Anais is an artist who survived a bombing as a child but sustained injuries that plague her still. She must paint as therapy for her shoulders and arms along with her mind. Her paintings are being stolen and used to stop the bombs from hurting people. When placed over the devices, they seem to absorb the blast. It is not clear how or why, but many lives are saved.
Michael and Anais are intertwined in several ways throughout the story. He is the one who is stealing her paintings and placing them at the scenes of attack. He lost family members, just like she lost hers. They both suffer but have very different outlooks on life. One day they meet in person and have a one night stand. When Michael returns one day to see her, she feigns ignorance and he thinks that she doesn’t remember him. Michael tries to explain to Anais what has been going on. However, Anais just wants to live as an artist and does not respond kindly.
The way that Michael melds with his new life is healing. The group he travels with is seen as heroes of the public eye, and a sense of wonder surrounds their actions. As the group gets closer to one another, Anais finds that she wants to be with her teacher, Joseph. Although there are lightning fast twists and turns in the story that make for a page turner, there is also an element of instability and many surreal descriptions that take the reader by surprise again and again. You never know what will happen next.
Paint Stop Boom is original. It is creative. It is a whirlwind of colors that we don’t expect to be on the same canvas with one another, but here they are. Sarelas creates a world where the possibilities are endless and there is a chance that the city that was once known for its luck may just become lucky again. Through tragedy, it seems that there can eventually be peace.
Reviewed by Keri English for Indie Reader