’t.
Teen is defined as “the years of a person's age from 13 to 19”. Angst is defined as “a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity". Combine them and you get a term used by most to casually dismiss a younger person’s struggles. This is where I admit to using it as part of the self-deprecating humor package I whip out for convos about my own past. Life is hard regardless of your age. Not all of us get through those years without suffering a scratch or two on our soul.
This book is about the struggles of a young girl through that time in her life. When things that were once simple become complex, and the weight of it all hits like a freight train. Sarah is lost. Sarah is confused. Sarah is trying to make sense of what has happened and what is happening.
This book started out strong. The writing kept me engaged, the characters were a win, and the story had my attention at 100%. I was jotting down quotes left and right, which is always a mark of excellence. Things to note: The mom sharing stuff from her own perspective mirroring her daughter doing the same in her life was pretty freaking awesome. Me being a mom to a recent teen and a current teen probably makes my opinion biased. Take that with a grain of salt and all that shit.
The two star rating drop happened because of weird stuff. To be clear, weird is fine. Weird is fun. I like weird. What I don’t like is what happened with weird and this book. It kept popping up past the point it was needed, and there was never an explanation, or any closure provided for it. It became its own “look at me” thing, which detracted from the story.
Here are some quotes from the book that caught my eye:
“That was how they showed me my place.”
“Things happen that aren’t my fault and I say I’m sorry.”
“People pleasers make the best victims.”
“But who’s to say what’s stupid and what’s not stupid when your life falls apart?”
“Make a note: You can’t change people with love. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Some things you just can’t paint over.”
Three stars to a book that was a thing until it wasn’t.
July 20, 2016
Huge thank you to Penguin Canada for this ARC!
I am a huge A.S King fan, and I always find her books to be a gripping, emotional, and even terrifying at times, experience. Still Life With Tornado is a book about art, abuse, and what it means to feel stagnant when the world is moving past you before your very eyes.
Sarah is a wonderful protagonist who struggles with so many issues, from her parents being trapped in a loveless marriage, to having her art work sabotaged because she saw something she shouldn't. Abuse of power is a large part of what makes this novel so rough to read. Teachers, parents, there's both a desire for control and a loss of control int his novel that is reflected in every single character. It's also interesting to read how Sarah's family fell apart through the eyes of her mother, as well as the family vacation that changed everything.
This novel broke my heart right in half. These are the kinds of stories that make me so sad, and make me wish that no one had to suffer these types of situations. Sarah's question for original art is both thoughtful and sad, and it makes you wish that things could, in fact, get better for her. It makes you wish that things could get better for everyone in the story. Sometimes the only way something can get better is if you choose to meet it head on, which can be so scary. Sarah feels a large void, acting in a part she didn't really ask to play, and you feel for her. You understand why she seems so broken.
I felt so emotional reading this book, and once again A.S King leaves me thinking about life and family. While I may not have parents anymore, I appreciated the fact that I always felt loved and wanted, even when things were hard between them. Sarah's story is so moving, and it's a harsher reality that not everyone has dealt with or seen, which makes it very eye opening as well. Still Life With Tornado is A.S King at her finest, as she challenges her readers in such such a gripping and thought provoking story.
I am a huge A.S King fan, and I always find her books to be a gripping, emotional, and even terrifying at times, experience. Still Life With Tornado is a book about art, abuse, and what it means to feel stagnant when the world is moving past you before your very eyes.
Sarah is a wonderful protagonist who struggles with so many issues, from her parents being trapped in a loveless marriage, to having her art work sabotaged because she saw something she shouldn't. Abuse of power is a large part of what makes this novel so rough to read. Teachers, parents, there's both a desire for control and a loss of control int his novel that is reflected in every single character. It's also interesting to read how Sarah's family fell apart through the eyes of her mother, as well as the family vacation that changed everything.
This novel broke my heart right in half. These are the kinds of stories that make me so sad, and make me wish that no one had to suffer these types of situations. Sarah's question for original art is both thoughtful and sad, and it makes you wish that things could, in fact, get better for her. It makes you wish that things could get better for everyone in the story. Sometimes the only way something can get better is if you choose to meet it head on, which can be so scary. Sarah feels a large void, acting in a part she didn't really ask to play, and you feel for her. You understand why she seems so broken.
I felt so emotional reading this book, and once again A.S King leaves me thinking about life and family. While I may not have parents anymore, I appreciated the fact that I always felt loved and wanted, even when things were hard between them. Sarah's story is so moving, and it's a harsher reality that not everyone has dealt with or seen, which makes it very eye opening as well. Still Life With Tornado is A.S King at her finest, as she challenges her readers in such such a gripping and thought provoking story.
October 20, 2019
I wish I would have liked this one more. It pains me to say that.
There is a fantastic story here with this family. It is not all positive, but the underlying story involving Sarah's family is so well-written that I FELT IT DEEPLY. But the multiple-Sarah angle was difficult for me. I genuinely felt like the multiple versions of Sarah overshadowed this really wonderful opportunity for the rest of the plot. The multiple Sarah's were confusing and made the story feel cluttered. I felt like I wanted to brush them all aside so I could see the story clearly. I had no grasp on why they were there except that Sarah was having an existential crisis. Then I had other questions regarding whether or not this is indeed magical realism or true contemporary based on a few details toward the end of the book. Unfortunately I just couldn't get with this part of the plot, and it is a very big part.
On a more positive note, I loved every single thing about Sarah's brother Bruce and her mother. I craved more of them in the story. I wanted them to tell more of their story. They were bright and shiny and stood out, and with this particular plot line, more would have satisfied that feeling that I have that a little something has been left out.
On a sidenote, I feel like I connected on a pretty significantly emotional level to this family's storyline. This could be why I wanted to move the multiple Sarah's aside-so I could focus on the rest of the story more clearly.
I highly recommend reading what other people have to say or actually just picking this one up for yourself and reading it. After reading other reviews, I still haven't figured out the parts that confused me about this one, so I think it's best to say that I didn't really click with this one and move along to something else.
There is a fantastic story here with this family. It is not all positive, but the underlying story involving Sarah's family is so well-written that I FELT IT DEEPLY. But the multiple-Sarah angle was difficult for me. I genuinely felt like the multiple versions of Sarah overshadowed this really wonderful opportunity for the rest of the plot. The multiple Sarah's were confusing and made the story feel cluttered. I felt like I wanted to brush them all aside so I could see the story clearly. I had no grasp on why they were there except that Sarah was having an existential crisis. Then I had other questions regarding whether or not this is indeed magical realism or true contemporary based on a few details toward the end of the book. Unfortunately I just couldn't get with this part of the plot, and it is a very big part.
On a more positive note, I loved every single thing about Sarah's brother Bruce and her mother. I craved more of them in the story. I wanted them to tell more of their story. They were bright and shiny and stood out, and with this particular plot line, more would have satisfied that feeling that I have that a little something has been left out.
On a sidenote, I feel like I connected on a pretty significantly emotional level to this family's storyline. This could be why I wanted to move the multiple Sarah's aside-so I could focus on the rest of the story more clearly.
I highly recommend reading what other people have to say or actually just picking this one up for yourself and reading it. After reading other reviews, I still haven't figured out the parts that confused me about this one, so I think it's best to say that I didn't really click with this one and move along to something else.
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