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tasha34's review against another edition
4.0
I read this along with my daughter. Pretty good for a kid’s book.
emhromp's review against another edition
3.0
Vooral om het begin van het boek heb ik erg gelachen. De schrijver leek precies de juiste toon voor een komisch drama gevonden te hebben. Daarna werd het, wat mij betreft, een doorsnee verhaal. Eigenlijk zijn er opvallend veel boeken met kinderen die zichzelf moeten zien te redden omdat de ouders druk zijn met hun eigen sores.
alicebennett's review against another edition
5.0
This is my new favourite children's novel for KS2.
It tugs on your heartstrings, following the story of Cymbeline who lives happily with mum until one day when is pushed into the swimming pool at school and everyone discovers that he cannot swim. After this near-death experience his Mum turns up at the pool in hysterics, yelling at the coach and teacher for failing to look after him. Things begin to change as Cym wakes up the next day to his Uncle Bill getting him sorted for school and asks after his Mum. He is constantly left in the dark as the adults around him keep secrets and my heart ached for wanting to give him the support he so clearly needed.
It will take four amazing friends, a kind receptionist and an old car to solve the mystery of what is going on with Cym's mother, her disappearance from the hospital and the discovery of a huge secret that has been buried for many years.
The title of the book is so clever because the protagonist is both literally and metaphorically drowning throughout the novel, such great craft. A story of friendship, bravery and kindness.
It tugs on your heartstrings, following the story of Cymbeline who lives happily with mum until one day when is pushed into the swimming pool at school and everyone discovers that he cannot swim. After this near-death experience his Mum turns up at the pool in hysterics, yelling at the coach and teacher for failing to look after him. Things begin to change as Cym wakes up the next day to his Uncle Bill getting him sorted for school and asks after his Mum. He is constantly left in the dark as the adults around him keep secrets and my heart ached for wanting to give him the support he so clearly needed.
It will take four amazing friends, a kind receptionist and an old car to solve the mystery of what is going on with Cym's mother, her disappearance from the hospital and the discovery of a huge secret that has been buried for many years.
The title of the book is so clever because the protagonist is both literally and metaphorically drowning throughout the novel, such great craft. A story of friendship, bravery and kindness.
laurencarter's review against another edition
4.0
If you want to cry, this is for you.
Beautifully raw and important for kids (and adults too) - well written and heartbreaking
Beautifully raw and important for kids (and adults too) - well written and heartbreaking
carat's review against another edition
3.0
I clearly did not read the write up properly. I thought this was going to be some easy read magical mystery. Instead it is a story about mental illness through the eyes of a 9 year old.
Well written and quite interesting just not what I thought I was going to read
Well written and quite interesting just not what I thought I was going to read
saharareads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ellirocks's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ithil's review
4.0
Waterstone´s kids book of the month June 2018
As always I would like to start stating that I received this book as a proof copy from the publishers, but this will not affect my opinion of it.
At the beginning I was a bit doubtful as the plot of this books seemed to be aimed to older children that what it stated (9-12). However, I would not say a kid not to read the book as it deals with topics that need to be spoken aloud. Maybe with the intention of protecting them we do the opposite, and they may feel locked in the dark without answers. This book may help a kid that may be going through something similar. Or even the whole family. I’ve detailed below the triggers marked as spoilers because, well, they are spoilers.
Cym´s circumstances are a bit peculiar and very tough for a kid, although at the beginning he is not fully aware of them. The book narrates his journey through them starting from an accident at the pool to the truth of what happened in his family. He not only has to deal with the invisible obstacles from the past, but with some of his family not helping him at all.
I adored Cym, I found his sense of humour and his way to narrate the story one of the best things of the book. Because although he may describe such hard and complicated topics, he manages to keep going forward always, motivated by the truth and his love to his mother. And he does not do it alone, which I found to be another very important statement of the book: you may have problems, and some of your “friends” may turn you back on you when things get complicated, but the real ones won´t, so please reach out for help.
It is a very realistic book, with very real characters and at the same time, beautifully written in a way that becomes addictive. I needed to know what happened and how it happened and I wanted to hug Cym and at the same time, take his hand and run towards the truth.
SPOILERS.
TRIGGER WARNING: mother dealing with mental health problems, death of a parent, death of a sibling.
As always I would like to start stating that I received this book as a proof copy from the publishers, but this will not affect my opinion of it.
At the beginning I was a bit doubtful as the plot of this books seemed to be aimed to older children that what it stated (9-12). However, I would not say a kid not to read the book as it deals with topics that need to be spoken aloud. Maybe with the intention of protecting them we do the opposite, and they may feel locked in the dark without answers. This book may help a kid that may be going through something similar. Or even the whole family. I’ve detailed below the triggers marked as spoilers because, well, they are spoilers.
Cym´s circumstances are a bit peculiar and very tough for a kid, although at the beginning he is not fully aware of them. The book narrates his journey through them starting from an accident at the pool to the truth of what happened in his family. He not only has to deal with the invisible obstacles from the past, but with some of his family not helping him at all.
I adored Cym, I found his sense of humour and his way to narrate the story one of the best things of the book. Because although he may describe such hard and complicated topics, he manages to keep going forward always, motivated by the truth and his love to his mother. And he does not do it alone, which I found to be another very important statement of the book: you may have problems, and some of your “friends” may turn you back on you when things get complicated, but the real ones won´t, so please reach out for help.
It is a very realistic book, with very real characters and at the same time, beautifully written in a way that becomes addictive. I needed to know what happened and how it happened and I wanted to hug Cym and at the same time, take his hand and run towards the truth.
SPOILERS.
TRIGGER WARNING: mother dealing with mental health problems, death of a parent, death of a sibling.
vanessalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Cym ist noch nie in seinem Leben geschwommen. Weil es ihm zu peinlich ist, das zuzugeben behauptet er ein guter Schwimmer zu sein und wird sofort von seinem Widersacher zu einem Wettschwimmen herausgefordert. Noch bevor es dazu kommen kann, fällt Cym ins Wasser und ertrinkt beinahe. Dieser Vorfall löst bei seiner Mutter eine so starke Krise aus, dass diese ins Krankenhaus und Cym deshalb zu seinen Verwandten muss. Weil ihm aber keiner der Erwachsenen sagen will warum seine Mutter krank ist, muss er die Wahrheit selber raus finden. Eine emotionale Reise beginnt, bei der Cym nicht nur die Wahrheit sondern auch erstmals echte Freunde findet.
Eine Geschichte mit viel Tiefgang aber auch einiger Situationskomik. Die einen mal zum Lachen, mal zum Nachdenken bringt.
Eine Geschichte mit viel Tiefgang aber auch einiger Situationskomik. Die einen mal zum Lachen, mal zum Nachdenken bringt.
laural27's review
3.0
If it wasn’t for the twist at the end I think I would have given this 2 stars. I really didn’t like the way the author chose to describe things ‘big ladies, like hippos’ and his references to ‘willies’ and then penises and vaginas. For a book aimed at 9/10 year olds I’m not sure its quite right. However maybe that’s what children find funny these days?! I don’t know! A nice idea but executed a little clumsily.