Week 39 Review: A List of Cages

From Goodreads:
When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he's got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn't easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can't complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian--the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He's still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what's really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.

My Review:
Oh man, this book! I was apprehensive about reading it, because I started to read it, way back, either before it was published, or shortly thereafter, and honestly, I got scared about the subject matter. I knew that it had a boy being abused in his home, and I didn't want to read about him with that pain because I didn't want him to have it. But it deserved to be read, so I did. And it's a great book, but it is hard to read!

That this book is about a boy who is getting abused at home, that's an important topic that needs to be talked about. It unfortunately happens in real life, and having examples in fiction, of being seen, is a powerful thing.

We were in both Adam and Julian's perspective. So we see Julian, who doesn't really have a safe place, and believes he doesn't have anywhere to go. And we have Adam, who just wants to help. Seeing things from both their perspectives really rounded out the story.

If you're someone who gets emotional at books, this one will get you. I'm not one, but this got to me, just a little bit. The depression, the despair, the pain, these boys go through a lot, and this book really keeps close to what's going on. 

This book is a great one to exists, and I'm so glad that it does! 

Author: Robin Roe
Read: September 25th, 2021
Source: NetGalley/Bought
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2021 Book!
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: January 10th 2017

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars