A List of Cages

Robin Roe's writing has a certain quality that compels me to devour her books in one go. I was particularly captivated by her latest work, Darkroom Etiquette, and my excitement led me to dive into this one as well. The story revolves around two young men who were once foster brothers and are now reunited in high school. Adam, a popular senior with ADHD, is tasked with helping Julian, who is struggling to come out of his shell. As Adam takes Julian under his wing, he realizes that something is not right and does everything in his power to assist him.

There's a famous French saying that goes, "Trop c'est comme pas assez," meaning "Too much is like not enough." This saying perfectly encapsulates the layers upon layers of terrible events that befall Julian. At times, the story is truly horrifying, and although it didn't bring me to tears, it left me seething with anger towards Julian's plight and the system that let him down. The ending, however, didn't quite resonate with me. Despite this, I remain a devoted fan of Roe's writing and will continue to devour all of her books in one sitting.