The Rules of Survival

Book Review

By Nikole Picklesimer

The Rules of Survival, by Nancy Werlin is about three kids with a mentally and physically abusive mother. Matt, Callie, and Emmy are all children of Nikki, a very unstable, dangerous woman. She treats her kids like gold one minute, and then horribly the next. Matt and Callie lost all hope for them and their younger sister Emmy. That is, until they met Murdoch.

Murdoch is a very loving, caring man whom Matt and Callie watch save a little boy from his father. Soon after, a so called "miracle" happens. Their abusive mother starts to date Murdoch. Everything seems fine until Murdoch and Nikki's relationship comes to an end. Nikki seems to get worse with her temper once they break up, doing things that are anything but motherly. From then on, Matt and Callie try to somehow make things right and get Murdoch back in their life without their mother going crazy.

The Rules Of Survival is an interesting book that anyone would enjoy reading. Werlin makes the feelings of Matt and Callie seem so real, that teens can easily connect to how they feel. The Rules Of Survival is definitely an eye-opening book because it shows what can really happen in an abusive family.