Kids of Appetite

This is a difficult book to describe without giving too much away.
Teenage Vic's father is dead, cremated, and in an urn near the front door. Vic's mother is dating again, and Vic, needless to say, does not approve of her choice. When the new beau proposes, Vic grabs his backpack, tosses his father's urn in it, and runs away.
He stumbles upon an exceptionally odd group of misfits: four people who live together in a greenhouse. Baz is in his mid 20s, Zuz probably late teens. They are brothers who emigrated to the U.S. as refugees from war in Africa. Mad (Madeline) is a blonde girl, about Vic's age, and Coco is an 11 year old with flaming red hair and a propensity to talk too much and use profanity freely (Hey, she would say, I'm from show more Queens.) They quickly absorb Vic into their group.
Vic discovers in the urn with his father, a last letter to his mother, which cryptically asks her to disperse his ashes in five places. Something she obviously has never done. Vic decides he needs to do it, and his newfound friends all make it their mission as well to figure out what the five places are and get there.
All of this is told interspersed with interviews in the police station with two detectives talking to Vic and Mad about a grisly murder, which they just know Baz committed.
Brilliant. Arnold drops a small line here and there of crucial importance to the story, but has faith in his readers, and doesn't ever mention these key elements again, until the end of the book when the web is slowly unraveled and the backstories revealed. show less

This books really starts at the story's end, with its protagonist, Bruno Victor (Vic) Benucci III, being interrogated by a female police sergeant. In another interview room with a detective, Madeline (Mad) Falco, retraces the steps that led to her Uncle Lester's murder. Everything backtracks from when Vic ran away from home carrying the urn holding his dead father's ashes. The impetus for his leaving comes immediately after his mother receives a proposal from the man Vic calls "Frank the Boyfriend." Vic has plans to dispose of his father's ashes in the Hackensack River, but once there, he makes a discovery. The urn holds a photo of his parents with the NYC skyline in the background, and also a note written by his then terminal father to show more Vic's mother. The note holds a somewhat vague list of places his father had asked to be taken. And so begins Vic's quest, for he will only dispose of the ashes after completing the list. While near the river's edge Vic meets Mad, who is a runaway too. She knows her way around the local streets and has a hideaway with three other homeless friends -- the two Kabongo brothers, and an eleven-year-old redhead, Coco. Soon the five homeless vagabonds are calling themselves the Kids of Appetite (KOA) and the others do their best to help Vic on his mission. Which all takes place in an eight-day time frame.

There is so much more to this skillfully written story. So many richly layered supporting characters with fascinating back stories. Even coincidences that would otherwise seem contrived somehow just fall into place. The YA characters are realistic, yet the tale has such a whimsical feel to it that as one who likes whodunits, I got so caught up in all the characters and the craftsmanship of its language that I almost forgot it is a murder mystery too.

I highly recommend this book for YA readers, and just about anyone who likes an exceptional story. show less

"And they called themselves the kids of appetite," said Coco. "And they lived and they laughed and they saw that it was good."

This was a wonderful story. At first, it's a little chaotic in Vic's head as he's a little...Poetic? He's definitely disjointed as he sorts through reality and his hiding and the loss of his father. Also of the bullies and his own struggles. But as he bumps against Coco, Mad, Baz and Zuz, his course is altered and he has new beginnings.

I loved all the characters and the ultimate resolution. It was hard to see where the interrogation and the stories were all going to meet - I knew the bare bones of it but not all the lines and how they connected. This story is so well told, I absolutely loved it.

This might be a good fit for kids who like [b:The Perks of Being a Wallflower|22628|The Perks of Being a Wallflower|Stephen Chbosky|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1438668337s/22628.jpg|2236198]. The characters were interesting, and the framing of the story worked really well, I think. That said, this really isn't my genre. I very, VERY rarely enjoy realistic YA. So I kind of hated this book, while still liking some pieces of the story. I'm a sucker for the families we make for ourselves, and this whole story is one big epic tale of a found family. But also the prose was not to my taste AT ALL. So it was like a war between passages I disliked and heartfelt character exchanges I found sweet.

I'm reviewing from an uncorrected show more proof, so this quote may change, but an example of some of the prose I disliked includes the 16-year-old guy character thinking: "The orchard reminded me of this: an old man's youthful heart." I just cannot with that. On the plus side, there was an exchange on page 99 (maybe? Again, uncorrected proof.) where new friends offer help when it's needed that was genuinely moving and lovely. I actually teared up a bit. But then there were several other specific pages I flagged for the way I REALLY disliked a turn of phrase or bit of text. I usually only mark out bits I love in texts, but I disliked some parts so strongly I couldn't not mark them to go back to and confirm my dislike. It's held up on multiple re-readings of these passages. I can't tell if it's just my dislike of the genre overall, or if it's this writing in particular that I'm having such a negative reaction to. OH WELL.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to recommend this to our teens, but for my personal taste I think it falls squarely in the ugh, NO category. If you enjoy realistic stories, it might be a YES for you though, maybe?

I received a digital ARC from the publisher for review. And, slightly related, I actually requested it for review based on the cover. I really like the cover! show less

This is a book for 14 to 18 year olds and pure fiction. Its a murder mystery, who dunnit kind of book which I am sure teenager’s will absolutely love.

This book is harrowing at times but has you smiling in other parts. The characters are great and a real mismatched group of kids. I liked how we get to know a little about each of these children and what they have been through.
Thank you to the publishers and bookbridgr for this book xx

Vic is a teenager who lost his father a couple years previous. His mother is on the brink of becoming engaged to another man, and Vic, in a moment of extreme agitation, grabs the urn with his father's ashes and runs out the door. He meets up with a small group of other "kids" living out on their own, and together, they go on a mission to scatter Vic's father's ashes. In the meantime, fast forward a week or so and the "kids" are being interrogated about a murder.

This is sort of a hard book to describe without giving away a lot of the plot. There is, of course, a lot more going on than what I described above. In essence, it's a feel-good book, but the journey getting to that point is fun. I enjoyed this one, although the whole show more murder/mystery aspect didn't add a lot for me, and I think the book could've stood on its own without that. The characters are somewhat unique and quirky, but also street smart and likable. Overall, a quick read, but a fun one. show less

As the police interrogate several witnesses, the incredible story unfolds. After Vic suffers one too many losses, he becomes lost himself. Luckily, he is found by Mad and her group of fantastical misfits, who, after meeting him soaked in blood and clutching his father’s urn, take him in and agree to set off on a quest that is bold and transcendent.

From love, to murder, to rap music, from an orchard near Hackensack to NYC, the Kids of Appetite may have anything happen to them at any time, anywhere. The beauty is in how they handle everything that comes. They are a family, and each ‘chapter’ is a worthy story by themselves.

Unlike how I felt about Wirewalker (another 2016 YA release from Viking), I love the message of Kids of show more Appetite, the journey from who you are to who you will become is surprising and often awful, but it is worth every agonizing mile to make it count. Risk is necessary, but never light. It is okay to reevaluate your perspective after the rush of emotion is over. Letting go and hanging on often look and feel the same, and that is okay. There is more, but you should read it yourself to see what you take away from it.

I really enjoyed this book!

I received a review copy from the publisher through First to Read in exchange for an honest review. This review and more at annevolmering.com. show less