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yapha's review against another edition
5.0
I did it again. I left this book on my TBR shelf for over a year. It was amazing and now I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner! Through a combination of bad luck and missteps, 12-year-old Felix and his mom Astrid end up living in a van on the streets of Vancouver. While she keeps reassuring him it is just for a little while, Astrid has a hard time holding down a job and tends to alienate anyone who gets too close. Felix does his best to hid his situation from his friends at school. Adding to the excitement is his tryout for the teen version of a trivia game show. It's a good reminder of how close to the precipice so many people are. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.
kba76's review against another edition
4.0
With echoes of Slumdog Millionaire, this is a heartwarming story that looks at an increasing problem in modern times.
Felix and his mother are having an adventure, she says. Having been asked to leave their apartment, they are going to live in a van. That is not an adventure, it’s desperate. Astrid, Felix’s mother, makes him promise not to let anyone know their circumstances.
Astrid has some mental health issues. She irritated me at times because her behaviour was so selfish. She didn’t seem to consider the impact her choices were having on Felix at all. Perhaps this seemed the case because we see everything through Felix’s eyes, but it rankled. That may sound harsh but not ever really seeing her thoughts meant it was hard to tell how much of their situation was caused by Astrid’s state of mind.
We know that rising living costs and many other factors can leave someone in a precarious situation. There was no sense of judgment here, and there were some genuinely lovely characters within the book who you just wish could be bottled.
The details of Felix’s life in the van are told with grim humour but this did mean we focus on the character rather than simply honing in on his living circumstances.
Ultimately I was cross by how many people guessed at there being a problem but who did nothing. While we act like this, little can change.
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this before publication in October.
Felix and his mother are having an adventure, she says. Having been asked to leave their apartment, they are going to live in a van. That is not an adventure, it’s desperate. Astrid, Felix’s mother, makes him promise not to let anyone know their circumstances.
Astrid has some mental health issues. She irritated me at times because her behaviour was so selfish. She didn’t seem to consider the impact her choices were having on Felix at all. Perhaps this seemed the case because we see everything through Felix’s eyes, but it rankled. That may sound harsh but not ever really seeing her thoughts meant it was hard to tell how much of their situation was caused by Astrid’s state of mind.
We know that rising living costs and many other factors can leave someone in a precarious situation. There was no sense of judgment here, and there were some genuinely lovely characters within the book who you just wish could be bottled.
The details of Felix’s life in the van are told with grim humour but this did mean we focus on the character rather than simply honing in on his living circumstances.
Ultimately I was cross by how many people guessed at there being a problem but who did nothing. While we act like this, little can change.
Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this before publication in October.
carla_boeken's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
msflynnreads's review against another edition
4.0
Susin Nielsen manages to write the most charming, heartbreaking and endearing characters.
leesendroom's review against another edition
5.0
Weer een fantastisch boek van Susin Nielsen. Haar vorige boek vond ik wat minder, maar deze is weer geweldig! Echt heel erg leuk. Lieve Felix is echt een schatje!
vermillion__'s review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in return for my honest review.
This was a really amazing book for me. The story was really heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. No fixed Address dealt with serious issues like homelessness, mental health and poverty. Reading this issues from a child perspective was different and author did an amazing job. I cried and laugh a lot. Everyone can read this book no matter how old are you.
This was a really amazing book for me. The story was really heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. No fixed Address dealt with serious issues like homelessness, mental health and poverty. Reading this issues from a child perspective was different and author did an amazing job. I cried and laugh a lot. Everyone can read this book no matter how old are you.
daffodildyke's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
Having avoided deeper reads recently, i stumbled on this book whilst scrolling through ebooks available through my library. i struggle reading books a lot of the time, opting for audiobooks. this is important to know, because i read 270-odd pages of this book in one sitting, and then finished it at the next available opportunity.
i really admire a lot of aspects of this book. it is clear that the author has made real effort to understand and empathetically depict the struggles of the ‘hidden homeless’. The structure of the story is interesting, starting with Felix agreeing to tell the story of what has happened up until that point, meaning it adds an element of questioning that may not otherwise be present.
I would have given it a higher rating, but i really struggled to connect with Winnie as an authentic character and constantly wanted something a bit… more… from her that i cannot pin down. but the main reason it cannot have more than 4 stars is the police aspect of the story.The idea that Felix recounts Astrid’s crimes, from breaking and entering to petty theft, to a police officer, and she does not end up in jail is unfathomable. it paints the police in a far better light than they deserve as an institution. it does a disservice to the whole story and the feeling of authenticity that runs throughout the rest of the book. Overall i am so impressed by this book - yes, it was relatively predictable but it is told against incredibly non-typical settings that make it feel fresh regardless.
I think it is incredibly important that this story doesn’t necessarily say that everything will turn out perfect, but it is hopeful and that things can get better and people aren’t all bad. There were definitely endings that could have undone a lot of the important undertones of this story, so I am glad that is not what happened.
i really admire a lot of aspects of this book. it is clear that the author has made real effort to understand and empathetically depict the struggles of the ‘hidden homeless’. The structure of the story is interesting, starting with Felix agreeing to tell the story of what has happened up until that point, meaning it adds an element of questioning that may not otherwise be present.
I would have given it a higher rating, but i really struggled to connect with Winnie as an authentic character and constantly wanted something a bit… more… from her that i cannot pin down. but the main reason it cannot have more than 4 stars is the police aspect of the story.
I think it is incredibly important that this story doesn’t necessarily say that everything will turn out perfect, but it is hopeful and that things can get better and people aren’t all bad. There were definitely endings that could have undone a lot of the important undertones of this story, so I am glad that is not what happened.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Excrement
leesdromen's review against another edition
5.0
Her way of writing is special! I read the book with a smile and a tear! Such a beautiful book! She also writes beautifully about hard and sensitive topics!
csavage's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0