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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Leon is 8 3/4 jaar wanneer zijn broertje wordt geboren. Leon is 9 jaar, zijn broertje is 5 maanden, wanneer de kinderbescherming hen bij hun moeder weghaalt. Het verhaal vindt plaats in de jaren '80 in Engeland. Met persoonlijke kennis over het pleegsysteem schrijft Kit de Waal een indrukwekkend boek over armoede, racisme, politiegeweld en sociale dienstverlening.
Als dat je niet uitnodigt om dit boek te gaan lezen, dan doen de eerste paar bladzijdes dit wel. Je wordt direct in het verhaal gezogen en hecht je vrijwel direct aan ons belangrijkste hoofdpersonage 'Leon'. Het is te merken dat Kit de Waal kennis heeft over dit onderwerp. Zelden heb ik een kinderpersonage als zo geloofwaardig ervaren in combinatie met een heftig onderwerp als deze.
Als dat je niet uitnodigt om dit boek te gaan lezen, dan doen de eerste paar bladzijdes dit wel. Je wordt direct in het verhaal gezogen en hecht je vrijwel direct aan ons belangrijkste hoofdpersonage 'Leon'. Het is te merken dat Kit de Waal kennis heeft over dit onderwerp. Zelden heb ik een kinderpersonage als zo geloofwaardig ervaren in combinatie met een heftig onderwerp als deze.
A good read for sure and I expect my reading group will whole heartedly love this book. It certainly kept me turning the pages.
Something about the narrative perspective didn’t quite work for me. Written in the third person but mainly from the point of view of Leon, I found it hard to accept that he could read or come across and take in complex adult conversations. It almost came off, but not quite.
I also found the happy ending a little tricky to accept because I think life in public care is often a whole lot harder and more unpalatable to read than even this story. And I think teachers and police get a bit of a hard time from the author, when in my experience they often do great things with looked after children.
Something about the narrative perspective didn’t quite work for me. Written in the third person but mainly from the point of view of Leon, I found it hard to accept that he could read or come across and take in complex adult conversations. It almost came off, but not quite.
I also found the happy ending a little tricky to accept because I think life in public care is often a whole lot harder and more unpalatable to read than even this story. And I think teachers and police get a bit of a hard time from the author, when in my experience they often do great things with looked after children.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Unfortunately, I was bored and uninterested 90% of the time. Not much else to say outside of that. 5/10
Told from the child's point of view, this book follows Leon and his dealings with social care. The child's voice in this is skillfully done. The things Leon doesn't understand and starts to understand as he grows up especially.
The setting of the early 80s also brings a lot of nostalgia with it - bmx and Dianas wedding.
I absolutely loved this book.
The setting of the early 80s also brings a lot of nostalgia with it - bmx and Dianas wedding.
I absolutely loved this book.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness
Such a heart-wrenching yet moving story of a young mixed race boy trying to reunite and come to terms with his younger white half-brother being adopted while he gets left behind in the foster care system due to his skin color and "unappealing age" (being 9 years old makes social services see him as a lost cause). I think we can all agree after reading this how completely unfair and cruel it is to allow siblings to be separately adopted. I'm sorry people who want to adopt, but if that child you want has a sibling you should accept them as a packaged deal. What a lovely book and kudos to the author as this is her debut novel.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No