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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
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Corey Ann Haydu left me completely, utterly, absolutely impressed with her Middle Grade debut and wanting to read more of the genre. Having read her other works in the YA category before, I knew she usually wrote realistic honest stories. What I didn't expect was how raw Rules for Stealing Stars was compared to most MG books that I've read, which tend to be on the fun and happy side.
With the way it moved me, I couldn't help but love this one! It's a five star read for me and I've got five reasons to match every star.
Sisters
Priscilla, or Silly as everyone calls her, is the youngest of four sisters. The eldest being the twins, Astrid and Eleanor, and the middle being Marla. Often disregarded as 'too young and innocent', she is left out by them. When they finally allow her into their world, they find a magical haven where they can escape their problems.
It may be because I have a sister myself but I just adore sister stories so much! I loved how each sister in the Rules for Stealing Stars all were distinctive not only with their personalities but they way they were trying to get by. The ties between them were so genuinely portrayed too, especially the complicated parts.
"'I shouldn't be lonely when I have three sisters,' I say, like feelings and families are simple scientific facts. Cause and effect."
Parent Issues
With a mother whose moods almost always range from mean to angry especially after a drink and a father who likes to pretend that everything is a-ok and works too much, it's obvious why Silly and sisters so badly wanted to escape the confines of their home.
Corey Ann Haydu doesn't hold back painting the dark situation of a family in pieces. The sad introspective tone of her writing fit the story perfectly.
Magical Realism
I honestly think it's best to read for yourself the magic in this book but here's what you should know: there are magical closets. Sounds awesome right? Not always. Sometimes magic is good, sometimes magic is bad.
I found the fantastical element of the book really unique and loved how it was incorporated in the plot. The fairytale-like story-telling will surely resonate to children and teens and adults alike.
"I stole a star. Borrowed a star. Because when you are sad, you need a little help, sometimes, getting happy again."
Coping
Pancakes and closets and stars unfortunately cannot make the hard parts of life go away. It's up to us to face them head on, to accept that things are bad but to hold on to the hope that things will be better.
But coping with everything and getting to that point where you're trying to move forward- it's not easy. Rules for Stealing Stars made me realize that and I only hope that it can open the eyes of kids to this reality.
Tears
I cried. For Silly. For her sisters. For the tough situations they've been dealt with. For the abundance of hope they found regardless.
Rules for Stealing Stars wowed me like no other MG book has. It was so beautiful and sad and magical. No doubt my favourite by Corey Ann Haydu so far!
Corey Ann Haydu left me completely, utterly, absolutely impressed with her Middle Grade debut and wanting to read more of the genre. Having read her other works in the YA category before, I knew she usually wrote realistic honest stories. What I didn't expect was how raw Rules for Stealing Stars was compared to most MG books that I've read, which tend to be on the fun and happy side.
With the way it moved me, I couldn't help but love this one! It's a five star read for me and I've got five reasons to match every star.
Sisters
Priscilla, or Silly as everyone calls her, is the youngest of four sisters. The eldest being the twins, Astrid and Eleanor, and the middle being Marla. Often disregarded as 'too young and innocent', she is left out by them. When they finally allow her into their world, they find a magical haven where they can escape their problems.
It may be because I have a sister myself but I just adore sister stories so much! I loved how each sister in the Rules for Stealing Stars all were distinctive not only with their personalities but they way they were trying to get by. The ties between them were so genuinely portrayed too, especially the complicated parts.
"'I shouldn't be lonely when I have three sisters,' I say, like feelings and families are simple scientific facts. Cause and effect."
Parent Issues
With a mother whose moods almost always range from mean to angry especially after a drink and a father who likes to pretend that everything is a-ok and works too much, it's obvious why Silly and sisters so badly wanted to escape the confines of their home.
Corey Ann Haydu doesn't hold back painting the dark situation of a family in pieces. The sad introspective tone of her writing fit the story perfectly.
Magical Realism
I honestly think it's best to read for yourself the magic in this book but here's what you should know: there are magical closets. Sounds awesome right? Not always. Sometimes magic is good, sometimes magic is bad.
I found the fantastical element of the book really unique and loved how it was incorporated in the plot. The fairytale-like story-telling will surely resonate to children and teens and adults alike.
"I stole a star. Borrowed a star. Because when you are sad, you need a little help, sometimes, getting happy again."
Coping
Pancakes and closets and stars unfortunately cannot make the hard parts of life go away. It's up to us to face them head on, to accept that things are bad but to hold on to the hope that things will be better.
But coping with everything and getting to that point where you're trying to move forward- it's not easy. Rules for Stealing Stars made me realize that and I only hope that it can open the eyes of kids to this reality.
Tears
I cried. For Silly. For her sisters. For the tough situations they've been dealt with. For the abundance of hope they found regardless.
Rules for Stealing Stars wowed me like no other MG book has. It was so beautiful and sad and magical. No doubt my favourite by Corey Ann Haydu so far!
This book was hard to put down, and I really liked the fantasy of it, but it was also kind of depressing and sad.
This is a sad and magical story that reminded me of Anne Ursu's atmospheric fantasy tales. The imagery in this book is fantastic and it weaves fairy tales and sisterhood and grief and anger and hope together in an engrossing tapestry.
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2015/07/2015-book-166.html
In this middle-grade novel, four sisters dealing with a mentally ill mother discover that the closets in their house each have a sort of magic, and the youngest sister--the narrator, who longs to be accepted by her older sisters as an equal--has the most magic of all. There's also a whole fairy-tale thing woven through (their father is a folklore professor). In general, I liked this a lot, though sometimes the protagonist's decisions didn't make a lot of sense and seemed to be just to build plot. And I think some of this would be kind of scary for younger kids (I found a lot of it to be somewhat creepy). But the stuff with the sisters and their relationships was pretty well-done, and the writing is strong. B/B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in September.
In this middle-grade novel, four sisters dealing with a mentally ill mother discover that the closets in their house each have a sort of magic, and the youngest sister--the narrator, who longs to be accepted by her older sisters as an equal--has the most magic of all. There's also a whole fairy-tale thing woven through (their father is a folklore professor). In general, I liked this a lot, though sometimes the protagonist's decisions didn't make a lot of sense and seemed to be just to build plot. And I think some of this would be kind of scary for younger kids (I found a lot of it to be somewhat creepy). But the stuff with the sisters and their relationships was pretty well-done, and the writing is strong. B/B+.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in September.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism
mysterious
sad
fast-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
I love books about sisters. I love books about magic. This was obviously a book after my own heart. Beautifully crafted, wonderfully complex, and wise beyond its reading level, Rules for Stealing Stars is a book I wish I had read when I was a little girl, and a book my ten-year-old sister will be reading now.
Middle grade book that takes a very loose take on the story of the 12 dancing princesses and troubled mother.
I didn’t ever quite feel that this book gelled and came together. I was frustrated by everything the characters ignored and didn’t address and hidden secrets.
Didn’t really like this book.
I didn’t ever quite feel that this book gelled and came together. I was frustrated by everything the characters ignored and didn’t address and hidden secrets.
Didn’t really like this book.
Characters are complex and and interesting, but the setting felt claustrophobic. The fantasy element didn’t work for me.