Anke is like furniture at home. She’s always there, but almost always ignored. Her father abuses her older siblings, but he doesn’t even notice Anke. She’s invisible, and her mother and brother and sister just stand by and let the violence and other kinds of abuse take over their lives. Anke knows she doesn’t want to be abused, but she also doesn’t want to be invisible, and in a twisted way, she feels like her father doesn’t love her as much as her brother and sister. It wasn’t always like this; Anke has happy memories of her family, too, from long ago.
When Anke starts high school, she also joins the volleyball team and learns to come out of her shell. She learns to talk to people , to shout, and to take control of her life on and off the court. Finally, she doesn’t know if she can maintain her silence anymore–but she’s afraid. Confronting the situation in any way could tear her family apart, but what can she do?
Because I Am Furniture is a gritty, lyrical, and thought-provoking verse novel about one girl’s struggle with abuse–or, rather, with not being abused. This is a quiet but intense book on a difficult subject, and though the issue is the focus of this book, it felt real enough not to be a complete issue book. It felt like a story about Anke as much as a story about her abusive father, and it wasn’t the in-your-face issue book I was afraid of.
Anke is a realistic, sympathetic heroine who feels invisible, feels like it should be a blessing, but also feels unwanted; it’s complicated and sounds a little crazy, but Thalia Chaltas makes Anya’s feelings and her silence make sense. The author does very well at conveying a real feel for the personalities of all the characters, and the intense emotion of this heartbreaking (but ultimately hopeful) story, in a few well-chosen words.
This is a powerful, observant, and harshly honest debut. It’s shocking in some ways, but it doesn’t feel like it was written at all for its shock value; it’s about truth and honesty (and I get the feeling it might have been based on the author’s own experience–the dedication is to her mother, sister, and brother, and says “I write/now/what I could not do/then.” But I could be wrong about this) and figuring out what to do in a very difficult situation.
After such a dark and painfully real book, the ending was a little too neat and happy for my taste. Although something too far on the other end of the spectrum would have been unnecessarily depressing and melodramatic; I would have preferred something that was more of a balance between a happy-ever-after and an ending in which everyone dies (I hate those).
Overall, my issues with this book were minor, and it was an intense and compelling read. Thalia Chaltas’s excellent use of verse and characterization were impressive, and I look forward to her next novel.
(I would also like to note that I am blaming Thalia Chaltas for my Statistics grade; I spent the entire class period this morning reading her book from cover to cover.)
Five out of six windows:
January 8, 2009 at 3:43 am
Great review – can’t wait to get started now.
December 17, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Lol, Was looking for reviews on Entertainment center furniture and I was referred here. Goes to tell you about how great search engines are!
January 8, 2009 at 9:34 am
I have this on my shelf and can’t wait to read it, though I’ll wait until the release date, probably.
Great review!
January 8, 2009 at 12:01 pm
This one sounds awesome. I’m glad you reviewed it. I love me some verse novels.
January 8, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I have this book in my TBR pile. It looks good, especially after reading your review. I’ll have to get to it soon! :)
January 8, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Great review. I hope to be getting this book soon, but I’m not sure if I’ll be getting it or not. :( It looks wonderfulll!
hope.
January 9, 2009 at 12:18 am
Didn’t I tell you in the blogger chat to stop posting reviews of books I really want? xD
I can’t wait to read this one, ahh.
January 10, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Hi, Jocelyn!
Great review! And it’s the second review this week I’ve read about this book. Guess that means I’m going to have to go out and buy it!
;)
Michelle Zink
January 14, 2009 at 2:38 pm
[…] Pie Adventure)7. BOOKIE WOOGIE (I Will Surprise My Friend)8. BOOKIE WOOGIE (I Love My New Toy)9. Jocelyn (Because I Am Furniture)10. Jocelyn (Beautiful Americans)11. Michael (Bluebeard)12. Carrie K. (The Observations)13. Carrie […]
February 13, 2009 at 11:06 pm
There are many types of abuse, and not just from parents.. mine came from a sibling, many yrs ago.. and still I said today that I feel invisible or non existent to my family who no longer speaks to me because I would not tolerate their abuses.
August 22, 2009 at 10:43 am
Nice post! I like that book
November 17, 2009 at 9:42 pm
it’s an extraordinary book. it seems super-long but it took me only two hours to read. it’s definitely worth it, and makes you think. i’d read it again for sure.
December 26, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I will get the book for sure, after this review is just hard to resist.
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March 1, 2010 at 3:52 pm
I finished this book in an hour and thought it was beautifully written. I found is compelling and brillant! I can not wait to read another one of Thalia’s wonderful novels!
April 15, 2010 at 3:36 pm
i wanna read this book almost as much as i want to sex my crush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(sorry, horny today)
January 7, 2011 at 8:19 pm
i read this book 2 times and am making a scrapbook for it for my 7th grade reading project. i have 1 question tho did the father sexually abuse yaicha because when anke said why do u have to take the pill. and she has a painful look in her eyes. so please answer me and let me know what u understood from that book about my question
March 16, 2011 at 9:42 am
I haven’t read this book yet, but it sounds like one of the best! I’m eager to read it but at the same time, don’t know if I’m strong enough to handle the emotions that come with reading the book. On the otherhand, this author is a very talented writer! (:
October 3, 2011 at 8:32 pm
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October 30, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Love so tru nd peronsal response Awesome!
November 1, 2011 at 8:30 am
This book is very confusing at times because it goes from one thing to another,but it is very sad because of the abuse and ALMOST rape. The ending could have been better. Nice work though!
November 20, 2011 at 12:44 pm
I personally didn’t like this book, I found it to be a big poem with little to no sound plot line.
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January 16, 2012 at 11:19 am
you should put some quotes from the book on here
January 16, 2012 at 11:20 am
yea you should
January 16, 2012 at 11:20 am
ya everyone would liek that
January 16, 2012 at 11:21 am
YA TOADALLY SHOULD PUT qUOTES ON HERE
January 16, 2012 at 11:21 am
se what i mean everyone wants that. this is such a great book ! i read it like 5 times
January 22, 2012 at 7:44 am
i love this book it is like the best im doing a project on it.
March 11, 2012 at 2:49 pm
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December 13, 2012 at 9:39 am
A book to die for
December 13, 2012 at 9:41 am
Fantastic book, great story, great plot. A must read!!!!
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July 9, 2014 at 6:29 pm
cant wait to read this book, I like how its in stanzaz and it doesnt seem toooo long. very poemyyy like :)
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September 29, 2015 at 6:25 pm
In this book there are some pretty disturbing things. The main character is Anke. she lives with her father, mother, brother and sister. her father abuses her older brother and sister but never really her. Anke claims she feels like furniture and that she is not her fathers favorite. If you asked me what surprised me the most it would have to be the ending.