17. The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

ISBN: 0-8037-3001-2

Dial Books, New York, 2006

259 p.

Plot Summary

Written as a letter to his youngest sister, Emmy, seventeen-year-old Matthew details the abuse that he and his two sisters experienced at the hands of their mother.  Unsure of whether he will even give Emmy the letter at any point in the future, Matthew decides to write it all down in order to help himself make sense of what happened to them.  The story begins four years before, when Emmy was only five years old.  Thirteen-year-old Matthew and eleven-year-old Callie have learned how to avoid their mother during her bad moods, but her unpredictable behavior sometimes catches them off guard.  She often goes out all night, leaving Matt and Callie to take care of Emmy.  During one such night after putting Emmy to bed, Matt and Callie slip out to Cumberland Farms for a couple of Popsicles.  It is there that they first see Murdoch and Matthew gets it into his head that Murdoch can save them.  When their mother starts a relationship with Murdoch, everything is better for a while, but as her violent nature begins resurfacing, Murdoch stops hanging around.  The hope that the kids all felt with Murdoch in their lives quickly comes crashing down.

Critical Evaluation

In The Rules of Survival, the reader starts out with some knowledge of the violence to which Matthew and his sisters have been subjected.  The short letter to Emmy at the beginning gives the reader a peek into the story that is about to unfold, the memories of which still bring terror to Matthew.  Although the novel focuses on the danger that those who are supposed to take care of you can cause, the theme of survival is predominant in Matthew’s actions.  At the beginning, he thinks that Murdoch is the key to their survival and he is constantly on the lookout for him after he and Callie first spot him at the store.  For a short time, it seems that Murdoch saves the kids from their mother’s anger, but even he is not able to keep her bad side from coming back.  When he leaves, Matthew must take back his role as protector of his sisters, doing whatever he can to direct their mother’s attention elsewhere.  However, being constantly aware of others’ intentions has changed the type of person that Matthew was meant to be.  In the beginning letter to Emmy, he writes, “Emmy, the events we lived through taught me to be sure of nothing about other people.  They taught me to expect danger around every corner.  They taught me to understand that there are people in this world who mean you harm.  And sometimes, they’re people who say they love you.”  Through Matthew’s first-hand account, the emotional trauma of abuse is brought to light, proving that it can last much longer than the scars of physical abuse show.  Rather than pushing back the memories, Werlin tells a story of a teen boy that knows the importance of working through the issues and building from them.  The novel gives readers a look into one of the many cases of child abuse that occur around the world, while also telling the story of the survivors.  The importance of putting this story out there is proven through Werlin’s dedication at the beginning of the novel: “This book is for all the survivors.  Always remember: The survivor gets to tell the story.” 

Reader's Annotation

Matthew and his sisters have been subjected to their mother’s anger for most of their lives.  Because his youngest sister, Emmy, is too young to remember everything that happened, Matthew writes it all down, hoping to figure it all out in the process.

Information About the Author

Nancy Werlin was born and raised in Peabody, Massachusetts, USA and now lives near Boston. She received her bachelor's degree in English from Yale.  Since then, she has worked as a technical writer and editor for several computer software and Internet companies, while also writing fiction.

Werlin has written several psychological thrillers for young adults, including Extraordinary, Impossible, The Rules of Survival, Double Helix, and The Killer’s Cousin, among others.  The Rules of Survival is a 2006 National Book Award finalist and also a BookSense Top Ten Book Pick.  (information from the author’s website: http://www.nancywerlin.com)

Genre

Young Adult – Realistic/Psychological Thriller

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Tell the story from Callie’s point-of-view.

2. Discuss the unpredictable behavior of Matthew’s mother.

3. Focus on what Murdoch represents for Matthew.

4. Talk about the lasting effects of abuse on Matthew and Callie.

Reading Level/Interest Age

14+

Challenge Issues

The novel includes child abuse and violent situations.

When confronted with complaints about this novel, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews from publications such as Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist, as well as reviews from teens that have read it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Book in Selection? 

I found out about this author during the Author/Genre presentations and this book was on the shelf at my local library.