Common Sense Media Review
By Kate Pavao
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Stunning story about girl living with wounded vet father.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Hayley tries to prop up her father, an Army veteran wounded both physically and emotionally. But now that they've returned to live in his late mother's house, his problems only seem to grow worse -- he gets into fights, is fired from a string of jobs, and even intimidates Hayley's boyfriend. Hayley constantly monitors her dad, but the daily burden of figuring out how to act around him and checking to see whether he's been in an auto accident is far too much for her to carry, especially as she's dealing with her own painful past. She works hard to repress childhood memories of a stepmother who abandoned her, even as the same woman wants back into their lives.
Is It Any Good?
Readers will find themselves quickly immersed in THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY, a thick, rich, compelling book. They'll easily empathize with Hayley, who feels responsible for taking care of her broken father, even though she does worrisome or frustrating things, such as blowing off her schoolwork or pushing away a boy who really cares for her. Teens will learn something about the horrors of war through Hayley's father's graphic flashbacks and their aftermath in the pair's chaotic life since he's been back home.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies and books that deal with war. Why do you think it's such a common theme, both the conflicts and their aftereffects?
Do you think that we as a country do enough to support our veterans, both medically and emotionally?
Author Laurie Halse Anderson's critically acclaimed books feature such intense subject matter as rape, eating disorders, and slavery. Have you read any of them? What do they have in common with The Impossible Knife of Memory?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Penguin Group
- Publication date : January 7, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : July 13, 2017
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