The Danger of Small Things out now from Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 272 pages
Content Warning: Institutional and physical abuse, violence, psychological distress, depictions of gun violence
About the Author: “Caryl Lewis is an award-winning Welsh novelist, children’s writer, playwright, and screenwriter. Her breakthrough novel, Martha, Jac a Sianco, is widely regarded as a modern classic of Welsh literature and sits on the Welsh curriculum. The film adaptation (with a screenplay by Caryl) won six Welsh BAFTAs and the Spirit of the Festival Award at the Celtic Media Festival. Caryl’s other screenwriting work includes BBC/S4C thrillers Hinterland and Hidden, and she’s also the author of The Danger of Small Things. She is a visiting lecturer in creative writing at Cardiff University and lives with her family on a farm near Aberystwyth” (Bio from Simon & Schuster’s website).
Find Caryl Lewis on the following platform:
Jess is a thirteen-year-old girl living in a near-future dystopia where all the honeybees have gone extinct, resulting in a world of chaos and hunger. She, and every other young girl, are taken from their homes and forced to work in labor camps where they pollinate flowers by hand with brushes so the government can grow food for trade. Once they reach a certain age, they are then forced to marry and have children with their new husbands. Jess is tired of the corruption and lies of this new world and starts using her art to protest the injustices brought upon girls in this society. With a brush and stolen paint, she opens the eyes of those around her and spurs others to resist with her.
This story was captivating from the very beginning. Jess is a remarkable character, and she possesses a strength not many would have in such hard times. Her acts of rebellion were subtle but done in a way that made those around her think deeper about what they were enduring and why. Her painted murals were what made the story so impactful, especially since she used the brushes made for pollinating crops. Jess’ friendships, especially with Cass and Eliot, were the driving forces behind this story and ultimately what pushed her to act in the first place. The relationships built were so heartwarming; Jess and Cass deserve the world! Their friendship displayed the great strength women can possess when they learn to trust and work together. This story was moving in that its circumstances are not difficult to imagine, and they make you think about what future we want to create for not only ourselves but for those after us as well. Lewis did a wonderful job of portraying the dystopian worldview as dismal and bleak while also giving room for the possibility of hope for a better future. I would describe this book as the young adult version of The Handmaid’s Tale, a very real and terrifying possibility of the future of women and girls, as well as the collapse of society and extinction of vital resources. Though there were some hard parts, this story’s message is important and should be shared amongst all young women who need a reminder that they are powerful not only individually but also together. Wonderful read!
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Bryanna Thompson, Pine Reads Review Writer
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