As if her parents’ divorce and sister’s departure for college weren’t bad enough, fourteen-year-old Ricky Bloom has just been diagnosed with a life-changing chronic illness. Her days consist of cursing everyone out, skipping school–which has become a nightmare–daydreaming about her crush, Julio, and trying to keep her parents from realizing just how bad things are. But she can’t keep her ruse up forever.
Ricky’s afraid, angry, alone, and one suspension away from repeating ninth grade when she realizes: she can’t be held back. She’ll do whatever it takes to move forward–even if it means changing the person she’s become. Lured out of her funk by a quirky classmate, Oliver, who’s been there too, Ricky’s porcupine exterior begins to shed some spines. Maybe asking for help isn’t the worst thing in the world. Maybe accepting circumstances doesn’t mean giving up.
Cursed by Karol Ruth Silverstein Review
Jam-packed with Catastrophes and Victories
Cursed is about a girl called Ricky who has recently been diagnosed with arthritis. She feels like she is cursed and is quite moody and annoyed. She skips school (and takes baths instead) because she struggles to cope with it. When her parents find out that she has been skipping school, she is forced to go to school again. The book is about the crazy catastrophes she encounters at school and whether the arthritis will get better.
The book reminded me a bit of Wonder because both August and Ricky have to go through school feeling different from everyone else. It is like they are going solo and I think that it is a feeling a lot of kids have even if they don’t have the same problems that Ricky does. She isn’t a nice character at the start of the book and she is jam-packed with problems both inside and outside of school. I enjoyed wondering how things will get better for her.
I liked that when a disaster happens Ricky’s mind swirls, whirls and goes into crazy panic and disaster mode. Also when she gets annoyed she exaggerates it so that it’s funny. The book is also full of strong, determined and crazy characters, which I loved. People who like reading books where action is always happening will enjoy it too.
I would definitely recommend this book to my friends especially those who like books like Wonder, Fish in a Tree and Goldfish Boy. I would give this book 4 stars out of 5.
Published by: Charlesbridge Teen
ISBN: 978-158089-940-6
(Note from the Editor: Karol has also written an article about the importance of Diversity in Books, if you would like to read more about her journey and the importance of this book, pop over and read her article here.)
