It could have really lost me in the first part. There are various reasons for that, but I think the main one would be that it hit me harder than it might other readers. Like to a point where it could have been a trigger.

So much about Julian hit me in a certain way that at points I felt it was hard to continue. His relationship with Adam hit me even harder. I really can't explain why without going into a deep analysis of myself, so I'll just say that it pushed my thoughts further than what I'm sure the author intended.


That was the first part, the second is what caught me and did not let me go. Suddenly I couldn't not continue.
It was pretty heartbreaking and all of a sudden I was feeling everything, and so much more, for these characters that I hadn't before.

I enjoyed this one a lot - I purchased a copy at my local bookstore the week it was published. Excellent debut by Robin Roe! Several of my students have read and liked it a lot already.

This book. Holy moly. The ending was almost too much, but the story was so beautiful. I really loved it.

I liked this for how realistic it was. I also liked the friendship that Julian and Adam shared. They seemed more like brothers. Also, loved how Adam's mom played such a prominent role; most YA novels have little to no mention of parents, but I thought Robin Roe made the sensitive events/themes that in the storyline that much more real with a parent and other adults taking the lead toward the end when things had gotten life-threateningly bad.

The reason I'm waiting this 3.5 stars is because there were times when the writing just seemed to drag.

This book was a little slow to get into, but once I got going, I really enjoyed it. Adam and Julian couldn't be any more different than night and day, so when they reconnected and Adam reached out to help Julian, it really pulls on your heart strings. Reading this book, I couldn't help but to feel immensely towards Julian, and found myself going he would get out of his terrible situation. This was a great book.

Oh my goodness! Such a sad and horrible, yet at the same time great book! I read it all in a few hours today. I couldn't put it down. The story is told alternately by 14 year old Julian and 18 year old Adam. Many serious issues are dealt with, death, abuse, foster care, adhd, dyslexia, bullying, but there are also wonderful friendships and love. Years earlier, after his parents died, Julian lived with Adam and his mother who provided a foster home for him. Now, living with his uncle, Julian's life is quite different. The relationships and friendships between Adam and his friends and Julian are wonderful and Julian's uncle is evil and horrible and the story will make you cry. It is an unforgettable story.

I hesitate to say I enjoyed this book because it was such a brutal read, but the writing expertly conveys the emotional frailty and growing bond shared by the former foster brothers. Books that explore brotherly love between young men, whether related or not, are a welcome addition to young adult shelves. The high school setting, the taut pacing, and the explosive climax will keep most readers glued to their seats. Sensitive readers however, should be aware that there is graphic child abuse

I most enjoy novels with depth where the characters learn and grow a bit through their experiences. A List of Cages most certainly fits that bill. I found myself thinking about the characters the day after I finished the novel. That's always a sign of a good, satisfying book.

I always wonder what magic formula authors use to make readers immediately care about their characters. Robin Roe does a particularly good job of that in this heart-wrenching yet charming novel centered around the friendship between two teen boys who each deal with challenging personality quirks. The "supporting characters" are interesting as well. Watch out for Charlie, he's a sleeper and provides just the right touch of comic relief! I can't help but think what a great sidekick role his character would make for a young actor when this story gets translated to film.

There were several lines that were so beautiful, succinct, and full of emotional depth they took my breath away. Among them: "People I love will be watching me. Their eyes like safety nets, I can't fall."

Buy this book, read it, and share it with your friends.

Review posted to Litsy, 1/30/17: Just finished this YA book, and feel broken. The abuse and horrors inflicted upon one of the main characters literally made me nauseous. Read this if you want to feel something, but be aware this probably contains all the triggers. An amazing job by the author. I'm going to go cry and try to convince myself it was just a story.

This was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down, but also wanted to put down because of everything I went through with the characters. Each charater is expertly conveyed and makes you love them. Even Charlie, the contanst complainer, becomes one of the reader's favorites. I also love the friendship that Roe created between Julian and Adam. The complexities of male, teenage friendships are not often conveyed in popular literature and I think Roe was an expert at navigating this task. Overall, I think A List of Cages was a well-written, beautiful story.

This is a powerful, upsetting story which although it says is for 12 and up I would recommend for 14 and up because of the subject matter. There are trigger warnings here <spoiler>child abuse and violence against a child</spoiler> too. This is not at all my sort of book as it turns out - but it is well written, well thought out. It's just not really for me. I need to do better at decoding book blurbs and being realistic about what I'm going to enjoy. This is not a book you enjoy - it's a book with a painful, tragic story at it's centre and people trying to help and fix things. If this were a memoir, it would be in the "tragic lives" section of the bookshop and that's not my end of the reading spectrum at all.

Dearest Publishers,
I started reading A List of Cages back in November when I was given the opportunity to review the book. A that point, I had only see a couple of people review the book. All of their reviews were positive, but I didn't stick around for the spoilers because I wanted to read this book for myself. I was, and still am, incredibly excited for this book, as is the rest of the Booktube and Book community. However, I reached the half way mark in this book and was unable to finish.
I have all the intentions in the world to finish the book. The section that I read was glorious. I loved the writing style, I felt for all the characters and their feels and was invested in the story. However, I am the child of an abusive father and I currently taking a year to focus on my mental health. This means that I am incredibly vulnerable to triggers and unfortunately, being engrossed and invested in the characters that Robin has created means that I am even more open to triggers. After struggling to continue reading this book, and having a couple panic attacks as I read, I had to put the book down for my own mental health.
I hope that you will understand where I am coming from. As a blogger, I want to be able to read and finish and review every book that I am given and A List of Cages will be no different. However, I need to get myself into a safer and less vulnerable place, mentally, before I am able to pick this title back up.
When I do get around to reading A List of Cages, a full, non-spoilery review will be posted on my blog, which I have linked below.
I appreciate your understanding and I hope to work together many times in the future,
Sincerely,
Jaime Oesterling
We Are On the Same Page

A heartfelt read. It brought tears in my eyes, like every page did. I mean it was such a moving read.
I cannot explain the ache that went through me while reading this.
Never have ever been so touched by the words. It was as if everything that went through Jullian was happening to me.

I 'm sure , it would really have taken a lot of effort for the author to write this. I can understand the pain she might have went through thinking about it, writing it.
Everything was just perfect.
Every emotion, every feeling.

Theme
It revolved around so many profound themes.
Importance of friendship ; good friends really help you get out of the trauma. They really do.
Loss: it deals the effect of loosing someone around which your life was based ones.
That part is the most touching.
Mental health : The torture, the trauma which a person goes through builds a fear inside him. It shakes him all together.
It can never be fully recovered unless you lose the memory of your past.
It was the height of torture.

It felt like as if a knife was placed inside me cutting my heart down. It was so powerful. I mean cannot imagine some one suffering this much. But people do suffer.

People you meet in life , either make your life enjoyable or horrible.
They come in colours.

I recommend this book to everyone but I want to make one thing very clear for those who are very sensitive about the following themes to not read it, because it will depress you to the core.

A List of Cages has gotten a lot of praise from throughout the Bookternet leading up to its release, and with good reason. Roe has produced a stunning debut novel that explores friendship, family, abuse, mental health, trauma, and growth. This story is raw and occasionally heartbreaking, but at its core, it’s hopeful. I read A List of Cages in one sitting on a plane ride– I simply could not put it down.

The story is told through two points of view. First, we have Adam, a popular high-school senior who also happens to have ADHD. I can say with confidence that Adam is one of the most genuinely kind, pure-hearted characters I have ever read. He’s just such a good guy. He cares so deeply for the people around him, and he’s so sure of himself. Adam isn’t perfect by any means, but he tries so hard, and his intentions are so pure. I thought the book presented a person living with ADHD accurately and sensitively. I also loved Adam’s group of friends; Charlie, Emerald, Camila, and the rest of the gang were the rare side characters that didn’t simply feel like fillers. Friendship is a strong theme throughout A List of Cages, and Adam’s group of friends perfectly embody what it is to care for and love others.

Next, of course, we have our other POV character, Julian. Reading about Julian’s circumstances and struggles shattered my heart into a million pieces. He, like Adam, is just a genuinely good person who deserves none of the lot he has somehow drawn in life. I loved reading about the brotherly friendship he developed with Adam throughout the novel. I had some reservations at first, but this didn’t end up playing out as a savior narrative at all; both boys contributed so much to the friendship and taught each other important lessons about being human. Julian underwent tremendous personal growth over the course of the story, and I found myself weeping at how proud I was of him. Parts of his narrative were so difficult to read (trigger warning for physical abuse), but from what I know from my training as an educator, Julian is representative of someone in an abusive household.

There were very few things I didn’t like about this book, but I will say I wasn’t completely sold on the romance. I didn’t dislike it; I just wasn’t entirely sure why I was supposed to care about or feel invested in the relationship between Adam and Emerald. It felt a bit unnecessary to the overall story, as well as underdeveloped. This is definitely a character-driven rather than plot-driven story: it’s all about the relationships, be they friendships, familial relationships, or romantic relationships. Personally, I love character-driven stories, but I did find myself willing the plot to move along at a quicker pace at times.

All in all, this book made me strive to be a more empathetic human. While I might not be able to fix everything for everyone in my life, showing kindness where you can is so, so important. A List of Cages might not be a *totally* perfect book, but it’s a stunning debut that will make you both think and feel. These characters and their love for one another filled my heart to bursting. I highly recommend you pick this one up!

I read this book a few weeks ago and until now I havent been able of write a review because I was unsure of my feelings towards it. And still are, but oh well...

I love it this book while I was reading it. It was engaging, it was sweet, it was funny, and it was sad. So sad that every time I pass a page I would pray: "please dont break my heart, please dont break my heart".

But then the book ended and my heart didn't broke and I was left thinking: this is all?
We are seriously just gonna get a silly-easy-happy ending? Because let's be real, I do wanted -and expected- to get my heart broken. I wanted something monumental, somenthing as unforgettable as the characters and the rest of the story. It wasn't fair (nor for the story and nor for the reader), it wasn't real, it wasn't enough.

"It’s not okay to hurt people. Even if you’re unhappy."

I like Adam's personality. He has bright and comforting personality. He's kind and lovable.

Russel is mean, cruel and full of hate. I'm angry how he treated Julian. Though I understand why he's like that.

Julian is too innocent and clueless at times. He was brainwash by Russel's lies. It tears my heart every time he was "punished" by Russel without doing anything "wrong".

I like this book because it showed the perspective of a child with ADHD and a child who has dyslexia and a victim of domestic abuse. The part I didn't like in this book is Julian's mother's list in spiral notebook. It was like a big deal but at the end it is nothing and turned out just a list and because of that Julian was hurt and disappointed. I like the end though, Julian is happy and loved.

4.5
Such a simple title but one that has so much meaning behind it. This story had me (metaphorically) covering my eyes at times. Even though this theme is nothing new, Julian’s innocence and helplessness were palpable.

Adam- he bounces off the pages, probably due to his ADHD, greets everyone with a smile and can make anyone feel good when he is around them. He’s big-hearted, never in a bad mood and his friends adore him.

Julian- orphaned years ago, scared, shy, and broken. He lives a lonely existence with his abusive uncle and clings to the memories he has of his parents to keep him sane. He is quiet and, at age fourteen, socially behind his peers.

Adam and Julian’s lives have crossed paths before- they were paired as buddies in elementary school when Julian needed help with reading. And then, a few years later, Adam’s mom was his social worker when his parents died, living with them for almost a year until his uncle came into the picture. They haven’t spoken in years, but when Adam sees Julian at school, he tries to say hello. Skittish after years of emotional and physical abuse, Julian eases into Adam’s friendship slowly and very unsure of himself. Adam is loud, where Julian is quiet. Adam thrives in crowds and needs to be busy. Julian loves the calm. Adam’s sincere, do-good nature wants Julian to hang around him and his friends, and Julian finds that he doesn’t mind. Most of the time. Adam is also supposed to be keeping any eye on Julian, as part of his elective hour with the school psychologist. They spend this time talking, but when Adam pieces together some of the strange things Julian has said about his uncle, he starts to wonder. When it becomes clear to him that Julian’s uncle is abusing him, he doesn’t know what to do. Tell or let it go, which is what Julian wants him to do. Guiltily, Adam acquiesces and doesn’t say anything. A decision he will soon regret.


Oh, this story! I felt like I was reading a horror story part of the time. I was scared, didn’t want to know what would happen next but still keep reading. The other times, I was so in awe of Adam and his happiness, I wanted to bottle it up and keep it for a day I might need it. Both characters are strong, flawed, and ultimately want the same thing. To be happy and loved. Fast, emotional, and one you won’t forget, I highly recommend A List of Cages.

A heart-breaking, yet uplifting, exploration of friendship and its redemptive properties.
Told from the views of Adam, a cheery student who seems to float through life, and Julian, the foster brother he hasn't seen for years who struggles to fit in. Sometimes you just know when things aren't right, but it angered me that things were so wrong for Julian and nobody seemed to notice. That aside, this was a powerful read. Not pleasant by any means, but well worth it.

It has been a long while since I've read a book as wonderful and heart wrenching as A List of Cages.

Let me be upfront and say that this is not an easy book to devour as it features characters dealing with an extreme amount of abuse and the aftermath of living in a volatile environment. Don't let that put you off though, because light does shine through the darker moments.

This book isn't without its flaws and I can certainly see while it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but the stunning writing and poetic relationship between these two boys is what makes this book worth holding on to

Angie: Whoo. What a read. A List of Cages nearly did me in. If I had read it further out from when we chose to review it, I would have paced myself with this book. I had to gear myself up to reading. I don’t think this is a book that everyone is going to be able to swallow.

Birdie: I think most people would say it was well written, but yeah I think the subject matter is going to be tough for people to read. I mean, I read a lot of YA books about some pretty intense situations, and A List of Cages was still hard to read.

Angie: Let’s talk about Adam. What a good young man he was. This is the kind of child you hope to have. He was kind and caring, and I love that throughout the book, you got to see that part of him start to influence his friends.

Birdie: I thought it was pretty powerful, the idea that you can help people in different ways. I loved the idea that people needed Adam because of the light that he brought into their lives. It was a really wonderful way to describe him. It’s no wonder that Julian clung to him so deeply, even just in his memories.

Angie: Julian – this kid broke my heart. That he went from a home where he was so obviously and unabashedly loved to where his was killed me. And there was one scene where he extended kindness where it was so unexpected, it brought me tears. I was sobbing by the end of the scene. That someone could be so mistreated but still full of such compassion and willingness to care for others is so amazing.

Birdie: It was so awful. I think it was layered too, because even if his uncle had just been cold or mean, that would have been horrible enough (after losing his loving parents). Then, add to it just how horrific his uncle was. Even if he’d never had great parents, I think I still would have struggled reading this. The fact that it was BOTH, yeah I there were times I had to make myself keep reading.

I have to add, in addition to Adam and Julian, I actually really liked Charlie’s character. I loved that he was a bit of a dick, but that as the story progressed you watched him melt. Of all Adam’s friends, Charlie was my favorite.

Angie: I agree. I really liked Charlie’s character, too, and I like that he was able to eventually pinpoint what he was feeling. And that he took it a step further and shared it. I also loved how, even though his family wasn’t a huge presence in the book, they felt fairly fleshed out to me.

I did have two issues with this book – first Adam’s romance. I don’t really feel like the book was better for this. I don’t feel like it really added much to the story. And second, I thought the end was a bit drawn out. I think things could have been wrapped in more efficiently and kept a better pace.

Birdie: I didn’t mind the romance, in the sense that an 18 year old boy would have a crush on a girl and he was so dynamic it was hard to believe that she wouldn’t like him back. I also appreciated how Emerald influenced the story and the decisions that were made, and how that made Adam feel in the end. I also liked that Adam’s friends (including Emerald) adopted Julian. I’m not sure the story was made better for the romance. It could have been left out, and she could have been just a friend, and I would have liked the story just as much. It just didn’t detract from the book, for me.

Angie: I agree the crush was realistic. I just didn’t feel it was pertinent to the story, and I think that time could have been spent on something else, or left out altogether, and that may have helped the pacing for me.

Birdie: I did have a hard time at the end. I guessed how it would end, just because it had a predictable ‘bad guy’ ending. I hoped it wouldn’t go there, and that the Uncle’s story would end more realistically. BUT, this was countered by how well I think the author wrote the emotional scars left on everyone.

Angie: I guess that’s another issue I had. After the big event at the end (that I thought took too long to get to,) there wasn’t enough exploring of those feelings for me. But I do like how this book shows what a domino effect feelings are – the things you do don’t just impact one person. They have the ability to impact a bunch of people, for better or for worse, and in this case, we saw both.

Overall, though, even with the problems I had with this book, I think it was a wonderful read. And I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Birdie: Absolutely. My complaints were minor, because overall the story really got to me. Great pick for our first BaBAMB buddy read. 🙂

Angie: It was a great read! Thanks so much for visiting Ba_BAMB!