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rogue_leader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Booktalk:
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison is a realistic novel about two brothers struggling with an abusive father and an uncertain future. Max and Jay, who live in rural Minnesota, have both been suspended from their high school after they violently beat up Luca, the school’s golden boy soccer captain. That fight started when the brothers defended Nicole, a friend of theirs, from potential abuse by Luca, but almost no one knows the secret background of what caused the boys to jump in and aggressively defend the young woman. That secret is this: at home, their father is incredibly physically abusive toward their mother, and they’ve felt powerless to help. Their suspension from school and the fallout from the fight causes the brothers to react differently. In alternating points of view, we see Max’s world through verse as he looks to the future at art school. Jay is more traditionally book smart, and through narrative prose we see him struggle with leaving his mother alone when both brothers potentially leave for college. This is a story of shared abuse and trauma, self discovery, and reconciliation.
Saints of the Household by Ari Tison is a realistic novel about two brothers struggling with an abusive father and an uncertain future. Max and Jay, who live in rural Minnesota, have both been suspended from their high school after they violently beat up Luca, the school’s golden boy soccer captain. That fight started when the brothers defended Nicole, a friend of theirs, from potential abuse by Luca, but almost no one knows the secret background of what caused the boys to jump in and aggressively defend the young woman. That secret is this: at home, their father is incredibly physically abusive toward their mother, and they’ve felt powerless to help. Their suspension from school and the fallout from the fight causes the brothers to react differently. In alternating points of view, we see Max’s world through verse as he looks to the future at art school. Jay is more traditionally book smart, and through narrative prose we see him struggle with leaving his mother alone when both brothers potentially leave for college. This is a story of shared abuse and trauma, self discovery, and reconciliation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Minor: Violence and Bullying
kay_reads9's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
abookdork's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence
michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Minor: Colonisation
carolikesbooks's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship
sourcerer_supreme's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Disclosure: This book was received as an advance copy at LibLearnX 2023, New Orleans. No compensation is received for this review and the reviewer has no conflicts of interest. As it is based upon an advance copy, this review is solely based on the content, not the typography.
Saints of the House Hold is the sort of modern YA story that feels as if it is attempting less to reinvent the genre, although it plays with formatting in intriguing ways, but its primary focus is on helping very particular young people feel seen.
It's an entry into a body of work that this reviewer would describe as non-model minority stories. In this instance, it centers on a pair of Bribri twins who are struggling to make it to the finish line of graduating high school amidst abuse that comes in multiple forms and settings. Much of the drama of the story follows from the brothers trying to explore their identities and how those identities have been shaped in reaction to the violence they’ve experienced while also trying to decide for themselves how the culture they inherited from their mother fits into their lives.
This is naturally par for the course in the genre and the author does an excellent job of positioning the Bribri identity as something that is not merely a legacy fixed in amber but is something that continues to be actively constructed in the present by members of the culture wherever they happen to find themselves.
For those who prefer some forewarning, the abusive situations the book depicts are battery and some degree of gaslighting, no sexual assault. Violence, whether inflicted to victimize or in defense of victims, is not presented as a glossy, noble thing but painful and traumatic even for those who are lifting a hand in protection.
Ultimately this is not an action-adventure story, the consequences of violence are a major theme but violence itself is not gratuitous in description or how frequently it is directly depicted in the story. This is first and foremost the intimate reflections of two young men who are processing the complexities of their relationships with family, friends, lovers, and each other and the shadow that domestic abuse has cast over those relationships.
Each brother has his own way of coping and his own way of telling his story, which is what makes the book structurally interesting. Jay is a pragmatic sort who presents a stoic face to the world while keeping a storm inside. His ruminations are delivered in standard prose. Max is the artist. His thoughts are sometimes lyrical, sometimes organized in verse, but he breaks formats freely in a sort of stream of consciousness representation of his mindscape.
Overall the author does an excellent job of placing the reader inside the minds of Jay and Max. Their thought processes and experiences are tragically believable. Neither sensationalized to wrench the maximum amount of angst from each page nor so understated as to make the boys lifeless or action heroes that are unconflicted about virtuous action and always certain in the correct and moral course. The author takes a show, don’t tell approach to social and cultural issues, rather than swerving towards cliches, rants, or slogans, trusting the audience to accept basic premises like “domestic violence is real and its bad” without belaboring the point.
All in all, it’s a satisfying and convincing read. As a former teen and current adult male in Western society, albeit not one who is part of any diasporas, I definitely recommend it for the Middle School and up audience. It’s a good reminder that while we face a lot of pressure to be composed and to have everything figured out, life is confusing, and we are free to define ourselves in our own terms whether it is appreciating more traditional pursuits like the outdoors and physical activity or finding outlets in art and verse.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Bullying and Cursing
carolinemwatson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a great debut, focusing on the voices of two brothers after a particularly violent incident with one of their classmates. Both of them are struggling with their abusive father and how that relates to what happened. The voices of both brothers are distinct enough, and I appreciated that this is a mix of poetry and short vignettes. It made the story flow nicely and really focused on the overall emotions between the two brothers.
There is also a great discussion about mental health throughout, especially as it relates to trauma. It's a story about healing, a story about moving on, and a story about finding your roots. Plus, the voice is one that we haven't often seen in YA lit. If you're looking for something that's a fairly quick read, but will definitely make you think, this one is for you!
There is also a great discussion about mental health throughout, especially as it relates to trauma. It's a story about healing, a story about moving on, and a story about finding your roots. Plus, the voice is one that we haven't often seen in YA lit. If you're looking for something that's a fairly quick read, but will definitely make you think, this one is for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Addiction
Minor: Racism, Suicide, and Alcoholism
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Saints of the Household is a hard hitting story in which brothers Max and Jay have to wrestle with the impact of their father’s domestic violence, find ways to prevent themselves resorting to violence, and forge a path for their futures, one which might mean they are no longer as close as they once were. The author did a great job highlighting the reality of growing up amidst violence - the stress of trying to avoid triggering their father, feeling protective of and responsible for their mother, anger towards their father which was complicated by feelings of love and memories of better times, fear of following his example. I loved seeing glimpse of their Costa Rican Bribri culture which isn’t often seen in mainstream fiction. The way their grandfather used it to try and help Max and Jay heal their trauma, and their relationship was beautiful and instructive, just one of many ways in which culture and identity matters. The arts - painting for one brother, writing for the other - were crucial to both boys, something I appreciated. The writing was gorgeous, and I enjoyed the alternating perspectives. When Max and Jay were estranged it was helpful to know what each was thinking and feeling. The short vignette style chapters (Max’s were written in verse) made it a fast, propulsive read. Raw, powerful and beautiful. Highly recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Violence