A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Pages: 310

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Crime mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, under-aged drinking, abuse, and other mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down a troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is a Lincoln Award Nominee (2019) and was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2017).

What’s good?

It’s impossible not to care about Julian right from the start. He’s a sad, lonely, timid boy who somehow manages to find good in people despite the obvious lack of love in his life. Adam, on the other hand, is popular, confident, friendly, and surrounded by loving and supportive people. This is an extraordinarily heart-wrenching story driven by well-drawn characters and a simple but absorbing plot. The chapters are short, so the pace is swift. Adam’s friend Charlie, and girlfriend Emerald are strong secondary characters. Compassion, friendship, and grief are themes in this gripping tale. The ending was dramatic and satisfying.

Best Part: “Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.” (pg. 178)

What isn’t good?

I have only one complaint, but it’s a big one – the adults. Despite the multitude of adults that populate this story, not one is reliable. Even Adam’s mom is passive despite her social work background and firsthand knowledge of Julian. The teachers are inattentive; they don’t recognize that Julian is dyslexic, and they are portrayed as too busy to care. The cops are apathetic, and the nurses are unsympathetic despite what should be plenty of experience dealing with abused children. Even Adam calls his girlfriend instead of his mom when he needs help.

Worst part: The adults.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This story will resonate with me for a long time. It was beautiful and sad and moving. From the onset, you know things will probably turn out okay in the end, but you have to keep reading just to make sure. This story won’t be for everyone – it gets brutal—but it’s well done, and I highly recommend it.

Roe, Robin. A List of Cages. New York: Hyperion, 2017.