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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing emotional read. I learned a lot from this book about myself, about society's perception of people outside the societal "norm" and ASD; what it is and how it affects the individual and those around them. Cannot recommend enough.
https://whereathousandwordspaintapicture.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/review-shtum-by-jem-lester/
https://whereathousandwordspaintapicture.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/review-shtum-by-jem-lester/
I received this book from NetGalley and the premise really intrigued me. I’ve always been interested in how children develop and familial relationships from my psychology classes, so this sounded perfect for me.
Shtum centres on Ben Jewell whose son, Jonah, is autistic and occasionally uncontrollable and his wife Emma is doing everything she can to get him into a school much better suited for his needs. To do this she suggests staging a separation to help improve their tribunal case. With nowhere else to turn, Ben takes Jonah to live with his Dad, Georg, who he’s not spoken to in months…
I loved the way Jonah was written, he was very difficult but very charming and he always brought something extra to the novel. I really struggled to like any of the adult characters at first, however as the novel progressed and things fell into place you saw them develop and I was completely invested in them. Ben was an interesting protagonist, who was strangely both honest about his flaws and in denial about some of them. You couldn’t ignore his dedication to his son once he really put his mind to it. Although at the beginning this did seem to be more out of spite for his own father, which was a relationship just as complex as Ben’s and Jonah’s. I really enjoyed what Georg and his interactions with people brought to the novel, especially seeing how different he was with Ben and Jonah. It wasn’t really until the end of the novel that I liked Emma, at the beginning I found her frustrating and selfish but by the end it all makes sense and you understand her position a lot more – not just through her own explanations but through what we’ve witnessed Ben experience throughout the novel by this point.
I liked the plot of the novel and how it focused on the relationships between family members. From my little experience with autistic children and children with behavioural problems, this novel seemed like a very honest look into what it can be like for some children and parents who live with it. I loved seeing Georg and Jonah interact and I loved the way Ben would talk to Jonah when no-one else was around. The pacing of the novel was good, although it was a little rushed in parts and I would have liked to have seen a little more of Jonah at the end. I would also have liked to have more time with Georg, who brought much more to the plot than I was originally anticipating.
As much as I enjoyed the novel, I feel like it’s missing something. I think this is partly because it took me a little while to get into the novel, so by the time I did I had missed out of a lot of the set up. Where I didn’t warm up to the a lot of the characters right away I felt disconnected in the beginning, but once I had this was a very worthwhile read. I think this is a novel I’ll enjoy more upon a second read now I have established that connection.
Overall, it’s a very good, emotional, novel with some very honest, albeit sometimes frustrating, characters which you can’t help but fall for by the end. This novel illustrates the very real struggles that some families face in various ways which definitely makes this worth a read.
Rating: 3.5/5
Shtum centres on Ben Jewell whose son, Jonah, is autistic and occasionally uncontrollable and his wife Emma is doing everything she can to get him into a school much better suited for his needs. To do this she suggests staging a separation to help improve their tribunal case. With nowhere else to turn, Ben takes Jonah to live with his Dad, Georg, who he’s not spoken to in months…
I loved the way Jonah was written, he was very difficult but very charming and he always brought something extra to the novel. I really struggled to like any of the adult characters at first, however as the novel progressed and things fell into place you saw them develop and I was completely invested in them. Ben was an interesting protagonist, who was strangely both honest about his flaws and in denial about some of them. You couldn’t ignore his dedication to his son once he really put his mind to it. Although at the beginning this did seem to be more out of spite for his own father, which was a relationship just as complex as Ben’s and Jonah’s. I really enjoyed what Georg and his interactions with people brought to the novel, especially seeing how different he was with Ben and Jonah. It wasn’t really until the end of the novel that I liked Emma, at the beginning I found her frustrating and selfish but by the end it all makes sense and you understand her position a lot more – not just through her own explanations but through what we’ve witnessed Ben experience throughout the novel by this point.
I liked the plot of the novel and how it focused on the relationships between family members. From my little experience with autistic children and children with behavioural problems, this novel seemed like a very honest look into what it can be like for some children and parents who live with it. I loved seeing Georg and Jonah interact and I loved the way Ben would talk to Jonah when no-one else was around. The pacing of the novel was good, although it was a little rushed in parts and I would have liked to have seen a little more of Jonah at the end. I would also have liked to have more time with Georg, who brought much more to the plot than I was originally anticipating.
As much as I enjoyed the novel, I feel like it’s missing something. I think this is partly because it took me a little while to get into the novel, so by the time I did I had missed out of a lot of the set up. Where I didn’t warm up to the a lot of the characters right away I felt disconnected in the beginning, but once I had this was a very worthwhile read. I think this is a novel I’ll enjoy more upon a second read now I have established that connection.
Overall, it’s a very good, emotional, novel with some very honest, albeit sometimes frustrating, characters which you can’t help but fall for by the end. This novel illustrates the very real struggles that some families face in various ways which definitely makes this worth a read.
Rating: 3.5/5
Shtum is a Yiddish word that means silence and this beautiful story is inspired by Jem Lester’s own struggles and triumphs with his autistic son who is trapped in a silence of his own. It is, truly, the most accurate portrayal of what it would be like to parent a profoundly autistic child and a read that many of us can learn a lot from.
In this story, Jonah and his autistic son Ben find themselves under Jonah’s father’s roof to help with the application process for a school for autism that could help Jonah. They don’t have the funds to do it and Ben’s wife encourages a separation in their marriage to help Jonah because being a single parent will lend them favor on the application process and offer more scholarship money.
Residing under one roof with a child who requires 24-hour supervision and a grumpy father isn’t Ben’s idea of a great time and alcohol is Ben’s escape. It is a downward spiral at times and Lester doesn’t let you escape it. The day-to-day grind becomes overwhelming, even as a reader, and it made me REALLY understand more about the challenges that these family’s face every single day.
Yet, as heart wrenching as this read is, it has sparks of dark comedy that had me chuckle out loud many times, particularly with Ben’s father, Georg. This debut novel is raw and unapologetic in the challenges that come with love and sacrifice. I highly recommend this read!
In this story, Jonah and his autistic son Ben find themselves under Jonah’s father’s roof to help with the application process for a school for autism that could help Jonah. They don’t have the funds to do it and Ben’s wife encourages a separation in their marriage to help Jonah because being a single parent will lend them favor on the application process and offer more scholarship money.
Residing under one roof with a child who requires 24-hour supervision and a grumpy father isn’t Ben’s idea of a great time and alcohol is Ben’s escape. It is a downward spiral at times and Lester doesn’t let you escape it. The day-to-day grind becomes overwhelming, even as a reader, and it made me REALLY understand more about the challenges that these family’s face every single day.
Yet, as heart wrenching as this read is, it has sparks of dark comedy that had me chuckle out loud many times, particularly with Ben’s father, Georg. This debut novel is raw and unapologetic in the challenges that come with love and sacrifice. I highly recommend this read!
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
There is no doubt that this is an exceptionally well written novel. It flowed so well and the writing style was excellent. It's a moving story about Ben and his autistic son, Jonah. It was difficult to read at times just because it was so honest about what goes on in the home of an autistic child, how the parents cope and what they go through on a daily basis, the emotional roller coaster ride that is living with an autistic child. It's a lovely and moving book about relationships, addictions, patience and autism. It's getting rave reviews on Goodreads and I also thoroughly enjoyed it. Would recommend.
This was amazing. Raw, honest, funny and heartbreaking, this book tells the story of life with a severely autistic child and the battles you have to face to get what’s best for them. An eye opening portrayal really.
There are so many layers in this book, and every single one of them is perfect. It was beautiful and funny and heart breaking and I can't wait to reread it. My favourite book I've read in 2017 so far :)
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ben and Emma are struggling to cope with their 10 year old son Jonah who has severe autism and doesn’t speak. They deceive to fake a separation to help them with Jonah’s tribunal which will help get him into a better full time school. Ben and Jonah move in with Georg, Bens dad who he hardly speaks to. They have a strained relationship but Georg is good with Jonah and helps Ben with him. Ben learns some of his life through listening to his dad tell stories to Jonah as Georg won’t tell him face to face. How will they communicate with each other?
This is written brilliantly, I read it very quickly and really enjoyed the story. I must admit, I didn’t like Emma very much at the beginning, I thought she was selfish but then by the end I felt sorry for her and understood why she did what she did.
This is written brilliantly, I read it very quickly and really enjoyed the story. I must admit, I didn’t like Emma very much at the beginning, I thought she was selfish but then by the end I felt sorry for her and understood why she did what she did.