This was different and so refreshing!

“Pick The Lock” by A.S. King is a surreal and powerful narrative that masterfully blends magical realism with critical social issues. Known for her distinctive voice and thought-provoking themes, King delivers a gripping and reflective story that dives deep into the complexities of human nature, societal constraints, domestic violence, and child abuse.

This was such a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that will stay with me long after the final page.

A.S. King is a new to me author, and I cant wait to read more from them!

2.5 stars
*Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers group for the ARC*

I love A.S. King’s writing even though I don’t always love her books, which is why I requested an ARC of “Pick the Lock.” I loved “Dig” and “Please Ignore Vera Dietz.” The latter especially will always hold a special place in my heart, and there are hints of that magic in “Pick the Lock.” Ultimately, though, I had a hard time getting into this one. A VERY hard time. It took me six months to read this.

Oddly enough, I think I would’ve had an easier time with this if I weren’t a longtime fan of the author. Because I knew going in that her books can be hit or miss for me, I judged this one pretty quickly as soon as it started feeling inaccessible. And it started feeling inaccessible almost immediately, when it’s revealed within the first few pages that Mina, our main character’s mother, has been locked inside a system of tubes in her own home, and the rest of the characters accept this as the norm. When Mina isn’t whooshing around the tube system and being treated terribly by her family, she’s a famous punk musician. Also within the first few pages, the main character, Jane, explains that her father routinely arranges for “Suitors” to come take her out on dates. There’s no time to adjust to this information before the plot starts to unfold with Jane’s discovery of surveillance footage of her home dating back to the 90s, through which she begins to realize she may have been brainwashed. Also there’s a shapeshifting rat. It’s a lot!

The metaphor is somehow both very heavy handed while also being too surreal to understand. I do appreciate that this is written for a YA audience, who may need this particular metaphor to be spelled out since they (hopefully) do not have the life experience to recognize it for what it is, particularly from Mina’s perspective. But it’s so far-fetched that it’s difficult to connect with. The shapeshifter storyline is also tough - without spoiling anything, I thought the identity of the shapeshifter muddied the book’s message. It creates an unnecessary villain and “exonerates” Jane’s dad Vernon in a way that feels particularly damaging for this subject matter.

What I did like: King writes very charming, whimsical characters, and they are present here, although it takes a looooong time for the book to pick up enough to reveal them.

I’m never sorry to have read a King book, but I have to admit that I’m really glad to be done with this one!

AS King has been writing some very bizarre plots and settings lately. This book does a good job of being a commentary on the patriarchy, abusive marriages and the ways that children can be manipulated by adults. However, there was definitely some weirdness in there that didn’t appear to be part of the metaphor and that was just not explained.

King's work always serve to disquiet me and this one is no different; surreal and fantastical with quirk and a premise which starts as relatable and rapidly moves into the surreal.

A.S. King is not an author for every reader. BUT for those willing to suspend disbelief a bit and plod through some complicated mechanics, there is such beauty to be found.

In Pick the Lock, Jane and Henry's mother is the victim of an oppressive, misogynistic System. Jane and Henry spend the bulk of the book figuring out the world around them and their place in it and the ways their mother has been a victim of it. It's complicated and weird but there is the gem of something really heartfelt and honest in it.

This book is wonderful and weird. Than you for the ARC. I may not be smart enough to totally get it but I enjoyed the experience of reading it. I love the pictures. I love the setting and the way the book is formatted too.

Hmmmmm.... This is the strangest book I have ever read, and I honestly don't even know what I think of it. On the one hand, I went into it wondering from the beginning how Jane's mother, Mina, allowed herself to be used solely to provide for a family she can only watch when she is at home stuck in that tube system, the rest of the time.. On the other hand, I see Jane change and develop new opinions about how her father has manipulated his family into thinking this is okay instead of accepting her life as it is. .

It starts out exploring how an abusive partner is often so controlling the other person is afraid to speak out about what they want and think anymore. Jane and her brother are home schooled, and forced to follow their father's list of rules, so they don't even get the opportunity to make friends or socialize. Jane finds some old home movies that show her mother as a caring, normal person, and that changes how she feels and thinks.

I can't say I particularly loved the book, but it was well done.

2.5 stars. There's always a lot of things going on in an A.S. King, and unfortunately I didn't get enough of it this time. This is a book about domestic abuse and systemic oppression of women, which is both shown metaphorically and hammering you over the head the entire time. I'm still not sure what the whole little paranormal bit is all about. A lot is conveyed through the song lyrics that Jane writes in her punk rock opera, and I just didn't connect with those. The most interesting character to me was Henry, Jane's brother. A telling of this story from his perspective with Jane as the main character still would've been fascinating. I'll be back for more of King's books in the future, still.

This was my first book by A.S. King and I was definitely nervous going into it. I have heard so many good things about this author and her writing that I feared that I was hyping this up way too much. But, I was pleasantly surprised! I actually really enjoyed this book and the themes it explores. While I don't usually LOVE magical realism, it really worked for me in this! The magical realism aspects were important to the story but they were just vauge enough that I felt satisfied with the inclusion of it. I also loved the LGBTQIA+ rep in this and I was happy to see that it really wasn't a huge deal... the character is just queer, and that's cool! It didn't really effect the story much, and it wasn't a huge plot point in the story. My biggest complaint is that this book was YA. I think that if were an adult book, it would've been able to go further and darker which would've made the story even better. I'm no longer afraid to read things from this author and I can't wait to read her backlist!

very weird book but i still enjoyed it, this is the first book ive read by this author despite owning multiple. will be reading more.

I had a strong, visceral reaction to this book, especially in response to the mistreatment of women, most notably the mother. If not for professional obligations, I might have set it aside early on because of this. However, by reading to the end, I came to appreciate how A.S. King uses these elements to make a powerful statement on toxic masculinity and misogyny. Pick the Lock is a compelling, multi-layered story that explores questions of freedom, individuality, and healing. King’s nuanced storytelling makes this a must-read for fans of contemporary YA literature who seek a narrative that’s as daring as it is thought-provoking. This novel isn’t just a story—it’s an exploration of the personal locks we create and the courage it takes to unlock them.

Jane and her younger brother Henry have been confined to their Victorian mansion since the pandemic. Their mother has been confined to the System (pneumatic tubes in the home) for much longer except when she is on tour for her punk rock band. The System is a punishment for their mother and protection for Jane and Henry according to their father, Vernon. Vernon and their Aunt Finch have taken great pains to convince Jane and Henry that their mother is a violent and crazy woman. The rules of the house keep Jane and Henry from interacting with their mother regularly. However, Jane has discovered the recorded footage of the security cameras in her home and they are telling a different story. Pick the Lock tells the story of Jane discovering the truth about her family and learning about herself through home videos, dialogue, and punk rock opera creation.

This book took me awhile to understand and even then it was strange. I struggled to track the plot and the science fiction/fantasy elements did not add to the story. I think the shapeshifting element somewhat detracts from the seriousness of the abuse happening in the home. The approach to the novel felt like the abuse was secondary almost but it was woven into almost every part of the story. I did not find myself wanting to finish or desiring to not put the book down.

Thank you School Library Journal Day of Dialog for the eARC.

This book was a case of cool formatting, so-so story for me. I really wanted to love it because I liked the characters and thought the setup was promising. It just never really came together for me. It was sadder than I was expecting, but it was an interesting way to tackle some heavy subjects.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I am DNF-ing, as there is far too many different media elements for this story to make sense. I don't like the addition of the songs or the screenplay

I enjoyed reading this book while it being one of the strangest books I have ever read. Even though I have never read a book like this it was a very enjoyable reading experience that was written in a way that made the book go by quickly. If you are someone who enjoys books that are experimental and gripping I would definitely recommend this book to you

I don't even know where to start. Seriously, "Pick the Lock" by A.S. King is one of those books that left me with a head full of thoughts and no clear way to express them. But here goes—let's start by saying that it's about isolation, growing up under the thumb of an ultra-controlling parent, the blurry line between truth and perception, shapeshifters (yes, really), and, oh, punk rock operas. So again, where do I even start? Well, what I do know is that I could not put this strange, haunting, and completely wonderful book down.

This is exactly why I love diving into works by authors I've never read before. A.S. King was new to me, and after "Pick the Lock," I'm definitely intrigued to check out more of her work. She pulls off a kind of storytelling that's totally unique—equal parts bizarre and beautifully meaningful.

On the surface, this is the story of Jane, a girl trapped in the tightly wound reality of her abusive and controlling father. Jane is searching for her own truth, especially regarding her mother, and she's doing it in a secret punk rock opera she's writing on the side. Yeah, you read that right. It's part coming-of-age, part rebellion, and part discovery of the hard truths hidden in her family's past. As Jane digs deeper, she sees things more clearly—about her parents, her upbringing, and herself. It becomes a mission not just to find the truth but to stop the cycle of abuse once and for all.

The best way to describe this book? A wild ride that makes you think long after the last page is done. I honestly recommend "Pick the Lock" to anyone who loves a unique, thought-provoking story. It's one of those reads that lingers with you, leaving behind a few questions, some deep thoughts, and maybe a new favorite author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Queen of the YA magical realism books is out with another insightful title!
🐀
Jane’s mother is the leader of a famous punk rock band, but when she’s not out touring, she’s locked in their Victorian mansion by Jane’s father. Jane and her brother, Henry, have also been locked away since the pandemic, homeschooled by their ill-equipped and controlling father. But Jane’s mother has it the worst because her entrapment has her enclosed in pneumatic tubes. Now that Jane is getting older she’s seeing that what her life looks like compared to other teens isn’t normal.
🤘🏻
At its core this book deals with domestic violence, spousal control and brainwashing. It is wrapped up in a weird package, but if you’ve read King’s stories before then you know you’re in for a wild ride—just embrace it! This was definitely a fight the patriarchy, feminist, stand up to your abuse story and I’m here for it.

CW: pandemic, alcohol poisoning, alcoholism, emesis, child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, infidelity, toxic relationship, gaslighting, misogyny, confinement, religious bigotry, sexual harassment, sexism

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the complimentary copy!

This book is out now!

This was my first A.S. King book but she had come highly recommended. I also heard that her books & writing are different. And I can tell you this one is truly unique but yet I could not stop listening. There was a lot happening in this book and a lot of metaphors and I'm not sure I full understood what was happening. And even now thinking about it, I still am not sure I understand the ending.

This book has different elements, a rock opera, past timeline and a present timeline and even with having the items it all worked. It took a bit to get used to the format and I was happy to have the physical book to reference. Jane is young and curious and knows that something isn't right. Her mother is a rock star and when she is home she stays in tubes. And her father is insanely protected of her and her brother and don't allow them to do things that normal children do.

It's really hard to describe this book so I highly suggest either checking it out or reading other reviews from others who can speak more eloquently than I can on this one.

The story is really interesting and I will be curious to read other work by her. If you are looking for something different to read that will make you hate men, give this one a try!

3.5

I went into Pick the Lock blind . It was my first read by A.S. King, who has a unique writing style that blends fantasy with reality. King incorporates song lyrics throughout the story and the timeline felt linear and unlinear. It took me a little while to settle into the writing style and keep track of the different plots but once II went into Pick the Lock blind. It was my first read by A.S. King, who has a unique writing style that blends fantasy with reality. King incorporates song lyrics throughout the story, and the timeline feels linear and unilinear. At first, I wasn't sure if the writing style was a fit for me, and I admit to skipping over some of the song lyrics. Once I found a rhythm, I enjoyed the story. I think King's use of storytelling to portray domestic violence, alcoholism, and parental alienation worked - Jane and Michael's growth at the end of the book is a great example.
 
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy. did I enjoyed the story and found the way King portrays domestic violence powerful and thought provoking.

Another brilliant novel by A.S. King. Her work connects with my students, especially those who express even a slight interest in surrealism. Even though they may not state this, I am certain my students also connect with King's honesty. She may use metaphor to do it, but she does not hide the truth and she does not treat teens like they need to be talked down to in any way.