Comment

Dec 03, 2013
“Because I Am Furniture” is a chilling novel written in the form of haunting poems. It explores the life of teenage Anka, a young woman whose other family members are abused by her father. Anka herself is seemingly forgotten by her father, leading her to believe that she is a kin to furniture (she is there and she exists but is ignored by everyone). This book is a wonderful read but does contain “trigger warnings” for various forms of abuse. The author of this review does not have many complaints about this novel. It is very interesting and offers an eerie view into the world of abuse. The main character is very likeable, if not a tad pessimistic (but that is to be expected due to the way she is treated). The other characters (with the exception of the abuser) are, for the most part, very likeable too. The plot of the story is vibrant and the setting does a lovely job of increasing the intensity of the mood of the story. The poems that compile the story themselves are sometimes vague, but they do not fail to communicate what is happening in the story. “Because I Am Furniture” by Thalia Chaltas can be described as a coming-of-age story. It would be a wonderful choice for a book talk or book report for students who are of teenage age and enjoy real-life novels that sometimes need a bit of “reading between the lines”. Overall, this poetic novel is a lovely, heart-warming read that will have you chewing on your lip in suspense at some parts and wishing to give characters hugs at other parts.