“Nothing ever really happens. Or, more accurately, nothing new ever really happens.”
Still Life With Tornado by A.S. King follows the existential crisis of a sixteen-year-old girl, Sarah. This “crisis” comes after a series of unfortunate events involving her parents, her brother, a trip to Mexico, Vicky “The-Grand-Prize-Winner”, and her art teacher.
This book was a very enjoyable read that perfectly captured the naive perspective of a child navigating difficult circumstances. It illustrated how the truth is often hidden in plain sight because of a lack of understanding of a situation; a lack of maturity. This book also switched between the perspectives of Sarah and her mother, which further helped to explain the situation that Sarah is in. This change in perspectives also helped to bring awareness to the stories of two different types of victims, and emphasized how even though these two characters live together, they’re victims of two different situations.
I would highly recommend Still Life With Tornado to people who don’t mind being upended by a story or caught off guard by characters. This book is also good for those who enjoy a slow reveal of the truth and short impactful chapters.
hello Jazmine, I really liked your review. It seems like it is packed with information and I liked how series of events lead to the crisis, for it makes the book more interesting. I love the cover included. The cover drags me into the book especially with the words around the tornado giving an idea about what is causing the crisis and overall it looks like an interesting read.
Jazmine, I’m so glad you mentioned how the perspective shifts, that’s always an important component of a book for me! This book sounds super interesting and mind-bending. Great review!