I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

It’s been a week since I finished reading Saints of the Household, and I’m still struggling with what to write about it.

Not because it was bad.

Quite the opposite.

Saints of the Household just sticks with you. You ruminate on it when least expected. It’s impactful.

The story is told in alternating points of view that not only nuanced but give readers a really true sense of who Max and Jay are.

Author Ari Tison expertly explores themes of abuse, recovery, friendship and family dynamics. Her narrative is dynamic while remaining gentle, allowing vulnerabilities to play at the surface. Though she covers difficult topics, Tison’s probe is never graphic or over-the-top. It’s a fine line that is perfectly balanced.

Saints of the Household is an excellent contemporary debut novel that is appropriate for older YA readers, ages 14 or 15 and up.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this might be the most beautifully written YA book I have ever read. Told in alternating perspectives between the two brothers, Max’s sections are written in poetry and Jay’s are in prose. But don’t let that scare you away, this was a quick read, and the simplicity of the writing is what makes it so beautiful! I was moved by the relatable depiction of depression, the reflections on both Christian and Bribri storytelling, and the exploration of the ways that the same life experiences can impact two people very differently. It reminded me a lot of one of my other favorite reads this year, “All My Rage,” so if you loved that book, run to pick this one up!!

Saints of the Household, which I read in eARC (thank you @netgalley), drew me in right away with beautiful prose (complemented by verse chapters interspersed, too) and also with the relationship between Jay and Max. For most of the book, the two brothers are trying to figure out who they are when they’re not in high school, at home, or with eachother, and so we get to see a somewhat typical ‘coming-of-age’ arc, but with both brothers figuring out simultaneously, and dealing with some sincerely heavy issues in the meantime. We get to see Jay and Max sort through ‘typical’ high school things like relationships, grades, college applications, and rumors, but also deeper (and sometimes heavier) stuff like domestic abuse and their own issues with anger and depression. All of this is told through really gorgeous writing (prose and verse!) but also through the lens of their Indigenous (Bribri) identity, too, which makes the story feel wholly original and just beautifully immersive. I loved the brothers and their mother and cousin and grandpa so much! (And I also loved the Braiding Sweetgrass references💞)
All of this is to say- I would be happy to have this in my classroom (with appropriate TWs, although I think the book is never gratuitous or particularly graphic about its violence), and I think it’s 5/5 stars. A definite rec.

This was a really emotional story told through the eyes of two teenage Bribri American bothers. They are basically suffering from PTSD due to family violence, but each handles it differently causing a rift between an otherwise strong relationship.

I really enjoyed learning about the Talamanca area of Costa Rica and the indigenous people of the Bribri tribe.

The writing style is quite different. Max’s (the artist) POV is written in verse with a poetic feel while Jay’s POV is more stream of consciousness. But it works.

Saints of the Household begins with a violent incident. Two brothers get in trouble for protecting their cousin Nicole when they come across Nicole and her boyfriend in the woods and sense that he is about to hurt her. They severely beat the boyfriend up. This event is a trigger for the boys who live with an abusive father and are sensitive to the signs of male aggression and rage.

Unique Storytelling
Tison gives each brother a distinct style of communicating their point of view. Jay’s story is told in prose. It represents his need for structure both in life and in his interests. He is a unique combination of mathematician and writer. He is also the oldest son, so he feels trapped in a traditional role as responsible, caretaker and protector. Prose makes sense for telling his story.

Jay is the youngest. His story is told in verse. He is an artist and the verse compliments his freedom both in life and in his artwork. With an older brother willing to bear the heavy burdens of the family, he manages to ease away and immerse himself in his art. Jay and Max, who are very close in in age, are also an interesting exploration into the roles assigned to birth position in a family. Who has to be responsible? Who gets the freedom to stop worrying?

An important note on the chapters: they are short and titled. I always appreciate this for readers who get distracted easily or who like to feel they are making constant progress as encouragement for reading. I love chapter titles because it makes for an easier reference when I am discussing a book and gives some additional analysis to think about when thinking about the connection between title and content. The point of views are also woven together like a fine tapestry. So I never had trouble going between the two brothers’ perspectives

Family & Culture
One of my favorite characters is Grandpa. He has such a warmth that he exudes that feels like safety and home wrapped together. He is a reminder of safer times and he is a rock for Jay. The intellectualism this man exudes is so important to Jay. He looks up to his grandfather as a family and academic role model. Grandpa feels like the keeper of the boys’ BriBri culture and identity. He reminds them of the importance of their heritage especially as they begin healing. They still use the BriBri language with each other as well.

The Chapter That Broke Me
Since I read an early manuscript of Saints of the Household, I am really holding myself back from quoting the line I want to reference. But the chapter that had me sobbing was “First Task.” Jay is helping is grandpa open his home from being boarded up for the winter. There were two major sentences that I felt Tison perfectly, beautifully and poetically captured about Jay’s struggle and healing in the aftermath of his father’s abuse. I will add them once I receive my finished copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 5/5 stars. CW: Domestic abuse (physical, emotional), parental abuse, depression

I didn't really know what to expect, as I requested this ARC due to the cover and trying to expand my indigenous reads. I absolutely loved this. It's a thought provoking, harrowing novel over the lives of two brothers who are only 11 months apart. They are Bribri, and there are discussions about generational trauma and how they are indigenous. I liked, though, that the "being indigenous" wasn't the plot of the novel - it was just there and accepted and provided depth to the novel.

The story alternates between the two brothers, one who tells his story in short prose and the other who tells his story in verse. They drift apart while trying to figure out who they are and also deal with results of their actions and their lives. They lived most of their life in a protector role with their mom and trying to prevent their dad from hitting her (or them). There's a lot of trauma for them to process, and they don't recognize the trauma right away. I did cry, but mostly because just reading the story at times was a lot. There's a lot of hope toward the end of the story and while the relationships may not be completely resolved...the feeling of hope and a future for the two brothers is heart warming.

Max and Jay are Bribri American brothers who work together to survive and protect their mother from their abusive father. After an incident with golden boy Luca, Max and Jay are assigned mandatory counseling as terms of their return to school. Since the incident, things between the brothers have shifted and their closely interwoven relationship begins to fray.

Told in alternating chapters from the brothers' POV, this is part vignettes (Jay) and part novel-in-verse (Max). It was a quick read with short chapters and beautiful descriptions. In less than 400 pages, Ari Tison has written a heart-breaking coming-of-age novel that touches on DV/IPV, Bribri indigenous culture, loneliness, and the lengths we'll go to protect who we love. The two different writing styles add to the characterization of each young man, where Jay is more logical and analytical and Max is the creative artist. Tison also touches on the nuances of sibling relationships and the need for Max and Jay to become their own people even if there are growing pains in the process.

My only very minimal critique is that readers do not know the outcome of the conflict between Luca and Max (other than the suspension). Overall, I fell in love with this book, grew to care for Max and Jay, and I will definitely be following Ari Tison after this monumental debut.

Trigger Warnings: Domestic abuse, bullying, mental health; depression, alcoholism, death, mention of suicide

Before the incident in the woods, Max and Jay were pretty much connected at the hip, they had to be in order to protect themselves and their mother from their physically abusive father. Afterwards, their act of violence threatens the brothers’ dreams of their future. As the details of the event unfold throughout the book, Max and Jay take different courses as they think about their actions, their own shifting relationships, and just how alike to their father they may be. Told in alternating points of view using vignettes and poems, Saint of the Household tells of two Bribri brothers as they deal with brotherhood, abuse, recovery, and trying to do the right thing in their last few months of high school.

This isn’t an easy book - there’s no fuzzy feelings or giant smiles. These poor boys went through a lot in this story and it’s their journey of how they came out on the other side. Now, I will say the boys’ Grandfather does come in at one point and helps the boys reconnect with the Bribri culture and some of those lessons were tender and much needed for the boys.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vignettes of chapters that we got. It made the story read faster, but it also didn’t need any kind of filler in between and what was on the page was only the important stuff. Jay’s viewpoint is told in prose and is short and to the point. Max’s are in verse and sometimes into calligrams, which match perfectly with his escapism he uses in his art.

Overall, this is an incredible debut from Ari Tison and I can’t wait to see what they will write in the future. I can’t wait to share this book with others once it’s released and the amount of book lists I will be putting it on are endless.

*Thank you Farrer, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Heartwarming story of twin brothers who are abused by the their father and trying to protect their mother also is violently abused. The abuse they experience causes trauma and creates themselves to be the same way to others. They lash out when they are trying to be protective. They fear that their anger is incontrollable. It's the trauma they experience that makes them look deep within themselves and see it's not their fault. They can be better. They realize that what other see in them is that they are not bullies once the fathers abusive nature is exposed. They want to be better and once they get help and put the father in jail the healing can start. You can see how hurt they have become and the distance that is brought in their own brotherly relationship. Once so close and now drifted apart. All they want is for it to be better for everyone. you can see the healing happen within the family and the grief it has actually brought to the father. It makes you hope that others will see you can become more than what you are given and it doesn't hurt to look for help from the outside

First of all, thank you to Publisher’s Weekly grab-a-galley, NetGalley, and ALA for the opportunity to read this unique, not to be missed debut. I’m already thinking about the ways I can get this book into students’ hands.

Told in two voices, Jay and Max are brothers, seniors in high school and as close as brothers can be. First we meet Jay whose narrative is in prose, brief chapters that go deep into his thoughts and feelings. Max is applying to art school. His chapters are in verse. The two different styles perfectly represent these young men. As they deal with the fallout from beating up a classmate who they suspected of physically abusing his girlfriend, they come to terms with their own family history and their futures.

This story is told so well. I’d find myself crying without realizing it. Jay struggles. Max struggles. YA readers will connect. I did not want this book to end and look forward to more from Ari Tison. This is already one of my top YA books for 2023.

I received this eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Told in intimate first person voices of two indigenous brothers, this is a powerful, difficult and ultimately hopeful story. This story is about family: the violence perpetuated by their father, two children trying to protect their mother, the relationship between the two brothers, and the indigenous lessons from their maternal grandfather. The blurb makes it sound like the incident between the two brothers and a classmate is the focus, but that incident is more a lens through which they try to understand the circumstances of their childhoods and how to move beyond the violence as they become adults chasing their dreams.

The writing is beautiful, rather it’s the prose for Jay or free verse for Max.

This book is about two brother's who by doing the right thing are shunned by their community, and their growth as brothers, sons and individuals in the aftermath of this event. This would not normally have been a book that I would pick up on my own volition, but having been born in Costa Rica, the author's background (Costa Rican-American) peaked my interest, and I am glad that I was able to read this book. The author uses prose and verse to distinguish between the two brothers, and that to me made it stand out. The more "logical" brother is depicted by the prose but the more "artistic" brother in verse, and I absolutely loved that the author did this! It made the book different and refreshing. I also enjoyed seeing the brothers growth as individuals throughout the story, and the interweaving of the author's Bribri background and heritage, and how it impacted their thought process and their actions. Overall this was a great story that had me feeling all kinds of emotions. I just wished the ending would've been a little longer.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for providing me with an Advanced Reader's Copy.

o excited to have an eARC of this book through NetGalley!

Not me sobbing at 1:30AM finishing this book.

This story is so beautiful. I loved it.

Although I'm not usually drawn to contemporary books, especially ones that have multiple heavy topics, this book caught my eye. The cover is impeccable, but I also have never seen a book with Costa Rican main characters published for a young adult, US audience. Let alone Bribri mains! I was so excited and knew I needed to give it a read.

And I'm so glad I did, because it was impeccable. The formatting with short chapters for Jay and verse chapters for Max kept me engaged. The writing was wonderful, and the interspersed Bribri stories were great to read.

The story does center on heavy topics like abuse and depression, but it overall has a more hopeful tone. Both boys have support throughout the book, have passions that drive them, and there is a happy ending.

I can't wait to have this on our library shelves!

It's a little early to declare a favorite YA novel of the year, but I am pretty certain Saints of the Household will make my "Best Of" list come December. The novel follows two brothers, Jay and Max, in the aftermath of their assault of the school's golden boy in defense of their cousin, Nicole. As they come to terms with the way their shared experience of family violence has sent them in different directions, Jay and Max find their own ways of coping with loss and uncertainty. Max throws himself into his art, dreaming of life in a new city, while Jay seeks comfort in his grandfather's Costa Rican values and traditions. What sets Tison's work apart is its narration, which shifts back and forth in both perspective and form. Max's sections are written in verse (think Long Way Down), while Jay's are written in prose that combines observation with Indigenous mythology (I was reminded of The House on Mango Street). The novel deftly weaves together a variety of ideas, with teen romance and family drama sharing the page with Indigenous identity and domestic abuse.

I'm excited to get this book into the hands of reluctant readers, who I think will be drawn to its unique form and quick pace, but I see a lot of my students connecting with the novel in one way or another. Tison is one to watch! Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ari Tison's debut novel consisting of prose and verse is steller.

Two Costa Rican American brothers in their senior year think that their cousin is being hurt by her boyfriend and they beat him to a pulp. The book starts two weeks after this incident.

Jay's story is told in prose. His sentences are short and to the point, almost like his sentences mirror how constrained he feels by his life. Jay sacrifices relationships and college to protect his mom and brother from their abusive dad. He keeps a close eye on his cousin, Nicole, as well as her maybe abusive boyfriend, Luca, who also just happens to be the superstar of the school. The student body treats him and Max as pariahs for their violence.

Max's story is in verse, the structure perfect for his need to flee his life as well as explain the freedom he feels with his art. For the first time, Max keeps secrets from his brother, further widening the distance between them.

Tison's writing is incredible. She slowly builds the tension and deftly handles the difficult topic of child abuse and its effects. She weaves Bribri culture throughout the book, giving the boys the connection that they need to find themselves and each other.

This book hurt my heat, but in the best possible way, and I cannot wait to see what Ari Tison writes next.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the eArc of <i>Saints of This Household</i>. All opinions are my own.

When we first meet brothers Jay and Max in this book, it's clear that something awful has happened. These are not your average teens: they're isolated from their peers, on eggshells with their family, and even their close relationship with each other seems strained. What we should be unsurprised to learn later is that a story's always more complicated than what people see on the surface. Though Jay and Max undisputedly behaved badly, we slowly but surely begin to sympathize with them as we learn more about their past, their peers, and most importantly, their home life.

As author Ari Tison weaves the story of Max and Jay through vignettes—Jay in prose, Max in verse—what unspools is a heartrending tale of family, generational trauma, and loyalty to one's roots. We see growth, not just from Jay and Max, but from the friends and other adults around them, too. I especially loved learning about indigenous Costa Rican culture, which is woven effortlessly throughout the book.

<i>Saints of This Household</i> was an enjoyable read, one I can see recommending to my students and even using as a book club title. It wasn't easy—there's nothing light and fluffy about this book, and the introspective first person narration is intense—but to go on the journey alongside these two brothers is worth it.

Saints of the Household by Ari Tison REVIEW

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Saints of the Household is Ari Tison's debut book and what a debut it is! My emotions were all over the place alternating repeatedly. I felt such heartbreak for both brothers. Their story is sad but powerful. You can feel the strength of these characters growing as the story goes on.

This book is absolutely fantastic. There are a lot of sensitive subjects covered in a way that is both raw and delicate. It's a beautiful balance and an absolutely stunning piece of work.

If you are someone who needs trigger warnings check them before reading.

This was a heavy book so please check trigger warnings, but wow. It was heartbreaking!

Max and Jay are BriBri American boys about to graduate high school. It starts off with them committing a violent act that unfolds as the story progresses and more things are brought to light. Both boys are going through so much at home and it bleeds into their lives outside of it.

This is slow, but it still kept my attention. I loved the alternating POV and their styles definitely reflected the character's personality. Great story about brothers, family, and navigating domestic abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I would like to thank Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with an ARC.

This book is a very emotional book, discussing topics like abuse, written in a poetic style. There were parts of this book that worked for me and parts that didn't. I didn't fully connect with the writing style or the characters. There were also a few pages in the e-arc that I received that were very difficult for me to read based on the format that stuck the writing in the margins between pages, that I hope is fixed in finished digital copies of the book. I think many people will enjoy this book, even if I didn't fully love it, so I recommend that people check it out.