I haven't been this emotionally compromised by a book since I read Rilla of Ingleside in 2015. It was admittedly difficult to read through the religious hate (not that it's presented in any positive light). Harper grapples to find her own voice and opinions amidst her neglectful upbringing, her lack of friends from moving so much, the struggle of growing up and hitting puberty with parents who offer no guidance whatsoever (and often add to her confusion). Harper's journey is told in a perfect example of masterful literary crafting. I related to her love of books so much on a personal level, the way they can comfort and make readers think for themselves. The way she and Gray talk about books with each other is so familiar and heart-warming. This book is an ode and homage to the transformative power of literacy. The specific literary examples persisted as themes throughout the book, culminating in an epilogue of satisfaction and perfection. I spent at least the last third of the book with tears in my eyes. I know this review seems overly gushy, but this book hit me so hard in the feels. ( )

Complex, concise, recommended. It's always wonderful to find an author who doesn't talk down to kids. ( )

This was a wonderful novel. The story begins with the main character, Harper Jessup, contemplating how she ended up alone on bus in the middle of nowhere- which is actually where she is towards the end of the novel. She then retraces the steps that brought her to this place in her life. Harper is a fascinating character that pulls on your heartstrings. As she chronicles her life as a child of zealot missionaries caught up in the "banning book" movement, you cheer for her as she begins to find her own path in life. There are many important themes in the book: being closed minded or blinded by your beliefs, the importance of reading and knowledge, friendship, individuality, and family ties. ( )

I put off reading this book as te inside jacket warned of a troubled child being dragged around by parents as migrants of God. However, once I picked it up I didn't put it down again until finishing all 200 plus pages. Harper's parents are unhappy, unemployed white trash until they find Jesus who employs them to crusade against smut in public schools, and later, abortion. Her only friends through thick and thin and the irratability of family life, are the very books that she has been forbidden to read. A must have for Banned Books week. ( )

I stumbled upon this book in a bookstore as an adolescent, and I'm glad I did. Lasky manages to turn characters who could be nothing more than flat stereotypes into complex people while making the serious issues of censorship in libraries and schools into a powerful fictional case study. ( )