Lots of kisses, some described in detail mentioning tongue, but most described vaguely or just mentioned. Sex is implied once mentioning taking off a shirt, getting protection, and phrases like "he made me his" and "afterward." Lots of holding hands and caressing nonsexual body parts.
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Cael has punched many holes in the walls of his house; once it's narrated and dripping blood is mentioned. His older brother committed suicide by driving himself at high speed into a large tree without an airbag or seatbelt; Cael witnessed the crash and it's describes with lots of blood and a broken body. One teen is the sole survivor of a school shooting and describes it briefly. Other teens tell brief stories of loved ones who died after being hit by a car, in a shipwreck, in a car crash, and after battling illnesses like cancer. Brief self-harm ideation from a character who wants to hurt instead of feel.
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Non-specific faith in afterlife messages including: There is an afterlife; no one knows what it's like, but from it loved ones can watch over you, help you, and make their continued presence in your life felt. You'll be reunited with loved ones for eternity when your time comes. We are nothing without love, so let it in; it has the power to heal any hurt; it will never leave even if you lose someone you love. You have to live life to the fullest because you're only here for a brief time, and you can't know how much time you have.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Savannah is an especially good model for empathy. She's introverted, studious, and a high achiever academically. She has a strong urge to help Cael feel better. Cael starts out very angry, frequently lashing out and hurting himself and others. Eventually we see that he's very loyal and supportive. He's a high achiever at hockey so fitness is important to him. He's a good example of seeking consent before physical romance. They both model perseverance once they start their journey toward healing; they are determined to see it through, trusting that they'll be able to better cope with their feelings in the end.
Diverse Representations
some
Savannah, Cael, and their families are White. Tour leader Leo has "ebony" skin and dark eyes and is in his 50s. One teen identifies as Mexican and another as Jewish. A male teen mentions being in love with a boy and having to hide it from his family. A teen who doesn't mention an identity is described as having dark skin and caramel eyes. Savannah has anxiety attacks. In the acknowledgements the author mentions she has chronic anxiety.
A breathing technique for coping with an anxiety attack. Insight and information about how several different cultures and religions think about life and death, along with some of their practices dealing with death, loss, and grief.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that A Thousand Broken Pieces picks up four years after the events in A Thousand Boy Kisses. It tells the story of two teens who each lost a sibling and are acutely grieving, so they go on a trip around the world designed to help teens cope with grief and loss. Grief is a very strong theme, and characters tell about witnessing death directly from violent means (including suicide) or from long illnesses, and describe some details like holding a dead body and seeing someone take their last breath. A main character has anxiety attacks which are described in detail. There's a long passage speculating about living with depression before committing suicide. The author mentions in the Acknowledgments that she has chronic anxiety and has personal experience with death, including losing a parent. One teen is the sole survivor of a school shooting and describes it briefly. Brief self-harm ideation from a character who wants to hurt instead of feel. Strong language includes "f--king," "s--t," "pr--k," and "d--k." Lots of kissing, holding hands, and caressing nonsexual body parts. Some descriptions of kissing with tongue are described in detail. One instance of sex is strongly implied but nothing's described in detail.
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What's the Story?
A THOUSAND BROKEN PIECES picks up four years after Savannah's sister Poppy died of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Savannah's now 17, the same age Poppy was when she died, but hasn't been able to let go of her grief. Her parents sign her up for a trip around the world with a group for grieving teens in hopes it will help Savannah process some of her grief and learn to live with it. Savannah doesn't want to go, but she agrees to anyway because she genuinely does want to get better. On the trip she meets Cael, who since losing his brother a year ago has done little else but seethe with anger toward the brother who was once his best friend. Savannah and Cael are immediately drawn to each other, and as impossible as they thought it would be, they start to fall in love. Each new stop on the trip provides a new way to think about their lost loved ones, but by the end of the trip, will they both be ready for the future?
This teen romance is a bit darker, less sweet, but just as sentimental as the first book. Fans are sure to enjoy how A Thousand Broken Pieces brings back familiar characters and introduces a swoon-worthy new one. And they'll also enjoy hearing from Poppy and Rune again in interesting new ways. But a lot of cliches, predictability, repetition, and a few more minor flaws may bother readers who aren't big romance fans. Author Tillie Cole does take on anxiety and mental health in ways teen readers will relate to, and many will feel seen and understood in these pages.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the characters experience grief in A Thousand Broken Pieces. What are the similarities and differences for each character? Does being together help the characters learn to live with their grief? How?
Do you have any experience with grief? How did you cope with it, or what would help you if you're grieving right now?
How does Savannah show empathy for other people's pain?
How does being able to persevere help Cael and Savannah? Why is it an important life skill?
Available on:
Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Kindle
Last updated:
September 10, 2024
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A Thousand Broken Pieces: A Thousand Boy Kisses, Book 2
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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