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young adult book reviews & more

Rose Sees Red by Cecil Castellucci

Rose Sees RedFor two years, Rose has been lonely. With no friends and no hope for becoming the greatest ballerina, she has sunk into a fog of despair. For two years, Yrena, a Soviet transplant, has lived next door to Rose. Yrena’s life has been limited to her home and the Soviet compound; she has never truly experienced living in New York City, though she yearns to. It all changes with a surprising party invitation, a trip to an ice cream shop, and spontaneity. Together, Rose and Yrena will experience a night in the city like no other that will show them the power of friendship and love.

Sometimes, I judge the stories I read by the effect they leave on me; the greater the effect, the better the story. If this holds true, then Rose Sees Red is certainly one of the best stories I’ve ever read. From the very first page, I was drawn into Rose’s and Yrena’s lives. They’re the sort of characters that readers want to like, even when they’re selfish or self deprecating. Their adventure in New York City has a sort of dreamlike quality to it, but the convenience of all of Rose and Yrena’s actions and choices is what lends the story its charm. Rose Sees Red is a book that just radiates love. The fact that Rose, an American, and Yrena, a Soviet citizen, can have such an immediately strong bond during the Cold War, a time of American-Soviet tensions, just proves this point. This may be a feel-good story, but it is also a sweet and worthwhile read that promotes tolerance, love, and hope.

Rose Sees Red will be enjoyed by fans of When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson. I hope to have the opportunity to read more of Castellucci’s fantastic writing soon.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

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