Book Review: “A List of Cages” by Robin Roe

The fact that this novel is based on real life experiences made it even more heart-wrenching for me to read. The story is told from the perspectives of two young boys, Adam and Julian, whose involvement in each other’s lives has made a huge impact on how they view themselves and the world.

When Julian is put in the foster care system after a horrible accident kills both his parents, things seem ultimately grim for him. Shortly after Julian’s life is turned upside down, he’s placed in the care of the Blake family where he and Adam become like real siblings. However, Julian is taken away from the Blake family after his Uncle Russell comes into the picture and is given guardianship. Years later, Adam and Julian are reunited when Adam, acting as the aide for his school’s psychologist, is sent to retrieve the troubled new student who refuses to turn up for counseling sessions.

I put books down for many different reasons. Sometimes, I get bored of them and I start reading them again only when I have time to kill. Sometimes, I feel like I’m loving the story and the author’s style of writing so much that I don’t want the novel to end so I settle for reading the book in small doses. Then, in other cases, the book is so emotionally taxing that I put it down and start reading again only when I can muster up the energy to do so. A List of Cages by Robin Roe falls into the latter category.

Both characters are wonderfully written and the secondary characters were also realistic. My only problem was that the author made Adam’s character a little bit too angelic. He’s oblivious to the good deeds he does and everyone around him admires him regardless of their age. Still, the author does an amazing job of writing about the relationship between Julian and Adam and I think that reading about how they supported each other was one of the highlights of this novel.

What was probably the hardest part for me to read was how Julian was socially excluded by his peers for his timid and childlike personality and, of course, the abuse Julian receives from his legal guardian, Uncle Russell. Julian is already under insurmountable pain after losing the only people he thought cared about him and is then shunned by his schoolmates who ridicule him for being introverted and shy.

After Russell locks Julian away for days in a chest Julian’s parents gave to Julian when he was a child, I put the book down and took a breather. Even though I’m constantly aware of the cruel nature that exists in our world, I’m not desensitized to it. Every time I hear about the horrors that are currently happening in Europe, the Middle East or even about something in my own community, I shiver at the thought that people can be so inhumane. One of the most depressing things that I realized after reading this novel is that there are kids out there like Julian who don’t have a protector or supporter like Adam and that, unlike this novel, there are never always happy endings to abuse cases.

Considering the fact that the author has a history of counseling and mentoring troubled teens, this is an amazing debut novel. I look forward to reading more stories from her regardless of the tough issues they address.