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swhite's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.5
katykelly's review
5.0
Quite an illuminating, powerful and sad story. It takes turns you don't expect and the title takes on a greater significance as you approach the end and see how it has relevance for every character.
Ben and Emma are parents to Jonah, a 10-year-old with severe autism. IN a desperate effort to help their case of getting Jonah a place at a residential school best suited to his significant need, they fake a separation. Ben and Jonah move in with Ben's dad so Ben can appear to be a 'single' father.
Ben Jewell has hit breaking point. His ten-year-old son Jonah has severe autism and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope. Jonah doesn't talk, and Ben and Georg both have their own reasons for keeping quiet as well.
We follow the day-to-day struggles of coping with autism, Ben's taking on of the legal system and his own guilt and personal demons. There are some beautifully written moments, of Jonah relating to his grandfather, of the constant struggles against the worst aspects of autism (nappies at age 10, a son who does not communicate, extreme food choices, anti-social behaviour). There are also some emotional moments of love and connection, as Ben admits to himself and others that he loves his son but has conflicting feelings about him.
It is fascinating following their tribunal appeal, and I really liked the chapter headings using Jonah's communication cards to represent the overall feel of the proceeding chapter. I did find there was an issue with the Kindle version (possibly due to the ARC nature of the version I read) with no gaps between paragraphs that moved character / time periods, making it tricky to follow the story briefly. This may not be the case in the final version.
There are various turns in plot that reveal som quite shocking family secrets, and an epilogue that follows the main story that was incredibly moving and could have been a book in itself.
Very affecting and honest account of a family's struggles against illness, the system and their own in adequacies. Ben in particular is a well-drawn flawed father, one you empathise with but want to pull up by his bootstraps.
Expect a few wet eyes and a feeling of empathy after reading this.
Review of a NetGalley advance reading copy.
Ben and Emma are parents to Jonah, a 10-year-old with severe autism. IN a desperate effort to help their case of getting Jonah a place at a residential school best suited to his significant need, they fake a separation. Ben and Jonah move in with Ben's dad so Ben can appear to be a 'single' father.
Ben Jewell has hit breaking point. His ten-year-old son Jonah has severe autism and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope. Jonah doesn't talk, and Ben and Georg both have their own reasons for keeping quiet as well.
We follow the day-to-day struggles of coping with autism, Ben's taking on of the legal system and his own guilt and personal demons. There are some beautifully written moments, of Jonah relating to his grandfather, of the constant struggles against the worst aspects of autism (nappies at age 10, a son who does not communicate, extreme food choices, anti-social behaviour). There are also some emotional moments of love and connection, as Ben admits to himself and others that he loves his son but has conflicting feelings about him.
It is fascinating following their tribunal appeal, and I really liked the chapter headings using Jonah's communication cards to represent the overall feel of the proceeding chapter. I did find there was an issue with the Kindle version (possibly due to the ARC nature of the version I read) with no gaps between paragraphs that moved character / time periods, making it tricky to follow the story briefly. This may not be the case in the final version.
There are various turns in plot that reveal som quite shocking family secrets, and an epilogue that follows the main story that was incredibly moving and could have been a book in itself.
Very affecting and honest account of a family's struggles against illness, the system and their own in adequacies. Ben in particular is a well-drawn flawed father, one you empathise with but want to pull up by his bootstraps.
Expect a few wet eyes and a feeling of empathy after reading this.
Review of a NetGalley advance reading copy.
wintrovia's review
5.0
A sad, funny and uplifting story about a man and his relationship with his son. It's an interesting insight into the things that parents of children with autism have to face and the beauracracy they have to fight, but it's never preachy. Very sad in places but also very funny in others, an emotional rollercoaster.
fluffyllama789's review against another edition
4.0
I was lucky enough to win this book through a Goodreads giveaway and I really enjoyed it.
Shtum was a great read full of raw emotion, which showed how it is so easy to judge people without really knowing whats going. It was heartfelt with just the right amount of humor thrown in. You could really identify with the characters and their situations.
Shtum was a great read full of raw emotion, which showed how it is so easy to judge people without really knowing whats going. It was heartfelt with just the right amount of humor thrown in. You could really identify with the characters and their situations.
finalgirlfall's review against another edition
4.0
when i read (and reviewed) this at the age of 16, i called this novel "inherently ableist" for being about a presumably-allistic father's perception of his autistic child--but if i recall correctly, the protagonist's son doesn't end the novel by miraculously speaking, which i think is a point in lester's favor.
shivsbooks's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
calturner's review
5.0
Thank you to TBC on Facebook for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this outstanding novel.
As the parent of a (now adult) disabled child this book has touched me on a personal level. My daughter doesn't have autism, but so many of the thoughts, feelings and experiences expressed in this book are so familiar to me.
Beautifully written, with characters so true to life that you can't help but fall in love with them from the very first page, even when their actions are sometimes difficult to understand. They're real, flawed human beings and this only makes me love them more.
Shtum is a book that will stay with me forever and is, without a doubt, the best book I have ever read that deals with the reality of life with a disabled child and the huge impact it has on every aspect of your life.
Just wow. An emotional and powerful 5 star read.
As the parent of a (now adult) disabled child this book has touched me on a personal level. My daughter doesn't have autism, but so many of the thoughts, feelings and experiences expressed in this book are so familiar to me.
Beautifully written, with characters so true to life that you can't help but fall in love with them from the very first page, even when their actions are sometimes difficult to understand. They're real, flawed human beings and this only makes me love them more.
Shtum is a book that will stay with me forever and is, without a doubt, the best book I have ever read that deals with the reality of life with a disabled child and the huge impact it has on every aspect of your life.
Just wow. An emotional and powerful 5 star read.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
After reading an article by Jem recently, I get the feeling this is a highly autobiographical novel. He has a son with autism, which adds a level of authenticity to the everyday tasks and hardships the characters go through.
It’s an emotionally tough and challenging read in places, although the prose flows easily and the pages turn quickly. Whilst Ben loves his son, the constant care is stressful and neither parent can live their life to fullest, let along hope for the future they wanted for their son. What do you do in those brief moments where you wish you didn’t have to deal with your child? The best they can do is get him into a school that meets his needs, a school that will cost the local authority a lot of money.
If caring for Jonah wasn’t enough, they must go through a tribunal to get him a place at a residential school, one where he won’t just be another child to pass through the system. Yet Georg, his grandfather, doesn’t want him sent away, he thinks he should stay with his family, not packed off for the convenience of Ben.
There’s definitely tension between Georg and Ben, but as the story progresses you see more and more why Ben isn’t as well liked as you might expect. It’s not just about Jonah but his own destructive nature. And Georg soon has his own troubles to think about, all culminating in an emotional ending.
Whilst Emma remains in the background, the narrative kept my opinion of her changing. She’s trying to do the best for her son, but then she’s selfish, and then the truth comes out, the real reason the family dynamic is so hard. It’s not what you might assume. It’s easy to think harshly on people without knowing their full stories, and no one is perfect in this family, the reader may very well dislike them at times, they all are very human and fallible. I can empathise with all of them by the end.
I’m not entirely convinced it needed the additional back story of Georg. It explains his determination for Jonah to not be sent away, but it felt a little contrived to me. It didn’t feel as intimate and real as the rest of the story.
It’s an emotionally tough and challenging read in places, although the prose flows easily and the pages turn quickly. Whilst Ben loves his son, the constant care is stressful and neither parent can live their life to fullest, let along hope for the future they wanted for their son. What do you do in those brief moments where you wish you didn’t have to deal with your child? The best they can do is get him into a school that meets his needs, a school that will cost the local authority a lot of money.
If caring for Jonah wasn’t enough, they must go through a tribunal to get him a place at a residential school, one where he won’t just be another child to pass through the system. Yet Georg, his grandfather, doesn’t want him sent away, he thinks he should stay with his family, not packed off for the convenience of Ben.
There’s definitely tension between Georg and Ben, but as the story progresses you see more and more why Ben isn’t as well liked as you might expect. It’s not just about Jonah but his own destructive nature. And Georg soon has his own troubles to think about, all culminating in an emotional ending.
Whilst Emma remains in the background, the narrative kept my opinion of her changing. She’s trying to do the best for her son, but then she’s selfish, and then the truth comes out, the real reason the family dynamic is so hard. It’s not what you might assume. It’s easy to think harshly on people without knowing their full stories, and no one is perfect in this family, the reader may very well dislike them at times, they all are very human and fallible. I can empathise with all of them by the end.
I’m not entirely convinced it needed the additional back story of Georg. It explains his determination for Jonah to not be sent away, but it felt a little contrived to me. It didn’t feel as intimate and real as the rest of the story.
hollyabbott's review
dark
sad
tense
slow-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
2.5
It was a good book and well written. Did a good job at describing the difficulties of dealing with autism and battling the authorities. However, it was a bit close to home for me and the moment and too sad. I also didn’t find either parent that likeable, I appreciate how hard it must be to be in that situation but they had some questionable decisions
carolann331's review
4.0
His mind is like a dictionary with the pages glued together.
Shtum is a story about love and acceptance and how words can often be the least effective form of communication.
The story sheds light on the complexities of raising an extremely autistic child and the fallibility of the systems intended to benefit them. It moves at a good pace and while it was predictable at times, I was continually surprised by the depth of devotion, gentleness, and wisdom expressed by some characters and the lack of it by others. I was surprised and gladdened by the growth in some characters, too.
Jem Lester’s writing is fluid and powerful as it easily carries you through heartaches, personal demons, joys, and triumphs to an ending where we learn the truths that made the characters who they are and leaves us loving them all the more.
Shtum is a story about love and acceptance and how words can often be the least effective form of communication.
“Words become meaningless if you don’t tell your truth and they become weapons if you try to tell someone else theirs.”
The story sheds light on the complexities of raising an extremely autistic child and the fallibility of the systems intended to benefit them. It moves at a good pace and while it was predictable at times, I was continually surprised by the depth of devotion, gentleness, and wisdom expressed by some characters and the lack of it by others. I was surprised and gladdened by the growth in some characters, too.
Jem Lester’s writing is fluid and powerful as it easily carries you through heartaches, personal demons, joys, and triumphs to an ending where we learn the truths that made the characters who they are and leaves us loving them all the more.