TAYSHAS 9

Still Life with a Tornado by A.S. King

In the time I have been participating in the TAYSHAS contest, this is an author that has shown up on the list several times, and I have read all of those books. What's great about King is that her books aren't the same. The way some authors follow the same formula, just plugging in different names and locations, King doesn't do that.

Sarah is sixteen years old. She has an older brother, Bruce, who doesn't live with them, as he is nine years older. Also, her parents have told her that Bruce is now a religious nut or something. Sarah is an artist, and when she can't draw a pear or her hand, she starts to lose it. She starts seeing other versions of herself--one that is 23, one that is 10, and one that is 40--but they aren't hallucinations.

These versions of herself show up to help Sarah deal with her existential crisis. Ten-year-old Sarah helps Sarah to remember the real reason why her brother left, and what her dad is like. As it turns out, Sarah's dad was/is abusive, and he and Sarah's mom made a deal that they would stay together until Sarah moved out. Sarah's dad, by the way, sees nothing wrong with how he handles things and blames his actions on others.

How this all unravels is interesting. This was a fairly quick read, and one I recommend.