★ 08/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—When Che is forced to move from Australia to the United States, he has two things on his mind: find a new boxing gym and keep the world safe from his sister Rosa. For almost as long as she's been alive, Che has known that something is not right with her. Callous, indifferent, fascinated by pain, she is a threat to all those around her, whether or not her parents see it. When their lives collide with old family friends, Che struggles to keep Rosa in line at the same time as he's experiencing his first love. A tense, thrilling rumination on the psychology of evil, this work manages to keep a suspenseful tone while also showcasing a burgeoning romantic relationship. There are also a wide variety of nuanced and complex diverse characters in Che's New York City neighborhood. Rosa is a truly chilling figure, seemingly unpredictable in her violence yet methodical in her manipulations of those around her. VERDICT While the sexual content and sadistic main character make it a better choice for older readers, the book is a worthwhile selection for YA collections.—Erinn Black Salge, Saint Peter's Prep, Jersey City, NJ
★ 2016-08-02
“Do you think I’m the devil?”Seventeen-year-old Che thinks his 10-year-old sister, Rosa, might be worse than that. Rosa lies and manipulates others, steals, and tortures bugs—all for her own entertainment and curiosity—and her extreme behavior is increasing. Che’s parents don’t believe his claims about Rosa, so when they move to New York City, he has one goal: protect the city from his psychopathic little sister. As Che presents his research on sociopathy and personality disorders via conversations with Rosa, readers witness her malicious behavior, threats, and lies firsthand. Not one to shy away from tough subject matter, Larbalestier addresses issues related to gender, sexual orientation, religion, identity, and race with tact. Though narrated by an Australian white male, diversity abounds in the novel, effortlessly sharing the pages with the riveting plot as it builds to a frightening climax. Che is in love with his “very dark-skinned” boxing mate, a girl named Sojourner (who also happens to have two moms). In a particularly brilliant set piece, Leilani, who’s part Korean and a lesbian, and Elon, an androgynous black character, force Che to contemplate his interracial relationship by addressing the fetishization of black women. This dark thriller is the 1956 film The Bad Seed meets 2016; readers will be simultaneously terrified when Rosa’s present and afraid to let her out of their sight. (Thriller. 14 & up)
Praise for My Sister Rosa
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Book of 2016
"[My Sister Rosa is] amazing . . . It's a permanent presence in my life now . . . [Justine Larbalestier’s] brain is an amazing and terrifying instrument."
—John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars
“The evil in the room across the hall, the evil in the flowery party dress, the evil who just wants a bedtime story—Rosa is more frightening and more adorable than any villain you have yet met. Larbalestier is at her tricky, terrifying best in this novel.”
—E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
"Troubling, thoughtful, provocative, and wise, My Sister Rosa is a compelling character study, a chilling thriller, and a love letter to the diversity and vibrancy of New York City."
—New York Times bestselling author Kass Morgan
"With My Sister Rosa, Larbalestier brings us a novel that starts out as a quirky family story with a cast of intriguing and likeable characters (even the titular pyschopath), but which quickly races into psychological thriller territory that meets and beats The Silence of the Lambs for suspense—it's the kind of book that had me literally gasping aloud as it rattled to its incredible conclusion."
—Cory Doctorow for BoingBoing.com
“My Sister Rosa is a gripping, terrifying, wonderful story that I could not put down.”
—Laurie Halse Anderson
"An utterly compelling and wonderfully creepy exploration of the many faces of psychopathy. Rosa will stay with you long after you turn the last page."
—Jay Kristoff, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Illuminae
"Manipulative, murderous Rosa is one of the most terrifying villains to come along in fiction in quite awhile."
—Buffalo News
"Not one to shy away from tough subject matter, Larbalestier addresses issues related to gender, sexual orientation, religion, identity, and race with tact . . . This dark thriller is the 1956 film The Bad Seed meets 2016; readers will be simultaneously terrified when Rosa's present and afraid to let her out of their sight."
—Kirkus, Starred Review
"A chilling contemplation on human morality—Che’s physical sparring in the ring has nothing on his go-arounds with Rosa . . . [incorporates] sharp commentary on privilege, faith, gender identity, and race. The tension of wondering where and how Rosa will strike next will keep readers riveted from start to finish."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Larbalestier reminds readers of her masterful gift for slippery, unreliable characters . . . Thriller fans will devour this suspenseful, chilling meditation on the roles of nature and nurture in creating dangerous criminals."
—ShelfAwareness, Starred Review
"A tense, thrilling rumination on the psychology of evil, this work manages to keep a suspenseful tone while also showcasing a burgeoning romantic relationship. There are also a wide variety of nuanced and complex diverse characters in Che’s New York City neighborhood. Rosa is a truly chilling figure, seemingly unpredictable in her violence yet methodical in her manipulations of those around her."
—School Library Journal, Starred Review
“The plot is devilishly clever, with clues that point to without giving away the surprise twists . . . Even those with no prior experience of [Larbalestier’s] craftiness will find Che’s helplessness in the face of Rosa’s casual cruelty absolutely chilling.”
—The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review
"My Sister Rosa is terrifying, brilliant, and heart-wrenching. A must read."
—Cindy Pon, author of Serpentine
"Larbalestier masterfully crafts a unique tale about a boy and his kid sister who bring old problems to a new city. It's darkly funny, disconcerting, and absolutely brilliant!"
—Jason Reynolds, author of The Boy in the Black Suit and coauthor of All American Boys
"Haunting is the best way to describe Larbalestier's latest home run . . . I loved the hidden depth of the secondary characters and found the complexity of the family dynamics familiar and fascinating."
—RT Book Reviews
"In confronting Rosa’s sinister tendencies, Che not only comes face-to-face with his family’s dark past but also a few grim secrets of his own . . . A captivating exploration of family, fate, and the fight to outrun them."
—Booklist
"A toe-curling psychological thriller."
—The Sydney Morning Herald
"Larbalestier’s novel is a slow boil, moody and tense, with just the right amount of creep factor and a casually diverse cast of characters . . . Che’s journey toward self-awareness is at times enlightening, at times devastating, and the threat of violence from Rosa is suspenseful and truly terrifying."
—The Horn Book Magazine
"Outstanding . . . This is a subtle but completely unsettling examination of how evil is born and how it is often found in the most unsuspecting places. My Sister Rosa is tough to put down and even more difficult to forget."
—New Mystery Reader
"The sense of impending doom overshadowed all. It will take some time to truly absorb My Sister Rosa and more time to recover . . . An excellent psychological thriller featuring diverse characters; it’s a page-turner that happens to fall into the YA category."
—DarkMatterZine.com
Praise for Razorhurst
"A day full of bloody confrontations, secret alliances and unexpected romance . . . fascinating setting, colorful names, and sharp, peppery dialogue."
—The New York Times Book Review
"Vivid . . . Lavishly imagined . . . Larbalestier's elaborate world is sure to linger."
—Los Angeles Times
"Vivid and bloody and bold and fast—I feel like Razorhurst is in my bones now."
—Elizabeth Gilbert
"Sure, it is shiny and chilly and bloody and sharp, like the razor of the title, but Larbalestier's book is also magical and glamorous."
—E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
"Larbalestier packs plenty of danger into the single day this novel covers . . . [The] story's interwoven intrigue and empathy make it feel timeless."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Larbalestier pulls no punches with the gruesome, gory details about the violence of poverty, and the result is a dark, unforgettable and blood-soaked tale of outlaws and masterminds."
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
