Amazon.com:Anke’s father is abusive. But not to her. He attacks her brother and sister, but she’s just an invisible witness in a house of horrors, on the brink of disappearing altogether. Until she makes the volleyball team at school. At first just being exhausted after practice feels good, but as Anke becomes part of the team, her confidence builds. When she learns to yell “Mine!” to call a ball, she finds a voice she didn’t know existed. For the first time, Anke is seen and heard. Soon, she’s imagining a day that her voice will be loud enough to rescue everyone at home—including herself.
Books written in verse are interesting. You would automatically think they would be easier to write because there are less words etc but I think they are actually harder to write. Having to get across just as much information and emotion with fewer words, each word holds greater meaning. I think this book does a wonderful job of telling a very emotional and important story with so few words.
I thought this would be really hard to read, and while it was it was also an empowering and hopeful book. To watch a young girl find her voice and not be afraid to use it, it was powerful. It was also interesting to see inside of this house, with all the terror and abuse that happens that no one ever say anything or ask for help. That's just the way the family was and they would rather deal with it that privately than make a change to their family. I thought the author did a great job of revealing the mentality of this family and made it easy to understand and believe.
I haven't read many books in verse and I still struggle with them a little bit. At least for me, sometimes things don't come off as clearly as they could, I get the basic idea but sometimes wonder if I'm always understanding everything correctly. Maybe that's just me! All in all a powerful and important book that really packs an emotional punch.
Because I Am Furniture is released on April 16th.
4/5 Stars
ARC received from publisher
This book definitely looks interesting. I am in love with the cover!
ReplyDeletei really like ellen hopkins books in verse...But I agree, I could never write a full book in verse. You have to be really skilled to do that.
ReplyDeleteamy
I really liked that she found her voice - and used it - after feeling powerless for so long. Definitely an important message.
ReplyDeleteNice review. I like things in verse b/c I love poetry, but I do agree that it would be harder to write.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this now actually and it's great.
I really love stories about people speaking up!
ReplyDeleteI'm really curious about this... simply because it's such a strong plot and told in verse. Normally I'd need a lot of prose to get me through that sort of a fictitious situation, but a lot of people have reviewed this positively. Thanks for the review, I'll definitely be checking this out!
ReplyDeleteLike others have said, I am really curious about this one. There was a time when I would run in the other direction if asked to read a book in verse, but when I read Sharp Tooth, I was instantly hooked. This does sound like a good one.
ReplyDeleteSounds great, love the cover and your review!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Amy- I'm sort of intimidated by Ellen Hopkins books, I think they might be too much for me. Maybe I'll try one someday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments everyone! I think this maybe be only the second book I've read in verse. The only other one I can remember is A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl, which I just adored!
This sounds like an interesting book. I'm drawn to the title.
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric