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maurakeaney's review against another edition
3.0
Paper Chains is one of the few middle grade or YA books I've read that addresses the complex feelings of adoption loss in a way that honors the adoptee's natural curiosity about and connection to her first family while acknowledging the emotional weight the adoptee feels obliged to carry in avoiding alienating or hurting her adoptive parents. This storyline was handled beautifully, with sensitivity and insight.
I think the storyline of having two best friends alienated by the secrets they keep from each other rang true and is relatable to so many middle grade readers, and a character trying to hold her family together with after a parent leaving is also realistic and relatable.
But the author lost me by adding SO many more dramatic and unrealistic conflicts to each character's story. So Ana not only faces her mother's depression and her father's abandonment, but also has a parent who is an international hockey star and has to deal with the sudden arrival of a live-in grandmother from another country and culture. Katie doesn't just struggle with her complex feelings of curiosity and guilt about her first family and adoptive family, but also must navigate life after a heart transplant. (!) Oh, and lets's add in a show-stealing little brother with a medical crisis. Oh, and a mystery box of mementos in an attic. And mysteriously matching antique pocket watches.
It was too much going on at once. Pick one challenge for each main character. But this many all together just created a hodgepodge of mini-conflicts, none of which were completely or meaningfully resolved by the end...there was just too much.
I think the storyline of having two best friends alienated by the secrets they keep from each other rang true and is relatable to so many middle grade readers, and a character trying to hold her family together with after a parent leaving is also realistic and relatable.
But the author lost me by adding SO many more dramatic and unrealistic conflicts to each character's story. So Ana not only faces her mother's depression and her father's abandonment, but also has a parent who is an international hockey star and has to deal with the sudden arrival of a live-in grandmother from another country and culture. Katie doesn't just struggle with her complex feelings of curiosity and guilt about her first family and adoptive family, but also must navigate life after a heart transplant. (!) Oh, and lets's add in a show-stealing little brother with a medical crisis. Oh, and a mystery box of mementos in an attic. And mysteriously matching antique pocket watches.
It was too much going on at once. Pick one challenge for each main character. But this many all together just created a hodgepodge of mini-conflicts, none of which were completely or meaningfully resolved by the end...there was just too much.
erikapurple's review against another edition
5.0
I love the nod to The Snow Child, the different family dynamics, friendship issues, secrets, and the unique characters.
sandyris's review against another edition
4.0
I am starting to realize that I like middle grade books because they don’t focus on a romance
buffalojenn's review against another edition
5.0
Such a beautiful story about friendship and family. I loved Ana and Katie, and how much detail and nuance was involved in depicting their families. As a sports fanatic, I was particularly interested in the situation with Ana's father, an NHL ice hockey player. I always wonder how a family would be impacted by the trades and the frequent moves involved in professional sports. I'm also a sucker for the Boston setting, particularly in winter. Made me crave New England winters like crazy! More Elaine Vickers books, please!
danae_leu's review against another edition
2.0
The writing is a bit heavy-handed, but there is a lot going on with this friendship story, it can't help but resonate with some young readers. There is also a pretty great Russian Grandma that would put most prison guards to shame.
ivygracewild's review against another edition
4.0
Another delightful novel from Elaine Vickers. It's not often that a middle grade books has me in tears, but Vickers really knows how to bring characters and stories to life. This piece has Vickers' signature magical feel that makes it easy to fall into, even when some of the scenes are a little over-the-top.
tashaseegmiller's review against another edition
5.0
After Vickers' first book and the way she hit the just right emotional markers, I wasn't sure that the same control and poise could be repeated.
It can.
Paper Chains allows readers, young and old, to explore the adventure of childhood, the complications of families that look and feel a little different, and of friendship that isn't always great and isn't always bad but is always needed. Though it takes place during a cold time of the year and in a place where that cold freezes the local pond, Vickers infuses a just right warmth into her writing. Brilliant sophomore novel.
It can.
Paper Chains allows readers, young and old, to explore the adventure of childhood, the complications of families that look and feel a little different, and of friendship that isn't always great and isn't always bad but is always needed. Though it takes place during a cold time of the year and in a place where that cold freezes the local pond, Vickers infuses a just right warmth into her writing. Brilliant sophomore novel.
blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this poignant book about friendship, family, and the importance of being honest. It's a sweet tale. A little far-fetched but still a good read that deals realistically with some of the challenges that kids in today's world face and how they can be overcome -- or at least dealt with -- through talking about them openly and honestly.
channywax's review against another edition
This book was beautiful. I absolutely loved it.
kindred_reader's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
4.0
A fantastic book about the weight of emotions and feelings you have when you're 10, and the struggle to express yourself and to be heard by the adults around you.
The way Katie wrestled with her adoption and the guilt of her curiosity was beautifully done. The weight of her past paired with the unknowns of her future left her feeling overwhelmed, especially when she felt alone, isolated, and not needed.
Ana’s desperate desire to piece her family back together—to make it her job to take care of Mikey, to make it her responsibility—explored what it is like exploring the world you are living in and have grown up in. When things change dramatically, Ana is forced to become extremely aware of her identity and what it is in.
Ana’s and Katie’s love and care for Mikey was a great addition as well as just Mikey himself.
The parental figures in books for this age bracket are typically not part of the story (a very broad generalization), so it was so nice to see that the parents and grandparent who stayed were part of the conversation, part of the growth, and part of the journey.
The friendship between the girls was so simple but so beautiful. Friendships are always hard but even more so at that age. And with everything Katie and Ana had going on in their separate lives, their friendship was bound to take a toll. But friendship isn’t just sharing bracelets or secrets; it’s about not giving up on each other—about throwing rocks at your friend’s window just to tell her that you are sorry and that you need her. These two girls had a beautifully realistic friendship that was messy and frustrating but rock solid in the end.