Saints of the Household Review

 Module 2: Multicultural Poetry

 

Saints of the Household by Ari Tison

 

Bibliography
Tison, A. (2023). Saints of the Household. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). ISBN 9780374389482

Summary
Ari Tison’s debut novel tells the story of two Bribri (indigenous Costa Rican) brothers living in Minnesota with their mom and abusive father. Their story is told in alternating viewpoints by Jay, in vignettes, and Max, in poetry. Domestic violence and its repercussions dominate the novel as the brothers navigate how to heal their physical and emotional wounds from their father. They fear they may be more like him than they want after they severely beat a boy up to protect their cousin. We watch Jay and Max learn to process and heal in their own unique ways tapping into their Bribri roots. Although the ending could be considered happy, it is also very realistic. 

Analysis
I enjoyed that each style for the brothers reflected their personality: Jay is direct and wrote in prose, while Max is more artistic and told his side in verse. There was an imbalance of the amount each brother added to the story as Jay had many more pages dedicated to his telling. This imbalance made Jay feel like the main character, which is okay, but I would have liked to have had more or longer verse chapters because it is just as much Max’s story as it is Jay’s. 

Max’s chapters were shorter, but they did fill in the questions the readers had as to what is going on inside his mind because both Jay and Max are third person limited narrators. In the novel, Max is a painter, and the white space is used very intentionally in his chapters. The poems move around the pages, sometimes left or right aligned, sometimes they are written in the bottom right corner of the page. Orlando White writes in his blog about the power of white space describing the “...background is the throat of paper, inhaling language and exhaling sound and silence. Like Inuit throat singers, when the page and poet are face-to-face, close enough for both their lips to meet, their breaths subsist off each other. And in an instant, that natural ornate experience blends person and page” (2024). Max’s poems feel like this, like breathing through his pain, processing, and healing. 

Frequently, concrete poems are used. Towards the end of the book, there are a series of poems where he is deeply processing his identity. One poem uses the negative space to outline himself, where he is feeling unseen and not having space for himself to be. The next poem outlines his shape using the positive space, and it is only his name. Then there is the frame where he is learning how to express himself and figuring out how to build himself back up. There is also a poem in the shape of an eagle, which references a Bribri legend and fighting evil within ourselves. The concrete poems used throughout are mature and add to the depth of Max’s emotions and growth. 

Overall, the verse chapters, though short, are weighty and leave the reader craving more. They complement the lyrical prose chapters perfectly, mirroring a loving, challenging, and realistic relationship between the brothers.

Excerpt
…

I look at my brown-tipped brush,
place it on the canvas, and

 I        pull        the        paint        as        far        as        it        will        go.

Is this us? Pushed to the edge?
Grown beyond what we thought?

…

Activity
Consider a situation where there were two sides to a story. Write one side in vignettes and the other in poetry (for a challenge use the white space to add impact to your meaning). 

If there are friends in the class, they could pair up and write about a shared experience, one person taking the prose side and the other person writing in verse. 

Reviews
From Booklist:
“Though sparked by an incident of violence, the story itself is a quiet, soulful exploration of how young men process the often-stark realities they live in. The character notes are subtle and nuanced, with dual POVs that reflect the brothers’ outlooks—grounded Jay in thoughtful prose vignettes and artistic Max in emotionally charged verse. The brothers’ Bribri (Indigenous Costa Rican) heritage is showcased in the book (Tison is also Bribri), offering tradition as a way for Jay to quell the anger he harbors inside himself. A thoughtful, solid debut.”

From School Library Journal: “Tison's (Bribri) masterly economy of language-every word and even punctuation mark is chosen for a specific purpose-presents this compelling story of a family smashed to pieces by violence. The novel searingly depicts PTSD's strong hold-how every aspect of life is dictated by the fear of where the next fist is going to land, and how living so deeply in that circle of pain permeates every aspect of one's identity. Their problems aren't solved, but the siblings find peace in their small victories. Nicole is Anishinaabe, and Luca has some Mexican heritage. VERDICT Violence can be inherited but so can love and forgiveness. This vulnerable and magnetic tale of brotherhood belongs on every shelf.”

Awards

Pura Belpre Author Award, 2024
William C. Morris YA Debut Nominees, 2024 

References
White, O. (2024). Functional white: Crafting space & silence. The Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/featured-blogger/73860/functional-white-crafting-space-silence