
Meanwhile, Russell confronts Julian about letting Adam in the house, and this time he doesn't just punish him with a switch, but hits Julian in the face. After he beats Julian, Russell leaves the house, and Julian rides his bicycle back to his old house, where he used to live with his parents.īrittany, a friend of Adam's who now lives in Julian's former parents' house, calls Adam and tells him Julian is outside. When Adam simply replies that Julian is his friend, Russell tells Adam that Julian needs friends his own age, and slams the door in Adam's face.Īdam confides in his girlfriend, Emerald, that he can just feel "that something is off" with Russell (155). This time, Russell comes to the door and asks Adam why he would want to be friends with Julian since Adam is a senior and Julian is a freshman. Catherine used to be Julian's foster mom, and she packs a bag of home remedies for Julian, and Adam returns to Julian's house to deliver them. Julian tells Adam that the reason he hasn't attended school is because he's sick, and Adam goes home and tells this to his mother, Catherine. Russell is not at the house, and Julian lets Adam come inside, which violates one of Russell's rules (that nobody should come in the house). Whitlock, the school psychologist, gives Adam permission to go to Julian's house to check on him during school hours. After Julian has missed school three days in a row, Dr. The first time Russell beats Julian with a switch is because Julian is not attending some of his classes. Most of the major plot events in Part 1 revolve around Julian missing classes or school. Adam's efforts to help Julian escape from his abuser become the catalyst for both Adam and Julian's ultimate growth and change.

A subplot of this story is how Julian overcomes social anxiety with the help of Adam, but the main plot emerges when Adam discovers that Julian is being abused by his uncle and guardian, Russell. Adam reaches out to Julian and includes him in his close circle of senior friends although Julian wears worn and unproperly fit clothing, and students in the school perceive Julian to be socially awkward, weird, and not very smart. Adam is a senior and Julian is a freshman. Although they knew each other in grammar school, the main action of this story takes place during one academic year while they attend the same high school. The friendship deepens when Julian's parents die, and he lives in Adam’s house as a foster child.


Adam and Julian first become friends when Adam is Julian's reading buddy in grammar school. The story centers on the friendship between two teenagers, Adam Blake and Julian Harlow.

A List of Cages is a 2017 young adult novel by Robin Roe.
