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thesaltiestlibrarian's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author, publisher, or distributor.
This book helped me figure out what I dislike most about the YA genre, simply by being everything that I do like. Switch starts on June 23, 2020 when time has ceased to move forward. Tru Becker and her father and brother all have to figure out how to live in this new world, and how to pick up the splintered pieces of their old lives, even as Tru’s father makes their house into a plywood maze to avoid those pieces.
Right away we can see parallels to how Tru feels as a teenager in this bizarre world, and how everyone is trying to figure out how to cope with the absence of time. A.S. King dedicates the book to the class of 2020, and she does a terrific job of not only understanding teens, but making them real on the page too. Almost ten years ago now, I read King’s Please Ignore Vera Dietz and haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. I’ve turned it over and over, dwelt on the issues in it, and can even remember some of it word-for-word. Something about it body slammed me, and I’m pretty positive now that it’s because King saw me, a teen on the sideline, even though we’d never met.
What this book does so, so well is present its characters and problems as real. Flesh-and-blood. When YA takes the dramatic approach and blows its problems out of proportion, the camp makes me itch. I can’t connect with any of the characters, especially when the problems stem from people simply not communicating.
“But, Caitlin!” you say. “In your review for When We Were Infinite , you said you can’t stand people not communicating!”
Here’s the thing. The noncommunication in Switch happens because the family is struggling to move toward communication and away from silence. The Beckers are actively chugging up a steep hill in an effort to learn who they all are again, together and separately. To say anything more is to ruin the discovery, so mum’s the word.
Switch proves, like so many books, that the absurd, science fiction, fantasy, surrealism, magical realism--all are perfect tools for exploring the hard issues in life. More so than literary fiction, I’d reckon. King killed it here.
This book helped me figure out what I dislike most about the YA genre, simply by being everything that I do like. Switch starts on June 23, 2020 when time has ceased to move forward. Tru Becker and her father and brother all have to figure out how to live in this new world, and how to pick up the splintered pieces of their old lives, even as Tru’s father makes their house into a plywood maze to avoid those pieces.
Right away we can see parallels to how Tru feels as a teenager in this bizarre world, and how everyone is trying to figure out how to cope with the absence of time. A.S. King dedicates the book to the class of 2020, and she does a terrific job of not only understanding teens, but making them real on the page too. Almost ten years ago now, I read King’s Please Ignore Vera Dietz and haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. I’ve turned it over and over, dwelt on the issues in it, and can even remember some of it word-for-word. Something about it body slammed me, and I’m pretty positive now that it’s because King saw me, a teen on the sideline, even though we’d never met.
What this book does so, so well is present its characters and problems as real. Flesh-and-blood. When YA takes the dramatic approach and blows its problems out of proportion, the camp makes me itch. I can’t connect with any of the characters, especially when the problems stem from people simply not communicating.
“But, Caitlin!” you say. “In your review for When We Were Infinite , you said you can’t stand people not communicating!”
Here’s the thing. The noncommunication in Switch happens because the family is struggling to move toward communication and away from silence. The Beckers are actively chugging up a steep hill in an effort to learn who they all are again, together and separately. To say anything more is to ruin the discovery, so mum’s the word.
Switch proves, like so many books, that the absurd, science fiction, fantasy, surrealism, magical realism--all are perfect tools for exploring the hard issues in life. More so than literary fiction, I’d reckon. King killed it here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Grief
Minor: Physical abuse and Mental illness
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