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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
This is a heart-wrenching read. I was captivated by Leon and his world.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
His name is Leon. He is nine years old. Leon has just got himself a new baby brother, Jake. Jake is perfect, and people say they look alike. They have different dads, but they look like their mother. There's only one way in which Leon takes after his dad. His skin colour.
When their mother Carol is hit with post-natal depression, both children suffer from neglect and they're taken into care by a kind old lady called Maureen who has a belly like Father Christmas. Jake being the adorable white baby that he is, is soon adopted. Nine-year-old mixed race Leon is left behind because nobody wants to adopt a half-caste kid in 1980.
Not only is this perfectly told from a nine-year old's perspective, where adults talk about you behind closed doors and in hushed voices, but from an adult reader's point of view, you pick up on the political unrest and racial tensions of early 80's Britain. These go over the head of a naive foster kid who's trying to cope with the monumental upheaval of being separated from his mum as well as his little brother and going to live with a stranger, albeit a kind one. It seems the only way to make his mum Carol OK again is to find his little brother and get him back so they can all be together again.
I read this in 3 sittings, only because I was rudely interrupted by the need to work for a living. If not it would have been in one. A beautiful and poignant story of a lad trying to understand why his family is split up, having no control over where he lives or what school he goes to, adults making all the decisions and not doing a very good job of explaining their reasons. Highly recommended.
When their mother Carol is hit with post-natal depression, both children suffer from neglect and they're taken into care by a kind old lady called Maureen who has a belly like Father Christmas. Jake being the adorable white baby that he is, is soon adopted. Nine-year-old mixed race Leon is left behind because nobody wants to adopt a half-caste kid in 1980.
Not only is this perfectly told from a nine-year old's perspective, where adults talk about you behind closed doors and in hushed voices, but from an adult reader's point of view, you pick up on the political unrest and racial tensions of early 80's Britain. These go over the head of a naive foster kid who's trying to cope with the monumental upheaval of being separated from his mum as well as his little brother and going to live with a stranger, albeit a kind one. It seems the only way to make his mum Carol OK again is to find his little brother and get him back so they can all be together again.
I read this in 3 sittings, only because I was rudely interrupted by the need to work for a living. If not it would have been in one. A beautiful and poignant story of a lad trying to understand why his family is split up, having no control over where he lives or what school he goes to, adults making all the decisions and not doing a very good job of explaining their reasons. Highly recommended.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
One of the best books I have read in a long time. A tale of a childhood lost and regained. A journey of love, hope, identity and family. A story of belonging and the concept of "home". I loved it.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I saw this book, I had to have it. Then when I started reading this book, I could not put it down. A really sad story that will break your heart. You want to hold Leon and tell him everything will be alright, but you can't.
I just see that it still cost me nearly a week to read this book, it must be because it was such a strange week - it felt like I flew through this book in way too little time. I wanted to read on, but I did not want it to end! (And oh how I want things to end well for Leon and Jake!)
The main character is Leon. At the start of the book he is nearly 9 years old, and he takes care of his baby brother Jake like the best big brother in the world when his mother stops leaving her bed. When he cannot take any more money from her wallet for diapers and weetabix, because it's empty, he asks their neighbour for some pounds - and that's where his family as he knows it starts to fall apart.
What follows is a heartbreaking tale of a kid who had to grow up too fast, and is now thrown into being a kid again by social services and a wonderful foster mum. Problem with being a kid is, others make decisions for you - and that's hard to accept for Leon, who is used to making his own decisions, listening in on adult conversations and stealing stuff, just to make sure he can protect and care for himself and his brother.
I think this this book shows both the grim and the great stuff through the eyes of a wonderful character. It tells about the insecurities, the pain of abandonment, the everlasting loyalty towards parents - about bureaucracy and misunderstandings, but also about people thriven by love and care for those kids who need their help. So from me, this book receives a very well deserved five stars.
I received a free copy through Netgalleym in return for an honest review.
The main character is Leon. At the start of the book he is nearly 9 years old, and he takes care of his baby brother Jake like the best big brother in the world when his mother stops leaving her bed. When he cannot take any more money from her wallet for diapers and weetabix, because it's empty, he asks their neighbour for some pounds - and that's where his family as he knows it starts to fall apart.
What follows is a heartbreaking tale of a kid who had to grow up too fast, and is now thrown into being a kid again by social services and a wonderful foster mum. Problem with being a kid is, others make decisions for you - and that's hard to accept for Leon, who is used to making his own decisions, listening in on adult conversations and stealing stuff, just to make sure he can protect and care for himself and his brother.
I think this this book shows both the grim and the great stuff through the eyes of a wonderful character. It tells about the insecurities, the pain of abandonment, the everlasting loyalty towards parents - about bureaucracy and misunderstandings, but also about people thriven by love and care for those kids who need their help. So from me, this book receives a very well deserved five stars.
I received a free copy through Netgalleym in return for an honest review.