Young Adult Literature-Still life with tornado
Bibliography
King, A.S. (2016). Still life with tornado: New York, NY: Dutton Books: an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Summary:
A.S. King’s novel, “Still Life with a Tornado,” stars a
sixteen-year-old protagonist named Sarah, who loves to draw and create
art, the story begins with Sarah talking about her art class, and how her
friend Carmen drew a picture of a tornado. In the art class is where Sarah
loses the will to draw and shortly after stop attending school. Her parents
want her to do something productive, but all the while she is skipping school.
Her family is not what it seems; it’s been broken ever since her brother Bruce
left after that vacation in Mexico. So instead of going to school, she is
wandering the streets of Philadelphia. While wandering the streets, she first
runs into her 23-year-old self, then her 10-year-old self later, and then her
at 40-year-olds. At the surface, it appears that Sarah is having an existential
crisis but she is really just trying to make sense of her life.
Critical Analysis:
This novel is not what it seems, it can best be described as
realism with a touch of magical elements, therefore falling under the umbrella
of science fiction, in that it contains a realistic setting, but has futuristic
elements. A.S. King’s take on a difficult subject matter like family abuse is
done in a captivating and relatable manner that makes it easier for a young
adult to gravitate to reading it. The appropriate grade levels would be grades
9 and up. Textbook connections would be “The Sun is Also a Star” by Nicola Yoon
and “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas.
Connections:
I don’t think Still Life with Tornado is one of my favorite of King’s novels, but it was a ride that kept me engaged and gave me plenty to think about. The cycle of abuse and its effects on everyone involved is explored in a heartbreakingly realistic way. Sarah may first come across as a little annoying, as she’s so disdainful toward anything that isn’t “original” and is worked up over something that she is so embarrassed of being a small issue that she doesn’t tell us for a while, but this is only the surface level of her character. She’s from a troubled household with repressed memories and the career path she loves is in danger. She’s lost, and we come to understand her as she lets some of her guard down. This is important. Kids may seem “difficult,” but what are they burying inside? So King unabashedly takes on a seemingly frustrating character to reveal her true self that she has been hiding from even herself, and every page is worth it.
Author pitching book video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNy_HZiCPIc
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