Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
An enjoyable read about 13 year old Ricky. Things aren't going well for Ricky; her brother is sick, she hates her body, her parents have split up, and they've just moved to a new block of flats on the other side of London where she has no friends. Ricky is angry and vulnerable, and her world is full of new people; it's really hard to know who is real and who she can trust.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
Such a magnificent book with an unexpected but lovely ending. Felt every emotion reading this book following Ricky moving to a new estate and facing her own challenges while her brother becomes sick. I loved the story and characters and after the ending will definitely read again and recommend especially for people who like a Jacqueline Wilson style novel.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Gaslighting
At first I thought this book was a good but predictable general fiction, but I found myself really drawn in towards the last third of the book. There are some complex themes which the young character Ricky is facing, some of which I wish were explored further.
The story opens with Ricky, her mom and her beloved brother Ollie moving to a spotty apartment complex in Camden. Very different from her home in Britton.
With Ricky’s father living with his pregnant girlfriend, and her mother spending all her time in the hospital due to her little brothers mysterious illness, Ricky is left to navigate this new life alone. often waring with the neighbourhood bullies and her mothers new boyfriend. Rickey finds solace in the neighbourhood garden, writing classes and a new secret friend.
When the book begins I thought it was going to be a quirky light hearted story about a little girl navigating her parents separation. But it is so much more than that. It’s a story about grief, loss, abuse, about being a little kid and going through some very adult situations.
With Ricky’s father living with his pregnant girlfriend, and her mother spending all her time in the hospital due to her little brothers mysterious illness, Ricky is left to navigate this new life alone. often waring with the neighbourhood bullies and her mothers new boyfriend. Rickey finds solace in the neighbourhood garden, writing classes and a new secret friend.
When the book begins I thought it was going to be a quirky light hearted story about a little girl navigating her parents separation. But it is so much more than that. It’s a story about grief, loss, abuse, about being a little kid and going through some very adult situations.
The story opens with Ricky, her mom and her beloved brother Ollie moving to a spotty apartment complex in Camden. Very different from her home in Britton.
With Ricky’s father living with his pregnant girlfriend, and her mother spending all her time in the hospital due to her little brothers mysterious illness, Ricky is left to navigate this new life alone. often waring with the neighbourhood bullies and her mothers new boyfriend. Rickey finds solace in the neighbourhood garden, writing classes and a new secret friend.
When the book begins I thought it was going to be a quirky light hearted story about a little girl navigating her parents separation. But it is so much more than that. It’s a story about grief, loss, abuse, about being a little kid and going through some very adult situations
With Ricky’s father living with his pregnant girlfriend, and her mother spending all her time in the hospital due to her little brothers mysterious illness, Ricky is left to navigate this new life alone. often waring with the neighbourhood bullies and her mothers new boyfriend. Rickey finds solace in the neighbourhood garden, writing classes and a new secret friend.
When the book begins I thought it was going to be a quirky light hearted story about a little girl navigating her parents separation. But it is so much more than that. It’s a story about grief, loss, abuse, about being a little kid and going through some very adult situations
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Pedophilia
Ricky Bird loves to make up stories for her little brother, Ollie. Ricky’s imagination helps her tune out the bad things going on in their life – their parents’ separation, a move to a new neighborhood, their mom’s new boyfriend, and the reason Ollie has to keep going to the hospital.
This was a heartbreaking novel, but I don’t think it deserves the comparisons to The Curious Incendent or A Man Called Ove. The book started a little slow to me, and I found it a little hard to follow as we drifted between reality and Ricky’s imagination. Ollie was definitely the bright spot of this story, and I wish we had seen more of him. Seeing the story only from Ricky’s perspective, I feel like we didn’t get closure to some of the issues that I would have liked to see.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.
This was a heartbreaking novel, but I don’t think it deserves the comparisons to The Curious Incendent or A Man Called Ove. The book started a little slow to me, and I found it a little hard to follow as we drifted between reality and Ricky’s imagination. Ollie was definitely the bright spot of this story, and I wish we had seen more of him. Seeing the story only from Ricky’s perspective, I feel like we didn’t get closure to some of the issues that I would have liked to see.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.
4 stars.
Diane Connell shows herself to be a fabulous writer here. ( I haven't read either of her previous two novels).
The dialogue is easily believable, characters detailed enough without over doing it and the setting spot on. Really, everything is just right.
Ricky and Ollie have a wonderful and funny sibling relationship lifting this heartbreaking book above its darkness. The Improbable Life of Ricky Bird made me laugh out loud. And cry. And get angry. But, in the end, it's an uplifting story as Ricky no longer feels invisible and it seems just possible that everything might be, if not brilliant, at least heading in the right direction for Ricky and her mum.
PS those Cloneys! What a horrible family.
Diane Connell shows herself to be a fabulous writer here. ( I haven't read either of her previous two novels).
The dialogue is easily believable, characters detailed enough without over doing it and the setting spot on. Really, everything is just right.
Ricky and Ollie have a wonderful and funny sibling relationship lifting this heartbreaking book above its darkness. The Improbable Life of Ricky Bird made me laugh out loud. And cry. And get angry. But, in the end, it's an uplifting story as Ricky no longer feels invisible and it seems just possible that everything might be, if not brilliant, at least heading in the right direction for Ricky and her mum.
PS those Cloneys! What a horrible family.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A heart-wrenching novel about a fierce child and the stories we tell to help get through incredibly traumatic situations. This one had me crying so many times. It was HEAVY.