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A review by brooke_review
The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan
4.0
What would you do if your mother asked you to help her die? That’s just one of the struggles sixteen-year-old Bobby Seed faces in Brian Conaghan’s new book, The Weight of a Thousand Feathers. This YA coming-of-age novel explores the themes of young caregivers, incurable illness, teenage sexuality, and single parent families.
Bobby’s mom has multiple sclerosis. Bobby is trying to juggle high school, look out for his younger brother, and care for his mom. Taking on the family responsibility just comes naturally to Bobby, but it’s not something he likes to talk about. So when a school counselor suggests Bobby join a local young caregivers support group, Poztive, he’s hesitant. At first he has trouble opening up to this group of teens experiencing situations similar to his, but he becomes comfortable with the group after awhile and begins to find his place.
Bobby also finds his eyes landing on Poztive’s resident rebel, Lou. Lou talks like an American, throwing around words like y’all, cool, and damn. He drives a vintage Vespa and has a laidback attitude about being his mom’s caregiver and life in general. In other words, he is everything Bobby isn’t. As Bobby and Lou develop a friendship, beginning with Lou giving Bobby rides to Poztive on the back of his Vespa, Bobby hopes for something more, but he doesn’t know how to make that happen. Not long after, however, Bobby’s mom asks for his help in ending her life, and his whole world changes.
The Weight of a Thousand Feathers is haunting and poetic (quite literally - Bobby tries his hand at poetry throughout the novel, and is oftentimes quite good.) This book’s deep moral conundrum - would you assist in someone’s suicide, or even further, kill them solely on your own - will have readers pondering what they would do if ever similarly tasked with caring for an ill family member or friend on the brink of losing the very essence of who they are. Conaghan delves deep into Bobby’s psyche, exploring how a sixteen-year-old boy juggles living as a teen by day - going to school, chatting with friends, crushing on cute guys - and as an adult by night - taking care of his practically immobile mother, as well as his brother with special needs. Conaghan’s writing is heart-wrenching, and readers will be laughing alongside Bobby and his mom on one page, and crying with them on the next. Have lots of tissues ready because this one takes you in directions you weren’t expecting!
Thanks to NetGalley & Bloomsbury YA for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Bobby’s mom has multiple sclerosis. Bobby is trying to juggle high school, look out for his younger brother, and care for his mom. Taking on the family responsibility just comes naturally to Bobby, but it’s not something he likes to talk about. So when a school counselor suggests Bobby join a local young caregivers support group, Poztive, he’s hesitant. At first he has trouble opening up to this group of teens experiencing situations similar to his, but he becomes comfortable with the group after awhile and begins to find his place.
Bobby also finds his eyes landing on Poztive’s resident rebel, Lou. Lou talks like an American, throwing around words like y’all, cool, and damn. He drives a vintage Vespa and has a laidback attitude about being his mom’s caregiver and life in general. In other words, he is everything Bobby isn’t. As Bobby and Lou develop a friendship, beginning with Lou giving Bobby rides to Poztive on the back of his Vespa, Bobby hopes for something more, but he doesn’t know how to make that happen. Not long after, however, Bobby’s mom asks for his help in ending her life, and his whole world changes.
The Weight of a Thousand Feathers is haunting and poetic (quite literally - Bobby tries his hand at poetry throughout the novel, and is oftentimes quite good.) This book’s deep moral conundrum - would you assist in someone’s suicide, or even further, kill them solely on your own - will have readers pondering what they would do if ever similarly tasked with caring for an ill family member or friend on the brink of losing the very essence of who they are. Conaghan delves deep into Bobby’s psyche, exploring how a sixteen-year-old boy juggles living as a teen by day - going to school, chatting with friends, crushing on cute guys - and as an adult by night - taking care of his practically immobile mother, as well as his brother with special needs. Conaghan’s writing is heart-wrenching, and readers will be laughing alongside Bobby and his mom on one page, and crying with them on the next. Have lots of tissues ready because this one takes you in directions you weren’t expecting!
Thanks to NetGalley & Bloomsbury YA for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!