Saints of the Household
By Ari Tison
Art, identity and the ripple effects of family violence form the heart of a debut novel by Minneapolis writer Tison. Brothers Jay and Max live a tightly controlled life in tiny Deer Creek, Minn., trying to protect their mom from their dad's physical abuse. But when a confrontation with their school's star soccer player spins out of control, the brothers' futures and college dreams are at risk. In alternating chapters that capture Max's visual interest through experimental poetry forms and Jay's exploration of Bribri Indigenous storytelling patterns, Tison weaves a compelling, morally complex debut. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 320 pages.)
