Break, by Hannah Moskowitz

Jonah is 17 years old and his goal is to break every bone in his body so they can grow back stronger. Jonah's family is falling apart; he needs the strength. His 16 year old brother, Jesse, is allergic to almost everything and has horrible reactions to half the stuff in their house, and Jonah spends his days worrying about him. Naomi, Jonah's best friend, records all of Jonah's stunts as he attempts to break his bones, but she doesn't know the reason behind it. Nobody knows. When Jonah's friend Charlotte finds out about his unique form of self harm, she decides to get him some help and he ends up in a psych ward. Will Jonah give up on his disturbing goal, or will he continue hurting himself and his family?

When I first picked up this book, I thought the plot was very unique. Disturbing, but unique. I didn't expect to enjoy the book as much as I did. I loved the characters and I definitely got attached to Jonah and Jesse the most. I liked the brotherly bond they had; instead of being cliche siblings who don't get along, they were the opposite. Jonah and Jesse loved each other and were always there for each other, which isn't common. I also thought Jonah and his breaking bones issue was interesting, because it was a new type of self harm that I had never heard or read about. Overall, Break by Hannah Moskowitz was a very original book, a quick read, and I would recommend it to teenagers who like reading about conflicted characters with somewhat dysfunctional families.

Reviewed by Maggie P., grade 9
Glendale Central Library