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A review by jennyp0208
Hold Fast by Blue Balliett
4.0
I've been on a young adult kick this month, this is my third in a row.
I fell in love with Balliett's "Chasing Vermeer" series back when I was teaching. When I saw this one in the library, I had to grab it. It wasn't really what I was expecting. Still good, but I like the Vermeer set better.
Similarities:
-Chicago based
-Kids solving mysteries
-Art woven in - this time, the poetry of Langston Hughes
Differences:
-Far darker and harder to read. This isn't a light, fluffy novel. Early's dad has gotten accidentally involved in crime and the family ends up in a public shelter during winter
-Every adult seems either bad or broken, or both. Even the helpful ones fall flat. If I had read this as a teen, it would have reinforced the already strong mindset of "adults aren't worth trusting, save yourself."
I get the intention to showcase homelessness in Chicago; it's a very serious problem that deeply affects kids. I just feel like it either didn't go far enough (to be an action piece) or went too far (for a YA mystery novel), and by landing in that middle ground it loses some effectiveness at both. At the same time, the story did captivate me. It's a valiant attempt at a seemingly impossible task.
I did see Early makes an appearance in the next Chasing Vermeer book. I'm looking forward to grabbing that to see how she pulls into the Lab School group.
I fell in love with Balliett's "Chasing Vermeer" series back when I was teaching. When I saw this one in the library, I had to grab it. It wasn't really what I was expecting. Still good, but I like the Vermeer set better.
Similarities:
-Chicago based
-Kids solving mysteries
-Art woven in - this time, the poetry of Langston Hughes
Differences:
-Far darker and harder to read. This isn't a light, fluffy novel. Early's dad has gotten accidentally involved in crime and the family ends up in a public shelter during winter
-Every adult seems either bad or broken, or both. Even the helpful ones fall flat. If I had read this as a teen, it would have reinforced the already strong mindset of "adults aren't worth trusting, save yourself."
I get the intention to showcase homelessness in Chicago; it's a very serious problem that deeply affects kids. I just feel like it either didn't go far enough (to be an action piece) or went too far (for a YA mystery novel), and by landing in that middle ground it loses some effectiveness at both. At the same time, the story did captivate me. It's a valiant attempt at a seemingly impossible task.
I did see Early makes an appearance in the next Chasing Vermeer book. I'm looking forward to grabbing that to see how she pulls into the Lab School group.