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Jul 21, 2016samcmar rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Note: I had the chance to read an advance reader's copy of this book thanks to the publisher. This does not reflect my review. I am a huge A.S King fan, and I always find her books to be a gripping, emotional, and even terrifying at times, experience. Still Life With Tornado is a book about art, abuse, and what it means to feel stagnant when the world is moving past you before your very eyes. Sarah is a wonderful protagonist who struggles with so many issues, from her parents being trapped in a loveless marriage, to having her art work sabotaged because she saw something she shouldn't. Abuse of power is a large part of what makes this novel so rough to read. Teachers, parents, there's both a desire for control and a loss of control int his novel that is reflected in every single character. It's also interesting to read how Sarah's family fell apart through the eyes of her mother, as well as the family vacation that changed everything. This novel broke my heart right in half. These are the kinds of stories that make me so sad, and make me wish that no one had to suffer these types of situations. Sarah's question for original art is both thoughtful and sad, and it makes you wish that things could, in fact, get better for her. It makes you wish that things could get better for everyone in the story. Sometimes the only way something can get better is if you choose to meet it head on, which can be so scary. Sarah feels a large void, acting in a part she didn't really ask to play, and you feel for her. You understand why she seems so broken. I felt so emotional reading this book, and once again A.S King leaves me thinking about life and family. While I may not have parents anymore, I appreciated the fact that I always felt loved and wanted, even when things were hard between them. Sarah's story is so moving, and it's a harsher reality that not everyone has dealt with or seen, which makes it very eye opening as well. Still Life With Tornado is A.S King at her finest, as she challenges her readers in such such a gripping and thought provoking story.