mockingbird Book Review

There are some stories where the plot is fantastic, but the characters do things few people can relate to. It’s great to have an epic battle against good and evil, but if the heroes aren’t nervous about the chance of death, the storyline becomes moot. That’s why the world needs stories like mockingbird. The plot is beautifully simplistic in a heartwarming way. More than that, Caitlin, the protagonist, relates to all of us by not relating. She doesn’t understand the world around her much, shining a light on the reader’s insecurities on the matter. She’s a little different, and aren’t we all? Though Caitlin has Asperger’s, her quest for closure concerns people of all ages. Erskine’s use of punctuation adds value to the story, emphasizing words other people wouldn’t and leaving things other people would capitalize (the title, for instance) lowercase, which reflects on the piece as a whole. The theme of finding your own version of peace within troubled times affects a large amount of readers. A story that uses every word to the fullest.

“[Caitlin speaking] I don’t use colors. My drawings are black and white with no blurry stuff. It’s easier to see that way.”

Recommended for anyone who needs a step back from their own lives to figure something out.

-Grace Nask