Shelter

Review

Common Sense Media says

Fast-paced YA thriller from "suburban noir" pro.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Harlan Coben's first YA thriller has the action and attitude of his best-selling adult mysteries. There's a fair amount of violence, and the solution to the central puzzle involves both the Holocaust and human trafficking.

  • Educational value3
    The solution to the central puzzle of this thriller is based on a fictionalized aspect of the Holocaust. Coben provides facts about the concentration camps in Europe during World War II. Shelter also addresses the serious problem of human trafficking.
  • Positive messages4
    Much of Shelter is concerned with Mickey's ongoing struggle with trust. His mother is in rehab, his father is dead, and he is grudgingly staying with his eccentric Uncle Myron. After his girlfriend disappears, Mickey has to learn that he can't do everything himself and that some of the people who seem to menace him are actually allies. By the end of the novel, he has a better understanding of his parents' legacy and his own capabilities.
  • Positive role models3
    Still reeling from his father's death and his mother's current stint in rehab for drug addiction, Mickey Bolitar wants to solve his problems with minimal input from adults. Smart, athletic, and compassionate, he sticks up for the underdog and follows through on his commitments. However, he withholds information from adults who might be able to help him. He also engages in illegal activity, such as using fake IDs and "borrowing" his uncle's car with neither permission nor a license. Within a fictional thriller, these habits can be chalked up to creative license, but the real-world consequences for such behavior would probably play out much differently and far more seriously.
  • Violence5
    Shelter is fairly violent YA mystery, especially for readers as young as 12. The violence is depicted directly, as when the protagonist is brutally beaten by the adult villains, and indirectly, as in the implications concerning the "dungeon" in the basement of a strip club. Mickey employs his martial arts training against high school bullies (with little physical contact) and against adults (with a good deal of contact). The aftermath of a violent home invasion is depicted. A villain is shot in the head and dumped in the river (though not by Mickey).
  • Sex4
    Mickey has a very chaste romantic relationship with Ashley, the girl who disappears at the start of the novel, and he flirts with other girls at the high school. More problematic is the strip club that is central to the plot and the "white slavery" ring that operates from it. Coben acknowledges the realities of sexual trafficking but downplays its full implications.
  • Language1
    For all the rough action, the dialogue is amazingly clean.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking4
    Throughout the novel, Mickey's mother is sequestered in a rehabilitation center for drug abuse. Her struggles with addiction cause her son great emotional distress and are depicted realistically.
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What's the story?

Having witnessed his father's death in a car crash and with his mother now in rehab, Mickey Bolitar is finding his first weeks at a new high school difficult. The only bright spot is his new girlfriend, Ashley, and when she disappears suddenly, Mickey vows to learn what happened to her. His quest will involve encounters with a mysterious elderly neighbor known as "the Bat Lady" and a creepy stalker with a tattooed face.

Is it any good?

 

Harlan Coben is the reigning champion of the "suburban noir" genre, and he successfully transfers the smart-alecky suspense of his Myron Bolitar mystery series for adults to this new YA series. SHELTER is full of his trademark plot twists and vision of the outskirts of Newark as a hot-bed of violent intrigue. When focused on Mickey and his high school friends and enemies, Shelter works well. When the action moves to the big, bad city, the strain begins to show. The dialogue becomes more stereotypical, and Mickey's exploits sound a little less believable.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what steps people should take if someone they know suddenly disappears. What resources are available to children and young people who lack parental guidance?

  • Mickey's understanding with his Uncle Myron is that he will agree to stay with him as long as Myron doesn't question him too closely about his activities or whereabouts. How realistic is such an arrangement? Does Mickey play fair by that understanding?

  • Mickey and his friends often need to stand up to the bullies who harass them. What are recommended methods for dealing with bullies? When and how should the authorities be contacted? You might want to check out our tips on standing up to bullies. 

This review was written by Michael Berry

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This review was written by Michael Berry
Topics:adventures, misfits and underdogs
Author:Harlan Coben
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Mystery
Publisher:G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date:September 6, 2011
Number of pages:304
Hardcover price:$18.99
Publisher's recommended age(s):12
This review was written by Michael Berry
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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