Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

Anke’s father is abusive. But not to her. He attacks her brother and sister, but she’s just an invisible witness in a house of horrors, on the brink of disappearing altogether. Until she makes the volleyball team at school. At first just being exhausted after practice feels good, but as Anke becomes part of the team, her confidence builds. When she learns to yell “Mine!” to call a ball, she finds a voice she didn’t know existed. For the first time, Anke is seen and heard. Soon, she’s imagining a day that her voice will be loud enough to rescue everyone at home—including herself.

This book is intense and powerful. It is written in verse and I think that adds to the sadness of the story. I felt like Anke's story was so gripping and my heart was ripped out of my chest for her. I finished this novel in about an hour, I just couldn't put it down. I feel it takes a special author to write in verse, as each page needs to have meaning. The writing in this novel was brilliant and the idea was gut-wrenching. Anke is the only child not being abused by her father and she considers herself furniture, since no one is paying attention to her.

Of course, me being a big baby, I was a mess at the end. I too was sexually abused by a neighbor as a child and I could feel what these three children are going through and it broke my heart. I wanted to kill her father for her, and rescuse this family from the pit of saddness they're trapped in, and by the end I wanted to hug her. Such an intense ride!

Brilliant, brilliant novel.

*****