Anke's father is abusive. But not to her. He attacks her brother and sister, but she's just an invisible witness in a house of horrors, on the brin...
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Jan 27, 2009
Becky
rated it: 
I am always there.
But they don't care if I am
because I am furniture.
I don't get hit
I don't get fondled
I don't get love
because I am furniture
Suits me fine.
Anke has a difficult home life, though that is putting it mildly. Her father is abusive. She sees all. Hears all. Yet though a witness, she's somehow avoided being the subject of his abuse. (Though witnessing it is damaging enough as it is.) Can a teen girl break out of her silen More...
But they don't care if I am
because I am furniture.
I don't get hit
I don't get fondled
I don't get love
because I am furniture
Suits me fine.
Anke has a difficult home life, though that is putting it mildly. Her father is abusive. She sees all. Hears all. Yet though a witness, she's somehow avoided being the subject of his abuse. (Though witnessing it is damaging enough as it is.) Can a teen girl break out of her silen More...
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Feb 01, 2012
BookChic
rated it: 
This is such an emotional and powerful book. Chaltas has an extremely gripping, raw and realistic debut here; what makes it even more chilling is reading the acknowledgements where she writes "I write now what I could not say then." and the wry witticism of "Only truth and fiction were used in writing this." (Both of these are paraphrased as my copy is unreachable at the moment.) As this is a verse novel, the reading goes by quickly, but I was propelled even more so with the
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Dec 29, 2011
Christina (Reading Thru The Night)
rated it: 
The Short of It
Being ignored can be abusive too.
The Long of It
Anke lives in a tumultuous world. Her father is abusive to everyone in the household except her. Immediately you can see her struggle between not wanting the abuse, but then still wishing that she was at least acknowledged, even if that means, being abused. Anke also has a problem with the silence. Why isn’t anyone talking about what is happening? Why are your siblings and mom remaining silent?
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Being ignored can be abusive too.
The Long of It
Anke lives in a tumultuous world. Her father is abusive to everyone in the household except her. Immediately you can see her struggle between not wanting the abuse, but then still wishing that she was at least acknowledged, even if that means, being abused. Anke also has a problem with the silence. Why isn’t anyone talking about what is happening? Why are your siblings and mom remaining silent?
More...
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Dec 04, 2011
Sevannah
rated it:
When I started reading because I am furniture I felt really bad for Anke because her father and mother treated her like she wasn't even there. But my favorite part of the book is when Anke makes the volleyball team because she finally feels like she is being excepted. My favorite character is Kyler because he treats Anke how she should be treated and she finally starts to feel not neglected.I am surprised when Anke finally stands up to her dad. I liked the way the author wrote the book , in poet
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Jul 10, 2011
Aubrei
rated it:
OH HAI. okay so um Because I Am Furniture...i loved it. i really really enjoyed it..so the plot..
This story is about a teenage girl named Anke, and she has a difficult life at home. Every day she watches her older brother,sister, and mom be verbally,sexually and physically abused while she is just neglected by her father entirely. This stirs up alot of emotions in Anke. You would think she is glad that her dad never touches her like he does the rest of the family but Anke wishes h More...
This story is about a teenage girl named Anke, and she has a difficult life at home. Every day she watches her older brother,sister, and mom be verbally,sexually and physically abused while she is just neglected by her father entirely. This stirs up alot of emotions in Anke. You would think she is glad that her dad never touches her like he does the rest of the family but Anke wishes h More...
Jul 05, 2011
Courtney
rated it:
Told entirely in poetry format, this story follows Anke, the youngest child her in family. Her two older siblings are victims of abuse and have been for as long as Anke can remember. As in so many of these situations, the situation more or less the elephant in the room. Everyone knows it's taking place, but no one does anything. Anke, however, is not abused. In fact, she is more or less invisible to her father, which is both a relief and a reminder that she is somehow less than her sister.
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Jun 13, 2011
Kych
rated it:
What I really liked about this book is that the story is told in poems. As a literature student, we're taught that every word, punctuation and arrangement of the lines contribute to the meaning of the poem/story. With this in mind, reading the novel through these poems made it even more impactful and compelling. The protagonist's feelings are emphasised by the words and sentences that have been singled out through the form and punctuation.
I would've given this 4 stars. However, what I More...
I would've given this 4 stars. However, what I More...
Apr 29, 2011
Grace
rated it: 
This review has spoilers in it... Just a warning. c:
This was a good book in the beginning. I feel she did a good job focusing on the protagonist's point of view throughout the story clearly. But she also added in other character's such as the protagonist's crush and neighbor. It feels they are just there and important in only a few points. But near the end the author did not really say what happened to the neighbor or crush... now here comes -SPOILER ALERT- did the crush really just More...
This was a good book in the beginning. I feel she did a good job focusing on the protagonist's point of view throughout the story clearly. But she also added in other character's such as the protagonist's crush and neighbor. It feels they are just there and important in only a few points. But near the end the author did not really say what happened to the neighbor or crush... now here comes -SPOILER ALERT- did the crush really just More...
Jan 08, 2011
Julia
rated it:
I started this book because I had to read a poetry book for school. My sister had read it and recommended it, though she warned that it was corny and kind of dumb. I thought that the whole volleyball part would be a bit strange, but it wasn't too bad.
This book is about a girl named Anke, whose father abuses her two older siblings but never her, making her feel like furniture. She would rather be abused than ignored. (However, I somewhat disagree with this. Her dad didn't IGNORE her, h More...
This book is about a girl named Anke, whose father abuses her two older siblings but never her, making her feel like furniture. She would rather be abused than ignored. (However, I somewhat disagree with this. Her dad didn't IGNORE her, h More...
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Oct 31, 2010
Hanna
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jun 15, 2010
Tessa
rated it:
I took a break from my current fantasy/fairytale kick to read this. The title was so compelling I couldn't just pass it by on the library shelf. And the description on the inside jacket cover got me hooked. It was very well written. The story would have lost so much if it had been written in prose. The poetry fit so well.
3 out of 4 cases of abuse go unreported (or some similar statistic). Victims excuse the abuser and continually return to them. I've always had a hard time un More...
3 out of 4 cases of abuse go unreported (or some similar statistic). Victims excuse the abuser and continually return to them. I've always had a hard time un More...
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Dec 27, 2009
Cornmaven
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Aug 12, 2009
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com
Anke lives in a house full of fear. Fear of her father. His temper can flair at any moment and everyone around him suffers. Anke's brother and sister take the physical abuse and Anke is, for the most part, ignored in the house. She feels she has no choice but to sit back and witness what is going on around her. Sometimes she even feels jealous of the attention her brother and sister get, no matter how horrible that attention is.
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Anke lives in a house full of fear. Fear of her father. His temper can flair at any moment and everyone around him suffers. Anke's brother and sister take the physical abuse and Anke is, for the most part, ignored in the house. She feels she has no choice but to sit back and witness what is going on around her. Sometimes she even feels jealous of the attention her brother and sister get, no matter how horrible that attention is.
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Jul 21, 2009
Alex
rated it:
Because I Am Furniture is written in verse, and it works. It's quite a powerful novel that deals with an interesting subject: child abuse. Of course, we've seen it, read it, heard it all before. But Anke's not the one being abused, she's the witness of the abuse, which is probably equally as tough.
Even though it's a thick enough book, because it's in verse, it goes very quickly. I was able to read it in one day, almost in one go. I however, thought that maybe it was a little too shor More...
Even though it's a thick enough book, because it's in verse, it goes very quickly. I was able to read it in one day, almost in one go. I however, thought that maybe it was a little too shor More...
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May 21, 2009
Theresa
rated it:
I imagine I put this book on hold at the library because it's about a girl with an abusive father, and let's be honest- I like reading books about kids being abused. I've always read these kinds of books, as long as I can remember. Now that I work with kids who have experienced or witnessed abuse, I still read the books. I think maybe as a kid/teenager, I was trying to remind myself that there was a scarier world out there. Now, I think I'm trying to remind myself that there are fictitious s
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Jul 23, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
"I don't get hit
I don't get fondled
I don't get love
because I am furniture.
Suits me fine."
Anke has lived with a father that abuses her mother, her brother, and her sister on a daily basis. She is forced to play witness to his atrocious acts against her family and is viewed more like a piece of furniture than an actual human being in her father's horror house. Day after day no one breathes a word to the outside world beyond Anke's house. That is until More...
I don't get fondled
I don't get love
because I am furniture.
Suits me fine."
Anke has lived with a father that abuses her mother, her brother, and her sister on a daily basis. She is forced to play witness to his atrocious acts against her family and is viewed more like a piece of furniture than an actual human being in her father's horror house. Day after day no one breathes a word to the outside world beyond Anke's house. That is until More...
Sep 27, 2009
bjneary
rated it:
Thalia Chaltas' book was jarring and about abuse in a family where the father molests and beats 2 of his 3 teen children and Anke, the 3rd, feels that she is ignored "because she is furniture." But it is Anke's strong character that finally brings their father's reign of terror to an end. The free verse style of this book, make the words even more harrowing as we suffer for her sister, Yaicha when Anke hears her saying "no, no, no" and we hate when her brother Darren has br
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Jul 02, 2011
Laura
rated it:
This book is an incredibly realistic and emotional story of a girl named Anke who must witness her loved ones being terribly abused on a daily basis. When she joins her school's volleyball team, Anke finds a voice she didn't have before, and eventually builds up the courage to end her abusive father's reign of terror over her mother, brother, sister, and her. It feels like a real girl telling the true story of her life. I really connected to Anke's love for the sport of volleyball and for her te
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Jun 28, 2010
Laura (Bookish Belle)
rated it:
This book is intense and powerful. It is written in verse and I think that adds to the sadness of the story. I felt like Anke's story was so gripping and my heart was ripped out of my chest for her. I finished this novel in about an hour, I just couldn't put it down. I feel it takes a special author to write in verse, as each page needs to have meaning. The writing in this novel was brilliant and the idea was gut-wrenching. Anke is the only child not being abused by her father and she considers
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Apr 29, 2011
Mandee
rated it:
Since it is National Poetry Month, I think Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas deserves a Shout-Out!
I ran across this book at the library a few months ago, read it in one evening (devoured it, really) and it has been on my mind ever since. Written in verse, it tells the story of a girl named Anke who isn't being abused by dad, even though everyone else is. She grows stronger and stronger, both physically and emotionally, after making the volleyball team. All of the yelling of "Mi
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Jan 12, 2011
Sofia
rated it:
From what I have read, this book is very sad. (Anke is the main character/narrator) Anke’s father abuses physically Anke’s brother and sister. However, she is ignored like a piece of furniture. No one in her family pays attention to her actions (not that she does anything bad, like drugs). Anke tells her story of the starting of 9th Grade. Here she finds a friend she has a lot in common, Rona, her crush, Kyle, likes her, and most importantly she joins the volleyball team. The reason why joinin
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Jul 25, 2010
Audrey
rated it:
Full review can be found on my blog.
My thoughts:
I think the correct feeling I had when I finished this book is that I wished it was more. More emotional, more depth to the characters, more engaging to the reader. It was undoubtedly all of these things, but not to the point where I was a sobbing mess or screaming at the characters.
The abuse portrayed in this novel is described with the best mix of detached denial and up-close horror. Anke’s feelings about it is More...
My thoughts:
I think the correct feeling I had when I finished this book is that I wished it was more. More emotional, more depth to the characters, more engaging to the reader. It was undoubtedly all of these things, but not to the point where I was a sobbing mess or screaming at the characters.
The abuse portrayed in this novel is described with the best mix of detached denial and up-close horror. Anke’s feelings about it is More...
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Aug 31, 2009
E.
rated it:
Some people might say that Anke is lucky, but she doesn't feel that way. Her father spends a lot of time with her brother and sister - berates them and hits them. Darren shows up at school with bruises and Yaicha is taking birth control even though she's not dating anyone. But Anke's father doesn't pay any attention to her. She feels invisible, forced to watch while her mother ignores everything that's going on as best she can. Anke has no voice, so she does exactly what her father told her not
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Jul 30, 2010
Alicia
rated it:
This novel in verse might seem thick, yes, it's thick with pages but also with a coming-of-age richness like Speak or How To Build A House. Anke is the "invisible" child who isn't abused by her father like her brother and sexually abused by her father like her sister.
Anke likens herself to furniture in the house, but because she isn't the target, she's able to secretly pursue her enjoyment in volleyball, friendship, and the attentions of a boy. Until, like Melinda in Speak More...
Anke likens herself to furniture in the house, but because she isn't the target, she's able to secretly pursue her enjoyment in volleyball, friendship, and the attentions of a boy. Until, like Melinda in Speak More...
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Jul 10, 2011
Asenath
rated it:
Why are all poetry novels depressing? I challenge someone out there to write a poetry book that's not about a depressed main character suffering horrible things.
That being said, this book is a pretty typical poetry book. It was in the same vein as Glimpse but not the exact same story line. This is a mature book though, that deals with some pretty serious topics: abuse, incest etc.
I was glad the main character was able to find her voice, but I thought the ending was anticl More...
That being said, this book is a pretty typical poetry book. It was in the same vein as Glimpse but not the exact same story line. This is a mature book though, that deals with some pretty serious topics: abuse, incest etc.
I was glad the main character was able to find her voice, but I thought the ending was anticl More...
Aug 23, 2010
This book was pretty good. i really liked the basic idea of the main character not being beaten, but being an alibi of her siblings who are being beaten. I also really liked that this book is written in poetic stanzas. books like that, i tend to like more.
what i didn't like about this book was that the author went back and forth between settings a lot. being that this book was written in poems, the auther didn't come out and say where anke was all of the time. this got me kind of con More...
what i didn't like about this book was that the author went back and forth between settings a lot. being that this book was written in poems, the auther didn't come out and say where anke was all of the time. this got me kind of con More...
Jun 24, 2011
Veronica
rated it:
Age of Readership:
12-14 years
Genre:
Realistic fiction/Novel in Verse
Diversity:
Physically/emotionally abused child; Middle class families
Personal Response:
This is the first novel I read that is written entirely in verse. However, it was quite a good read. Each poem clearly depicted a scene and yet kept the plot forward moving. The story is all about a girl trying to find her voice, while having to endure her siblings and moth More...
12-14 years
Genre:
Realistic fiction/Novel in Verse
Diversity:
Physically/emotionally abused child; Middle class families
Personal Response:
This is the first novel I read that is written entirely in verse. However, it was quite a good read. Each poem clearly depicted a scene and yet kept the plot forward moving. The story is all about a girl trying to find her voice, while having to endure her siblings and moth More...
Jan 22, 2011
Laura
rated it:
3.5 Stars
This book was very good it reminded me somewhat of Ellen Hopkins writing probably due to the fact that it was written in verse and touched on an emotional topic. I think maybe because it made me think of Ellen Hopkins I held it to a very high standard, that just it fell short a little in regards to the amazing work of Ellen. I think although it was powerful, it didn't dig at my heartstrings as much as i had anticipated.
I really do enjoy books written in verse, and its a More...
This book was very good it reminded me somewhat of Ellen Hopkins writing probably due to the fact that it was written in verse and touched on an emotional topic. I think maybe because it made me think of Ellen Hopkins I held it to a very high standard, that just it fell short a little in regards to the amazing work of Ellen. I think although it was powerful, it didn't dig at my heartstrings as much as i had anticipated.
I really do enjoy books written in verse, and its a More...
Jan 06, 2011
Lindsey
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 29, 2010
Caitlin
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Oh my gosh. I sat down to flip through a few pages of this at work and when I looked up, 150 pages had gone by. I finished it in an hour.
I could not put this book down. The poem form makes it go really quickly, but really any more words would make the emotion and fear too heavy-handed. The abuse is stark, her feelings are real. This will be my immediate go-to book for abuse now.
I was really amazed at how I pictured the dad up until the last 3rd where they finally mentioned what he More...
I could not put this book down. The poem form makes it go really quickly, but really any more words would make the emotion and fear too heavy-handed. The abuse is stark, her feelings are real. This will be my immediate go-to book for abuse now.
I was really amazed at how I pictured the dad up until the last 3rd where they finally mentioned what he More...
