The Art of Breaking Things

By: Laura Sibson

Narrated by: Phoebe Strole

In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson and Sara Zarr, one girl embraces the power of her voice: rules are meant to be broken and she won't stay silent.

Weekends are for partying with friends while trying to survive the mindnumbingness that is high school. The countdown to graduation is on, and Skye has her sights set on escaping to art school and not looking back.

But her party-first-ask-questions-later lifestyle starts to crumble when her mom rekindles her romance with the man who betrayed Skye's boundaries when he was supposed to be protecting her. She was too young to understand what was happening at the time, but now she doesn't know whether to run as far away from him as possible or give up her dreams to save her little sister. The only problem is that no one knows what he did to her. How can she reveal the secret she's guarded for so long?

With the help of her best friend and the only boy she's ever trusted, Skye might just find the courage she needs to let her art speak for her when she's out of words. After years of hiding her past, she must become her own best ally.

Critic reviews

Raves for The Art of Breaking Things:

“The next time you think you know all about the school slut, the druggie, the vandal—think again. People are more complex than their reputations, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Laura Sibson’s powerful novel about female empowerment.”
—Leila Sales, author of This Song Will Save Your Life

“The Art of Breaking Things is a precious and daring work; an ode to the healing powers of the creative spirit. Skye breaks your heart just before she mends it back together. From the beginning, readers will believe in Skye because of how deeply and empathetically Sibson depicts Skye’s artistic vision and genuine, searching soul.”
—Cordelia Jensen, author of Skyscraping and The Way the Light Bends

“This book is a battle cry for the silent, scared, and shattered places inside us. Unflinching and lionhearted, this powerful novel is going to change lives and heal hearts.”
—Heather Demetrios, author of Bad Romance

“Sibson has created a flawed and likable narrator who attempts to work through cause and effect, shame and secrecy, avoidance and obligation. With layered nuance, the novel brings to light the impact of sexual assault and the importance of consent.... Triumphant.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson.”—Booklist

Read this book.

This is a beautiful story, masterfully written, amazingly acted.
I gotta admit I was reluctant at first (only by the title you know this will wreak you), but once I started, I couldn't stop. This is such a hard and heartwarming story, where the characters are so real, so much alike to you and me, where the trauma they live with is like a faraway echo on the back of their minds. It's always there, but they might not even realize it. And you get to the end and find out the inspiration for this novel was the author's own experience with abuse.
I really think more people should listen to The Art of Breaking Things. Please, do.