Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Fourteen-year-old Julian is a damaged boy, taciturn and withdrawn, painfully shy and still bereft from the death of his parents when he was a child. A poor student with illegible handwriting, he is often the subject of teachers' scorn and classmates' teasing. As a result, he regularly skips classes to hide in a secret room he has found. His home life is even worse: he is the ward of his uncle by marriage, a cold, distant, dangerous man who often punishes Julian cruelly, whipping him with a switch and lacerating the skin on his torso. Things begin to gradually change when he encounters Adam, a teenager who had once been Julian's foster brother before the uncle took custody. Adam, who had ADHD as a child, is still a restless but exuberant, happy presence, beloved by fellow students and teachers alike. When he unofficially adopts Julian, he brings light into the boy's hitherto dark existence, though danger still lurks. The two boys tell their respective, affecting stories in first-person voices that perfectly reflect their characters and rive the story's compelling action. Roe's debut may lack subtlety, but it makes up for it with memorable characters and high drama. A page-turner with a lot of compassion.--Cart, Michael Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Roe draws from her work with at-risk teens to create her first novel, a psychologically taut tale of foster brothers unexpectedly reunited. The story alternates between the perspectives of Adam, the son of a social worker, and Julian, who lived at Adam's house for a time after his parents died. Seven years later, Julian, who currently lives with his uncle, enters the same high school where Adam is a senior. Adam again finds himself playing the role of big brother to Julian, but besides having grown older, some things about Julian have changed: he's quieter, his clothes don't fit, and he seems to be sick too often. After drawing grim conclusions about Julian's home life and guardian, Adam opts not to speak out, a decision that could have serious consequences. Roe gives a close-up view of two teens with disabilities (Julian has dyslexia, Adam has been diagnosed with ADHD) while building a sharp contrast between their views of the world and sense of normalcy. Written with honesty and compassion, this book will resonate with a wide range of readers. Ages 12-up. Agent: Peter Steinberg, Foundry Literary + Media. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-Adam is a good guy. He's a senior. He gets along with pretty much everyone. Everyone likes him. Sure, he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and gets fidgety, but his lovable nature ensures that he has a good relationship with everyone-even teachers. Julian is a freshman who would prefer to just disappear. He's hiding a secret: he is one of the most unlovable, selfish people in the world. How does Julian know? His incredibly successful uncle is happy to tell him, and he has a hard time connecting with people at school. Julian's learning disability makes him a target for his uncle's daily abuse. The two young men become reacquainted when Adam is sent to escort Julian from class to the school psychologist's office. It turns out, they have a history. Julian was put into foster care with Adam's mother after the death of his parents and remained there until his uncle demanded custody. Julian is once again welcomed into Adam's life and introduced to Adam's senior friends, who grudgingly accept the freshman. Graham Halstead and Christopher Gebauer deftly bring the characters of Adam and Julian to life as they tell the story from alternating perspectives. -VERDICT Listeners who clamor for Dave Pelzer's A Child Called It will love this well-produced audio version of a tale that emphasizes the importance of protecting those who cannot always protect themselves. ["Emotional, visceral, and heartbreaking, this novel offers expertly rendered characters and beautiful language": SLJ 1/17 review of the Hyperion book.]-Jodeana Kruse, R.A. Long High School, Longview, WA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In her debut, Roe tells the story of a friendship between two young men who will linger in the thoughts and minds of readers long after the final page is turned. Told through alternating first-person narration, the story of 14-year-old Julian and his former foster brother, 18-year-old Adam, is equally heartwarming and heartbreaking. Five years after losing his parents in a tragic accident and being taken from a loving foster home to live with a cold and brutal uncle, Adam Blake quite literally walks back into Julians life. Plagued by antsy feet courtesy of his ADHD, Adam is happy to be assigned the job of escorting Julian to the counseling sessions that hes been frequently skipping. Though both boys are thrilled to be reunited, theres an uneasiness that lies between them. Reclusive and wracked with self-doubt, Adam quickly realizes that this Julian is much different from the one he used to know. Roe deliberately unspools her story, keeping readers wondering why Julian, who clearly desperately craves connection, keeps Adam at arms length. Emotion courses through every sentence of this novel, whether it is love, compassion, or bone-chilling cruelty. Julian and Adam are dark-haired but otherwise racially indeterminate. A triumphant story about the power of friendship and of truly being seen. (Fiction. 14 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
