A review by haia_929
Rules for Stealing Stars by Corey Ann Haydu
5.0
This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.
I received a copy of this book from Katherine Tegen Books on Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Silly's mom is sick, and her sister's are keeping secrets, and her dad's always in his own head. But when Silly's mom turns violent with her, she's brought into the fold and her sister's reveal a magical place to her that gives them exactly what they need as they deal with the loss of their mother, their mother's loss, and the perils of growing up and growing apart. Silly and her sister's have to find a way to make this magic save them all.
Haydu captured the magic of childhood, the heartbreak of family tragedy, and the warmth of love and joy that these sisters all share. I couldn't put this book down it was so deeply enchanting and moving.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book because I'm so used to Haydu's contemporary, very realistic, YA books, and this book was promising magic. What Haydu gives to readers in Rules for Stealing Stars is a type of magic that fits so well into the reality of these girls' heartbreaking lives. The magical place they go to, their closets, is a place that fits their needs and their imaginations. To escape the pain of watching their mother's mental health deteriorate and their father fade into his work, the girls begin to hide in the closets of their new home. These closets take them away from their real lives, and into the places they wish they could be. Yes it's magic, but it's also the fantasy of 4 young girls who need an escape from their real lives. I absolutely loved how Haydu made this magical land for these girls and the way they used it to bond and learn about their family.
The characters in this book are so well developed and so charming. I loved Silly, she was so strong and courageous in the face of these problems so much bigger than her. She was so out of her depth throughout most of this book, she was facing not just her mother's health problems but also the loss of her sisters to young adulthood while she was still very much a child. You watch Silly grow up and become a match for her sisters throughout this book. Haydu presents a whole family unit, one that is damaged and scared, but one where everyone loves each other so fiercely that they would steal the stars to save each other.
I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Haydu writes in the future as she continues to be one of my favourite YA authors.
I received a copy of this book from Katherine Tegen Books on Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Silly's mom is sick, and her sister's are keeping secrets, and her dad's always in his own head. But when Silly's mom turns violent with her, she's brought into the fold and her sister's reveal a magical place to her that gives them exactly what they need as they deal with the loss of their mother, their mother's loss, and the perils of growing up and growing apart. Silly and her sister's have to find a way to make this magic save them all.
Haydu captured the magic of childhood, the heartbreak of family tragedy, and the warmth of love and joy that these sisters all share. I couldn't put this book down it was so deeply enchanting and moving.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book because I'm so used to Haydu's contemporary, very realistic, YA books, and this book was promising magic. What Haydu gives to readers in Rules for Stealing Stars is a type of magic that fits so well into the reality of these girls' heartbreaking lives. The magical place they go to, their closets, is a place that fits their needs and their imaginations. To escape the pain of watching their mother's mental health deteriorate and their father fade into his work, the girls begin to hide in the closets of their new home. These closets take them away from their real lives, and into the places they wish they could be. Yes it's magic, but it's also the fantasy of 4 young girls who need an escape from their real lives. I absolutely loved how Haydu made this magical land for these girls and the way they used it to bond and learn about their family.
The characters in this book are so well developed and so charming. I loved Silly, she was so strong and courageous in the face of these problems so much bigger than her. She was so out of her depth throughout most of this book, she was facing not just her mother's health problems but also the loss of her sisters to young adulthood while she was still very much a child. You watch Silly grow up and become a match for her sisters throughout this book. Haydu presents a whole family unit, one that is damaged and scared, but one where everyone loves each other so fiercely that they would steal the stars to save each other.
I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Haydu writes in the future as she continues to be one of my favourite YA authors.