In Chemistry, a Catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction. Today, I will be talking about the book Catalyst by one of my favorite authors Laurie Halse Anderson which was published in 2002. This book is considered to be the sequel of her other book Speak as it is in the same setting of the book, and features a tiny cameo of the protagonist, Melinda Sordino.
Being raised by a single father isn’t easy, but the protagonist of this story Kate feels surrounded by the spirit of her deceased mother, who was a MIT alumni. With this in mind, the science-savvy Kate Malone applies to only one college, which is MIT. She knows she has a clean sweep of everything, at least she thinks. But things don’t go as planned. One day, their neighbors, the Litch’s house, gets burned down. As Kate’s father is a reverend at their local church, he generously lends a hand to single-mother Mrs. Litch by volunteering to take care of her teenage daughter Teri and her 2-year-old son Mikey.
Teri is known to be a violent, aggressive and troubled teen who has a bad relationship with Kate. Understably, Kate dreads the idea of having to stay with Teri in her house, considering the bad reputation and public image of Teri. They go through a roller coaster of emotions that brings out ugly truths of the past and grief for losing a loved one.Towards the end of the story, Kate realizes that people aren’t really what they seem to be from outside , and in life there is no guarantee of getting everything desired. What will happen next in Kate and Teri’s life? Who is the catalyst in this story? Read to find out.
This book is a testament towards the themes of family, grief, emotional trauma, friendship and personal growth. You will learn strong values of empathy, acceptance and compassion. If you are a young adult, or a teen who likes books with plot twists, or something that can make you feel emotional for a few hours, this book is just for you!
April 29, 2024
Lit Lounge Reads 