Customer Reviews

Quaking

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When I saw "Quaking" reviewed on the TeensReadToo web site, I mentioned it to my best friend who is a Quaker. She said she'd read it and found it very moving, and encouraged me to read it too. I'm certainly glad I did.

What she failed to tell me is that it's a kid's book--and I love to read kid's books. Actually, Amazon has it listed in the 9-12 age range, but since the protagonist is fourteen, it should be listed as Young Adult (YA). Personally, I think it's one of those books that's a cross-over, written to appeal to adults as well as kids ... like so many YA books are.

Kathryn Erskine's debut novel tells the story of Matt (and DON'T call her Matilda!) who is an abused fourteen-year-old shunted from one foster home to another. Matt dresses Goth and memorizes the floor, hiding from the trauma of her past, spurning all offers of kindness and care. What a culture shock for her to end up in the home of Quakers Sam and Jessica Fox!

The story builds in intensity as Matt begins to care about her foster parents and becomes involved with the Quaker peace testimony. Feelings about the war in the Middle East run high in her school and her town, with the school bully ("the Rat") and a teacher ("Mr. Warhead") leading the charge against local pacifists.

Matt tries to hide her fear of the Rat and his gang, but as the town begins to erupt with violent attacks against houses of worship, she knows it's only a matter of time until the Quaker Meeting House and her foster father are victims. Eventually, in an explosive ending, Matt finds her voice and the strength to face her fear and stand up for her own convictions.

The author challenges herself by telling the story in Matt's own voice and does a masterful job of bringing the strong, loving girl out of her protective shell. She uses icons of a happy childhood to expose cracks in Matt's armor. The mesmerizing rhythm of Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" find the first chink: <<"And then I remember how dangerous it is to go to that place. The place you think is safe. Because it is not.">>

Jessica's homemade soup dissolves the last of Matt's defenses: <<"I love this soup. I want to hide in this soup, among its carrots and potatoes and celery and chicken and warm breath ... I want to fall asleep in this soup, wrapping myself in its wide noodles and using a soft lima bean for a pillow.">>

That last passage is like magic to me; a marvelous image that may be my favorite in the entire book!

I particularly enjoyed this book because I learned more about my friend's church. "Quaking" reveals a lot about Quakers and their testimonies, but first and foremost, it's a brilliant YA novel about a young girl who opens her heart to unconditional love. I recommend this beautifully written story for the whole family.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008

QUAKING is a book about seeking peace. It tells the tale of an exceptionally bright girl named Matt who has been thrown about and bruised by the foster care system so often that she has developed a dark, tough exterior to cover the fears that often find her quaking. When she lands with Sam and his family of gentle, peace-seeking Quakers, she discovers that sometimes you have to face your fears instead of hiding from them. Few readers will fail to identify, down into their innermost core, with the basic terrors that haunt Matt. And no one can help but rejoice as Matt forces herself to rise about them to help her new family in it's quest for a peaceful existence. Erskine writes even the simplest scenes with gut-wrenching emotion. And her masterful treatment of the love that Sam and his family show Matt, such as when Jessica bakes Matt a pie, will leave the reader in tears. But most importantly, this is a must-read for young people left confused by today's enviroment of intolerance and war. A great debut novel (hope there will be more!)and an unforgettable read that will leave you quaking.

So often readers are asked to embrace characters who've been abandoned, and hardened by that abandonement. We're asked to cheer them on despite how unlovable they are, and to believe in their sudden transformation --right around the end of the book -- into warm, loving people.

Thankfully, Kathryn Erskine has figured out a way to create something far better. Her character Matt has lived an awfully hard life, and it is easy to understand why she is self-protective. Luckily, she's funny, too, and her unique way of viewing the world is genuinely charming. Her new world--with foster parents Sam and Jessica, and in the hallways of a new-to-her high school--is both recognizable to readers and strangely new and interesting. I especially enjoyed the look inside her foster parents' Quaker life.

I also enjoyed the way the book explored peace and its opposites, and the different ways people can work to achieve the kind of peace that is important to them.

On top of that, Erskine can WRITE. There are sentences here that make you say "ooh," out loud. There were a number that I had to reread a few times for pure enjoyment.

I'm looking forward to more books by this author!

In Quaking by Katherine Erksine, Matilda, (always goes by Matt) an abused teenage girl in the foster care system, moves in with a Quaker family. She goes in hating everyone and everything. At school, she lies low and hides from her violent classmate "the Rat", who brings back memories of bullies in her past. For example, after her first confrontation with him, Matt says, "Rats carry plague and must be avoided. I learned that a long time ago (20)". However, she slowly bonds with her foster parents, becomes familiar with Quaker customs, and grows to love her disabled younger brother. When the conditions in Iraq grow worse, anger rises in her small town, and things grow dangerous for her peace-loving family, Matt must realize that the key to her loved ones' survival lies not in her head, but her heart. This touching book, narrated by sly and sarcastic Matt, would make a good read for older and more sophisticated readers, as it deals with serious topics such as religious persecution and child abuse.

How can you not love a book that starts like this:

"Families come in all varieties but with no warranties. I have lived with first cousins twice removed, second cousins once removed, and now a third cousin who is removing herself. I call her Loopy. Because of her large earrings. And because she is insane.

Loopy drives like a ten-year-old car thief on a sugar high."

From the very beginning, Matt (not Mattie, and certainly not Matilda) has a chip on her shoulder. She's angry and cynical, and she has good reason to be. Loopy is about to dump her off at "the next hostile takeover."

"I finally found a second cousin of mine, but you need to make it work, Matt. This is the end of the line for you."

The end of the line is the home of Sam and Jessica Fox and their disabled foster son, the Blob. These aren't Matt's kind of people. For one thing, they're Quakers. They believe so strongly in peace that they don't even have the good sense to run and hide when bullies challenge them. They just stand there. That's what Sam calls it--taking a stand. As far as Matt can tell, it's just being plain stupid. Everyone knows you're supposed to run from bullies, and that's just that she intends to do if the Rat decides to make her the next Victim of bullying at her new school.

Kathryn Erskine never underestimates her readers as she allows this story to push the limits and tackle issues that most sweep under the rug when company is coming. I love Matt's sarcastic commentary on the state of the world as she faces the challenge of her own life. There is no doubt that this character is strong and capable--much like the writer who created her.

This is a book I'll keep on my shelf and come back to again and again.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

Once again, young adult books are tackling the difficult issues and make you understand why libraries are including young adult and adult fiction on the same reading racks, because this is as good an adult read as I have encountered recently. I have read many YA books over recent years, and this one deals sensitively with many issues--acceptance, understanding a different culture, emotion, the agony of war, active vs. passive response. It is also a beautiful and touching story to read. What a delight to find this in the author's first novel. Please read this book--you will learn much and you will feel refreshed and uplifted by this excellent novel!

If you are mad at the war in Iraq you will like this book. If you wonder how it feels to be a foster kid tossed from house to house, you will love this book. If you've had a really crazy fanatical teacher like the main character Matt does, you will totally relate. Really great read.

Beckie Weinheimer, author CONVERTING KATE, Viking Books 2007.

my mother was fortunate enough to room w/ this author in college so we are fortunate to learn of her latest &greatest accomplishments in writing. this story is a quick easy read but very powerful. it took me about a day &1/2 and i enjoyed every moment of it. the tale of such a realistic journey that takes you through every thought & action of Matt. i loooved this story!! bravo, must read for teenagers!

Looking for a young adult book that will engage a young reader and open the door to discussions about peace, tolerance, and true courage? This is the book. Erskine's writing makes Matt seem as real as the kid you sat next to on the school bus. The reader quickly cares about her struggles to find safety and happiness. For some kids, this book may be a reminder that life isn't so easy for everyone. The window into Quaker beliefs may trigger curiosity for the more spiritually inclined. Most compelling at this point in history is the exploration of what it means to be a patriot. It reminds us that moral courage may be the only effective "weapon" to battle jingoism and intolerance. This book is beautifully written and is a fine addition to a bookshelf for kids who want a great story that also deals with moral questions that counter the shallowness of popular culture.

I love everything about this novel! This is one of the most powerful teen novels I've read so far. It has all the ingredients for a great read: real characters, strong emotions, incredible imagery, and all the conflict one could ever want. Highly Recommended (and I look forward to reading more novels by Ms. Erskine)!