Overview
It all starts when Matthew observes a heroic scene in a convenience store: A man named Murdoch puts himself between an abusive father and his son. Matt is determined to get to know this man. And when, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt's mother, it seems as if life may become peaceful for the first time.
Matt and his sisters have never before known a moment of peace in a household ruled by their unpredictable, vicious mother. And so, after Murdoch inevitably breaks up with her and the short period of family calm is over, Matt sees that he needs to take action. He refuses to let his family remain at risk. Can he call upon his hero, Murdoch? And if not, what might his desperation lead him to do?
A thought-provoking exploration of self-reliance and the nature of evil and a heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin's most compulsively readable novel yet.
Synopsis
For Matt and his sisters, life with their cruel, vicious mother is a day-to-day struggle for survival. But then Matt witnesses Murdoch coming to a child's rescue in a convenience store, and for the first time, he feels a glimmer of hope. When, amazingly, Murdoch begins dating Matt's mother, life is suddenly almost good. But the relief lasts only a short time. When Murdoch inevitably breaks up with their mother, Matt knows he needs to take action. But can he call upon his hero? Or will he have to take measures into his own hands? A heart-wrenching portrait of a family in crisis, this is Nancy Werlin's most compulsively readable novel yet.
VOYA
Unlike Werlin's previous four novels, this latest includes nary a mystery element. But the departure from genre does not mean that Werlin's newest book lacks suspense. If anything, it is one of her most deliciously harrowing works. Eighteen-year-old narrator Matthew introduces the novel with a letter to his younger sister, Emmy; the body of the book is what he calls the "true story of our family's past" and is written in short, tight, first-person chapters that occasionally address his sister-and readers, his "real" audience. In the novel, Matthew recounts his thirteenth through sixteenth years, during which he, Emmy, and their "middle" sister, Callie, lived in a small apartment in South Boston with their manic and abusive mother. Much of what Matthew describes involves his and Callie's attempts to protect the younger and more vulnerable Emmy. The siblings spend much of their time on edge, attempting to appease their mercurial mother and protect Emmy from her often-violent wrath. When their mother begins dating a complicated man named Murdoch, Matthew casts this newcomer as the family's savior and is frustrated and depressed when Murdoch does not immediately rise to the occasion. The plot moves swiftly and unrelentingly to a climax that visits themes common to some of Werlin's earlier works and offers an uneasy recognition of the same conclusion David Yaffe voiced in The Killer's Cousin (Delacorte, 1998/VOYA October 1998), "Anyone in this world can have the power of life and death over someone else. It's horrible, but true."
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Matt grows up quickly when he figures out that his mother, Nikki, is psychotic. He assumes responsibility for his two younger sisters, Callie and Emmy. The three children learn early on that, to survive, they must stick together at all costs. Nikki's moods change nearly by the minute, and because of this, the children come face to face with danger a number of times. Nikki gets much pleasure out of scaring her children; she even holds Emmy over the edge of a cliff one day for the sake of proving a point. When a man named Murdoch enters the lives of Matt, Callie, and Emmy unexpectedly, however, all of their lives change forever. Murdoch takes on the role of a parent and risks his own life doing all that he can to help them, giving the children a new sense of hope. His character helps young readers to realize that adults and children can have much in common and that it is nearly impossible to tell on the surface exactly what someone is going through. This book addresses issues that have previously been considered somewhat touchy in adolescent literature, such as abuse and murder, but it does so in a way that readers can easily understand and in a way that is appropriate for the adolescent audience. The story is told from Matt's point-of-view in the format of a letter he writes to Emmy. Werlin does an excellent job drawing readers in from the beginning and holding their interest through the final chapter. A highly recommended story for high school aged students, this book would fit exceptionally well into any curriculum. Reviewer: Josie PattersonVOYA -
Unlike Werlin's previous four novels, this latest includes nary a mystery element. But the departure from genre does not mean that Werlin's newest book lacks suspense. If anything, it is one of her most deliciously harrowing works. Eighteen-year-old narrator Matthew introduces the novel with a letter to his younger sister, Emmy; the body of the book is what he calls the "true story of our family's past" and is written in short, tight, first-person chapters that occasionally address his sister-and readers, his "real" audience. In the novel, Matthew recounts his thirteenth through sixteenth years, during which he, Emmy, and their "middle" sister, Callie, lived in a small apartment in South Boston with their manic and abusive mother. Much of what Matthew describes involves his and Callie's attempts to protect the younger and more vulnerable Emmy. The siblings spend much of their time on edge, attempting to appease their mercurial mother and protect Emmy from her often-violent wrath. When their mother begins dating a complicated man named Murdoch, Matthew casts this newcomer as the family's savior and is frustrated and depressed when Murdoch does not immediately rise to the occasion. The plot moves swiftly and unrelentingly to a climax that visits themes common to some of Werlin's earlier works and offers an uneasy recognition of the same conclusion David Yaffe voiced in The Killer's Cousin (Delacorte, 1998/VOYA October 1998), "Anyone in this world can have the power of life and death over someone else. It's horrible, but true."KLIATT
Child abuse, and the courage of children trying to protect one another and survive: these are the themes of The Rules of Survival. The novel is about three children; the older two are teenagers. The narrator is the oldest, Matthew, who has spent most of his life trying to protect himself and his younger sisters from their mother Nikki. Nikki is attractive, smart, and hopelessly manipulative and cruel. She is capable of showing a rational side to others. Even her sister, who lives in the apartment below them, knows the depth of her cruelty but wants to believe she is a capable parent. Nikki seduces a man named Murdoch, and the children are relieved because they trust him to protect them from their mother. But when Nikki reveals her sadism, instead of protecting the children, Murdoch walks away. Matthew is dumbfounded, but can't give up. He devises a plan, pleading to his father and to his aunt for their protection from Nikki. Still, nothing is simple, nothing easy. There is a crisis; Murdoch intervenes and we understand more about who he is and what his strengths and weaknesses are. Werlin won the Edgar Award for her YA novel The Killer's Cousin. She creates a suspenseful plot while developing characters who are movingly realistic. Matthew is a hero we can all appreciate. An excellent mystery; with heartbreaking descriptions of child abuse, both physical and psychological. KLIATT Codes: JS*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2006, Penguin, Dial, 260p., $16.99.. Ages 12 to 18.—Claire Rosser